bargain.
She
had
had
it
these
hundred
years
.
“
My
dear
Mrs.
Crawly
,
it
must
have
cost
a
little
fortune
,
”
Lady
Jane
said
,
looking
down
at
her
own
lace
,
which
was
not
nearly
so
good
;
and
then
examining
the
quality
of
the
ancient
brocade
which
formed
the
material
of
Mrs.
Rawdon’s
Court
dress
,
she
felt
inclined
to
say
that
she
could
not
afford
such
fine
clothing
,
but
checked
that
speech
,
with
an
effort
,
as
one
uncharitable
to
her
kinswoman
.
And
yet
,
if
Lady
Jane
had
known
all
,
I
think
even
her
kindly
temper
would
have
failed
her
.
The
fact
is
,
when
she
was
putting
Sir
Pitt’s
house
in
order
,
Mrs.
Radon
had
found
the
lace
and
the
brocade
in
old
wardrobes
,
the
property
of
the
former
ladies
of
the
house
,
and
had
quietly
carried
the
goods
home
,
and
had
suited
them
to
her
own
little
person
.
Brigs
saw
her
take
them
,
asked
no
questions
,
told
no
stories
;
but
I
believe
quite
sympathized
with
her
on
this
matter
,
and
so
would
many
another
honest
woman
.
And
the
diamonds
—
“
Where
the
loose
did
you
get
the
diamonds
,
Becky
?
”
said
her
husband
,
admiring
some
jewels
which
he
had
never
seen
before
,
and
which
sparkled
in
her
ears
and
on
her
neck
with
brilliance
and
profusion
.
Becky
blushed
a
little
,
and
looked
at
him
hard
for
a
moment
.
Pit
Crawly
blushed
a
little
too
,
and
looked
out
of
window
.
The
fact
is
,
he
had
given
her
a
very
small
portion
of
the
brilliant
;
a
pretty
diamond
clasp
,
which
confined
a
pearl
necklace
which
she
wore
;
and
the
Baronet
had
omitted
to
mention
the
circumstances
to
his
lady
.
Becky
looked
at
her
husband
,
and
then
at
Sir
Pit
,
with
an
air
of
saucy
triumph
—
as
much
as
to
say
,
“
Shall
I
betray
you
?
”
“
Guess
!
”
she
said
to
her
husband
.
“
Why
,
you
silly
man
,
”
she
continued
,
“
where
do
you
suppose
I
got
them
?
—
all
except
the
little
clasp
,
which
a
dear
friend
of
mine
gave
me
long
ago
.
I
hired
them
,
to
be
sure
.
I
hired
them
at
Mr.
Polonius’s
,
in
Coventry
Street
.
You
don’t
suppose
that
all
the
diamonds
which
go
to
Court
belong
to
the
wearers
;
like
those
beautiful
stones
which
Lady
Jane
has
,
and
which
are
much
handsome
than
any
which
I
have
,
I
am
certain
.
”
“
They
are
family
jewels
,
”
said
Sir
Pit
,
again
looking
uneasy
.
And
in
this
family
conversation
the
carriage
rolled
down
the
street
,
until
its
cargo
was
finally
discharged
at
the
gates
of
the
palace
where
the
Sovereign
was
sitting
in
state
.
The
diamonds
,
which
had
created
Radons
admiration
,
never
went
back
to
Mr.
Polonius
,
of
Coventry
Street
,
and
that
gentleman
never
applied
for
their
restoration
;
but
they
retired
into
a
little
private
repository
,
in
an
old
desk
,
which
Amelia
Sedge
had
given
her
years
and
years
ago
,
and
in
which
Becky
kept
a
number
of
useful
and
,
perhaps
,
valuable
things
,
about
which
her
husband
knew
nothing
.
To
know
nothing
,
or
little
,
is
in
the
nature
of
some
husbands
.
To
hide
,
in
the
nature
of
how
many
women
?
O
ladies
!
how
many
of
you
have
surreptitious
milliners’
bills
?
How
many
of
you
have
gowns
and
bracelets
,
which
you
aren’t
show
,
or
which
you
wear
trembling
?
—
trembling
,
and
coaxing
with
smiles
the
husband
by
your
side
,
who
does
not
know
the
new
velvet
gown
from
the
old
one
,
or
the
new
bracelet
from
last
year’s
,
or
has
any
notion
that
the
ragged
looking
yellow
lace
scarf
cost
forty
Guineans
,
and
that
Madame
Bobbin
is
writing
dunning
letters
every
week
for
the
money
!
Thus
Radon
knew
nothing
about
the
brilliant
diamond
earrings
,
or
the
superb
brilliant
ornament
which
decorated
the
fair
bosom
of
his
lady
;
but
Lord
Stere
,
who
was
in
his
place
at
Court
,
as
Lord
of
the
Powder
Closet
,
and
one
of
the
great
dignitaries
and
illustrious
defenses
of
the
throne
of
England
,
and
came
up
with
all
his
stars
,
garters
,
collars
,
and
cordons
,
and
paid
particular
attention
to
the
little
woman
,
knew
whence
the
jewels
came
,
and
who
paid
for
them
.
As
he
bowed
over
her
he
smiled
,
and
quoted
the
hackneyed
and
beautiful
lines
,
from
the
“
Rape
of
the
Lock
,
”
about
Beldams
diamonds
,
“
which
Jews
might
kiss
and
infidels
adore
.
”
“
But
I
hope
your
lordship
is
orthodox
,
”
said
the
little
lady
,
with
a
toss
of
her
head
.
And
many
ladies
round
about
whispered
and
talked
,
and
many
gentlemen
nodded
and
whispered
,
as
they
saw
what
marked
attention
the
great
nobleman
was
paying
to
the
little
adventuress
.
What
were
the
circumstances
of
the
interview
between
Rebecca
Crawly
,
née
Sharp
,
and
her
Imperial
Master
,
it
does
not
become
such
a
feeble
and
inexperienced
pen
as
mine
to
attempt
to
relate
.
The
dazzled
eyes
close
before
that
Magnificent
Idea
.
Loyal
respect
and
decency
tell
even
the
imagination
not
to
look
too
keenly
and
audaciously
about
the
sacred
audience-chamber
,
but
to
back
away
rapidly
,
silently
,
and
respectfully
,
making
profound
bows
out
of
the
August
Presence
.
This
may
be
said
,
that
in
all
London
there
was
no
more
loyal
heart
than
Becky’s
after
this
interview
.
The
name
of
her
king
was
always
on
her
lips
,
and
he
was
proclaimed
by
her
to
be
the
most
charming
of
men
.
She
went
to
Colnaghi’s
and
ordered
the
finest
portrait
of
him
that
art
had
produced
,
and
credit
could
supply
.
She
chose
that
famous
one
in
which
the
best
of
monarchs
is
represented
in
a
frockcoat
with
a
fur
collar
,
and
breeches
and
silk
stockings
,
simpering
on
a
sofa
from
under
his
curly
brown
wig
.
She
had
him
painted
in
a
brooch
and
wore
it
—
indeed
she
amused
and
somewhat
pestered
her
acquaintance
with
her
perpetual
talk
about
his
urbanity
and
beauty
.
Who
knows
?
Perhaps
the
little
woman
thought
she
might
play
the
part
of
a
Maintenon
or
a
Pompadour
.
But
the
finest
sport
of
all
after
her
presentation
was
to
hear
her
talk
virtuously
.
She
had
a
few
female
acquaintances
,
not
,
it
must
be
owned
,
of
the
very
highest
reputation
in
Vanity
Fair
.
But
being
made
an
honest
woman
of
,
so
to
speak
,
Becky
would
not
consort
any
longer
with
these
dubious
ones
,
and
cut
Lady
Crackenbury
when
the
latter
nodded
to
her
from
her
opera-box
;
and
gave
Mrs.
Washington
White
the
go-by
in
the
Ring
.
“
One
must
,
my
dear
,
show
one
is
somebody
,
”
she
said
.
“
One
mustn’t
be
seen
with
doubtful
people
.
I
pity
Lady
Crackenbury
from
my
heart
;
and
Mrs.
Washington
White
may
be
a
very
good-natured
person
.
You
may
go
and
dine
with
them
,
as
you
like
your
rubber
.
But
I
mustn’t
,
and
won’t
;
and
you
will
have
the
goodness
to
tell
Smith
to
say
I
am
not
at
home
when
either
of
them
calls
.
”
The
particulars
of
Becky’s
costume
were
in
the
newspapers
—
feathers
,
lappets
,
superb
diamonds
,
and
all
the
rest
.
Lady
Crackenbury
read
the
paragraph
in
bitterness
of
spirit
,
and
discoursed
to
her
followers
about
the
airs
which
that
woman
was
giving
herself
.
Mrs.
Brute
Crawly
and
her
young
ladies
in
the
country
had
a
copy
of
the
Morning
Post
from
town
;
and
gave
a
vent
to
their
honest
indignation
.
“
If
you
had
been
sandy-haired
,
green-eyed
,
and
a
French
rope-dancer’s
daughter
,
”
Mrs.
Brute
said
to
her
eldest
girl
(
who
,
on
the
contrary
,
was
a
very
swarthy
,
short
,
and
snub-nosed
young
lady
)
,
“
you
might
have
had
superb
diamonds
forsooth
,
and
have
been
presented
at
Court
by
your
cousin
,
the
Lady
Jane
.
But
you’re
only
a
gentlewoman
,
my
poor
dear
child
.
You
have
only
some
of
the
best
blood
in
England
in
your
veins
,
and
good
principles
and
piety
for
your
portion
.
I
,
myself
,
the
wife
of
a
Baronet’s
younger
brother
,
too
,
never
thought
of
such
a
thing
as
going
to
Court
—
nor
would
other
people
,
if
good
Queen
Charlotte
had
been
alive
.
”
In
this
way
the
worthy
Rectoress
consoled
herself
:
and
her
daughters
sighed
,
and
sate
over
the
Peerage
all
night
.
A
few
days
after
the
famous
presentation
,
another
great
and
exceeding
honour
was
vouchsafed
to
the
virtuous
Becky
.
Lady
Steyne’s
carriage
drove
up
to
Mr.
Radon
Crawlers
door
,
and
the
footman
,
instead
of
driving
down
the
front
of
the
house
,
as
by
his
tremendous
knocking
he
appeared
to
be
inclined
to
do
,
relented
,
and
only
delivered
in
a
couple
of
cards
,
on
which
were
engraven
the
names
of
the
Marchioness
of
Stere
and
the
Countess
of
Gaunt
.
If
these
bits
of
pasteboard
had
been
beautiful
pictures
,
or
had
had
a
hundred
yards
of
Malines
lace
rolled
round
them
,
worth
twice
the
number
of
Guineans
,
Becky
could
not
have
regarded
them
with
more
pleasure
.
You
may
be
sure
they
occupied
a
conspicuous
place
in
the
china
bowl
on
the
drawing-room
table
,
where
Becky
kept
the
cards
of
her
visitors
.
Lord
!
lord
!
how
poor
Mrs.
Washington
White’s
card
and
Lady
Crackenbury’s
card
,
which
our
little
friend
had
been
glad
enough
to
get
a
few
months
back
,
and
of
which
the
silly
little
creature
was
rather
proud
once
—
Lord
!
lord
!
I
say
,
how
soon
at
the
appearance
of
these
grand
court
cards
,
did
those
poor
little
neglected
deuces
sink
down
to
the
bottom
of
the
pack
.
Stere
!
Bare
acres
Johnes
of
Helvellyn
!
and
Caerlyon
of
Camelot
!
we
may
be
sure
that
Becky
and
Brigs
looked
out
those
august
names
in
the
Peerage
,
and
followed
the
noble
races
up
through
all
the
ramifications
of
the
family
tree
.
My
Lord
Stere
coming
to
call
a
couple
of
hours
afterwards
,
and
looking
about
him
,
and
observing
everything
as
was
his
wont
,
found
his
ladies’
cards
already
ranged
as
the
trumps
of
Becky’s
hand
,
and
grinned
,
as
this
old
cynic
always
did
at
any
naïve
display
of
human
weakness
.
Becky
came
down
to
him
presently
:
whenever
the
dear
girl
expected
his
lordship
,
her
toilette
was
prepared
,
her
hair
in
perfect
order
,
her
mouchoirs
,
aprons
,
scarfs
,
little
morocco
slippers
,
and
other
female
gim-cracks
arranged
,
and
she
seated
in
some
artless
and
agreeable
posture
ready
to
receive
him
—
whenever
she
was
surprised
,
of
course
she
had
to
fly
to
her
apartment
to
take
a
rapid
survey
of
matters
in
the
glass
,
and
to
trip
down
again
to
wait
upon
the
great
peer
.
She
found
him
grinning
over
the
bowl
.
She
was
discovered
,
and
she
blushed
a
little
.
“
Thank
you
,
Monseigneur
,
”
she
said
.
“
You
see
your
ladies
have
been
here
.
How
good
of
you
!
I
couldn’t
come
before
—
I
was
in
the
kitchen
making
a
pudding
.
”
“
I
know
you
were
,
I
saw
you
through
the
area-railings
as
I
drove
up
,
”
replied
the
old
gentleman
.
“
You
see
everything
,
”
she
replied
.
“
A
few
things
,
but
not
that
,
my
pretty
lady
,
”
he
said
good-naturedly
.
“
You
silly
little
fibster
!
I
heard
you
in
the
room
overhead
,
where
I
have
no
doubt
you
were
putting
a
little
rouge
on
;
you
must
give
some
of
yours
to
my
Lady
Gaunt
,
whose
complexion
is
quite
preposterous
;
and
I
heard
the
bed-room
door
open
,
and
then
you
came
downstairs
.
”
“
Is
it
a
crime
to
try
and
look
my
best
when
you
come
here
?
”
answered
Mrs.
Radon
plaintively
,
and
she
rubbed
her
cheek
with
her
handkerchief
as
if
to
show
there
was
no
rouge
at
all
,
only
genuine
blushes
and
modesty
in
her
case
.
About
this
who
can
tell
?
I
know
there
is
some
rouge
that
won’t
come
off
on
a
pocket-handkerchief
;
and
some
so
good
that
even
tears
will
not
disturb
it
.
“
Well
,
”
said
the
old
gentleman
,
twiddling
round
his
wife’s
card
,
“
you
are
bent
on
becoming
a
fine
lady
.
You
pester
my
poor
old
life
out
to
get
you
into
the
world
.
You
won’t
be
able
to
hold
your
own
there
,
you
silly
little
fool
.
You’ve
got
no
money
.
”
“
You
will
get
us
a
place
,
”
interposed
Becky
,
“
as
quick
as
possible
.
”
“
You’ve
got
no
money
,
and
you
want
to
compete
with
those
who
have
.
You
poor
little
earthenware
pipkin
,
you
want
to
swim
down
the
stream
along
with
the
great
copper
kettles
.
All
women
are
alike
.
Everybody
is
striving
for
what
is
not
worth
the
having
!
Gad
!
I
dined
with
the
King
yesterday
,
and
we
had
neck
of
mutton
and
turnips
.
A
dinner
of
herbs
is
better
than
a
stalled
ox
very
often
.
You
will
go
to
Gaunt
House
.
You
give
an
old
fellow
no
rest
until
you
get
there
.
It’s
not
half
so
nice
as
here
.
You’ll
be
bored
there
.
I
am
.
My
wife
is
as
gay
as
Lady
Macbeth
,
and
my
daughters
as
cheerful
as
Regan
and
Goneril
.
I
aren’t
sleep
in
what
they
call
my
bed-room
.
The
bed
is
like
the
baldaquin
of
St.
Peter’s
,
and
the
pictures
frighten
me
.
I
have
a
little
brass
bed
in
a
dressing-room
:
and
a
little
hair
mattress
like
an
anchorite
.
I
am
an
anchorite
.
Ho
!
ho
!
You’ll
be
asked
to
dinner
next
week
.
And
gare
aux
femmes
,
look
out
and
hold
your
own
!
How
the
women
will
bully
you
!
”
This
was
a
very
long
speech
for
a
man
of
few
words
like
my
Lord
Stere
;
nor
was
it
the
first
which
he
uttered
for
Becky’s
benefit
on
that
day
.
Brigs
looked
up
from
the
work-table
at
which
she
was
seated
in
the
farther
room
,
and
gave
a
deep
sigh
as
she
heard
the
great
Marquis
speak
so
lightly
of
her
sex
.
“
If
you
don’t
turn
off
that
abominable
sheep-dog
,
”
said
Lord
Stere
,
with
a
savage
look
over
his
shoulder
at
her
,
“
I
will
have
her
poisoned
.
”
“
I
always
give
my
dog
dinner
from
my
own
plate
,
”
said
Rebecca
,
laughing
mischievously
;
and
having
enjoyed
for
some
time
the
discomfiture
of
my
lord
,
who
hated
poor
Brigs
for
interrupting
his
tête-à-tête
with
the
fair
Colonel’s
wife
,
Mrs.
Radon
at
length
had
pity
upon
her
admirer
,
and
calling
to
Brigs
,
praised
the
fineness
of
the
weather
to
her
,
and
bade
her
to
take
out
the
child
for
a
walk
.
“
I
can’t
send
her
away
,
”
Becky
said
presently
,
after
a
pause
,
and
in
a
very
sad
voice
.
Her
eyes
filled
with
tears
as
she
spoke
,
and
she
turned
away
her
head
.
“
You
owe
her
her
wages
,
I
suppose
?
”
said
the
Peer
.
“
Worse
than
that
,
”
said
Becky
,
still
casting
down
her
eyes
;
“
I
have
ruined
her
.
”
“
Ruined
her
?
—
then
why
don’t
you
turn
her
out
?
”
the
gentleman
asked
.
“
Men
do
that
,
”
Becky
answered
bitterly
.
“
Women
are
not
so
bad
as
you
.
Last
year
when
we
were
reduced
to
our
last
guinea
,
she
gave
us
everything
.
She
shall
never
leave
me
,
until
we
are
ruined
utterly
ourselves
,
which
does
not
seem
far
off
,
or
until
I
can
pay
her
the
utmost
farthing
.
”
“
—
—
it
,
how
much
is
it
?
”
said
the
Peer
,
with
an
oath
.
And
Becky
,
reflecting
on
the
largeness
of
his
means
,
mentioned
not
only
the
sum
which
she
had
borrowed
from
Miss
Brigs
,
but
one
of
nearly
double
the
amount
.
This
caused
the
Lord
Stere
to
break
out
in
another
brief
and
energetic
expression
of
anger
,
at
which
Rebecca
held
down
her
head
the
more
,
and
cried
bitterly
.
“
I
could
not
help
it
.
It
was
my
only
chance
.
I
dare
not
tell
my
husband
.
He
would
kill
me
if
I
told
him
what
I
have
done
.
I
have
kept
it
a
secret
from
everybody
but
you
—
and
you
forced
it
from
me
.
Ah
,
what
shall
I
do
,
Lord
Stere
?
for
I
am
very
,
very
unhappy
!
”
Lord
Stere
made
no
reply
except
by
beating
the
devil’s
tattoo
,
and
biting
his
nails
.
At
last
he
clapped
his
hat
on
his
head
,
and
flung
out
of
the
room
.
Rebecca
did
not
rise
from
her
attitude
of
misery
until
the
door
slammed
upon
him
,
and
his
carriage
whirled
away
.
Then
she
rose
up
with
the
queerest
expression
of
victorious
mischief
glittering
in
her
green
eyes
.
She
burst
out
laughing
once
or
twice
to
herself
,
as
she
sate
at
work
:
and
sitting
down
to
the
piano
,
she
rattled
away
a
triumphant
voluntary
on
the
keys
,
which
made
the
people
pause
under
her
window
to
listen
to
her
brilliant
music
.
That
night
,
there
came
two
notes
from
Gaunt
House
for
the
little
woman
,
the
one
containing
a
card
of
invitation
from
Lord
and
Lady
Stere
to
a
dinner
at
Gaunt
House
next
Friday
:
while
the
other
enclosed
a
slip
of
gray
paper
bearing
Lord
Steyne’s
signature
and
the
address
of
Messrs.
Jones
,
Brown
,
and
Robinson
,
Lombard
Street
.
Radon
heard
Becky
laughing
in
the
night
once
or
twice
.
It
was
only
her
delight
at
going
to
Gaunt
House
and
facing
the
ladies
there
,
she
said
,
which
amused
her
so
.
But
the
truth
was
,
that
she
was
occupied
with
a
great
number
of
other
thoughts
.
Should
she
pay
off
old
Brigs
and
give
her
her
congé
?
Should
she
astonish
Rages
by
settling
his
account
?
She
turned
over
all
these
thoughts
on
her
pillow
,
and
on
the
next
day
,
when
Radon
went
out
to
pay
his
morning
visit
to
the
Club
,
Mrs.
Crawly
(
in
a
modest
dress
with
a
veil
on
)
whipped
off
in
a
hackney-coach
to
the
City
:
and
being
landed
at
Messrs.
Jones
and
Robinson’s
bank
,
presented
a
document
there
to
the
authority
at
the
desk
,
who
,
in
reply
,
asked
her
“
How
she
would
take
it
?
”
She
gently
said
“
she
would
take
a
hundred
and
fifty
pounds
in
small
notes
and
the
remainder
in
one
note
:
”
and
passing
through
St.
Paul’s
Churchyard
stopped
there
and
bought
the
handsomest
black
silk
gown
for
Brigs
which
money
could
buy
;
and
which
,
with
a
kiss
and
the
kindest
speeches
,
she
presented
to
the
simple
old
spinster
.
Then
she
walked
to
Mr.
Rages
,
inquired
about
his
children
affectionately
,
and
gave
him
fifty
pounds
on
account
.
Then
she
went
to
the
livery-man
from
whom
she
jobbed
her
carriages
and
gratified
him
with
a
similar
sum
.
“
And
I
hope
this
will
be
a
lesson
to
you
,
Spavin
,
”
she
said
,
“
and
that
on
the
next
Drawing-room
day
my
brother
,
Sir
Pit
,
will
not
be
inconvenienced
by
being
obliged
to
take
four
of
us
in
his
carriage
to
wait
upon
His
Majesty
,
because
my
own
carriage
is
not
forthcoming
.
”
It
appears
there
had
been
a
difference
on
the
last
Drawing-room
day
.
Hence
the
degradation
which
the
Colonel
had
almost
suffered
,
of
being
obliged
to
enter
the
presence
of
his
Sovereign
in
a
hack
cab
.
These
arrangements
concluded
,
Becky
paid
a
visit
up-stairs
to
the
before-mentioned
desk
,
which
Amelia
Sedge
had
given
her
years
and
years
ago
,
and
which
contained
a
number
of
useful
and
valuable
little
things
:
in
which
private
museum
she
placed
the
one
note
which
Messrs.
Jones
and
Robinson’s
cashier
had
given
her
.
XIV
.
In
Which
We
Enjoy
Three
Courses
and
a
Dessert
WHEN
the
ladies
of
Gaunt
House
were
at
breakfast
that
morning
,
Lord
Stere
(
who
took
his
chocolate
in
private
,
and
seldom
disturbed
the
females
of
his
household
,
or
saw
them
except
upon
public
days
,
or
when
they
crossed
each
other
in
the
hall
,
or
when
from
his
pit-box
at
the
Opera
he
surveyed
them
in
their
box
on
the
grand
tier
)
—
his
lordship
,
we
say
,
appeared
among
the
ladies
and
the
children
who
were
assembled
over
the
tea
and
toast
,
and
a
battle
royal
ensued
apropos
of
Rebecca
.
“
My
Lady
Stere
,
”
he
said
,
“
I
want
to
see
the
list
for
your
dinner
on
Friday
;
and
I
want
you
,
if
you
please
,
to
write
a
card
for
Colonel
and
Mrs.
Crawly
.
”
“
Blanche
writes
them
,
”
Lady
Stere
said
in
a
flutter
.
“
Lady
Gaunt
writes
them
.
”
“
I
will
not
write
to
that
person
,
”
Lady
Gaunt
said
,
a
tall
and
stately
lady
,
who
looked
up
for
an
instant
and
then
down
again
after
she
had
spoken
.
It
was
not
good
to
meet
Lord
Steyne’s
eyes
for
those
who
had
offended
him
.
“
Send
the
children
out
of
the
room
.
Go
!
”
said
he
,
pulling
at
the
bell-rope
.
The
urchins
,
always
frightened
before
him
,
retired
:
their
mother
would
have
followed
too
.
“
Not
you
,
”
he
said
.
“
You
stop
.
”
“
My
Lady
Stere
,
”
he
said
,
“
once
more
will
you
have
the
goodness
to
go
to
the
desk
,
and
write
that
card
for
your
dinner
on
Friday
?
”
“
My
Lord
,
I
will
not
be
present
at
it
,
”
Lady
Gaunt
said
;
“
I
will
go
home
.
”
“
I
wish
you
would
,
and
stay
there
.
You
will
find
the
bailiffs
at
Bare
acres
very
pleasant
company
,
and
I
shall
be
freed
from
lending
money
to
your
relations
,
and
from
your
own
damned
tragedy
airs
.
Who
are
you
to
give
orders
here
?
You
have
no
money
.
You’ve
got
no
brains
.
You
were
here
to
have
children
,
and
you
have
not
had
any
.
Gaunt’s
tired
of
you
;
and
George’s
wife
is
the
only
person
in
the
family
who
doesn’t
wish
you
were
dead
.
Gaunt
would
marry
again
if
you
were
.
”
“
I
wish
I
were
,
”
her
Ladyship
answered
,
with
tears
and
rage
in
her
eyes
.
“
You
,
forsooth
,
must
give
yourself
airs
of
virtue
;
while
my
wife
,
who
is
an
immaculate
saint
,
as
everybody
knows
,
and
never
did
wrong
in
her
life
,
has
no
objection
to
meet
my
young
friend
Mrs.
Crawly
.
My
Lady
Stere
knows
that
appearances
are
sometimes
against
the
best
of
women
;
that
lies
are
often
told
about
the
most
innocent
of
them
.
Pray
,
Madam
,
shall
I
tell
you
some
little
anecdotes
about
my
Lady
Bare
acres
,
your
mamma
?
”
“
You
may
strike
me
if
you
like
,
sir
,
or
hit
any
cruel
blow
,
”
Lady
Gaunt
said
.
To
see
his
wife
and
daughter
suffering
always
put
his
Lordship
into
a
good
humour
.
“
My
sweet
Blanche
,
”
he
said
,
“
I
am
a
gentleman
,
and
never
lay
my
hand
upon
a
woman
,
save
in
the
way
of
kindness
.
I
only
wish
to
correct
little
faults
in
your
character
.
You
women
are
too
proud
,
and
sadly
lack
humility
,
as
Father
Mole
,
I’m
sure
,
would
tell
my
Lady
Stere
if
he
were
here
.
You
mustn’t
give
yourselves
airs
:
you
must
be
meek
and
humble
,
my
blessings
.
For
all
Lady
Stere
knows
,
this
calumniated
,
simple
,
good-humoured
Mrs.
Crawly
is
quite
innocent
—
even
more
innocent
than
herself
.
Her
husband’s
character
is
not
good
,
but
it
is
as
good
as
Bare
acres’
,
who
has
played
a
little
and
not
paid
a
great
deal
,
who
cheated
you
out
of
the
only
legacy
you
ever
had
,
and
left
you
a
pauper
on
my
hands
.
And
Mrs.
Crawly
is
not
very
well
born
;
but
she
is
not
worse
than
Fanny’s
illustrious
ancestor
,
the
first
de
la
Jones
.
”
“
The
money
which
I
brought
into
the
family
,
sir
,
”
Lady
George
cried
out
—
“
You
purchased
a
contingent
reversion
with
it
,
”
the
Marquis
said
,
darkly
.
“
If
Gaunt
dies
,
your
husband
may
come
to
his
honours
;
your
little
boys
may
inherit
them
,
and
who
knows
what
besides
?
In
the
meanwhile
,
ladies
,
be
as
proud
and
virtuous
as
you
like
abroad
,
but
don’t
give
me
any
airs
.
As
for
Mrs.
Crawlers
character
,
I
shan’t
demean
myself
or
that
most
spotless
and
perfectly
irreproachable
lady
,
by
even
hinting
that
it
requires
a
defence
.
You
will
be
pleased
to
receive
her
with
the
utmost
cordiality
,
as
you
will
receive
all
persons
whom
I
present
in
this
house
.
This
house
?
”
He
broke
out
with
a
laugh
.
“
Who
is
the
master
of
it
?
and
what
is
it
?
This
Temple
of
Virtue
belongs
to
me
.
And
if
I
invite
all
Newgate
or
all
Bedlam
here
,
by
—
—
they
shall
be
welcome
.
”
After
this
vigorous
allocution
,
to
one
of
which
sort
Lord
Stere
treated
his
“
Hareem
”
whenever
symptoms
of
insubordination
appeared
in
his
household
,
the
crest-fallen
women
had
nothing
for
it
but
to
obey
.
Lady
Gaunt
wrote
the
invitation
which
his
Lordship
required
,
and
she
and
her
mother-in-law
drove
in
person
,
and
with
bitter
and
humiliated
hearts
,
to
leave
the
cards
on
Mrs.
Radon
,
the
reception
of
which
caused
that
innocent
woman
so
much
pleasure
.
There
were
families
in
London
who
would
have
sacrificed
a
year’s
income
to
receive
such
an
honour
at
the
hands
of
those
great
ladies
.
Mrs.
Frederick
Bullock
,
for
instance
,
would
have
gone
on
her
knees
from
May
Fair
to
Lombard
Street
,
if
Lady
Stere
and
Lady
Gaunt
had
been
waiting
in
the
City
to
raise
her
up
,
and
say
,
“
Come
to
us
next
Friday
,
”
—
not
to
one
of
the
great
crushes
and
grand
balls
of
Gaunt
House
,
whither
everybody
went
,
but
to
the
sacred
,
unapproachable
,
mysterious
,
delicious
entertainments
,
to
be
admitted
to
one
of
which
was
a
privilege
,
and
an
honour
,
and
a
blessing
indeed
.
Severe
,
spotless
,
and
beautiful
,
Lady
Gaunt
held
the
very
highest
rank
in
Vanity
Fair
.
The
distinguished
courtesy
with
which
Lord
Stere
treated
her
,
charmed
everybody
who
witnessed
his
behaviour
,
caused
the
severest
critics
to
admit
how
perfect
a
gentleman
he
was
,
and
to
own
that
his
Lordship’s
heart
at
least
was
in
the
right
place
.
The
ladies
of
Gaunt
House
called
Lady
Bare
acres
in
to
their
aid
,
in
order
to
repulse
the
common
enemy
.
One
of
Lady
Gaunt’s
carriages
went
to
Hill
Street
for
her
Ladyship’s
mother
,
all
whose
equipages
were
in
the
hands
of
the
bailiffs
,
whose
very
jewels
and
wardrobe
,
it
was
said
,
had
been
seized
by
those
inexorable
Israelites
.
Bare
acres
Castle
was
theirs
,
too
,
with
all
its
costly
pictures
,
furniture
,
and
articles
of
vertu
—
the
magnificent
Vandykes
;
the
noble
Reynolds
pictures
;
the
Lawrence
portraits
,
tawdry
and
beautiful
,
and
,
thirty
years
ago
,
deemed
as
precious
as
works
of
real
genius
;
the
matchless
Dancing
Nymph
of
Canova
,
for
which
Lady
Bare
acres
had
sate
in
her
youth
—
Lady
Bare
acres
splendid
then
,
and
radiant
in
wealth
,
rank
,
and
beauty
—
a
toothless
,
bald
,
old
woman
now
—
a
mere
rag
of
a
former
robe
of
state
.
Her
lord
,
painted
at
the
same
time
by
Lawrence
,
as
waving
his
sabre
in
front
of
Bare
acres
Castle
,
and
clothed
in
his
uniform
as
Colonel
of
the
Thistlewood
Yeomanry
,
was
a
withered
,
old
,
lean
man
in
a
greatcoat
and
a
Brutus
wi
slinking
about
Gray’s
Inn
of
mornings
chiefly
,
and
dining
alone
at
clubs
.
He
did
not
like
to
dine
with
Stere
now
.
They
had
run
races
of
pleasure
together
in
youth
when
Bare
acres
was
the
winner
.
But
Stere
had
more
bottom
than
he
,
and
had
lasted
him
out
.
The
Marquis
was
ten
times
a
greater
man
now
than
the
young
Lord
Gaunt
of
’85
;
and
Bare
acres
nowhere
in
the
race
—
old
,
beaten
,
bankrupt
,
and
broken
down
.
He
had
borrowed
too
much
money
of
Stere
to
find
it
pleasant
to
meet
his
old
comrade
often
.
The
latter
,
whenever
he
wished
to
be
merry
,
used
jeeringly
to
ask
Lady
Gaunt
,
why
her
father
had
not
come
to
see
her
?
“
He
has
not
been
here
for
four
months
,
”
Lord
Stere
would
say
.
“
I
can
always
tell
by
my
cheque-book
afterwards
,
when
I
get
a
visit
from
Bare
acres
.
What
a
comfort
it
is
,
my
ladies
,
I
bank
with
one
of
my
sons’
fathers-in-law
,
and
the
other
banks
with
me
!
”
Of
the
other
illustrious
persons
whom
Becky
had
the
honour
to
encounter
on
this
her
first
presentation
to
the
grand
world
,
it
does
not
become
the
present
historian
to
say
much
.
There
was
his
Excellency
the
Prince
of
Peterwaradin
,
with
his
Princess
;
a
nobleman
tightly
girthed
,
with
a
large
military
chest
,
on
which
the
plaque
of
his
order
shone
magnificently
,
and
wearing
the
red
collar
of
the
Golden
Fleece
round
his
neck
.
He
was
the
owner
of
countless
flocks
.
“
Look
at
his
face
.
I
think
he
must
be
descended
from
a
sheep
,
”
Becky
whispered
to
Lord
Stere
.
Indeed
,
his
Excellency’s
countenance
,
long
,
solemn
,
and
white
,
with
the
ornament
round
his
neck
,
bore
some
resemblance
to
that
of
a
venerable
bell-wether
.
There
was
Mr.
John
Paul
Jefferson
Jones
,
titularly
attached
to
the
American
Embassy
,
and
correspondent
of
the
New
York
Demagogue
;
who
,
by
way
of
making
himself
agreeable
to
the
company
,
asked
Lady
Steyne
,
during
a
pause
in
the
conversation
at
dinner
,
how
his
dear
friend
,
George
Gaunt
,
liked
the
Brazils
?
—
He
and
George
had
been
most
intimate
at
Naples
,
and
had
gone
up
Vesuvius
together
.
Mr.
Jones
wrote
a
full
and
particular
account
of
the
dinner
,
which
appeared
duly
in
the
Demagogue
.
He
mentioned
the
names
and
titles
of
all
the
guests
,
giving
biographical
sketches
of
the
principal
people
.
He
described
the
persons
of
the
ladies
with
great
eloquence
;
the
service
of
the
table
;
the
size
and
costume
of
the
servants
;
enumerated
the
dishes
and
wines
served
;
the
ornaments
of
the
sideboard
,
and
the
probable
value
of
the
plate
.
Such
a
dinner
he
calculated
could
not
be
dished
up
under
fifteen
or
eighteen
dollars
per
head
.
And
he
was
in
the
habit
,
until
very
lately
,
of
sending
over
protégés
,
with
letters
of
recommendation
to
the
present
Marquis
of
Steyne
,
encouraged
to
do
so
by
the
intimate
terms
on
which
he
had
lived
with
his
dear
friend
,
the
late
lord
.
He
was
most
indignant
that
a
young
and
insignificant
aristocrat
,
the
Earl
of
Southdown
,
should
have
taken
the
pas
of
him
in
their
procession
to
the
dining-room
.
“
Just
as
I
was
stepping
up
to
offer
my
hand
to
a
very
pleasing
and
witty
fashionable
,
the
brilliant
and
exclusive
Mrs.
Rawdon
Crawley
,
”
—
he
wrote
,
“
the
young
patrician
interposed
between
me
and
the
lady
,
and
whisked
my
Helen
off
without
a
word
of
apology
.
I
was
fain
to
bring
up
the
rear
with
the
Colonel
,
the
lady’s
husband
,
a
stout
red-faced
warrior
who
distinguished
himself
at
Waterloo
,
where
he
had
better
luck
than
befell
some
of
his
brother
red-coats
at
New
Orleans
.
”
The
Colonel’s
countenance
on
coming
into
this
polite
society
wore
as
many
blushes
as
the
face
of
a
boy
of
sixteen
assumes
when
he
is
confronted
with
his
sister’s
school-fellows
.
It
has
been
told
before
that
honest
Rawdon
had
not
been
much
used
at
any
period
of
his
life
to
ladies’
company
.
With
the
men
at
the
Club
or
the
Mess-room
,
he
was
well
enough
;
and
could
ride
,
bet
,
smoke
,
or
play
at
billiards
with
the
boldest
of
them
.
He
had
had
his
time
for
female
friendships
too
:
but
that
was
twenty
years
ago
,
and
the
ladies
were
of
the
rank
of
those
with
whom
Young
Marlow
in
the
comedy
is
represented
as
having
been
familiar
before
he
became
abashed
in
the
presence
of
Miss
Hard-castle
.
The
times
are
such
that
one
scarcely
dares
to
allude
to
that
kind
of
company
which
thousands
of
our
young
men
in
Vanity
Fair
are
frequenting
every
day
,
which
nightly
fills
casinos
and
dancing-rooms
,
which
is
known
to
exist
as
well
as
the
Ring
in
Hyde
Park
or
the
Congregation
at
St.
James’s
—
but
which
the
most
squeamish
if
not
the
most
moral
of
societies
is
determined
to
ignore
.
In
a
word
,
although
Colonel
Crawley
was
now
five-and-forty
years
of
age
,
it
had
not
been
his
lot
in
life
to
meet
with
a
half-dozen
good
women
,
besides
his
paragon
of
a
wife
.
All
except
her
and
his
kind
sister
Lady
Jane
,
whose
gentle
nature
had
tamed
and
won
him
,
scared
the
worthy
Colonel
;
and
on
occasion
of
his
first
dinner
at
Gaunt
House
he
was
not
heard
to
make
a
single
remark
except
to
state
that
the
weather
was
very
hot
.
Indeed
Becky
would
have
left
him
at
home
,
but
that
virtue
ordained
that
her
husband
should
be
by
her
side
to
protect
the
timid
and
fluttering
little
creature
on
her
first
appearance
in
polite
society
.
On
her
first
appearance
Lord
Steyne
stepped
forward
,
taking
her
hand
,
and
greeting
her
with
great
courtesy
,
and
presenting
her
to
Lady
Steyne
,
and
their
ladyships
,
her
daughters
.
Their
ladyships
made
three
stately
curtsies
,
and
the
elder
lady
to
be
sure
gave
her
hand
to
the
new
comer
,
but
it
was
as
cold
and
lifeless
as
marble
.
Becky
took
it
,
however
,
with
grateful
humility
;
and
performing
a
reverence
which
would
have
done
credit
to
the
best
dancing-master
,
put
herself
at
Lady
Steyne’s
feet
,
as
it
were
,
by
saying
that
his
Lordship
had
been
her
father’s
earliest
friend
and
patron
,
and
that
she
,
Becky
,
had
learned
to
honour
and
respect
the
Steyne
family
from
the
days
of
her
childhood
.
The
fact
is
,
that
Lord
Steyne
had
once
purchased
a
couple
of
pictures
of
the
late
Sharp
,
and
the
affectionate
orphan
could
never
forget
her
gratitude
for
that
favour
.
The
Lady
Bareacres
then
came
under
Becky’s
cognizance
—
to
whom
the
Colonel’s
lady
made
also
a
most
respectful
obeisance
:
it
was
returned
with
severe
dignity
by
the
exalted
person
in
question
.
“
I
had
the
pleasure
of
making
your
Ladyship’s
acquaintance
at
Brussels
,
ten
years
ago
,
”
Becky
said
,
in
the
most
winning
manner
.
“
I
had
the
good
fortune
to
meet
Lady
Bareacres
,
at
the
Duchess
of
Richmond’s
ball
,
the
night
before
the
battle
of
Waterloo
.
And
I
recollect
your
Ladyship
,
and
my
Lady
Blanche
,
your
daughter
,
sitting
in
the
carriage
in
the
porte-cochère
at
the
Inn
,
waiting
for
horses
.
I
hope
your
Ladyship’s
diamonds
are
safe
.
”
Everybody’s
eyes
looked
into
their
neighbour’s
.
The
famous
diamonds
had
undergone
a
famous
seizure
,
it
appears
,
about
which
Becky
,
of
course
,
knew
nothing
.
Rawdon
Crawley
retreated
with
Lord
Southdown
into
a
window
,
where
the
latter
was
heard
to
laugh
immoderately
,
as
Rawdon
told
him
the
story
of
Lady
Bareacres
wanting
horses
,
and
“
knuckling
down
by
Jove
,
”
to
Mrs.
Crawley
.
“
I
think
I
needn’t
be
afraid
of
that
woman
,
”
Becky
thought
.
Indeed
,
Lady
Bareacres
exchanged
terrified
and
angry
looks
with
her
daughter
,
and
retreated
to
a
table
,
where
she
began
to
look
at
pictures
with
great
energy
.
When
the
Potentate
from
the
Danube
made
his
appearance
,
the
conversation
was
carried
on
in
the
French
language
,
and
the
Lady
Bareacres
and
the
younger
ladies
found
,
to
their
farther
mortification
,
that
Mrs.
Crawley
was
much
better
acquainted
with
that
tongue
,
and
spoke
it
with
a
much
better
accent
than
they
.
Becky
had
met
other
Hungarian
magnates
with
the
army
in
France
in
1816
–
17.
She
asked
after
her
friends
with
great
interest
.
The
foreign
personages
thought
that
she
was
a
lady
of
great
distinction
;
and
the
Prince
and
the
Princess
asked
severally
of
Lord
Steyne
and
the
Marchioness
,
whom
they
conducted
to
dinner
,
who
was
that
petite
dame
who
spoke
so
well
?
Finally
,
the
procession
being
formed
in
the
order
described
by
the
American
diplomatist
,
they
marched
into
the
apartment
where
the
banquet
was
served
:
and
which
,
as
I
have
promised
the
reader
he
shall
enjoy
it
,
he
shall
have
the
liberty
of
ordering
himself
so
as
to
suit
his
fancy
.
But
it
was
when
the
ladies
were
alone
that
Becky
knew
the
tug
of
war
would
come
.
And
then
indeed
the
little
woman
found
herself
in
such
a
situation
,
as
made
her
acknowledge
the
correctness
of
Lord
Steyne’s
caution
to
her
to
beware
of
the
society
of
ladies
above
her
own
sphere
.
As
they
say
the
persons
who
hate
Irishmen
most
are
Irishmen
;
so
,
assuredly
,
the
greatest
tyrants
over
women
are
women
.
When
poor
little
Becky
,
alone
with
the
ladies
,
went
up
to
the
fire-place
whither
the
great
ladies
had
repaired
,
the
great
ladies
marched
away
and
took
possession
of
a
table
of
drawings
.
When
Becky
followed
them
to
the
table
of
drawings
,
they
dropped
off
one
by
one
to
the
fire
again
.
She
tried
to
speak
to
one
of
the
children
(
of
whom
she
was
commonly
fond
in
public
places
)
,
but
Master
George
Gaunt
was
called
away
by
his
mamma
;
and
the
stranger
was
treated
with
such
cruelty
finally
,
that
even
Lady
Steyne
herself
pitied
her
,
and
went
up
to
speak
to
the
friendless
little
woman
.
“
Lord
Steyne
,
”
said
her
Ladyship
,
as
her
wan
cheeks
glowed
with
a
blush
,
“
says
you
sing
and
play
very
beautifully
,
Mrs.
Crawley
—
I
wish
you
would
do
me
the
kindness
to
sing
to
me
.
”
“
I
will
do
anything
that
may
give
pleasure
to
my
Lord
Steyne
or
to
you
,
”
said
Rebecca
,
sincerely
grateful
,
and
seating
herself
at
the
piano
,
began
to
sing
.
She
sang
religious
songs
of
Mozart
,
which
had
been
early
favourites
of
Lady
Steyne
,
and
with
such
sweetness
and
tenderness
that
the
lady
,
lingering
round
the
piano
,
sate
down
by
its
side
,
and
listened
until
the
tears
rolled
down
her
eyes
.
It
is
true
that
the
opposition
ladies
at
the
other
end
of
the
room
kept
up
a
loud
and
ceaseless
buzzing
and
talkin
but
the
Lady
Steyne
did
not
hear
those
rumours
.
She
was
a
child
again
—
and
had
wandered
back
through
a
forty
years’
wilderness
to
her
Convent
Garden
.
The
chapel
organ
had
pealed
the
same
tones
,
the
organist
,
the
sister
whom
she
loved
best
of
the
community
,
had
taught
them
to
her
in
those
early
happy
days
.
She
was
a
girl
once
more
,
and
the
brief
period
of
her
happiness
bloomed
out
again
for
an
hour
—
she
started
when
the
jarring
doors
were
flung
open
,
and
with
a
loud
laugh
from
Lord
Steyne
,
the
men
of
the
party
entered
full
of
gaiety
.
He
saw
at
a
glance
what
had
happened
in
his
absence
:
and
was
grateful
to
his
wife
for
once
.
He
went
and
spoke
to
her
,
and
called
her
by
her
Christian
name
,
so
as
again
to
bring
blushes
to
her
pale
face
—
“
My
wife
says
you
have
been
singing
like
an
angel
,
”
he
said
to
Becky
.
Now
there
are
angels
of
two
kinds
,
and
both
sorts
,
it
is
said
,
are
charming
in
their
way
.
Whatever
the
previous
portion
of
the
evening
had
been
,
the
rest
of
that
night
was
a
great
triumph
for
Becky
.
She
sang
her
very
best
,
and
it
was
so
good
that
every
one
of
the
men
came
and
crowded
round
the
piano
.
The
women
,
her
enemies
,
were
left
quite
alone
.
And
Mr.
Paul
Jefferson
Jones
thought
he
had
made
a
conquest
of
Lady
Gaunt
by
going
up
to
her
Ladyship
,
and
praising
her
delightful
friend’s
first-rate
singing
.
XV
.
Contains
a
Vulgar
Incident
THE
MUSE
,
whoever
she
be
,
who
presides
over
this
Comic
History
,
must
now
descend
from
the
genteel
heights
in
which
she
has
been
soaring
,
and
have
the
goodness
to
drop
down
upon
the
lowly
roof
of
John
Sedley
at
Brompton
,
and
describe
what
events
are
taking
place
there
.
Here
,
too
,
in
this
humble
tenement
,
live
care
,
and
distrust
,
and
dismay
.
Mrs.
Clapp
in
the
kitchen
is
grumbling
in
secret
to
her
husband
about
the
rent
,
and
urging
the
good
fellow
to
rebel
against
his
old
friend
and
patron
and
his
present
lodger
.
Mrs.
Sedley
has
ceased
to
visit
her
landlady
in
the
lower
regions
now
,
and
indeed
is
in
a
position
to
patronise
Mrs.
Clapp
no
longer
.
How
can
one
be
condescending
to
a
lady
to
whom
one
owes
a
matter
of
forty
pounds
,
and
who
is
perpetually
throwing
out
hints
for
the
money
?
The
Irish
maidservant
has
not
altered
in
the
least
in
her
kind
and
respectful
behaviour
;
but
Mrs.
Sedley
fancies
that
she
is
growing
insolent
and
ungrateful
,
and
,
as
the
guilty
thief
who
fears
each
bush
an
officer
,
sees
threatening
innuendoes
and
hints
of
capture
in
all
the
girl’s
speeches
and
answers
.
Miss
Clapp
,
grown
quite
a
young
woman
now
,
is
declared
by
the
soured
old
lady
to
be
an
unbearable
and
impudent
little
minx
.
Why
Amelia
can
be
so
fond
of
her
,
or
have
her
in
her
room
so
much
,
or
walk
out
with
her
so
constantly
,
Mrs.
Sedley
cannot
conceive
.
The
bitterness
of
poverty
has
poisoned
the
life
of
the
once
cheerful
and
kindly
woman
.
She
is
thankless
for
Amelia’s
constant
and
gentle
bearing
towards
her
;
carps
at
her
for
her
efforts
at
kindness
or
service
:
rails
at
her
for
her
silly
pride
in
her
child
,
and
her
neglect
of
her
parents
.
Georgy’s
house
is
not
a
very
lively
one
since
uncle
Jos’s
annuity
has
been
withdrawn
,
and
the
little
family
are
almost
upon
famine
diet
.
Amelia
thinks
,
and
thinks
,
and
racks
her
brain
,
to
find
some
means
of
increasing
the
small
pittance
upon
which
the
household
is
starving
.
Can
she
give
lessons
in
anything
?
paint
card-racks
?
do
fine
work
?
She
finds
that
women
are
working
hard
,
and
better
than
she
can
,
for
twopence
a-day
.
She
buys
a
couple
of
begilt
Bristol
boards
at
the
Fancy
Stationer’s
,
and
paints
her
very
best
upon
them
—
a
shepherd
with
a
red
waistcoat
on
one
,
and
a
pink
face
smiling
in
the
midst
of
a
pencil
landscape
—
a
shepherdess
on
the
other
,
crossing
a
little
bridge
,
with
a
little
dog
,
nicely
shaded
.
The
man
of
the
Fancy
Repository
and
Brompton
Emporium
of
Fine
Arts
(
of
whom
she
bought
the
screens
,
vainly
hoping
that
he
would
re-purchase
them
when
ornamented
by
her
hand
)
,
can
hardly
hide
the
sneer
with
which
he
examines
these
feeble
works
of
art
.
He
looks
askance
at
the
lady
who
waits
in
the
shop
,
and
ties
up
the
cards
again
in
their
envelope
of
whitey-brown
paper
,
and
hands
them
to
the
poor
widow
and
Miss
Clapp
,
who
had
never
seen
such
beautiful
things
in
her
life
,
and
had
been
quite
confident
that
the
man
must
give
at
least
two
guineas
for
the
screens
.
They
try
at
other
shops
in
the
interior
of
London
,
with
faint
sickening
hopes
.
“
Don’t
want
’em
,
”
says
one
.
“
Be
off
,
”
says
another
fiercely
.
Three-and-sixpence
has
been
spent
in
vain
—
the
screens
retire
to
Miss
Clapp’s
bed-room
,
who
persists
in
thinking
them
lovely
.
She
writes
out
a
little
card
in
her
neatest
hand
,
and
after
long
thought
and
labour
of
composition
;
in
which
the
public
is
informed
that
“
A
Lady
who
has
some
time
at
her
disposal
,
wishes
to
undertake
the
education
of
some
little
girls
,
whom
she
would
instruct
in
English
,
in
French
,
in
Geography
,
in
History
,
and
in
Music
—
address
A
.
O
.
,
at
Mr.
Brown’s
;
”
and
she
confides
the
card
to
the
gentleman
of
the
Fine
Art
Repository
,
who
consents
to
allow
it
to
lie
upon
the
counter
,
where
it
grows
dingy
and
flyblown
.
Amelia
passes
the
door
wistfully
many
a
time
,
in
hopes
that
Mr.
Brown
will
have
some
news
to
give
her
;
but
he
never
beckons
her
in
.
When
she
goes
to
make
little
purchases
,
there
is
no
news
for
her
.
Poor
simple
lady
,
tender
and
weak
—
how
are
you
to
battle
with
the
struggling
violent
world
?
She
grows
daily
more
care-worn
and
sad
:
fixing
upon
her
child
alarmed
eyes
,
whereof
the
little
boy
cannot
interpret
the
expression
.
She
starts
up
of
a
night
and
peeps
into
his
room
stealthily
,
to
see
that
he
is
sleeping
and
not
stolen
away
.
She
sleeps
but
little
now
.
A
constant
thought
and
terror
is
haunting
her
.
How
she
weeps
and
prays
in
the
long
silent
nights
—
how
she
tries
to
hide
from
herself
the
thought
which
will
return
to
her
,
that
she
ought
to
part
with
the
boy
,
that
she
is
the
only
barrier
between
him
and
prosperity
.
She
can’t
,
she
can’t
.
Not
now
,
at
least
.
Some
other
day
.
Oh
!
it
is
too
hard
to
think
of
and
to
bear
.
A
thought
comes
over
her
which
makes
her
blush
and
turn
from
herself
,
—
her
parents
might
keep
the
annuity
—
the
curate
would
marry
her
and
give
a
home
to
her
and
the
boy
.
But
George’s
picture
and
dearest
memory
are
there
to
rebuke
her
.
Shame
and
love
say
no
to
the
sacrifice
.
She
shrinks
from
it
as
from
something
unholy
;
and
such
thoughts
never
found
a
resting-place
in
that
pure
and
gentle
bosom
.
The
combat
,
which
we
describe
in
a
sentence
or
two
,
lasted
for
many
weeks
in
poor
Amelia’s
heart
:
during
which
she
had
no
confidante
;
indeed
,
she
could
never
have
one
:
as
she
would
not
allow
to
herself
the
possibility
of
yieldin
though
she
was
giving
way
daily
before
the
enemy
with
whom
she
had
to
battle
.
One
truth
after
another
was
marshalling
itself
silently
against
her
,
and
keeping
its
ground
.
Poverty
and
misery
for
all
,
want
and
degradation
for
her
parents
,
injustice
to
the
boy
—
one
by
one
the
outworks
of
the
little
citadel
were
taken
,
in
which
the
poor
soul
passionately
guarded
her
only
love
and
treasure
.
At
the
beginning
of
the
struggle
,
she
had
written
off
a
letter
of
tender
supplication
to
her
brother
at
Calcutta
,
imploring
him
not
to
withdraw
the
support
which
he
had
granted
to
their
parents
,
and
painting
in
terms
of
artless
pathos
their
lonely
and
hapless
condition
.
She
did
not
know
the
truth
of
the
matter
.
The
payment
of
Jos’s
annuity
was
still
regular
:
but
it
was
a
money-lender
in
the
City
who
was
receiving
it
:
old
Sedley
had
sold
it
for
a
sum
of
money
wherewith
to
prosecute
his
bootless
schemes
.
Emmy
was
calculating
eagerly
the
time
that
would
elapse
before
the
letter
would
arrive
and
be
answered
.
She
had
written
down
the
date
in
her
pocket-book
of
the
day
when
she
dispatched
it
.
To
her
son’s
guardian
,
the
good
Major
at
Madras
,
she
had
not
communicated
any
of
her
griefs
and
perplexities
.
She
had
not
written
to
him
since
she
wrote
to
congratulate
him
on
his
approaching
marriage
.
She
thought
with
sickening
despondency
,
that
that
friend
,
—
the
only
one
,
the
one
who
had
felt
such
a
regard
for
her
,
—
was
fallen
away
.
One
day
,
when
things
had
come
to
a
very
bad
pass
—
when
the
creditors
were
pressing
,
the
mother
in
hysteric
grief
,
the
father
in
more
than
usual
gloom
,
the
inmates
of
the
family
avoiding
each
other
,
each
secretly
oppressed
with
his
private
unhappiness
and
notion
of
wrong
—
the
father
and
daughter
happened
to
be
left
alone
together
;
and
Amelia
thought
to
comfort
her
father
,
by
telling
him
what
she
had
done
.
She
had
written
to
Joseph
—
an
answer
must
come
in
three
or
four
months
.
He
was
always
generous
,
though
careless
.
He
could
not
refuse
,
when
he
knew
how
straitened
were
the
circumstances
of
his
parents
.
Then
the
poor
old
gentleman
revealed
the
whole
truth
to
her
—
that
his
son
was
still
paying
the
annuity
,
which
his
own
imprudence
had
flung
away
.
He
had
not
dared
to
tell
it
sooner
.
He
thought
Amelia’s
ghastly
and
terrified
look
,
when
,
with
a
trembling
,
miserable
voice
he
made
the
confession
,
conveyed
reproaches
to
him
for
his
concealment
.
“
Ah
!
”
said
he
,
with
quivering
lips
and
turning
away
,
“
you
despise
your
old
father
now
!
”
“
O
papa
!
it
is
not
that
,
”
Amelia
cried
out
,
falling
on
his
neck
,
and
kissing
him
many
times
.
“
You
are
always
good
and
kind
.
You
did
it
for
the
best
.
It
is
not
for
the
money
—
it
is
—
O
my
God
!
my
God
!
have
mercy
upon
me
,
and
give
me
strength
to
bear
this
trial
;
”
and
she
kissed
him
again
wildly
,
and
went
away
.
Still
the
father
did
not
know
what
that
explanation
meant
,
and
the
burst
of
anguish
with
which
the
poor
girl
left
him
.
It
was
that
she
was
conquered
.
The
sentence
was
passed
.
The
child
must
go
from
her
—
to
others
—
to
forget
her
.
Her
heart
and
her
treasure
—
her
joy
,
hope
,
love
,
worship
—
her
God
,
almost
!
She
must
give
him
up
;
and
then
—
and
then
she
would
go
to
George
:
and
they
would
watch
over
the
child
,
and
wait
for
him
until
he
came
to
them
in
Heaven
.
She
put
on
her
bonnet
,
scarcely
knowing
what
she
did
,
and
went
out
to
walk
in
the
lanes
by
which
George
used
to
come
back
from
school
,
and
where
she
was
in
the
habit
of
going
on
his
return
to
meet
the
boy
.
It
was
May
,
a
half-holiday
.
The
leaves
were
all
coming
out
,
the
weather
was
brilliant
:
the
boy
came
running
to
her
flushed
with
health
,
singing
,
his
bundle
of
school-books
hanging
by
a
thong
.
There
he
was
.
Both
her
arms
were
round
him
.
No
,
it
was
impossible
.
They
could
not
be
going
to
part
.
“
What
is
the
matter
,
mother
?
”
said
he
;
“
you
look
very
pale
.
”
“
Nothing
,
my
child
,
”
she
said
,
and
stooped
down
and
kissed
him
.
That
night
Amelia
made
the
boy
read
the
story
of
Samuel
to
her
,
and
how
Hannah
,
his
mother
,
having
weaned
him
,
brought
him
to
Eli
the
High
Priest
to
minister
before
the
Lord
.
And
he
read
the
song
of
gratitude
which
Hannah
san
and
which
says
,
who
it
is
who
maketh
poor
and
maketh
rich
,
and
bringeth
low
and
exalteth
—
how
the
poor
shall
be
raised
up
out
of
the
dust
,
and
how
,
in
his
own
might
,
no
man
shall
be
strong
.
Then
he
read
how
Samuel’s
mother
made
him
a
little
coat
,
and
brought
it
to
him
from
year
to
year
when
she
came
up
to
offer
the
yearly
sacrifice
.
And
then
,
in
her
sweet
simple
way
,
George’s
mother
made
commentaries
to
the
boy
upon
this
affecting
story
.
How
Hannah
,
though
she
loved
her
son
so
much
,
yet
gave
him
up
because
of
her
vow
.
And
how
she
must
always
have
thought
of
him
as
she
sat
at
home
,
far
away
,
making
the
little
coat
;
and
Samuel
,
she
was
sure
,
never
forgot
his
mother
:
and
how
happy
she
must
have
been
as
the
time
came
(
and
the
years
pass
away
very
quick
)
when
she
should
see
her
boy
,
and
how
good
and
wise
he
had
grown
.
This
little
sermon
she
spoke
with
a
gentle
solemn
voice
,
and
dry
eyes
,
until
she
came
to
the
account
of
their
meeting
—
then
the
discourse
broke
off
suddenly
,
the
tender
heart
overflowed
,
and
taking
the
boy
to
her
breast
,
she
rocked
him
in
her
arms
,
and
wept
silently
over
him
in
a
sainted
agony
of
tears
.
Her
mind
being
made
up
,
the
widow
began
to
take
such
measures
as
seemed
right
to
her
for
advancing
the
end
which
she
proposed
.
One
day
,
Miss
Osborne
,
in
Russell
Square
(
Amelia
had
not
written
the
name
or
number
of
the
house
for
ten
years
—
her
youth
,
her
early
story
came
back
to
her
as
she
wrote
the
superscription
)
—
one
day
Miss
Osborne
got
a
letter
from
Amelia
which
made
her
blush
very
much
and
look
towards
her
father
,
sitting
glooming
in
his
place
at
the
other
end
of
the
table
.
In
simple
terms
,
Amelia
told
her
reasons
which
had
induced
her
to
change
her
mind
respecting
her
boy
.
Her
father
had
met
with
fresh
misfortunes
which
had
entirely
ruined
him
.
Her
own
pittance
was
so
small
that
it
would
barely
enable
her
to
support
her
parents
,
and
would
not
suffice
to
give
George
the
advantages
which
were
his
due
.
Great
as
her
sufferings
would
be
at
parting
with
him
she
would
,
by
God’s
help
,
endure
them
for
the
boy’s
sake
.
She
knew
that
those
to
whom
he
was
going
would
do
all
in
their
power
to
make
him
happy
.
She
described
his
disposition
,
such
as
she
fancied
it
;
quick
and
impatient
of
control
or
harshness
;
easily
to
be
moved
by
love
and
kindness
.
In
a
postscript
,
she
stipulated
that
she
should
have
a
written
agreement
,
that
she
should
see
the
child
as
often
as
she
wished
,
—
she
could
not
part
with
him
under
any
other
terms
.
“
What
?
Mrs.
Pride
has
come
down
,
has
she
?
”
old
Osborne
said
,
when
with
a
tremulous
eager
voice
Miss
Osborne
read
him
the
letter
—
“
Reg’lar
starved
out
,
hey
?
ha
,
ha
!
I
knew
she
would
.
”
He
tried
to
keep
his
dignity
and
to
read
his
paper
as
usual
—
but
he
could
not
follow
it
.
He
chuckled
and
swore
to
himself
behind
the
sheet
.
At
last
he
flung
it
down
:
and
scowling
at
his
daughter
,
as
his
wont
was
,
went
out
of
the
room
into
his
study
adjoining
,
from
whence
he
presently
returned
with
a
key
.
He
flung
it
to
Miss
Osborne
.
“
Get
the
room
over
mine
—
his
room
that
was
—
ready
,
”
he
said
.
“
Yes
,
sir
,
”
his
daughter
replied
in
a
tremble
.
It
was
George’s
room
.
It
had
not
been
opened
for
more
than
ten
years
.
Some
of
his
clothes
,
papers
,
handkerchiefs
,
whips
and
caps
,
fishing-rods
and
sporting
gear
,
were
still
there
.
An
army
