第11章

“Awhat？”Josasked。

“Asentimentalsong，andcallingRosa，Rebecca，what’shername，Amelia’slittlefriend——yourdearestdiddle-

diddle-darling？”Andthisruthlessyoungfellow，seizingholdofDobbin’shand，actedoverthescene，tothehorroroftheoriginalperformer，andinspiteofDobbin’sgood-

naturedentreatiestohimtohavemercy。

“WhyshouldIsparehim？”Osbornesaidtohisfriend’sremonstrances，whentheyquittedtheinvalid，leavinghimunderthehandsofDoctorGollop。”Whatthedeucerighthashetogivehimselfhispatronizingairs，andmakefoolsofusatVauxhall？Who’sthislittleschoolgirlthatisoglingandmakinglovetohim？Hangit，thefamily’slowenoughalready，withoutHER。Agovernessisallverywell，butI’dratherhavealadyformysister-in-law。I’maliberalman；butI’veproperpride，andknowmyownstation：letherknowhers。AndI’lltakedownthatgreathectoringNabob，andpreventhimfrombeingmadeagreaterfoolthanheis。That’swhyItoldhimtolookout，lestshebroughtanactionagainsthim。”

“Isupposeyouknowbest。”Dobbinsaid，thoughratherdubiously。”YoualwayswereaTory，andyourfamily’soneoftheoldestinEngland。But——“

“Comeandseethegirls，andmakelovetoMissSharpyourself。”thelieutenanthereinterruptedhisfriend；butCaptainDobbindeclinedtojoinOsborneinhisdailyvisittotheyoungladiesinRussellSquare。

AsGeorgewalkeddownSouthamptonRow，fromHolborn，helaughedashesaw，attheSedleyMansion，intwodifferentstoriestwoheadsonthelook-out。

Thefactis，MissAmelia，inthedrawing-roombalcony，waslookingveryeagerlytowardstheoppositesideoftheSquare，whereMr。Osbornedwelt，onthewatchforthelieutenanthimself；andMissSharp，fromherlittlebed-

roomonthesecondfloor，wasinobservationuntilMr。

Joseph’sgreatformshouldheaveinsight。

“SisterAnneisonthewatch-tower。”saidhetoAmelia。”butthere’snobodycoming“；andlaughingandenjoyingthejokehugely，hedescribedinthemostludicroustermstoMissSedley，thedismalconditionofherbrother。

“Ithinkit’sverycruelofyoutolaugh，George。”shesaid，lookingparticularlyunhappy；butGeorgeonlylaughedthemoreatherpiteousanddiscomfitedmien，persistedinthinkingthejokeamostdivertingone，andwhenMissSharpcamedownstairs，banteredherwithagreatdealoflivelinessupontheeffectofhercharmsonthefatcivilian。

“OMissSharp！ifyoucouldbutseehimthismorning。”

hesaid——“moaninginhisflowereddressing-gown——

writhingonhissofa；ifyoucouldbuthaveseenhimlollingouthistonguetoGolloptheapothecary。”

“Seewhom？”saidMissSharp。

“Whom？Owhom？CaptainDobbin，ofcourse，towhomwewereallsoattentive，bytheway，lastnight。”

“Wewereveryunkindtohim。”Emmysaid，blushingverymuch。”I——Iquiteforgothim。”

“Ofcourseyoudid。”criedOsborne，stillonthelaugh。

“Onecan’tbeALWAYSthinkingaboutDobbin，youknow，Amelia。Canone，MissSharp？”

“Exceptwhenheoversettheglassofwineatdinner。”

MissSharpsaid，withahaughtyairandatossofthehead，“InevergavetheexistenceofCaptainDobbinonesinglemoment’sconsideration。”

“Verygood，MissSharp，I’lltellhim。”Osbornesaid；

andashespokeMissSharpbegantohaveafeelingofdistrustandhatredtowardsthisyoungofficer，whichhewasquiteunconsciousofhavinginspired。”Heistomakefunofme，ishe？”thoughtRebecca。”HashebeenlaughingaboutmetoJoseph？Hashefrightenedhim？

Perhapshewon’tcome。”——Afilmpassedoverhereyes，andherheartbeatquitequick。

“You’realwaysjoking。”saidshe，smilingasinnocentlyasshecould。”Jokeaway，Mr。George；there’snobodytodefendME。”AndGeorgeOsborne，asshewalkedaway——andAmelialookedreprovinglyathim——feltsomelittlemanlycompunctionforhavinginflictedanyunnecessaryunkindnessuponthishelplesscreature。”MydearestAmelia。”saidhe，“youaretoogood——tookind。Youdon’tknowtheworld。Ido。AndyourlittlefriendMissSharpmustlearnherstation。”

“Don’tyouthinkJoswill——“

“Uponmyword，mydear，Idon’tknow。Hemay，ormaynot。I’mnothismaster。Ionlyknowheisaveryfoolishvainfellow，andputmydearlittlegirlintoaverypainfulandawkwardpositionlastnight。Mydearestdiddle-diddle-darling！”Hewasofflaughingagain，andhediditsodrollythatEmmylaughedtoo。

AllthatdayJosnevercame。ButAmeliahadnofearaboutthis；forthelittleschemerhadactuallysentawaythepage，Mr。Sambo’saide-de-camp，toMr。Joseph’slodgings，toaskforsomebookhehadpromised，andhowhewas；andthereplythroughJos’sman，Mr。Brush，was，thathismasterwasillinbed，andhadjusthadthedoctorwithhim。Hemustcometo-morrow，shethought，butsheneverhadthecouragetospeakawordonthesubjecttoRebecca；nordidthatyoungwomanherselfalludetoitinanywayduringthewholeeveningafterthenightatVauxhall。

Thenextday，however，asthetwoyoungladiessateonthesofa，pretendingtowork，ortowriteletters，ortoreadnovels，Sambocameintotheroomwithhisusualengaginggrin，withapacketunderhisarm，andanoteonatray。”NotefromMr。Jos，Miss。”saysSambo。

HowAmeliatrembledassheopenedit！

Soitran：

DearAmelia，——Isendyouthe“OrphanoftheForest。”

Iwastooilltocomeyesterday。Ileavetownto-dayforCheltenham。Prayexcuseme，ifyoucan，totheamiableMissSharp，formyconductatVauxhall，andentreathertopardonandforgeteverywordImayhaveutteredwhenexcitedbythatfatalsupper。AssoonasIhaverecovered，formyhealthisverymuchshaken，I

shallgotoScotlandforsomemonths，andamTrulyyours，JosSedleyItwasthedeath-warrant。Allwasover。AmeliadidnotdaretolookatRebecca’spalefaceandburningeyes，butshedropttheletterintoherfriend’slap；andgotup，andwentupstairstoherroom，andcriedherlittleheartout。

Blenkinsop，thehousekeeper，theresoughtherpresentlywithconsolation，onwhoseshoulderAmeliaweptconfidentially，andrelievedherselfagooddeal。”Don’ttakeon，Miss。Ididn’tliketotellyou。Butnoneofusinthehousehavelikedherexceptatfust。IsorherwithmyowneyesreadingyourMa’sletters。Pinnersaysshe’salwaysaboutyourtrinket-boxanddrawers，andeverybody’sdrawers，andshe’ssureshe’sputyourwhiteribbingintoherbox。”

“Igaveither，Igaveither。”Ameliasaid。

ButthisdidnotalterMrs。Blenkinsop’sopinionofMissSharp。”Idon’ttrustthemgovernesses，Pinner。”sheremarkedtothemaid。”Theygivethemselvesthehairsandhupstartsofladies，andtheirwagesisnobetterthanyounorme。”

Itnowbecamecleartoeverysoulinthehouse，exceptpoorAmelia，thatRebeccashouldtakeherdeparture，andhighandlow(alwayswiththeoneexception)agreedthatthateventshouldtakeplaceasspeedilyaspossible。

Ourgoodchildransackedallherdrawers，cupboards，reticules，andgimcrackboxes——passedinreviewallhergowns，fichus，tags，bobbins，laces，silkstockings，andfallals——selectingthisthingandthatandtheother，tomakealittleheapforRebecca。AndgoingtoherPapa，thatgenerousBritishmerchant，whohadpromisedtogiveherasmanyguineasasshewasyearsold——shebeggedtheoldgentlemantogivethemoneytodearRebecca，whomustwantit，whileshelackedfornothing。

SheevenmadeGeorgeOsbornecontribute，andnothingloth(forhewasasfree-handedayoungfellowasanyinthearmy)，hewenttoBondStreet，andboughtthebesthatandspenserthatmoneycouldbuy。

“That’sGeorge’spresenttoyou，Rebecca，dear。”saidAmelia，quiteproudofthebandboxconveyingthesegifts。”Whatatastehehas！There’snobodylikehim。”

“Nobody。”Rebeccaanswered。”HowthankfulIamtohim！”Shewasthinkinginherheart，“ItwasGeorgeOsbornewhopreventedmymarriage。”——AndshelovedGeorgeOsborneaccordingly。

Shemadeherpreparationsfordeparturewithgreatequanimity；andacceptedallthekindlittleAmelia’spresents，afterjusttheproperdegreeofhesitationandreluctance。ShevowedeternalgratitudetoMrs。Sedley，ofcourse；butdidnotintrudeherselfuponthatgoodladytoomuch，whowasembarrassed，andevidentlywishingtoavoidher。ShekissedMr。Sedley’shand，whenhepresentedherwiththepurse；andaskedpermissiontoconsiderhimforthefutureasherkind，kindfriendandprotector。Herbehaviourwassoaffectingthathewasgoingtowriteherachequefortwentypoundsmore；

butherestrainedhisfeelings：thecarriagewasinwaitingtotakehimtodinner，sohetrippedawaywitha“Godblessyou，mydear，alwayscomeherewhenyoucometotown，youknow——DrivetotheMansionHouse，James。”

FinallycamethepartingwithMissAmelia，overwhichpictureIintendtothrowaveil。Butafterasceneinwhichonepersonwasinearnestandtheotheraperfectperformer——afterthetenderestcaresses，themostpathetictears，thesmelling-bottle，andsomeoftheverybestfeelingsoftheheart，hadbeencalledintorequisition——

RebeccaandAmeliaparted，theformervowingtoloveherfriendforeverandeverandever。

CHAPTERVII

CrawleyofQueen’sCrawleyAmongthemostrespectedofthenamesbeginninginC

whichtheCourt-Guidecontained，intheyear18——，wasthatofCrawley，SirPitt，Baronet，GreatGauntStreet，andQueen’sCrawley，Hants。ThishonourablenamehadfiguredconstantlyalsointheParliamentarylistformanyyears，inconjunctionwiththatofanumberofotherworthygentlemenwhosatinturnsfortheborough。

Itisrelated，withregardtotheboroughofQueen’sCrawley，thatQueenElizabethinoneofherprogresses，stoppingatCrawleytobreakfast，wassodelightedwithsomeremarkablyfineHampshirebeerwhichwasthenpresentedtoherbytheCrawleyoftheday(ahandsomegentlemanwithatrimbeardandagoodleg)，thatsheforthwitherectedCrawleyintoaboroughtosendtwomemberstoParliament；andtheplace，fromthedayofthatillustriousvisit，tookthenameofQueen’sCrawley，whichitholdsuptothepresentmoment。Andthough，bythelapseoftime，andthosemutationswhichageproducesinempires，cities，andboroughs，Queen’sCrawleywasnolongersopopulousaplaceasithadbeeninQueenBess’stime——nay，wascomedowntothatconditionofboroughwhichusedtobedenominatedrotten——yet，asSirPittCrawleywouldsaywithperfectjusticeinhiselegantway，“Rotten！behanged——itproducesmeagoodfifteenhundredayear。”

SirPittCrawley(namedafterthegreatCommoner)

wasthesonofWalpoleCrawley，firstBaronet，oftheTapeandSealing-WaxOfficeinthereignofGeorgeII。，whenhewasimpeachedforpeculation，aswereagreatnumberofotherhonestgentlemenofthosedays；andWalpoleCrawleywas，asneedscarcelybesaid，sonofJohnChurchillCrawley，namedafterthecelebratedmilitarycommanderofthereignofQueenAnne。Thefamilytree(whichhangsupatQueen’sCrawley)furthermorementionsCharlesStuart，afterwardscalledBarebonesCrawley，sonoftheCrawleyofJamestheFirst’stime；

andfinally，QueenElizabeth’sCrawley，whoisrepresentedastheforegroundofthepictureinhisforkedbeardandarmour。Outofhiswaistcoat，asusual，growsatree，onthemainbranchesofwhichtheaboveillustriousnamesareinscribed。ClosebythenameofSirPittCrawley，Baronet(thesubjectofthepresentmemoir)，arewrittenthatofhisbrother，theReverendButeCrawley(thegreatCommonerwasindisgracewhenthereverendgentlemanwasborn)，rectorofCrawley-cum-Snailby，andofvariousothermaleandfemalemembersoftheCrawleyfamily。

SirPittwasfirstmarriedtoGrizzel，sixthdaughterofMungoBinkie，LordBinkie，andcousin，inconsequence，ofMr。Dundas。Shebroughthimtwosons：Pitt，namednotsomuchafterhisfatherasaftertheheaven-bornminister；andRawdonCrawley，fromthePrinceofWales’sfriend，whomhisMajestyGeorgeIVforgotsocompletely。Manyyearsafterherladyship’sdemise，SirPittledtothealtarRosa，daughterofMr。G。Dawson，ofMudbury，bywhomhehadtwodaughters，forwhosebenefitMissRebeccaSharpwasnowengagedasgoverness。Itwillbeseenthattheyoungladywascomeintoafamilyofverygenteelconnexions，andwasabouttomoveinamuchmoredistinguishedcirclethanthathumbleonewhichshehadjustquittedinRussellSquare。

Shehadreceivedherorderstojoinherpupils，inanotewhichwaswrittenuponanoldenvelope，andwhichcontainedthefollowingwords：

SirPittCrawleybegsMissSharpandbaggidgemaybehearonTuesday，asIleafforQueen’sCrawleyto-morrowmorningERLY。

GreatGauntStreet。