第67章

Underthememorialinquestionwereemblazonedthewell-knownandpompousOsbornearms；andtheinscriptionsaid，thatthemonumentwas“SacredtothememoryofGeorgeOsborne，Junior，Esq。，lateaCaptaininhisMajesty’s——thregimentoffoot，whofellonthe18thofJune，1815，aged28years，whilefightingforhiskingandcountryinthegloriousvictoryofWaterloo。

Dulceetdecorumestpropatriamori。”

Thesightofthatstoneagitatedthenervesofthesisterssomuch，thatMissMariawascompelledtoleavethechurch。Thecongregationmadewayrespectfullyforthosesobbinggirlsclothedindeepblack，andpitiedthesternoldfatherseatedoppositethememorialofthedeadsoldier。”WillheforgiveMrs。George？”thegirlssaidtothemselvesassoonastheirebullitionofgriefwasover。

MuchconversationpassedtooamongtheacquaintancesoftheOsbornefamily，whoknewoftherupturebetweenthesonandfathercausedbytheformer’smarriage，astothechanceofareconciliationwiththeyoungwidow。

TherewerebetsamongthegentlemenbothaboutRussellSquareandintheCity。

IfthesistershadanyanxietyregardingthepossiblerecognitionofAmeliaasadaughterofthefamily，itwasincreasedpresently，andtowardstheendoftheautumn，bytheirfather’sannouncementthathewasgoingabroad。Hedidnotsaywhither，buttheyknewatoncethathisstepswouldbeturnedtowardsBelgium，andwereawarethatGeorge’swidowwasstillinBrussels。TheyhadprettyaccuratenewsindeedofpoorAmeliafromLadyDobbinandherdaughters。OurhonestCaptainhadbeenpromotedinconsequenceofthedeathofthesecondMajoroftheregimentonthefield；andthebraveO’Dowd，whohaddistinguishedhimselfgreatlyhereasuponalloccasionswherehehadachancetoshowhiscoolnessandvalour，wasaColonelandCompanionoftheBath。

Verymanyofthebrave——th，whohadsufferedseverelyuponbothdaysofaction，werestillatBrusselsintheautumn，recoveringoftheirwounds。Thecitywasavastmilitaryhospitalformonthsafterthegreatbattles；

andasmenandofficersbegantorallyfromtheirhurts，thegardensandplacesofpublicresortswarmedwithmaimedwarriors，oldandyoung，who，justrescuedoutofdeath，felltogambling，andgaiety，andlove-making，aspeopleofVanityFairwilldo。Mr。Osbornefoundoutsomeofthe——theasily。Heknewtheiruniformquitewell，andhadbeenusedtofollowallthepromotionsandexchangesintheregiment，andlovedtotalkaboutitanditsofficersasifhehadbeenoneofthenumber。OnthedayafterhisarrivalatBrussels，andasheissuedfromhishotel，whichfacedthepark，hesawasoldierinthewell-knownfacings，reposingonastonebenchinthegarden，andwentandsatedowntremblingbythewoundedconvalescentman。

“WereyouinCaptainOsborne’scompany？”hesaid，andadded，afterapause，“hewasmyson，sir。”

ThemanwasnotoftheCaptain’scompany，buthelifteduphisunwoundedarmandtouched-hiscapsadlyandrespectfullytothehaggardbroken-spiritedgentlemanwhoquestionedhim。”Thewholearmydidn’tcontainafinerorabetterofficer。”thesoldiersaid。”TheSergeantoftheCaptain’scompany(CaptainRaymondhaditnow)，wasintown，though，andwasjustwellofashotintheshoulder。Hishonourmightseehimifheliked，whocouldtellhimanythinghewantedtoknowabout——

aboutthe——th’sactions。ButhishonourhadseenMajorDobbin，nodoubt，thebraveCaptain’sgreatfriend；andMrs。Osborne，whowasheretoo，andhadbeenverybad，heheardeverybodysay。Theysayshewasoutofhermindlikeforsixweeksormore。Butyourhonourknowsallaboutthat——andaskingyourpardon“——

themanadded。

Osborneputaguineaintothesoldier’shand，andtoldhimheshouldhaveanotherifhewouldbringtheSergeanttotheHotelduParc；apromisewhichverysoonbroughtthedesiredofficertoMr。Osborne’spresence。

Andthefirstsoldierwentaway；andaftertellingacomradeortwohowCaptainOsborne’sfatherwasarrived，andwhatafree-handedgenerousgentlemanhewas，theywentandmadegoodcheerwithdrinkandfeasting，aslongastheguineaslastedwhichhadcomefromtheproudpurseofthemourningoldfather。

IntheSergeant’scompany，whowasalsojustconvalescent，OsbornemadethejourneyofWaterlooandQuatreBras，ajourneywhichthousandsofhiscountrymenwerethentaking。HetooktheSergeantwithhiminhiscarriage，andwentthroughbothfieldsunderhisguidance。Hesawthepointoftheroadwheretheregimentmarchedintoactiononthe16th，andtheslopedownwhichtheydrovetheFrenchc