第128章

Itwasgoneindeed。Williamhadspentitallout。Helovedhernomore，hethought，ashehadlovedher。

Henevercouldagain。Thatsortofregard，whichhehadprofferedtoherforsomanyfaithfulyears，can’tbeflungdownandshatteredandmendedsoastoshownoscars。

Thelittleheedlesstyranthadsodestroyedit。No，Williamthoughtagainandagain，“ItwasmyselfIdeludedandpersistedincajoling；hadshebeenworthyoftheloveIgaveher，shewouldhavereturneditlongago。Itwasafondmistake。Isn’tthewholecourseoflifemadeupofsuch？AndsupposeIhadwonher，shouldInothavebeendisenchantedthedayaftermyvictory？Whypine，orbeashamedofmydefeat？”Themorehethoughtofthislongpassageofhislife，themoreclearlyhesawhisdeception。”I’llgointoharnessagain。”hesaid，“anddomydutyinthatstateoflifeinwhichithaspleasedHeaventoplaceme。Iwillseethatthebuttonsoftherecruitsareproperlybrightandthatthesergeantsmakenomistakesintheiraccounts。IwilldineatmessandlistentotheScotchsurgeontellinghisstories。WhenI

amoldandbroken，Iwillgoonhalf-pay，andmyoldsistersshallscoldme。Ihavegeliebtundgelebet，asthegirlin’Wallenstein’says。Iamdone。Paythebillsandgetmeacigar：findoutwhatthereisattheplayto-night，Francis；to-morrowwecrossbytheBatavier。”Hemadetheabovespeech，whereofFrancisonlyheardthelasttwolines，pacingupanddowntheBoompjesatRotterdam。

TheBatavierwaslyinginthebasin。Hecouldseetheplaceonthequarter-deckwhereheandEmmyhadsatonthehappyvoyageout。WhathadthatlittleMrs。

Crawleytosaytohim？Psha；to-morrowwewillputtosea，andreturntoEngland，home，andduty！

AfterJuneallthelittleCourtSocietyofPumpernickelusedtoseparate，accordingtotheGermanplan，andmakeforahundredwatering-places，wheretheydrankatthewells，rodeupondonkeys，gambledattheredoutesiftheyhadmoneyandamind，rushedwithhundredsoftheirkindtogourmandiseatthetablesd’hote，andidledawaythesummer。TheEnglishdiplomatistswentofftoTeoplitzandKissingen，theirFrenchrivalsshutuptheirchancellerieandwhiskedawaytotheirdarlingBoulevarddeGand。TheTransparentreigningfamilytooktootothewaters，orretiredtotheirhuntinglodges。Everybodywentawayhavinganypretensionstopoliteness，andofcourse，withthem，DoctorvonGlauber，theCourtDoctor，andhisBaroness。TheseasonsforthebathswerethemostproductiveperiodsoftheDoctor’spractice——heunitedbusinesswithpleasure，andhischiefplaceofresortwasOstend，whichismuchfrequentedbyGermans，andwheretheDoctortreatedhimselfandhisspousetowhathecalleda“dib“inthesea。

Hisinterestingpatient，Jos，wasaregularmilch-cowtotheDoctor，andheeasilypersuadedthecivilian，bothforhisownhealth’ssakeandthatofhischarmingsister，whichwasreallyverymuchshattered，topassthesummeratthathideousseaporttown。Emmydidnotcarewhereshewentmuch。Georgyjumpedattheideaofamove。AsforBecky，shecameasamatterofcourseinthefourthplaceinsideofthefinebaroucheMr。Joshadbought，thetwodomesticsbeingontheboxinfront。

ShemighthavesomemisgivingsaboutthefriendswhomsheshouldmeetatOstend，andwhomightbelikelytotelluglystories——butbah！shewasstrongenoughtoholdherown。ShehadcastsuchananchorinJosnowaswouldrequireastrongstormtoshake。Thatincidentofthepicturehadfinishedhim。BeckytookdownherelephantandputitintothelittleboxwhichshehadhadfromAmeliaeversomanyyearsago。EmmyalsocameoffwithherLares——hertwopictures——andtheparty，finally，were，lodgedinanexceedinglydearanduncomfortablehouseatOstend。

ThereAmeliabegantotakebathsandgetwhatgoodshecouldfromthem，andthoughscoresofpeopleofBecky’sacquaintancepassedherandcuther，yetMrs。

Osborne，whowalkedaboutwithher，andwhoknewnobody，wasnotawareofthetreatmentexperiencedbythefriendwhomshehadchosensojudiciouslyasacompanion；indeed，Beckyneverthoughtfittotellherwhatwaspassingunderherinnocenteyes。

SomeofMrs。RawdonCrawley’sacquaintances，however，acknowledgedherreadilyenough，——perhapsmorereadilythanshewouldhavedesired。AmongthosewereMajorLoder(unattached)，andCaptainRook(lateoftheRifles)，whomightbeseenanydayontheDike，smokingandstaringatthewomen，andwhospeedilygotanintroductiontothehospitableboardandselectcircleofMr。JosephSedley。Infacttheywouldtakenodenial；

theyburstintothehousewhetherBeckywasathomeornot，walkedintoMrs。Osborne’sdrawing-room，whichtheyperfumedwiththeircoatsandmustachios，call