第81章

knownotwhethershehopedthatshouldhercousinsucceedincarryingofftherichmerchant’sdaughter，hewouldgiveMissWirtaportionofthewealthwhichshehadenabledhimtowin——allthatiscertainisthatMr。

Osbornegotsomehintofthetransaction，camebackfromtheCityabruptly，andenteredthedrawing-roomwithhisbamboocane；foundthepainter，thepupil，andthecompanionalllookingexceedinglypalethere；turnedtheformeroutofdoorswithmenacesthathewouldbreakeveryboneinhisskin，andhalfanhourafterwardsdismissedMissWirtlikewise，kickinghertrunksdownthestairs，tramplingonherbandboxes，andshakinghisfistatherhackneycoachasitboreheraway。

JaneOsbornekeptherbedroomformanydays。Shewasnotallowedtohaveacompanionafterwards。Herfathersworetoherthatsheshouldnothaveashillingofhismoneyifshemadeanymatchwithouthisconcurrence；

andashewantedawomantokeephishouse，hedidnotchoosethatsheshouldmarry，sothatshewasobligedtogiveupallprojectswithwhichCupidhadanyshare。

Duringherpapa’slife，then，sheresignedherselftothemannerofexistenceheredescribed，andwascontenttobeanoldmaid。Hersister，meanwhile，washavingchildrenwithfinernameseveryyearandtheintercoursebetweenthetwogrewfaintercontinually。”JaneandIdonotmoveinthesamesphereoflife。”Mrs。Bullocksaid。”Iregardherasasister，ofcourse“——whichmeans——whatdoesitmeanwhenaladysaysthatsheregardsJaneasasister？

IthasbeendescribedhowtheMissesDobbinlivedwiththeirfatheratafinevillaatDenmarkHill，wheretherewerebeautifulgraperiesandpeach-treeswhichdelightedlittleGeorgyOsborne。TheMissesDobbin，whodroveoftentoBromptontoseeourdearAmelia，camesometimestoRussellSquaretoo，topayavisittotheiroldacquaintanceMissOsborne。IbelieveitwasinconsequenceofthecommandsoftheirbrothertheMajorinIndia(forwhomtheirpapahadaprodigiousrespect)，thattheypaidattentiontoMrs。George；fortheMajor，thegodfatherandguardianofAmelia’slittleboy，stillhopedthatthechild’sgrandfathermightbeinducedtorelenttowardshimandacknowledgehimforthesakeofhisson。TheMissesDobbinkeptMissOsborneacquaintedwiththestateofAmelia’saffairs；howshewaslivingwithherfatherandmother；howpoortheywere；howtheywonderedwhatmen，andsuchmenastheirbrotheranddearCaptainOsborne，couldfindinsuchaninsignificantlittlechit；howshewasstill，asheretofore，anamby-pambymilk-and-

wateraffectedcreature——buthowtheboywasreallythenoblestlittleboyeverseen——fortheheartsofallwomenwarmtowardsyoungchildren，andthesourestspinsteriskindtothem。

Oneday，aftergreatentreatiesonthepartoftheMissesDobbin，AmeliaallowedlittleGeorgetogoandpassadaywiththematDenmarkHill——apartofwhichdayshespentherselfinwritingtotheMajorinIndia。Shecongratulatedhimonthehappynewswhichhissistershadjustconveyedtoher。Sheprayedforhisprosperityandthatofthebridehehadchosen。Shethankedhimforathousandthousandkindofficesandproofsofsteadfastfriendshiptoherinheraffliction。ShetoldhimthelastnewsaboutlittleGeorgy，andhowhewasgonetospendthatverydaywithhissistersinthecountry。Sheunderlinedtheletteragreatdeal，andshesignedherselfaffectionatelyhisfriend，AmeliaOsborne。SheforgottosendanymessageofkindnesstoLadyO’Dowd，asherwontwas——anddidnotmentionGlorvinabyname，andonlyinitalics，astheMajor’sBRIDE，forwhomshebeggedblessings。Butthenewsofthemarriageremovedthereservewhichshehadkeptuptowardshim。Shewasgladtobeabletoownandfeelhowwarmlyandgrateful