第39章

“Whatamonstrousfinegirlthatisinthelodgingsoverthemilliner’s。”oneofthesethreepromenadersremarkedtotheother；“Gad，Crawley，didyouseewhatawinkshegavemeasIpassed？”

“Don’tbreakherheart，Jos，yourascal。”saidanother。

“Don’ttriflewithheraffections，youDonJuan！”

“Getaway。”saidJosSedley，quitepleased，andleeringupatthemaid-servantinquestionwithamostkillingogle。JoswasevenmoresplendidatBrightonthanhehadbeenathissister’smarriage。Hehadbrilliantunder-waistcoats，anyoneofwhichwouldhavesetupamoderatebuck。

Hesportedamilitaryfrock-coat，ornamentedwithfrogs，knobs，blackbuttons，andmeanderingembroidery。

Hehadaffectedamilitaryappearanceandhabitsoflate；

andhewalkedwithhistwofriends，whowereofthatprofession，clinkinghisboot-spurs，swaggeringprodigiously，andshootingdeath-glancesatalltheservantgirlswhowereworthytobeslain。

“Whatshallwedo，boys，tilltheladiesreturn？”thebuckasked。TheladieswereouttoRottingdeaninhiscarriageonadrive。

“Let’shaveagameatbilliards。”oneofhisfriendssaid——thetallone，withlacqueredmustachios。

“No，dammy；no，Captain。”Josreplied，ratheralarmed。”Nobilliardsto-day，Crawley，myboy；

yesterdaywasenough。”

“Youplayverywell。”saidCrawley，laughing。”Don’the，Osborne？Howwellhemadethat-fivestroke，eh？”

“Famous。”Osbornesaid。”Josisadevilofafellowatbilliards，andateverythingelse，too。Iwishtherewereanytiger-huntingabouthere！wemightgoandkillafewbeforedinner。(Theregoesafinegirl！whatanankle，eh，Jos？)Tellusthatstoryaboutthetiger-hunt，andthewayyoudidforhiminthejungle——it’sawonderfulstorythat，Crawley。”HereGeorgeOsbornegaveayawn。”It’sratherslowwork。”saidhe，“downhere；whatshallwedo？”

“ShallwegoandlookatsomehorsesthatSnaffler’sjustbroughtfromLewesfair？”Crawleysaid。

“SupposewegoandhavesomejelliesatDutton’s。”

andtherogueJos，willingtokilltwobirdswithonestone。”DevilishfinegalatDutton’s。”

“SupposewegoandseetheLightningcomein，it’sjustabouttime？”Georgesaid。Thisadviceprevailingoverthestablesandthejelly，theyturnedtowardsthecoach-officetowitnesstheLightning’sarrival。

Astheypassed，theymetthecarriage——JosSedley’sopencarriage，withitsmagnificentarmorialbearings——

thatsplendidconveyanceinwhichheusedtodrive，aboutatCheltonham，majesticandsolitary，withhisarmsfolded，andhishatcocked；or，morehappy，withladiesbyhisside。

Twowereinthecarriagenow：onealittleperson，withlighthair，anddressedintheheightofthefashion；theotherinabrownsilkpelisse，andastrawbonnetwithpinkribbons，witharosy，round，happyface，thatdidyougoodtobehold。Shecheckedthecarriageasitnearedthethreegentlemen，afterwhichexerciseofauthorityshelookedrathernervous，andthenbegantoblushmostabsurdly。”Wehavehadadelightfuldrive，George。”shesaid，“and——andwe’resogladtocomeback；

and，Joseph，don’tlethimbelate。”

“Don’tbeleadingourhusbandsintomischief，Mr。

Sedley，youwicked，wickedmanyou。”Rebeccasaid，shakingatJosaprettylittlefingercoveredwiththeneatestFrenchkidglove。”Nobilliards，nosmoking，nonaughtiness！”

“MydearMrs。Crawley——Ahnow！uponmyhonour！”

wasallJoscouldejaculatebywayofreply；buthemanagedtofallintoatolerableattitude，withhisheadlyingonhisshoulder，grinningupwardsathisvictim，withonehandathisback，whichhesupportedonhiscane，andtheotherhand(theonewiththediamondring)fumblinginhisshirt-frillandamonghisunder-waistcoats。Asthecarriagedroveoffhekissedthediamondhandtothefairladieswithin。HewishedallCheltenham，allChowringhee，allCalcutta，couldseehiminthatposition，wavinghishandtosuchabeauty，andincompanywithsuchafamousbuckasRawdonCrawleyoftheGuards。

OuryoungbrideandbridegroomhadchosenBrightonastheplacewheretheywouldpassthefirstfewdaysaftertheirmarriage；andhavingengagedapartmentsattheShipInn，enjoyedthemselvesthereingreatcomfortandquietude，untilJospresentlyjoinedthem。Norwashetheonlycompaniontheyfoundthere。Astheywerecomingintothehotelfromasea-sidewalkoneafternoon，onwhomshouldtheylightbutRebeccaandherhusband。Therecognitionwasimmediate。Rebeccaflewintothearmsofherdearestfriend。CrawleyandOsborneshookhandstogethercordiallyenough：andBecky，inthecourseofaveryfewhours，foundmeanstomakethelatterforgetthatl