第46章

“Begin’Mydearsir，’or’Dearsir，’thatwillbebetter，andsayyouaredesiredbyMissCrawley——no，byMissCrawley’smedicalman，byMr。Creamer，tostatethatmyhealthissuchthatallstrongemotionswouldbedangerousinmypresentdelicatecondition——andthatImustdeclineanyfamilydiscussionsorinterviewswhatever。

AndthankhimforcomingtoBrighton，andsoforth，andbeghimnottostayanylongeronmyaccount。And，MissBriggs，youmayaddthatIwishhimabonvoyage，andthatifhewilltakethetroubletocalluponmylawyer’sinGray’sInnSquare，hewillfindthereacommunicationforhim。Yes，thatwilldo；andthatwillmakehimleaveBrighton。”ThebenevolentBriggspennedthissentencewiththeutmostsatisfaction。

“ToseizeuponmetheverydayafterMrs。Butewasgone。”theoldladyprattledon；“itwastooindecent。

Briggs，mydear，writetoMrs。Crawley，andsaySHE

needn’tcomeback。No——sheneedn’t——andsheshan’t——

andIwon’tbeaslaveinmyownhouse——andIwon’tbestarvedandchokedwithpoison。Theyallwanttokillme——all——all“——andwiththisthelonelyoldwomanburstintoascreamofhystericaltears。

ThelastsceneofherdismalVanityFaircomedywasfastapproaching；thetawdrylampsweregoingoutonebyone；andthedarkcurtainwasalmostreadytodescend。

Thatfinalparagraph，whichreferredRawdontoMissCrawley’ssolicitorinLondon，andwhichBriggshadwrittensogood-naturedly，consoledthedragoonandhiswifesomewhat，aftertheirfirstblankdisappointment，onreadingthespinster’srefusalofareconciliation。Anditeffectedthepurposeforwhichtheoldladyhadcausedittobewritten，bymakingRawdonveryeagertogettoLondon。

OutofJos’slosingsandGeorgeOsborne’sbank-notes，hepaidhisbillattheinn，thelandlordwhereofdoesnotprobablyknowtothisdayhowdoubtfullyhisaccountoncestood。For，asageneralsendshisbaggagetotherearbeforeanaction，RebeccahadwiselypackedupalltheirchiefvaluablesandsentthemoffundercareofGeorge’sservant，whowentinchargeofthetrunksonthecoachbacktoLondon。Rawdonandhiswifereturnedbythesameconveyancenextday。

“Ishouldhavelikedtoseetheoldgirlbeforewewent。”

Rawdonsaid。”ShelookssocutupandalteredthatI’msureshecan’tlastlong。IwonderwhatsortofachequeIshallhaveatWaxy’s。Twohundred——itcan’tbelessthantwohundred——hey，Becky？”

Inconsequenceoftherepeatedvisitsoftheaides-de-

campoftheSheriffofMiddlesex，RawdonandhiswifedidnotgobacktotheirlodgingsatBrompton，butputupataninn。Earlythenextmorning，RebeccahadanopportunityofseeingthemassheskirtedthatsuburbonherroadtooldMrs。Sedley’shouseatFulham，whithershewenttolookforherdearAmeliaandherBrightonfriends。TheywereallofftoChatham，thencetoHarwich，totakeshippingforBelgiumwiththeregiment——

kindoldMrs。Sedleyverymuchdepressedandtearful，solitary。Returningfromthisvisit，Rebeccafoundherhusband，whohadbeenofftoGray’sInn，andlearnthisfate。Hecamebackfurious。

“ByJove，Becky。”sayshe，“she’sonlygivenmetwentypound！”

Thoughittoldagainstthemselves，thejokewastoogood，andBeckyburstoutlaughingatRawdon’sdiscomfiture。

BetweenLondonandChathamOnquittingBrighton，ourfriendGeorge，asbecameapersonofrankandfashiontravellinginabarouchewithfourhorses，droveinstatetoafinehotelinCavendishSquare，whereasuiteofsplendidrooms，andatablemagnificentlyfurnishedwithplateandsurroundedbyahalf-dozenofblackandsilentwaiters，wasreadytoreceivetheyounggentlemanandhisbride。GeorgedidthehonoursoftheplacewithaprincelyairtoJosandDobbin；andAmelia，forthefirsttime，andwithexceedingshynessandtimidity，presidedatwhatGeorgecalledherowntable。

Georgepooh-poohedthewineandbulliedthewaitersroyally，andJosgobbledtheturtlewithimmensesatisfaction。

Dobbinhelpedhimtoit；fortheladyofthehouse，beforewhomthetureenwasplaced，wassoignorantofthecontents，thatshewasgoingtohelpMr。Sedleywithoutbestowinguponhimeithercalipashorcalipee。

Thesplendouroftheentertainment，andtheapartmentsinwhichitwasgiven，alarmedMr。Dobbin，whoremonstratedafterdinner，whenJoswasasleepinthegreatchair。Butinvainhecriedoutagainsttheenormityofturtleandchampagnethatwasfitfo