第28章

TheLetteronthePincushionHowtheyweremarriedisnotoftheslightestconsequencetoanybody。WhatistohinderaCaptainwhoisamajor，andayoungladywhoisofage，frompurchasingalicence，andunitingthemselvesatanychurchinthistown？Whoneedstobetold，thatifawomanhasawillshewillassuredlyfindaway？——Mybeliefisthatoneday，whenMissSharphadgonetopasstheforenoonwithherdearfriendMissAmeliaSedleyinRussellSquare，aladyverylikehermighthavebeenseenenteringachurchintheCity，incompanywithagentlemanwithdyedmustachios，who，afteraquarterofanhour’sinterval，escortedherbacktothehackney-coachinwaiting，andthatthiswasaquietbridalparty。

Andwhoonearth，afterthedailyexperiencewehave，canquestiontheprobabilityofagentlemanmarryinganybody？Howmanyofthewiseandlearnedhavemarriedtheircooks？DidnotLordEldonhimself，themostprudentofmen，makearunawaymatch？WerenotAchillesandAjaxbothinlovewiththeirservantmaids？

Andarewetoexpectaheavydragoonwithstrongdesiresandsmallbrains，whohadnevercontrolledapassioninhislife，tobecomeprudentallofasudden，andtorefusetopayanypriceforanindulgencetowhichhehadamind？Ifpeopleonlymadeprudentmarriages，whatastoptopopulationtherewouldbe！

Itseemstome，formypart，thatMr。Rawdon’smarriagewasoneofthehonestestactionswhichweshallhavetorecordinanyportionofthatgentleman’sbiographywhichhastodowiththepresenthistory。Noonewillsayitisunmanlytobecaptivatedbyawoman，or，beingcaptivated，tomarryher；andtheadmiration，thedelight，thepassion，thewonder，theunboundedconfidence，andfranticadorationwithwhich，bydegrees，thisbigwarriorgottoregardthelittleRebecca，werefeelingswhichtheladiesatleastwillpronouncewerenotaltogetherdiscreditabletohim。Whenshesang，everynotethrilledinhisdullsoul，andtingledthroughhishugeframe。Whenshespoke，hebroughtalltheforceofhisbrainstolistenandwonder。

Ifshewasjocular，heusedtorevolveherjokesinhismind，andexplodeoverthemhalfanhourafterwardsinthestreet，tothesurpriseofthegroominthetilburybyhisside，orthecomraderidingwithhiminRottenRow。

Herwordswereoraclestohim，hersmallestactionsmarkedbyaninfalliblegraceandwisdom。”Howshesings，——howshepaints。”thoughthe。”HowsherodethatkickingmareatQueen’sCrawley！”Andhewouldsaytoherinconfidentialmoments，“ByJove，Beck，you’refittobeCommander-in-Chief，orArchbishopofCanterbury，byJove。”Ishiscasearareone？anddon’tweseeeverydayintheworldmanyanhonestHerculesattheapron-stringsofOmphale，andgreatwhiskeredSamsonsprostrateinDelilah’slap？

When，then，Beckytoldhimthatthegreatcrisiswasnear，andthetimeforactionhadarrived，Rawdonexpressedhimselfasreadytoactunderherorders，ashewouldbetochargewithhistroopatthecommandofhiscolonel。TherewasnoneedforhimtoputhisletterintothethirdvolumeofPorteus。RebeccaeasilyfoundameanstogetridofBriggs，hercompanion，andmetherfaithfulfriendin“theusualplace“onthenextday。Shehadthoughtovermattersatnight，andcommunicatedtoRawdontheresultofherdeterminations。Heagreed，ofcourse，toeverything；wasquitesurethatitwasallright：thatwhatsheproposedwasbest；thatMissCrawleywouldinfalliblyrelent，or“comeround。”ashesaid，afteratime。HadRebecca’sresolutionsbeenentirelydifferent，hewouldhavefollowedthemasimplicitly。”Youhaveheadenoughforbothofus，Beck。”saidhe。”You’resuretogetusoutofthescrape。Ineversawyourequal，andI’vemetwithsomeclippersinmytimetoo。”Andwiththissimpleconfessionoffaith，thelove-strickendragoonlefthertoexecutehispartoftheprojectwhichshehadformedforthepair。

ItconsistedsimplyinthehiringofquietlodgingsatBrompton，orintheneighbourhoodofthebarracks，forCaptainandMrs。Crawley。ForRebeccahaddetermined，andveryprudently，wethink，tofly。Rawdonwasonlytoohappyatherresolve；hehadbeenentreatinghertotakethismeasureanytimeforweekspast。Heprancedofftoengagethelodgingswithalltheimpetuosityoflove。Heagreedtopaytwoguineasaweeksoreadily，thatthelandladyregrettedshehadaskedhimsolittle。

Heorderedinapiano，andhalfanursery-housefullofflowers：andaheapofgoodthings。Asforshawls，kidgloves，silkstockings，goldFrenchwatches，braceletsandperfumery，hesenttheminwiththeprofusionofblindloveandunboundedcredit。Andhavingrelievedhismindby