第80章

“Howhappyyouwillbetoseeyourdarlinglittleboyagain！”LadyCrawleysaid，takingleaveofherkinswoman。

“Ohsohappy！”saidRebecca，throwingupthegreeneyes。

Shewasimmenselyhappytobefreeoftheplace，andyetloathtogo。Queen’sCrawleywasabominablystupid，andyettheairtherewassomehowpurerthanthatwhichshehadbeenaccustomedtobreathe。Everybodyhadbeendull，buthadbeenkindintheirway。”ItisalltheinfluenceofalongcourseofThreePerCents。”Beckysaidtoherself，andwasrightverylikely。

However，theLondonlampsflashedjoyfullyasthestagerolledintoPiccadilly，andBriggshadmadeabeautifulfireinCurzonStreet，andlittleRawdonwasuptowelcomebackhispapaandmamma。

CHAPTERXLII

WhichTreatsoftheOsborneFamilyConsiderabletimehaselapsedsincewehaveseenourrespectablefriend，oldMr。OsborneofRussellSquare。Hehasnotbeenthehappiestofmortalssincelastwemethim。

Eventshaveoccurredwhichhavenotimprovedhistemper，andinmoreinstancesthanonehehasnotbeenallowedtohavehisownway。Tobethwartedinthisreasonabledesirewasalwaysveryinjurioustotheoldgentleman；andresistancebecamedoublyexasperatingwhengout，age，loneliness，andtheforceofmanydisappointmentscombinedtoweighhimdown。Hisstiffblackhairbegantogrowquitewhitesoonafterhisson’sdeath；his-facegrewredder；hishandstrembledmoreandmoreashepouredouthisglassofportwine。HeledhisclerksadirelifeintheCity：hisfamilyathomewerenotmuchhappier。IdoubtifRebecca，whomwehaveseenpiouslyprayingforConsols，wouldhaveexchangedherpovertyandthedare-devilexcitementandchancesofherlifeforOsborne’smoneyandthehumdrumgloomwhichenvelopedhim。HehadproposedforMissSwartz，buthadbeenrejectedscornfullybythepartisansofthatlady，whomarriedhertoayoungsprigofScotchnobility。Hewasamantohavemarriedawomanoutoflowlifeandbulliedherdreadfullyafterwards；butnopersonpresentedherselfsuitabletohistaste，and，instead，hetyrannizedoverhisunmarrieddaughter，athome。Shehadafinecarriageandfinehorsesandsatattheheadofatableloadedwiththegrandestplate。Shehadacheque-book，aprizefootmantofollowherwhenshewalked，unlimitedcredit，andbowsandcomplimentsfromallthetradesmen，andalltheappurtenancesofanheiress；butshespentawoefultime。

Thelittlecharity-girlsattheFoundling，thesweeperessatthecrossing，thepoorestunder-kitchen-maidintheservants’hall，washappycomparedtothatunfortunateandnowmiddle-agedyounglady。

FrederickBullock，Esq。，ofthehouseofBullock，Hulker，andBullock，hadmarriedMariaOsborne，notwithoutagreatdealofdifficultyandgrumblingonMr。Bullock’spart。

Georgebeingdeadandcutoutofhisfather’swill，Frederickinsistedthatthehalfoftheoldgentleman’spropertyshouldbesettleduponhisMaria，andindeed，foralongtime，refused，“tocometothescratch“(itwasMr。

Frederick’sownexpression)onanyotherterms。OsbornesaidFredhadagreedtotakehisdaughterwithtwentythousand，andheshouldbindhimselftonomore。”Fredmighttakeit，andwelcome，orleaveit，andgoandbehanged。”Fred，whosehopeshadbeenraisedwhenGeorgehadbeendisinherited，thoughthimselfinfamouslyswindledbytheoldmerchant，andforsometimemadeasifhewouldbreakoffthematchaltogether。OsbornewithdrewhisaccountfromBullockandHulker’s，wenton’Changewithahorsewhipwhichhesworehewouldlayacrossthebackofacertainscoundrelthatshouldbenameless，anddemeanedhimselfinhisusualviolentmanner。JaneOsbornecondoledwithhersisterMariaduringthisfamilyfeud。”Ialwaystoldyou，Maria，thatitwasyourmoneyhelovedandnotyou。”shesaid，soothingly。

“Heselectedmeandmymoneyatanyrate；hedidn’tchooseyouandyours。”repliedMaria，tossingupherhead。

Therapturewas，however，onlytemporary。Fred’sfatherandseniorpartnerscounselledhimtotakeMaria，evenwiththetwentythousandsettled，halfdown，andhalfatthedeathofMr。Osborne，withthechancesofthefurtherdivisionoftheproperty。Sohe“knuckleddown。”againtousehisownphrase，andsentoldHulkerwithpeaceableoverturestoOsborne。Itwashisfather，hesaid，whowouldnothearofthematch，andhadmadethedifficulties；hewasmostanxioustokeeptheengagement。TheexcusewassulkilyacceptedbyM