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anditwasthoughtformany，manydaysthathewouldnevertravelfartherthantheburying-groundofthechurchofSt。George’s，wherethetroopsshouldfireasalvooverhisgrave，andwheremanyagallantofficerliesfarawayfromhishome。

Here，asthepoorfellowlaytossinginhisfever，thepeoplewhowatchedhimmighthaveheardhimravingaboutAmelia。Theideathatheshouldneverseeheragaindepressedhiminhislucidhours。Hethoughthislastdaywascome，andhemadehissolemnpreparationsfordeparture，settinghisaffairsinthisworldinorderandleavingthelittlepropertyofwhichhewaspossessedtothosewhomhemostdesiredtobenefit。Thefriendinwhosehousehewaslocatedwitnessedhistestament。Hedesiredtobeburiedwithalittlebrownhair-chainwhichheworeroundhisneckandwhich，ifthetruthmustbeknown，hehadgotfromAmelia’smaidatBrussels，whentheyoungwidow’shairwascutoff，duringthefeverwhichprostratedherafterthedeathofGeorgeOsborneontheplateauatMountSt。John。

Herecovered，rallied，relapsedagain，havingundergonesuchaprocessofblood-lettingandcalomelasshowedthestrengthofhisoriginalconstitution。HewasalmostaskeletonwhentheyputhimonboardtheRamchunderEastIndiaman，CaptainBragg，fromCalcutta，touchingatMadras，andsoweakandprostratethathisfriendwhohadtendedhimthroughhisillnessprophesiedthatthehonestMajorwouldneversurvivethevoyage，andthathewouldpasssomemorning，shroudedinflagandhammock，overtheship’sside，andcarryingdowntotheseawithhimtherelicthatheworeathisheart。Butwhetheritwastheseaair，orthehopewhichsprungupinhimafresh，fromthedaythattheshipspreadhercanvasandstoodoutoftheroadstowardshome，ourfriendbegantoamend，andhewasquitewell(thoughasgauntasagreyhound)beforetheyreachedtheCape。”Kirkwillbedisappointedofhismajoritythistime。”hesaidwithasmile；“hewillexpecttofindhimselfgazettedbythetimetheregimentreacheshome。”ForitmustbepremisedthatwhiletheMajorwaslyingillatMadras，havingmadesuchprodigioushastetogothither，thegallant——th，whichhadpassedmanyyearsabroad，whichafteritsreturnfromtheWestIndieshadbeenbaulkedofitsstayathomebytheWaterloocampaign，andhadbeenorderedfromFlanderstoIndia，hadreceivedordershome；andtheMajormighthaveaccompaniedhiscomrades，hadhechosentowaitfortheirarrivalatMadras。

PerhapshewasnotinclinedtoputhimselfinhisexhaustedstateagainundertheguardianshipofGlorvina。

“IthinkMissO’Dowdwouldhavedoneforme。”hesaidlaughinglytoafellow-passenger，“ifwehadhadheronboard，andwhenshehadsunkme，shewouldhavefallenuponyou，dependuponit，andcarriedyouinasaprizetoSouthampton，Jos，myboy。”

ForindeeditwasnootherthanourstoutfriendwhowasalsoapassengeronboardtheRamchunder。HehadpassedtenyearsinBengal。Constantdinners，tiffins，palealeandclaret，theprodigiouslabourofcutcherry，andtherefreshmentofbrandy-pawneewhichhewasforcedtotakethere，hadtheireffectuponWaterlooSedley。

AvoyagetoEuropewaspronouncednecessaryforhim——

andhavingservedhisfulltimeinIndiaandhadfineappointmentswhichhadenabledhimtolaybyaconsiderablesumofmoney，hewasfreetocomehomeandstaywithagoodpension，ortoreturnandresumethatrankintheservicetowhichhisseniorityandhisvasttalentsentitledhim。

Hewasratherthinnerthanwhenwelastsawhim，buthadgainedinmajestyandsolemnityofdemeanour。

HehadresumedthemustachiostowhichhisservicesatWaterlooentitledhim，andswaggeredaboutondeckinamagnificentvelvetcapwithagoldbandandaprofuseornamentationofpinsandjewelleryabouthisperson。

Hetookbreakfastinhiscabinanddressedassolemnlytoappearonthequarter-deckasifheweregoingtoturnoutforBondStreet，ortheCourseatCalcutta。Hebroughtanativeservantwithhim，whowashisvaletandpipe-

bearerandwhoworetheSedleycrestinsilveronhisturban。ThatorientalmenialhadawretchedlifeunderthetyrannyofJosSedley。Joswasasvainofhispersonasawoman，andtookaslongatimeathistoiletteasanyfadingbeauty。Theyoungstersamongthepassengers，YoungChaffersofthe150th，andpoorlittleRicketts，cominghomeafterhisthirdfever，usedtodrawoutSedleyatthecuddy-tableandmakehimtellprodigiousstoriesabouthimselfandhisexploitsagainsttigersandNapoleon。HewasgreatwhenhevisitedtheEmperor’stombatLongwood，whentothesegentlemenandtheyoungofficersoftheship，MajorDobbinnotbeingby，hedescribedthewholebattleofWaterlooandallbutannouncedthatNapoleonneverwouldhavegonetoSaintHelenaatallbutforhim，JosSedley。

AfterleavingSt。Helenahebecameverygenerous，disposingofagreatquantityofshipstores，claret，preservedmeats，andgreatcaskspackedwithsoda-water，broughtoutforhisprivatedelectation。Therewerenoladiesonboard；theMajorgavethepasofprecedencytothecivilian，sothathewasthefirs