第43章

norwasheverymuchprepossessedinherfavour。Hewassohonest，thatherartsandcajoleriesdidnotaffecthim，andheshrankfromherwithinstinctiverepulsion。

And，asshewasbynomeanssofarsuperiortohersexastobeabovejealousy，shedislikedhimthemoreforhisadorationofAmelia。Nevertheless，shewasveryrespectfulandcordialinhermannertowardshim。AfriendtotheOsbornes！afriendtoherdearestbenefactors！Shevowedsheshouldalwayslovehimsincerely：sherememberedhimquitewellontheVauxhallnight，asshetoldAmeliaarchly，andshemadealittlefunofhimwhenthetwoladieswenttodressfordinner。RawdonCrawleypaidscarcelyanyattentiontoDobbin，lookinguponhimasagood-naturednincompoopandunder-bredCityman。Jospatronisedhimwithmuchdignity。

WhenGeorgeandDobbinwerealoneinthelatter’sroom，towhichGeorgehadfollowedhim，DobbintookfromhisdesktheletterwhichhehadbeenchargedbyMr。Osbornetodelivertohisson。”It’snotinmyfather’shandwriting。”saidGeorge，lookingratheralarmed；norwasit：theletterwasfromMr。Osborne’slawyer，andtothefollowingeffect：

BedfordRow，May7，1815。

SIR，IamcommissionedbyMr。Osbornetoinformyou，thatheabidesbythedeterminationwhichhebeforeexpressedtoyou，andthatinconsequenceofthemarriagewhichyouhavebeenpleasedtocontract，heceasestoconsideryouhenceforthasamemberofhisfamily。

Thisdeterminationisfinalandirrevocable。

Althoughthemoniesexpendeduponyouinyourminority，andthebillswhichyouhavedrawnuponhimsounsparinglyoflateyears，farexceedinamountthesumtowhichyouareentitledinyourownright(beingthethirdpartofthefortuneofyourmother，thelateMrs。Osborneandwhichrevertedtoyouatherdecease，andtoMissJaneOsborneandMissMariaFrancesOsborne)；yetIaminstructedbyMr。Osbornetosay，thathewaivesallclaimuponyourestate，andthatthesumof2，0001。，4percent。annuities，atthevalueoftheday(beingyourone-thirdshareofthesumof6，0001。)，shallbepaidovertoyourselforyouragentsuponyourreceiptforthesame，byYourobedientServt。，S。HIGGS。

P。S——Mr。Osbornedesiresmetosay，onceforall，thathedeclinestoreceiveanymessages，letters，orcommunicationsfromyouonthisoranyothersubject。

“Aprettywayyouhavemanagedtheaffair。”saidGeorge，lookingsavagelyatWilliamDobbin。”Lookthere，Dobbin。”andheflungovertothelatterhisparent’sletter。

“Abeggar，byJove，andallinconsequenceofmyd——dsentimentality。Whycouldn’twehavewaited？Aballmighthavedoneformeinthecourseofthewar，andmaystill，andhowwillEmmybebetteredbybeingleftabeggar’swidow？Itwasallyourdoing。Youwerenevereasyuntilyouhadgotmemarriedandruined。WhatthedeuceamItodowithtwothousandpounds？Suchasumwon’tlasttwoyears。I’velostahundredandfortytoCrawleyatcardsandbilliardssinceI’vebeendownhere。Aprettymanagerofaman’smattersYOUare，forsooth。”

“There’snodenyingthatthepositionisahardone。”

Dobbinreplied，afterreadingovertheletterwithablankcountenance；“andasyousay，itispartlyofmymaking。

Therearesomemenwhowouldn’tmindchangingwithyou。”headded，withabittersmile。”Howmanycaptainsintheregimenthavetwothousandpoundstothefore，thinkyou？Youmustliveonyourpaytillyourfatherrelents，andifyoudie，youleaveyourwifeahundredayear。”

“Doyousupposeamanofmyhabitscallliveonhispayandahundredayear？”Georgecriedoutingreatanger。”Youmustbeafooltotalkso，Dobbin。HowthedeuceamItokeepupmypositionintheworlduponsuchapitifulpittance？Ican’tchangemyhabits。Imusthavemycomforts。Iwasn’tbroughtuponporridge，likeMacWhirter，oronpotatoes，likeoldO’Dowd。Doyouexpectmywifetotakeinsoldiers’washing，orrideaftertheregimentinabaggagewaggon？”

“Well，well。”saidDobbin，stillgood-naturedly，“we’llgetherabetterconveyance。Buttryandrememberthatyouareonlyadethronedprincenow，George，myboy；

andbequietwhilstthetempestlasts。Itwon’tbeforlong。LetyournamebementionedintheGazette，andI’llengagetheoldfatherrelentstowardsyou：“

“MentionedintheGazette！”Georgeanswered。”Andi