第32章

Becautiousthen，youngladies；bewaryhowyouengage。Beshyoflovingfrankly；nevertellallyoufeel，or(abetterwaystill)，feelverylittle。Seetheconsequencesofbeingprematurelyhonestandconfiding，andmistrustyourselvesandeverybody。GetyourselvesmarriedastheydoinFrance，wherethelawyersarethebridesmaidsandconfidantes。Atanyrate，neverhaveanyfeelingswhichmaymakeyouuncomfortable，ormakeanypromiseswhichyoucannotatanyrequiredmomentcommandandwithdraw。Thatisthewaytogeton，andberespected，andhaveavirtuouscharacterinVanityFair。

IfAmeliacouldhaveheardthecommentsregardingherwhichweremadeinthecirclefromwhichherfather’sruinhadjustdrivenher，shewouldhaveseenwhatherowncrimeswere，andhowentirelyhercharacterwasjeopardised。SuchcriminalimprudenceMrs。Smithneverknewof；suchhorridfamiliaritiesMrs。Brownhadalwayscondemned，andtheendmightbeawarningtoHER

daughters。”CaptainOsborne，ofcourse，couldnotmarryabankrupt’sdaughter。”theMissesDobbinsaid。”Itwasquiteenoughtohavebeenswindledbythefather。AsforthatlittleAmelia，herfollyhadreallypassedall——“

“Allwhat？”CaptainDobbinroaredout。”Haven’ttheybeenengagedeversincetheywerechildren？Wasn’titasgoodasamarriage？Dareanysoulonearthbreatheawordagainstthesweetest，thepurest，thetenderest，themostangelicalofyoungwomen？”

“La，William，don’tbesohighty-tightywithUS。We’renotmen。Wecan’tfightyou。”MissJanesaid。”We’vesaidnothingagainstMissSedley：butthatherconductthroughoutwasMOSTIMPRUDENT，nottocallitbyanyworsename；andthatherparentsarepeoplewhocertainlymerittheirmisfortunes。”

“Hadn’tyoubetter，nowthatMissSedleyisfree，proposeforheryourself，William？”MissAnnaskedsarcastically。”Itwouldbeamosteligiblefamilyconnection。He！he！”

“Imarryher！”Dobbinsaid，blushingverymuch，andtalkingquick。”Ifyouaresoready，youngladies，tochopandchange，doyousupposethatsheis？Laughandsneeratthatangel。Shecan’thearit；andshe’smiserableandunfortunate，anddeservestobelaughedat。Goonjoking，Ann。You’rethewitofthefamily，andtheothersliketohearit。”

“Imusttellyouagainwe’renotinabarrack，William。”

MissAnnremarked。

“Inabarrack，byJove——Iwishanybodyinabarrackwouldsaywhatyoudo。”criedoutthisuprousedBritishlion。”Ishouldliketohearamanbreatheawordagainsther，byJupiter。Butmendon’ttalkinthisway，Ann：it’sonlywomen，whogettogetherandhiss，andshriek，andcackle。There，getaway——don’tbegintocry。Ionlysaidyouwereacoupleofgeese。”WillDobbinsaid，perceivingMissAnn’spinkeyeswerebeginningtomoistenasusual。”Well，you’renotgeese，you’reswans——anythingyoulike，onlydo，doleaveMissSedleyalone。”

AnythinglikeWilliam’sinfatuationaboutthatsillylittleflirting，oglingthingwasneverknown，themammaandsistersagreedtogetherinthinking：andtheytrembledlest，herengagementbeingoffwithOsborne，sheshouldtakeupimmediatelyherotheradmirerandCaptain。

Inwhichforebodingstheseworthyyoungwomennodoubtjudgedaccordingtothebestoftheirexperience；orrather(forasyettheyhadhadnoopportunitiesofmarryingorofjilting)accordingtotheirownnotionsofrightandwrong。

“Itisamercy，Mamma，thattheregimentisorderedabroad。”thegirlssaid。”THISdanger，atanyrate，issparedourbrother。”

Such，indeed，wasthefact；andsoitisthattheFrenchEmperorcomesintoperformapartinthisdomesticcomedyofVanityFairwhichwearenowplaying，andwhichwouldneverhavebeenenactedwithouttheinterventionofthisaugustmutepersonage。ItwashethatruinedtheBourbonsandMr。JohnSedley。ItwashewhosearrivalinhiscapitalcalledupallFranceinarmstodefendhimthere；andallEuropetoousthim。

WhiletheFrenchnationandarmywereswearingfidelityroundtheeaglesintheChampdeMars，fourmightyEuropeanhostsweregettinginmotionforthegreatchasseal’aigle；andoneofthesewasaBritisharmy，ofwhichtwoheroesofours，CaptainDobbinandCaptainOsborne，formedaportion。

ThenewsofNapoleon’s