第105章

“Pooroldboy。”Macmurdosaid，shakinghishead。

RawdonCrawleyresistedforsometimetheideaoftakingtheplacewhichhadbeenprocuredforhimbysoodiousapatron，andwasalsoforremovingtheboyfromtheschoolwhereLordSteyne’sinteresthadplacedhim。Hewasinduced，however，toacquiesceinthesebenefitsbytheentreatiesofhisbrotherandMacmurdo，butmainlybythelatter，pointingouttohimwhatafurySteynewouldbeintothinkthathisenemy’sfortunewasmadethroughhismeans。

WhentheMarquisofSteynecameabroadafterhisaccident，theColonialSecretaryboweduptohimandcongratulatedhimselfandtheServiceuponhavingmadesoexcellentanappointment。ThesecongratulationswerereceivedwithadegreeofgratitudewhichmaybeimaginedonthepartofLordSteyne。

ThesecretoftherencontrebetweenhimandColonelCrawleywasburiedintheprofoundestoblivion，asWenhamsaid；thatis，bythesecondsandtheprincipals。

Butbeforethateveningwasoveritwastalkedofatfiftydinner-tablesinVanityFair。LittleCacklebyhimselfwenttoseveneveningpartiesandtoldthestorywithcommentsandemendationsateachplace。HowMrs。

WashingtonWhiterevelledinit！TheBishopessofEalingwasshockedbeyondexpression；theBishopwentandwrotehisnamedowninthevisiting-bookatGauntHousethatveryday。LittleSouthdownwassorry；soyoumaybesurewashissisterLadyJane，verysorry。LadySouthdownwroteitofftoherotherdaughterattheCapeofGoodHope。Itwastown-talkforatleastthreedays，andwasonlykeptoutofthenewspapersbytheexertionsofMr。Wagg，actinguponahintfromMr。Wenham。

ThebailiffsandbrokersseizeduponpoorRagglesinCurzonStreet，andthelatefairtenantofthatpoorlittlemansionwasinthemeanwhile——where？Whocared！Whoaskedafteradayortwo？Wassheguiltyornot？Weallknowhowcharitabletheworldis，andhowtheverdictofVanityFairgoeswhenthereisadoubt。SomepeoplesaidshehadgonetoNaplesinpursuitofLordSteyne，whilstothersaverredthathisLordshipquittedthatcityandfledtoPalermoonhearingofBecky’sarrival；somesaidshewaslivinginBierstadt，andhadbecomeadamed’honneurtotheQueenofBulgaria；somethatshewasatBoulogne；andothers，ataboarding-houseatCheltenham。

Rawdonmadeheratolerableannuity，andwemaybesurethatshewasawomanwhocouldmakealittlemoneygoagreatway，asthesayingis。HewouldhavepaidhisdebtsonleavingEngland，couldhehavegotanyInsuranceOfficetotakehislife，buttheclimateofCoventryIslandwassobadthathecouldborrownomoneyonthestrengthofhissalary。Heremitted，however，tohisbrotherpunctually，andwrotetohislittleboyregularlyeverymail。HekeptMacmurdoincigarsandsentoverquantitiesofshells，cayennepepper，hotpickles，guavajelly，andcolonialproducetoLadyJane。

HesenthisbrotherhometheSwampTownGazette，inwhichthenewGovernorwaspraisedwithimmenseenthusiasm；whereastheSwampTownSentinel，whosewifewasnotaskedtoGovernmentHouse，declaredthathisExcellencywasatyrant，comparedtowhomNerowasanenlightenedphilanthropist。LittleRawdonusedtoliketogetthepapersandreadabouthisExcellency。

Hismothernevermadeanymovementtoseethechild。

HewenthometohisauntforSundaysandholidays；hesoonkneweverybird’snestaboutQueen’sCrawley，androdeoutwithSirHuddlestone’shounds，whichheadmiredsoonhisfirstwell-rememberedvisittoHampshire。

CHAPTERLVI

GeorgyisMadeaGentlemanGeorgyOsbornewasnowfairlyestablishedinhisgrandfather’smansioninRussellSquare，occupantofhisfather’sroominthehouseandheirapparentofallthesplendoursthere。Thegoodlooks，gallantbearing，andgentlemanlikeappearanceoftheboywonthegrandsire’sheartforhim。Mr。OsbornewasasproudofhimaseverhehadbeenoftheelderGeorge。

Thechildhadmanymoreluxuriesandindulgencesthanhadbeenawardedhisfather。Osborne’scommercehadprosperedgreatlyoflateyears。HiswealthandimportanceintheCityhadverymuchincreased。HehadbeengladenoughinformerdaystoputtheelderGeorgetoagoodpriva