第54章

“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’sescapeandlandingwasreceivedbythegallant——thwithafierydelightandenthusiasm，whicheverybodycanunderstandwhoknowsthatfamouscorps。Fromthecoloneltothesmallestdrummerintheregiment，allwerefilledwithhopeandambitionandpatrioticfury；andthankedtheFrenchEmperorasforapersonalkindnessincomingtodisturbthepeaceofEurope。Nowwasthetimethe——thhadsolongpantedfor，toshowtheircomradesinarmsthattheycouldfightaswellasthePeninsularveterans，andthatallthepluckandvalourofthe——thhadnotbeenkilledbytheWestIndiesandtheyellowfever。StubbleandSpooneylookedtogettheircompanieswithoutpurchase。

Beforetheendofthecampaign(whichsheresolvedtoshare)，Mrs。MajorO’DowdhopedtowriteherselfMrs。ColonelO’Dowd，C。B。Ourtwofriends(DobbinandOsborne)werequiteasmuchexcitedastherest：andeachinhisway——Mr。Dobbinveryquietly，Mr。

Osborneveryloudlyandenergetically——wasbentupondoinghisduty，andgaininghisshareofhonouranddistinction。

Theagitationthrillingthroughthecountryandarmyinconsequenceofthisnewswassogreat，thatprivatematterswerelittleheeded：andhenceprobablyGeorgeOsborne，justgazettedtohiscompany，busywithpreparationsforthemarch，whichmustcomeinevitably，andpantingforfurtherpromotion——wasnotsomuchaffectedbyotherincidentswhichwouldhaveinterestedhimatamorequietperiod。Hewasnot，itmustbeconfessed，verymuchcastdownbygoodoldMr。Sedley’scatastrophe。

Hetriedhisnewuniform，whichbecamehimveryhandsomely，onthedaywhenthefirstmeetingofthecreditorsoftheunfortunategentlemantookplace。

Hisfathertoldhimofthewicked，rascally，shamefulconductofthebankrupt，remindedhimofwhathehadsaidaboutAmelia，andthattheirconnectionwasbrokenoffforever；andgavehimthateveningagoodsumofmoneytopayforthenewclothesandepauletsinwhichhelookedsowell。Moneywasalwaysusefultothisfree-

handedyoungfellow，andhetookitwithoutmanywords。

ThebillswereupintheSedleyhouse，wherehehadpassedsomany，manyhappyhours。Hecouldseethemashewalkedfromhomethatnight(totheOldSlaughters’，whereheputupwhenintown)shiningwhiteinthemoon。Thatcomfortablehomewasshut，then，uponAmeliaandherparents：wherehadtheytakenrefuge？

Thethoughtoftheirruinaffectedhimnotalittle。Hewasverymelancholythatnightinthecoffee-roomattheSlaughters’；anddrankagooddeal，ash