第30章

Atlast，whenthecompetitionhadbeenprolongedforsometime，theelephantcaptainandladydesistedfromtherace；andthehammercomingdown，theauctioneersaid：——“Mr。Lewis，twenty-five。”andMr。Lewis’schiefthusbecametheproprietorofthelittlesquarepiano。

Havingeffectedthepurchase，hesateupasifhewasgreatlyrelieved，andtheunsuccessfulcompetitorscatchingaglimpseofhimatthismoment，theladysaidtoherfriend。”Why，Rawdon，it’sCaptainDobbin。”

IsupposeBeckywasdiscontentedwiththenewpianoherhusbandhadhiredforher，orperhapstheproprietorsofthatinstrumenthadfetcheditaway，decliningfarthercredit，orperhapsshehadaparticularattachmentfortheonewhichshehadjusttriedtopurchase，recollectingitinolddays，whensheusedtoplayuponit，inthelittlesitting-roomofourdearAmeliaSedley。

ThesalewasattheoldhouseinRussellSquare，wherewepassedsomeeveningstogetheratthebeginningofthisstory。GoodoldJohnSedleywasaruinedman。HisnamehadbeenproclaimedasadefaulterontheStockExchange，andhisbankruptcyandcommercialexterminationhadfollowed。Mr。Osborne’sbutlercametobuysomeofthefamousportwinetotransfertothecellarsovertheway。

Asforonedozenwell-manufacturedsilverspoonsandforksatperoz。，andonedozendessertdittoditto，therewerethreeyoungstockbrokers(Messrs。Dale，Spiggot，andDale，ofThreadneedleStreet，indeed)，who，havinghaddealingswiththeoldman，andkindnessesfromhimindayswhenhewaskindtoeverybodywithwhomhedealt，sentthislittlesparoutofthewreckwiththeirlovetogoodMrs。Sedley；andwithrespecttothepiano，asithadbeenAmelia’s，andasshemightmissitandwantonenow，andasCaptainWilliamDobbincouldnomoreplayuponitthanhecoulddanceonthetightrope，itisprobablethathedidnotpurchasetheinstrumentforhisownuse。

Inaword，itarrivedthateveningatawonderfulsmallcottageinastreetleadingfromtheFulhamRoad——oneofthosestreetswhichhavethefinestromanticnames——

(thiswascalledSt。AdelaideVillas，Anna-MariaRoadWest)，wherethehouseslooklikebaby-houses；wherethepeople，lookingoutofthefirst-floorwindows，mustinfallibly，asyouthink，sitwiththeirfeetintheparlours；

wheretheshrubsinthelittlegardensinfrontbloomwithaperennialdisplayoflittlechildren’spinafores，littleredsocks，caps，&c。(polyandriapolygynia)；whenceyouhearthesoundofjinglingspinetsandwomensinging；

wherelittleporterpotshangontherailingssunningthemselves；whitherofeveningsyouseeCityclerkspaddingwearily：hereitwasthatMr。Clapp，theclerkofMr。Sedley，hadhisdomicile，andinthisasylumthegoodoldgentlemanhidhisheadwithhiswifeanddaughterwhenthecrashcame。

JosSedleyhadactedasamanofhisdispositionwould，whentheannouncementofthefamilymisfortunereachedhim。HedidnotcometoLondon，buthewrotetohismothertodrawuponhisagentsforwhatevermoneywaswanted，sothathiskindbroken-spiritedoldparentshadnopresentpovertytofear。Thisdone，Joswentonattheboarding-houseatCheltenhamprettymuchasbefore。Hedrovehiscurricle；hedrankhisclaret；heplayedhisrubber；hetoldhisIndianstories，andtheIrishwidowconsoledandflatteredhimasusual。

Hispresentofmoney，needfulasitwas，madelittleimpressiononhisparents；andIhaveheardAmeliasaythatthefirstdayonwhichshesawherfatherliftuphisheadafterthefailurewasonthereceiptofthepacketofforksandspoonswiththeyoungstockbrokers’love，overwhichheburstoutcryinglikeachild，beinggreatlymoreaffectedthanevenhiswife，towhomthepresentwasaddressed。EdwardDale，thejuniorofthehouse，whopurchasedthespoonsforthefirm，was，infact，verysweetuponAmelia，andofferedforherinspiteofall。

HemarriedMissLouisaCutts(daughterofHighamandCutts，theeminentcornfactors)withahandsomefortunein1820；andisnowlivinginsplendour，andwithanumerousfamily，athiselegantvilla，MuswellHill。Butwemustnotlettherecollectionsofthisgoodfellowcauseustodivergefromtheprincipalhistory。

IhopethereaderhasmuchtoogoodanopinionofCaptainandMrs。CrawleytosupposethattheyeverwouldhavedreamedofpayingavisittosoremoteadistrictasBloomsbury，iftheythoughtthefamilywhomtheyproposedtohonourwithavisitwerenotmerelyoutoffashion，butoutofmoney，andcouldbeserviceabletotheminnopossiblemanner。Rebeccawasentirelysurprisedatthesightofthecomfortableoldhou