第98章

YoungRawdon’saunt，wehavesaid，wasveryfondofhim，aswasherlittlegirl，whoweptcopiouslywhenthetimeforhercousin’sdeparturecame。TheelderRawdonwasthankfulforthefondnessofmotheranddaughter。Theverybestandhonestestfeelingsofthemancameoutintheseartlessoutpouringsofpaternalfeelinginwhichheindulgedintheirpresence，andencouragedbytheirsympathy。HesecurednotonlyLadyJane’skindness，buthersincereregard，bythefeelingswhichhemanifested，andwhichhecouldnotshowtohisownwife。Thetwokinswomenmetasseldomaspossible。

BeckylaughedbitterlyatJane’sfeelingsandsoftness；

theother’skindlyandgentlenaturecouldnotbutrevoltathersister’scallousbehaviour。

ItestrangedRawdonfromhiswifemorethanhekneworacknowledgedtohimself。Shedidnotcarefortheestrangement。Indeed，shedidnotmisshimoranybody。

Shelookeduponhimashererrand-manandhumbleslave。Hemightbeeversodepressedorsulky，andshedidnotmarkhisdemeanour，oronlytreateditwithasneer。Shewasbusythinkingaboutherposition，orherpleasures，orheradvancementinsociety；sheoughttohaveheldagreatplaceinit，thatiscertain。

ItwashonestBriggswhomadeupthelittlekitfortheboywhichhewastotaketoschool。Molly，thehousemaid，blubberedinthepassagewhenhewentaway——

Mollykindandfaithfulinspiteofalongarrearofunpaidwages。Mrs。Beckycouldnotletherhusbandhavethecarriagetotaketheboytoschool。TakethehorsesintotheCity！——suchathingwasneverheardof。Letacabbebrought。Shedidnotoffertokisshimwhenhewent，nordidthechildproposetoembraceher；butgaveakisstooldBriggs(whom，ingeneral，hewasveryshyofcaressing)，andconsoledherbypointingoutthathewastocomehomeonSaturdays，whenshewouldhavethebenefitofseeinghim。AsthecabrolledtowardstheCity，Becky’scarriagerattledofftothepark。ShewaschatteringandlaughingwithascoreofyoungdandiesbytheSerpentineasthefatherandsonenteredattheoldgatesoftheschool——whereRawdonleftthechildandcameawaywithasadderpurerfeelinginhisheartthanperhapsthatpoorbatteredfellowhadeverknownsincehehimselfcameoutofthenursery。

Hewalkedallthewayhomeverydismally，anddinedalonewithBriggs。Hewasverykindtoherandgratefulforherloveandwatchfulnessovertheboy。HisconsciencesmotehimthathehadborrowedBriggs’smoneyandaidedindeceivingher。TheytalkedaboutlittleRawdonalongtime，forBeckyonlycamehometodressandgoouttodinner——andthenhewentoffuneasilytodrinkteawithLadyJane，andtellherofwhathadhappened，andhowlittleRawdonwentofflikeatrump，andhowhewastowearagownandlittleknee-breeches，andhowyoungBlackball，JackBlackball’sson，oftheoldregiment，hadtakenhiminchargeandpromisedtobekindtohim。

Inthecourseofaweek，youngBlackballhadconstitutedlittleRawdonhisfag，shoe-black，andbreakfasttoaster；initiatedhimintothemysteriesoftheLatinGrammar；andthrashedhimthreeorfourtimes，butnotseverely。Thelittlechap’sgood-naturedhonestfacewonhiswayforhim。Heonlygotthatdegreeofbeatingwhichwas，nodoubt，goodforhim；andasforblackingshoes，toastingbread，andfaggingingeneral，weretheseofficesnotdeemedtobenecessarypartsofeveryyoungEnglishgentleman’seducation？

OurbusinessdoesnotliewiththesecondgenerationandMasterRawdon’slifeatschool，otherwisethepresenttalemightbecarriedtoanyindefinitelength。TheColonelwenttoseehissonashorttimeafterwardsandfoundtheladsufficientlywellandhappy，grinningandlaughinginhislittleblackgownandlittlebreeches。

HisfathersagaciouslytippedBlackball，hismaster，asovereign，andsecuredthatyounggentleman’sgood-willtowardshisfag。AsaprotegeofthegreatLordSteyne，thenephewofaCountymember，andsonofaColonelandC。B。，whosenameappearedinsomeofthemostfashionablepartiesintheMorningPost，perhapstheschoolauthoritiesweredisposednottolookunkindlyonthechild。Hehadplentyofpocket-money，whichhespentintreatinghiscomradesroyallytoraspberrytarts，andhewasoftenallowedtocomehomeonSaturdaystohisfather，whoalwaysmadeajubileeofthatday。

Whenfree，Rawdonwouldtakehimtotheplay，orsendhimthitherwiththefootman；andonSundayshewenttochurchwithBriggsandLadyJaneandhiscousins。

Rawdonmarvelledoverhisstoriesaboutschool，andfights，andfagging。Beforelong，heknewthenamesofallt