Madrasin
a
high
fever
.
His
servants
who
accompanied
him
,
brought
him
to
the
house
of
the
friend
with
whom
he
had
resolved
to
stay
until
his
departure
for
Europe
in
a
state
of
delirium
:
and
it
was
thought
for
many
,
many
days
that
he
would
never
travel
farther
than
the
burying-ground
of
the
church
of
St.
George’s
,
where
the
troops
should
fire
a
salvo
over
his
grave
,
and
where
many
a
gallant
officer
lies
far
away
from
his
home
.
Here
,
as
the
poor
fellow
lay
tossing
in
his
fever
,
the
people
who
watched
him
might
have
heard
him
raving
about
Amelia
.
The
idea
that
he
should
never
see
her
again
depressed
him
in
his
lucid
hours
.
He
thought
his
last
day
was
come
;
and
he
made
his
solemn
preparations
for
departure
:
setting
his
affairs
in
this
world
in
order
,
and
leaving
the
little
property
of
which
he
was
possessed
to
those
whom
he
most
desired
to
benefit
.
The
friend
in
whose
house
he
was
located
witnessed
his
testament
.
He
desired
to
be
buried
with
a
little
brown
hair-chain
which
he
wore
round
his
neck
,
and
which
,
if
the
truth
must
be
known
,
he
had
got
from
Amelia’s
maid
at
Brussels
,
when
the
young
widow’s
hair
was
cut
off
,
during
the
fever
which
prostrated
her
after
the
death
of
George
Osborne
on
the
plateau
at
Mount
St.
John
.
He
recovered
,
rallied
,
relapsed
again
,
having
undergone
such
a
process
of
blood-letting
and
calomel
as
showed
the
strength
of
his
original
constitution
.
He
was
almost
a
skeleton
when
they
put
him
on
board
the
Ramchunder
East
Indiaman
,
Captain
Bragg
,
from
Calcutta
,
touching
at
Madras
;
and
so
weak
and
prostrate
,
that
his
friend
who
had
tended
him
through
his
illness
,
prophesied
that
the
honest
Major
would
never
survive
the
voyage
,
and
that
he
would
pass
some
morning
,
shrouded
in
flag
and
hammock
,
over
the
ship’s
side
,
and
carrying
down
to
the
sea
with
him
the
relic
that
he
wore
at
his
heart
.
But
whether
it
was
the
sea
air
,
or
the
hope
which
sprung
up
in
him
afresh
,
from
the
day
that
the
ship
spread
her
canvas
and
stood
out
of
the
roads
towards
home
,
our
friend
began
to
amend
,
and
he
was
quite
well
(
though
as
gaunt
as
a
greyhound
)
before
they
reached
the
Cape
.
“
Kirk
will
be
disappointed
of
his
majority
this
time
,
”
he
said
,
with
a
smile
:
“
he
will
expect
to
find
himself
gazetted
by
the
time
the
regiment
reaches
home
.
”
For
it
must
be
premised
that
while
the
Major
was
lying
ill
at
Madras
,
having
made
such
prodigious
haste
to
go
thither
,
the
gallant
—
th
,
which
had
passed
many
years
abroad
,
which
after
its
return
from
the
West
Indies
had
been
baulked
of
its
stay
at
home
by
the
Waterloo
campaign
,
and
had
been
ordered
from
Flanders
to
India
,
had
received
orders
home
;
and
the
Major
might
have
accompanied
his
comrades
had
he
chosen
to
wait
for
their
arrival
at
Madras
.
Perhaps
he
was
not
inclined
to
put
himself
in
his
exhausted
state
again
under
the
guardianship
of
Glorvina
.
“
I
think
Miss
O’Dowd
would
have
done
for
me
,
”
he
said
,
laughingly
,
to
a
fellow-passenger
,
“
if
we
had
had
her
on
board
,
and
when
she
had
sunk
me
,
she
would
have
fallen
upon
you
,
depend
upon
it
,
and
carried
you
in
as
a
prize
to
Southampton
,
Jos
,
my
boy
.
”
For
indeed
it
was
no
other
than
our
stout
friend
who
was
also
a
passenger
on
board
the
Ramchunder
.
He
had
passed
ten
years
in
Bengal
.
—
Constant
dinners
,
tiffins
,
pale
ale
and
claret
,
the
prodigious
labour
of
cutcherry
,
and
the
refreshment
of
brandy-pawnee
which
he
was
forced
to
take
there
,
had
their
effect
upon
Waterloo
Sedley
.
A
voyage
to
Europe
was
pronounced
necessary
for
him
—
and
having
served
his
full
time
in
India
,
and
had
fine
appointments
which
had
enabled
him
to
lay
by
a
considerable
sum
of
money
,
he
was
free
to
come
home
and
stay
with
a
good
pension
,
or
to
return
and
resume
that
rank
in
the
service
to
which
his
seniority
and
his
vast
talents
entitled
him
.
He
was
rather
thinner
than
when
we
last
saw
him
,
but
had
gained
in
majesty
and
solemnity
of
demeanour
.
He
had
resumed
the
mustachios
to
which
his
services
at
Waterloo
entitled
him
,
and
swaggered
about
on
deck
in
a
magnificent
velvet
cap
with
a
gold
band
,
and
a
profuse
ornamentation
of
pins
and
jewellery
about
his
person
.
He
took
breakfast
in
his
cabin
,
and
dressed
as
solemnly
to
appear
on
the
quarter-deck
,
as
if
he
were
going
to
turn
out
for
Bond
Street
,
or
the
Course
at
Calcutta
.
He
brought
a
native
servant
with
him
,
who
was
his
valet
and
pipe-bearer
;
and
who
wore
the
Sedley
crest
in
silver
on
his
turban
.
That
oriental
menial
had
a
wretched
life
under
the
tyranny
of
Jos
Sedley
.
Jos
was
as
vain
of
his
person
as
a
woman
,
and
took
as
long
a
time
at
his
toilette
as
any
fading
beauty
.
The
youngsters
among
the
passengers
,
Young
Chaffers
of
the
150th
,
and
poor
little
Ricketts
,
coming
home
after
his
third
fever
,
used
to
draw
out
Sedley
at
the
cuddy-table
,
and
make
him
tell
prodigious
stories
about
himself
and
his
exploits
against
tigers
and
Napoleon
.
He
was
great
when
he
visited
the
Emperor’s
tomb
at
Longwood
,
when
to
these
gentlemen
and
the
young
officers
of
the
ship
,
Major
Dobbin
not
being
by
,
he
described
the
whole
battle
of
Waterloo
,
and
all
but
announced
that
Napoleon
never
would
have
gone
to
Saint
Helena
at
all
but
for
him
,
Jos
Sedley
.
After
leaving
St.
Helena
he
became
very
generous
,
disposing
of
a
great
quantity
of
ship
stores
,
claret
,
preserved
meats
,
and
great
casks
packed
with
soda-water
,
brought
out
for
his
private
delectation
.
There
were
no
ladies
on
board
:
the
Major
gave
the
pas
of
precedency
to
the
civilian
,
so
that
he
was
the
first
dignitary
at
table
;
and
treated
by
Captain
Bragg
,
and
the
officers
of
the
Ramchunder
,
with
the
respect
which
his
rank
warranted
.
He
disappeared
rather
in
a
panic
during
a
two-days’
gale
,
in
which
he
had
the
portholes
of
his
cabin
battened
down
;
and
remained
in
his
cot
reading
the
“
Washerwoman
of
Finchley
Common
,
”
left
on
board
the
Ramchunder
by
the
Right
Honourable
the
Lady
Emily
Hornblower
,
wife
of
the
Rev
Silas
Hornblower
,
when
on
their
passage
out
to
the
Cape
,
where
the
Reverend
gentleman
was
a
missionary
:
but
,
for
common
reading
,
he
had
brought
a
stock
of
novels
and
plays
which
he
lent
to
the
rest
of
the
ship
,
and
rendered
himself
agreeable
to
all
by
his
kindness
and
condescension
.
Many
and
many
a
night
as
the
ship
was
cutting
through
the
roaring
dark
sea
,
the
moon
and
stars
shining
overhead
,
and
the
bell
singing
out
the
watch
,
Mr.
Sedley
and
the
Major
would
sit
on
the
quarter-deck
of
the
vessel
talking
about
home
,
as
the
Major
smoked
his
cheroot
,
and
the
civilian
puffed
at
the
hookah
which
his
servant
prepared
for
him
.
In
these
conversations
it
was
wonderful
with
what
perseverance
and
ingenuity
Major
Dobbin
would
manage
to
bring
the
talk
round
to
the
subject
of
Amelia
and
her
little
boy
.
Jos
,
a
little
testy
about
his
father’s
misfortunes
and
unceremonious
applications
to
him
,
was
soothed
down
by
the
Major
,
who
pointed
out
the
elder’s
ill
fortunes
and
old
age
.
He
would
not
perhaps
like
to
live
with
the
old
couple
:
whose
ways
and
hours
might
not
agree
with
those
of
a
younger
man
,
accustomed
to
different
society
,
(
Jos
bowed
at
this
compliment
)
:
but
,
the
Major
pointed
out
,
how
advantageous
it
would
be
for
Jos
Sedley
to
have
a
house
of
his
own
in
London
,
and
not
a
mere
bachelor’s
establishment
as
before
:
how
his
sister
Amelia
would
be
the
very
person
to
preside
over
it
;
how
elegant
,
how
gentle
she
was
,
and
of
what
refined
good
manners
.
He
recounted
stories
of
the
success
which
Mrs.
George
Osborne
had
had
in
former
days
at
Brussels
,
and
in
London
,
where
she
was
much
admired
by
people
of
very
great
fashion
:
and
he
then
hinted
how
becoming
it
would
be
for
Jos
to
send
Georgy
to
a
good
school
and
make
a
man
of
him
;
for
his
mother
and
her
parents
would
be
sure
to
spoil
him
.
In
a
word
,
this
artful
Major
made
the
civilian
promise
to
take
charge
of
Amelia
and
her
unprotected
child
.
He
did
not
know
as
yet
what
events
had
happened
in
the
little
Sedley
family
:
and
how
death
had
removed
the
mother
,
and
riches
had
carried
off
George
from
Amelia
.
But
the
fact
is
,
that
every
day
and
always
,
this
love-smitten
and
middle-aged
gentleman
was
thinking
about
Mrs.
Osborne
,
and
his
whole
heart
was
bent
upon
doing
her
good
.
He
coaxed
,
wheedled
,
cajoled
,
and
complimented
Jos
Sedley
with
a
perseverance
and
cordiality
of
which
he
was
not
aware
himself
,
very
likely
;
but
some
men
who
have
unmarried
sisters
or
daughters
even
,
may
remember
how
uncommonly
agreeable
gentlemen
are
to
the
male
relations
when
they
are
courting
the
females
;
and
perhaps
this
rogue
of
a
Dobbin
was
urged
by
a
similar
hypocrisy
.
The
truth
is
,
when
Major
Dobbin
came
on
board
the
Ramchunder
,
very
sick
,
and
for
the
three
days
she
lay
in
the
Madras
Roads
,
he
did
not
begin
to
rally
,
nor
did
even
the
appearance
and
recognition
of
his
old
acquaintance
,
Mr.
Sedley
,
on
board
much
cheer
him
,
until
after
a
conversation
which
they
had
one
day
,
as
the
Major
was
laid
languidly
on
the
deck
.
He
said
then
he
thought
he
was
doomed
;
he
had
left
a
little
something
to
his
godson
in
his
will
;
and
he
trusted
Mrs.
Osborne
would
remember
him
kindly
,
and
be
happy
in
the
marriage
she
was
about
to
make
.
“
Married
?
not
the
least
,
”
Jos
answered
:
“
he
had
heard
from
her
:
she
made
no
mention
of
the
marriage
,
and
by
the
way
,
it
was
curious
,
she
wrote
to
say
that
Major
Dobbin
was
going
to
be
married
,
and
hoped
that
he
would
be
happy
.
”
What
were
the
dates
of
Sedley’s
letters
from
Europe
?
The
civilian
fetched
them
.
They
were
two
months
later
than
the
Major’s
;
and
the
ship’s
surgeon
congratulated
himself
upon
the
treatment
adopted
by
him
towards
his
new
patient
,
who
had
been
consigned
to
ship-board
by
the
Madras
practitioner
with
very
small
hopes
indeed
;
for
,
from
that
day
,
the
very
day
that
he
changed
the
draught
,
Major
Dobbin
began
to
mend
.
And
thus
it
was
that
deserving
officer
,
Captain
Kirk
,
was
disappointed
of
his
majority
.
After
they
passed
St.
Helena
,
Major
Dobbin’s
gaiety
and
strength
was
such
as
to
astonish
all
his
fellow-passengers
.
He
larked
with
the
midshipmen
,
played
single-stick
with
the
mates
,
ran
up
the
shrouds
like
a
boy
,
sang
a
comic
song
one
night
to
the
amusement
of
the
whole
party
assembled
over
their
grog
after
supper
,
and
rendered
himself
so
gay
,
lively
,
and
amiable
,
that
even
Captain
Bragg
,
who
thought
there
was
nothing
in
his
passenger
,
and
considered
he
was
a
poor-spirited
feller
at
first
,
was
constrained
to
own
that
the
Major
was
a
reserved
but
well-informed
and
meritorious
officer
.
“
He
ain’t
got
distangy
manners
,
dammy
,
”
Bragg
observed
to
his
first
mate
;
“
he
wouldn’t
do
at
Government
House
,
Roper
,
where
his
Lordship
and
Lady
William
was
as
kind
to
me
,
and
shook
hands
with
me
before
the
whole
company
,
and
asking
me
at
dinner
to
take
beer
with
him
,
before
the
Commander-in-Chief
himself
;
he
ain’t
got
manners
,
but
there’s
something
about
him
—
”
And
thus
Captain
Bragg
showed
that
he
possessed
discrimination
as
a
man
,
as
well
as
ability
as
a
commander
.
But
a
calm
taking
place
when
the
Ramchunder
was
within
ten
days’
sail
of
England
,
Dobbin
became
so
impatient
and
ill-humoured
as
to
surprise
those
comrades
who
had
before
admired
his
vivacity
and
good
temper
.
He
did
not
recover
until
the
breeze
sprang
up
again
,
and
was
in
a
highly
excited
state
when
the
pilot
came
on
board
.
Good
God
,
how
his
heart
beat
as
the
two
friendly
spires
of
Southampton
came
in
sight
.
XXIII
.
Our
Friend
the
Major
OUR
Major
had
rendered
himself
so
popular
on
board
the
Ramchunder
,
that
when
he
and
Mr.
Sedley
descended
into
the
welcome
shore-boat
which
was
to
take
them
from
the
ship
,
the
whole
crew
,
men
and
officers
,
the
great
Captain
Bragg
himself
leading
off
,
gave
three
cheers
for
Major
Dobbin
,
who
blushed
very
much
,
and
ducked
his
head
in
token
of
thanks
.
Jos
,
who
very
likely
thought
the
cheers
were
for
himself
,
took
off
his
gold-laced
cap
and
waved
it
majestically
to
his
friends
,
and
they
were
pulled
to
shore
and
landed
with
great
dignity
at
the
pier
,
whence
they
proceeded
to
the
Royal
George
Hotel
.
Although
the
sight
of
that
magnificent
round
of
beef
,
and
the
silver
tankard
suggestive
of
real
British
homebrewed
ale
and
porter
,
which
perennially
greet
the
eyes
of
the
traveller
returning
from
foreign
parts
,
who
enters
the
coffee-room
of
the
George
,
are
so
invigorating
and
delightful
,
that
a
man
entering
such
a
comfortable
snug
homely
English
inn
,
might
well
like
to
stop
some
days
there
,
yet
Dobbin
began
to
talk
about
a
post-chaise
instantly
,
and
was
no
sooner
at
Southampton
than
he
wished
to
be
on
the
road
to
London
.
Jos
,
however
,
would
not
hear
of
moving
that
evening
.
Why
was
he
to
pass
a
night
in
a
post-chaise
instead
of
a
great
large
undulating
downy
feather
bed
which
was
there
ready
to
replace
the
horrid
little
narrow
crib
in
which
the
portly
Bengal
gentleman
had
been
confined
during
the
voyage
?
He
could
not
think
of
moving
till
his
baggage
was
cleared
,
or
of
travelling
until
he
could
do
so
with
his
chillum
.
So
the
Major
was
forced
to
wait
over
that
night
,
and
despatched
a
letter
to
his
family
announcing
his
arrival
;
entreating
from
Jos
a
promise
to
write
to
his
own
friends
.
Jos
promised
,
but
didn’t
keep
his
promise
.
The
Captain
,
the
surgeon
,
and
one
or
two
passengers
came
and
dined
with
our
two
gentlemen
at
the
inn
;
Jos
exerting
himself
in
a
sumptuous
way
in
ordering
the
dinner
:
and
promising
to
go
to
town
the
next
day
with
the
Major
.
The
landlord
said
it
did
his
eyes
good
to
see
Mr.
Sedley
take
off
his
first
pint
of
porter
.
If
I
had
time
and
dared
to
enter
into
digressions
,
I
would
write
a
chapter
about
that
first
pint
of
porter
drunk
upon
English
ground
.
Ah
,
how
good
it
is
!
It
is
worth
while
to
leave
home
for
a
year
,
just
to
enjoy
that
one
draught
.
Major
Dobbin
made
his
appearance
the
next
morning
very
neatly
shaved
and
dressed
,
according
to
his
wont
.
Indeed
,
it
was
so
early
in
the
morning
,
that
nobody
was
up
in
the
house
except
that
wonderful
Boots
of
an
inn
who
never
seems
to
want
sleep
:
and
the
Major
could
hear
the
snores
of
the
various
inmates
of
the
house
roaring
through
the
corridors
as
he
creaked
about
in
those
dim
passages
.
Then
the
sleepless
Boots
went
shirking
round
from
door
to
door
,
gathering
up
at
each
the
Bluchers
,
Wellingtons
,
Oxonians
,
which
stood
outside
.
Then
Jos’s
native
servant
arose
and
began
to
get
ready
his
master’s
ponderous
dressing
apparatus
,
and
prepare
his
hookah
:
then
the
maid
servants
got
up
,
and
meeting
the
dark
man
in
the
passages
,
shrieked
,
and
mistook
him
for
the
devil
.
He
and
Dobbin
stumbled
over
their
pails
in
the
passages
as
they
were
scouring
the
decks
of
the
Royal
George
.
When
the
first
unshorn
waiter
appeared
and
unbarred
the
door
of
the
inn
,
the
Major
thought
that
the
time
for
departure
was
arrived
,
and
ordered
a
post-chaise
to
be
fetched
instantly
,
that
they
might
set
off
.
He
then
directed
his
steps
to
Mr.
Sedley’s
room
,
and
opened
the
curtains
of
the
great
large
family
bed
wherein
Mr.
Jos
was
snoring
.
“
Come
,
up
!
Sedley
,
”
the
Major
said
,
“
it’s
time
to
be
off
;
the
chaise
will
be
at
the
door
in
half
an
hour
.
”
Jos
growled
from
under
the
counterpane
to
know
what
the
time
was
;
but
when
he
at
last
extorted
from
the
blushing
Major
(
who
never
told
fibs
,
however
they
might
be
to
his
advantage
)
what
was
the
real
hour
of
the
morning
,
he
broke
out
into
a
volley
of
bad
language
,
which
we
will
not
repeat
here
,
but
by
which
he
gave
Dobbin
to
understand
that
he
would
jeopardy
his
soul
if
he
got
up
at
that
moment
,
that
the
Major
might
go
and
be
hanged
,
that
he
would
not
travel
with
Dobbin
,
and
that
it
was
most
unkind
and
ungentlemanlike
to
disturb
a
man
out
of
his
sleep
in
that
way
;
on
which
the
discomfited
Major
was
obliged
to
retreat
,
leaving
Jos
to
resume
his
interrupted
slumbers
.
The
chaise
came
up
presently
,
and
the
Major
would
wait
no
longer
.
If
he
had
been
an
English
nobleman
travelling
on
a
pleasure
tour
,
or
a
newspaper
courier
bearing
despatches
(
government
messages
are
generally
carried
much
more
quietly
)
,
he
could
not
have
travelled
more
quickly
.
The
post-boys
wondered
at
the
fees
he
flung
amongst
them
.
How
happy
and
green
the
country
looked
as
the
chaise
whirled
rapidly
from
mile-stone
to
mile-stone
,
through
neat
country
towns
where
landlords
came
out
to
welcome
him
with
smiles
and
bows
;
by
pretty
road-side
inns
,
where
the
signs
hung
on
the
elms
,
and
horses
and
waggoners
were
drinking
under
the
chequered
shadow
of
the
trees
;
by
old
halls
and
parks
;
rustic
hamlets
clustered
round
ancient
grey
churches
—
and
through
the
charming
friendly
English
landscape
.
Is
there
any
in
the
world
like
it
?
To
a
traveller
returning
home
it
looks
so
kind
—
it
seems
to
shake
hands
with
you
as
you
pass
through
it
.
Well
,
Major
Dobbin
passed
through
all
this
from
Southampton
to
London
,
and
without
noting
much
beyond
the
mile-stones
along
the
road
.
You
see
he
was
so
eager
to
see
his
parents
at
Camberwell
.
He
grudged
the
time
lost
between
Piccadilly
and
his
old
haunt
at
the
Slaughters
,
’
whither
he
drove
faithfully
.
Long
years
had
passed
since
he
saw
it
last
,
since
he
and
George
,
as
young
men
,
had
enjoyed
many
a
feast
,
and
held
many
a
revel
there
.
He
had
now
passed
into
the
stage
of
oldfellow-hood
.
His
hair
was
grizzled
,
and
many
a
passion
and
feeling
of
his
youth
had
grown
grey
in
that
interval
.
There
,
however
,
stood
the
old
waiter
at
the
door
,
in
the
same
greasy
black
suit
,
with
the
same
double
chin
and
flaccid
face
,
with
the
same
huge
bunch
of
seals
at
his
fob
,
rattling
his
money
in
his
pockets
as
before
,
and
receiving
the
Major
as
if
he
had
gone
away
only
a
week
ago
.
“
Put
the
Major’s
things
in
twenty-three
,
that’s
his
room
,
”
John
said
,
exhibiting
not
the
least
surprise
.
“
Roast
fowl
for
your
dinner
,
I
suppose
.
You
ain’t
got
married
?
They
said
you
was
married
—
the
Scotch
surgeon
of
yours
was
here
.
No
,
it
was
Captain
Humbly
of
the
thirty-third
,
as
was
quartered
with
the
—
th
in
Injee
.
Like
any
warm
water
?
What
do
you
come
in
a
chay
for
—
ain’t
the
coach
good
enough
?
”
And
with
this
,
the
faithful
waiter
,
who
knew
and
remembered
every
officer
who
used
the
house
,
and
with
whom
ten
years
were
but
as
yesterday
,
led
the
way
up
to
Dobbin’s
old
room
,
where
stood
the
great
moreen
bed
,
and
the
shabby
carpet
,
a
thought
more
dingy
,
and
all
the
old
black
furniture
covered
with
faded
chinz
,
just
as
the
Major
recollected
them
in
his
youth
.
He
remembered
George
pacing
up
and
down
the
room
,
and
biting
his
nails
,
and
swearing
that
the
Governor
must
come
round
,
and
that
if
he
didn’t
,
he
didn’t
care
a
straw
,
on
the
day
before
he
was
married
.
He
could
fancy
him
walking
in
,
banging
the
door
of
Dobbin’s
room
,
and
his
own
hard
by
—
“
You
ain’t
got
young
,
”
John
said
,
calmly
surveying
his
friend
of
former
days
.
Dobbin
laughed
.
“
Ten
years
and
a
fever
don’t
make
a
man
young
,
John
,
”
he
said
.
“
It
is
you
that
are
always
youn
—
No
,
you
are
always
old
.
”
“
What
became
of
Captain
Osborne’s
widow
?
”
John
said
.
“
Fine
young
fellow
that
.
Lord
,
how
he
used
to
spend
his
money
.
He
never
came
back
after
that
day
he
was
married
from
here
.
He
owes
me
three
pound
at
this
minute
.
Look
here
,
I
have
it
in
my
book
.
‘April
10
,
1815
,
Captain
Osborne
:
3
l.’
I
wonder
whether
his
father
would
pay
me
,
”
and
so
saying
,
John
of
the
Slaughters
pulled
out
the
very
morocco
pocket-book
in
which
he
had
noted
his
loan
to
the
Captain
,
upon
a
greasy
faded
page
still
extant
,
with
many
other
scrawled
memoranda
regarding
the
bygone
frequenters
of
the
house
.
Having
inducted
his
customer
into
the
room
,
John
retired
with
perfect
calmness
;
and
Major
Dobbin
,
not
without
a
blush
and
a
grin
at
his
own
absurdity
,
chose
out
of
his
kit
the
very
smartest
and
most
becoming
civil
costume
he
possessed
,
and
laughed
at
his
own
tanned
face
and
grey
hair
,
as
he
surveyed
them
in
the
dreary
little
toilet-glass
on
the
dressing-table
.
“
I’m
glad
old
John
didn’t
forget
me
,
”
he
thought
.
“
She’ll
know
me
,
too
,
I
hope
.
”
And
he
sallied
out
of
the
inn
,
bending
his
steps
once
more
in
the
direction
of
Brompton
.
Every
minute
incident
of
his
last
meeting
with
Amelia
was
present
to
the
constant
man’s
mind
as
he
walked
towards
her
house
.
The
arch
and
the
Achilles
statue
were
up
since
he
had
last
been
in
Piccadilly
;
a
hundred
changes
had
occurred
which
his
eye
and
mind
vaguely
noted
.
He
began
to
tremble
as
he
walked
up
the
lane
from
Brompton
,
that
well-remembered
lane
leading
to
the
street
where
she
lived
.
Was
she
going
to
be
married
or
not
?
If
he
were
to
meet
her
with
the
little
boy
—
Good
God
,
what
should
he
do
?
He
saw
a
woman
coming
to
him
with
a
child
of
five
years
old
—
was
that
she
?
He
began
to
shake
at
the
mere
possibility
.
When
he
came
up
to
the
row
of
houses
,
at
last
,
where
she
lived
,
and
to
the
gate
,
he
caught
hold
of
it
and
paused
.
He
might
have
heard
the
thumping
of
his
own
heart
.
“
May
God
Almighty
bless
her
,
whatever
has
happened
,
”
he
thought
to
himself
.
“
Psha
!
she
may
be
gone
from
here
,
”
he
said
,
and
went
in
through
the
gate
.
The
window
of
the
parlour
which
she
used
to
occupy
was
open
,
and
there
were
no
inmates
in
the
room
.
The
Major
thought
he
recognised
the
piano
,
though
,
with
the
picture
over
it
,
as
it
used
to
be
in
former
days
,
and
his
perturbations
were
renewed
.
Mr.
Clapp’s
brass
plate
was
still
on
the
door
,
at
the
knocker
of
which
Dobbin
performed
a
summons
.
A
buxom-looking
lass
of
sixteen
,
with
bright
eyes
and
purple
cheeks
,
came
to
answer
the
knock
,
and
looked
hard
at
the
Major
as
he
leant
back
against
the
little
porch
.
He
was
as
pale
as
a
ghost
,
and
could
hardly
falter
out
the
words
—
“
Does
Mrs.
Osborne
live
here
?
”
She
looked
him
hard
in
the
face
for
a
moment
—
and
then
turning
white
too
—
said
,
“
Lord
bless
me
—
it’s
Major
Dobbin
.
”
She
held
out
both
her
hands
shaking
—
“
Don’t
you
remember
me
?
”
she
said
.
“
I
used
to
call
you
Major
Sugar-plums
.
”
On
which
,
and
I
believe
it
was
for
the
first
time
that
he
ever
so
conducted
himself
in
his
life
,
the
Major
took
the
girl
in
his
arms
and
kissed
her
.
She
began
to
laugh
and
cry
hysterically
,
and
calling
out
“
Ma
,
Pa
!
”
with
all
her
voice
,
brought
up
those
worthy
people
,
who
had
already
been
surveying
the
Major
from
the
casement
of
the
ornamental
kitchen
,
and
were
astonished
to
find
their
daughter
in
the
little
passage
in
the
embrace
of
a
great
tall
man
in
a
blue
frock-coat
and
white
duck
trowsers
.
“
I’m
an
old
friend
,
”
he
said
—
not
without
blushing
though
.
“
Don’t
you
remember
me
,
Mrs.
Clapp
,
and
those
good
cakes
you
used
to
make
for
tea
?
—
Don’t
you
recollect
me
,
Clapp
?
I’m
George’s
godfather
,
and
just
come
back
from
India
.
”
A
great
shaking
of
hands
ensued
—
Mrs.
Clapp
was
greatly
affected
and
delighted
;
she
called
upon
heaven
to
interpose
a
vast
many
times
in
that
passage
.
The
landlord
and
landlady
of
the
house
led
the
worthy
Major
into
the
Sedleys’
room
(
whereof
he
remembered
every
single
article
of
furniture
,
from
the
old
brass
ornamented
piano
,
once
a
natty
little
instrument
,
Stothard
maker
,
to
the
screens
and
the
alabaster
miniature
tombstone
,
in
the
midst
of
which
ticked
Mr.
Sedley’s
gold
watch
)
,
and
there
,
as
he
sat
down
in
the
lodger’s
vacant
arm-chair
,
the
father
,
the
mother
,
and
the
daughter
,
with
a
thousand
ejaculatory
breaks
in
the
narrative
,
informed
Major
Dobbin
of
what
we
know
already
,
but
of
particulars
in
Amelia’s
history
of
which
he
was
not
aware
—
namely
of
Mrs.
Sedley’s
death
,
of
George’s
reconcilement
with
his
grandfather
Osborne
,
of
the
way
in
which
the
widow
took
on
at
leaving
him
,
and
of
other
particulars
of
her
life
.
Twice
or
thrice
he
was
going
to
ask
about
the
marriage
question
,
but
his
heart
failed
him
.
He
did
not
care
to
lay
it
bare
to
these
people
.
Finally
,
he
was
informed
that
Mrs.
O
.
was
gone
to
walk
with
her
Pa
in
Kensington
Gardens
,
whither
she
always
went
with
the
old
gentleman
(
who
was
very
weak
and
peevish
now
,
and
led
her
a
sad
life
,
though
she
behaved
to
him
like
an
angel
,
to
be
sure
,
)
of
a
fine
afternoon
,
after
dinner
.
“
I’m
very
much
pressed
for
time
,
”
the
Major
said
,
“
and
have
business
to-night
of
importance
.
I
should
like
to
see
Mrs.
Osborne
tho’
.
Suppose
Miss
Polly
would
come
with
me
and
show
me
the
way
.
”
Miss
Polly
was
charmed
and
astonished
at
this
proposal
.
She
knew
the
way
.
She
would
show
Major
Dobbin
.
She
had
often
been
with
Mr.
Sedley
when
Mrs.
O
.
was
gone
—
was
gone
Russell
Square
way
:
and
knew
the
bench
where
he
liked
to
sit
.
She
bounced
away
to
her
apartment
,
and
appeared
presently
in
her
best
bonnet
and
her
mamma’s
yellow
shawl
and
large
pebble
brooch
,
of
which
she
assumed
the
loan
in
order
to
make
herself
a
worthy
companion
for
the
Major
.
That
officer
,
then
,
in
his
blue
frock-coat
and
buckskin
gloves
,
gave
the
young
lady
his
arm
,
and
they
walked
away
very
gaily
.
He
was
glad
to
have
a
friend
at
hand
for
the
scene
which
he
dreaded
somehow
.
He
asked
a
thousand
more
questions
from
his
companion
about
Amelia
:
his
kind
heart
grieved
to
think
that
she
should
have
had
to
part
with
her
son
.
How
did
she
bear
it
?
Did
she
see
him
often
?
Was
Mr.
Sedley
pretty
comfortable
now
in
a
worldly
point
of
view
?
Polly
answered
all
these
questions
of
Major
Sugarplums
to
the
very
best
of
her
power
.
And
in
the
midst
of
their
walk
an
incident
occurred
which
,
though
very
simple
in
its
nature
,
was
productive
of
the
greatest
delight
to
Major
Dobbin
.
A
pale
young
man
with
feeble
whiskers
and
a
stiff
white
neckcloth
came
walking
down
the
lane
,
en
sandwich
:
—
having
a
lady
,
that
is
,
on
each
arm
.
One
was
a
tall
and
commanding
middle-aged
female
,
with
features
and
a
complexion
similar
to
those
of
the
clergyman
of
the
Church
of
England
by
whose
side
she
marched
,
and
the
other
a
stunted
little
woman
with
a
dark
face
,
ornamented
by
a
fine
new
bonnet
and
white
ribbons
,
and
in
a
smart
pelisse
,
with
a
rich
gold
watch
in
the
midst
of
her
person
.
The
gentleman
,
pinioned
as
he
was
by
these
two
ladies
,
carried
further
a
parasol
,
shawl
,
and
basket
,
so
that
his
arms
were
entirely
engaged
,
and
of
course
he
was
unable
to
touch
his
hat
in
acknowledgment
of
the
curtsey
with
which
Miss
Mary
Clapp
greeted
him
.
He
merely
bowed
his
head
in
reply
to
her
salutation
,
which
the
two
ladies
returned
with
a
patronising
air
,
and
at
the
same
time
looking
severely
at
the
individual
in
the
blue
coat
and
bamboo
cane
who
accompanied
Miss
Polly
.
“
Who’s
that
?
”
asked
the
Major
,
amused
by
the
group
,
and
after
he
had
made
way
for
the
three
to
pass
up
the
lane
.
Mary
looked
at
him
rather
roguishly
.
“
That
is
our
curate
,
the
Reverend
Mr.
Binny
(
a
twitch
from
Major
Dobbin
)
,
and
his
sister
Miss
B
.
Lord
bless
us
,
how
she
did
use
to
worret
us
at
Sunday-school
;
and
the
other
lady
,
the
little
one
with
a
cast
in
her
eye
,
and
the
handsome
watch
,
is
Mrs.
Binny
—
Miss
Grits
that
was
;
her
Pa
was
a
grocer
,
and
kept
the
Little
Original
Gold
Tea
Pot
in
Kensington
Gravel
Pits
.
They
were
married
last
month
,
and
are
just
come
back
from
Margate
.
She’s
five
thousand
pound
to
her
fortune
;
but
her
and
Miss
B
.
,
who
made
the
match
,
have
quarrelled
already
.
”
If
the
Major
had
twitched
before
,
he
started
now
,
and
slapped
the
bamboo
on
the
ground
with
an
emphasis
which
made
Miss
Clapp
cry
,
“
Law
,
”
and
laugh
too
.
He
stood
for
a
moment
silent
with
open
mouth
looking
after
the
retreating
young
couple
,
while
Miss
Mary
told
their
history
;
but
he
did
not
hear
beyond
the
announcement
of
the
reverend
gentleman’s
marriage
;
his
head
was
swimming
with
felicity
.
After
this
rencontre
he
began
to
walk
double
quick
towards
the
place
of
his
destination
;
and
yet
they
were
too
soon
(
for
he
was
in
a
great
tremor
at
the
idea
of
a
meeting
for
which
he
had
been
longing
any
time
these
ten
years
)
—
through
the
Brompton
lanes
,
and
entering
at
the
little
old
portal
in
Kensington
Garden
wall
.
“
There
they
are
,
”
said
Miss
Polly
,
and
she
felt
him
again
start
back
on
her
arm
.
She
was
a
confidante
at
once
of
the
whole
business
.
She
knew
the
story
as
well
as
if
she
had
read
it
in
one
of
her
favourite
novel-books
—
“
Fatherless
Fanny
,
”
or
the
“
Scottish
Chiefs
.
”
“
Suppose
you
were
to
run
on
and
tell
her
,
”
the
Major
said
.
Polly
ran
forward
,
her
yellow
shawl
streaming
in
the
breeze
.
Old
Sedley
was
seated
on
a
bench
,
his
handkerchief
placed
over
his
knees
,
prattling
away
according
to
his
wont
,
with
some
old
story
about
old
times
,
to
which
Amelia
had
listened
,
and
awarded
a
patient
smile
many
a
time
before
.
She
could
of
late
think
of
her
own
affairs
,
and
smile
or
make
other
marks
of
recognition
of
her
father’s
stories
,
scarcely
hearing
a
word
of
the
old
man’s
tales
.
As
Mary
came
bouncing
along
,
and
Amelia
caught
sight
of
her
,
she
started
up
from
her
bench
.
Her
first
thought
was
,
that
something
had
happened
to
Georgy
;
but
the
sight
of
the
messenger’s
eager
and
happy
face
dissipated
that
fear
in
the
timorous
mother’s
bosom
.
“
News
!
News
!
”
cried
the
emissary
of
Major
Dobbin
.
“
He’s
come
!
He’s
come
!
”
“
Who
is
come
?
”
said
Emmy
,
still
thinking
of
her
son
.
“
Look
there
,
”
answered
Miss
Clapp
,
turning
round
and
pointing
;
in
which
direction
Amelia
looking
,
saw
Dobbin’s
lean
figure
and
long
shadow
stalking
across
the
grass
.
Amelia
started
in
her
turn
,
blushed
up
,
and
,
of
course
,
began
to
cry
.
At
all
this
simple
little
creature’s
fêtes
,
the
grandes
eaux
were
accustomed
to
play
.
He
looked
at
her
—
oh
,
how
fondly
—
as
she
came
running
towards
him
,
her
hands
before
her
,
ready
to
give
them
to
him
.
She
wasn’t
changed
.
She
was
a
little
pale
:
a
little
stouter
in
figure
.
Her
eyes
were
the
same
,
the
kind
trustful
eyes
.
There
were
scarce
three
lines
of
silver
in
her
soft
brown
hair
.
She
gave
him
both
her
hands
as
she
looked
up
flushing
and
smiling
through
her
tears
into
his
honest
homely
face
.
He
took
the
two
little
hands
between
his
two
,
and
held
them
there
.
He
was
speechless
for
a
moment
.
Why
did
he
not
take
her
in
his
arms
,
and
swear
that
he
would
never
leave
her
?
She
must
have
yielded
:
she
could
not
but
have
obeyed
him
.
“
I
—
I’ve
another
arrival
to
announce
,
”
he
said
,
after
a
pause
.
“
Mrs.
Dobbin
?
”
Amelia
said
,
making
a
movement
back
—
Why
didn’t
he
speak
?
“
No
,
”
he
said
,
letting
her
hands
go
:
“
Who
has
told
you
those
lies
?
—
I
mean
,
your
brother
Jos
came
in
the
same
ship
with
me
,
and
is
come
home
to
make
you
all
happy
.
”
“
Papa
,
papa
!
”
Emmy
cried
out
,
“
here
are
news
!
My
brother
is
in
England
.
He
is
come
to
take
care
of
you
.
—
Here
is
Major
Dobbin
.
”
Mr.
Sedley
started
up
,
shaking
a
great
deal
,
and
gathering
up
his
thoughts
.
Then
he
stepped
forward
and
made
an
old-fashioned
bow
to
the
Major
,
whom
he
called
Mr.
Dobbin
,
and
hoped
his
worthy
father
,
Sir
William
,
was
quite
well
.
He
proposed
to
call
upon
Sir
William
,
who
had
done
him
the
honour
of
a
visit
a
short
time
ago
.
Sir
William
had
not
called
upon
the
old
gentleman
for
eight
years
—
it
was
that
visit
he
was
thinking
of
returning
.
“
He
is
very
much
shaken
,
”
Emmy
whispered
,
as
Dobbin
went
up
and
cordially
shook
hands
with
the
old
man
.
Although
he
had
such
particular
business
in
London
that
evening
,
the
Major
consented
to
forego
it
upon
Mr.
Sedley’s
invitation
to
him
to
come
home
and
partake
of
tea
.
Amelia
put
her
arm
under
that
of
her
young
friend
with
the
yellow
shawl
,
and
headed
the
party
on
their
return
homewards
,
so
that
Mr.
Sedley
fell
to
Dobbin’s
share
.
The
old
man
walked
very
slowly
,
and
told
a
number
of
ancient
histories
about
himself
and
his
poor
Bessy
,
his
former
prosperity
,
and
his
bankruptcy
.
His
thoughts
,
as
is
usual
with
failing
old
men
,
were
quite
in
former
times
.
The
present
,
with
the
exception
of
the
one
catastrophe
which
he
felt
,
he
knew
little
about
.
The
Major
was
glad
to
let
him
talk
on
.
His
eyes
were
fixed
upon
the
figure
in
front
of
him
—
the
dear
little
figure
always
present
to
his
imagination
and
in
his
prayers
,
and
visiting
his
dreams
wakeful
or
slumbering
.
Amelia
was
very
happy
,
smiling
,
and
active
all
that
evening
;
performing
her
duties
as
hostess
of
the
little
entertainment
with
the
utmost
grace
and
propriety
,
as
Dobbin
thought
.
His
eyes
followed
her
about
as
they
sate
in
the
twilight
.
How
many
a
time
had
he
longed
for
that
moment
,
and
thought
of
her
far
away
under
hot
winds
and
in
weary
marches
,
gentle
and
happy
,
kindly
ministering
to
the
wants
of
old
age
,
and
decorating
poverty
with
sweet
submission
—
as
he
saw
her
now
.
I
do
not
say
that
his
taste
was
the
highest
,
or
that
it
is
the
duty
of
great
intellects
to
be
content
with
a
bread-and-butter
paradise
,
such
as
sufficed
our
simple
old
friend
;
but
his
desires
were
of
this
sort
,
whether
for
good
or
bad
;
and
,
with
Amelia
to
help
him
,
he
was
ready
to
drink
as
many
cups
of
tea
as
Doctor
Johnson
.
Amelia
seeing
this
propensity
,
laughingly
encouraged
it
;
and
looked
exceedingly
roguish
as
she
administered
to
him
cup
after
cup
.
It
is
true
she
did
not
know
that
the
Major
had
had
no
dinner
,
and
that
the
cloth
was
laid
for
him
at
the
Slaughters’
,
and
a
plate
laid
thereon
to
mark
that
the
table
was
retained
,
in
that
very
box
in
which
the
Major
and
George
had
sate
many
a
time
carousing
,
when
she
was
a
child
just
come
home
from
Miss
Pinkerton’s
school
.
The
first
thing
Mrs.
Osborne
showed
the
Major
was
Georgy’s
miniature
,
for
which
she
ran
upstairs
on
her
arrival
at
home
.
It
was
not
half
handsome
enough
of
course
for
t
he
boy
,
but
wasn’t
it
noble
of
him
to
think
of
bringing
it
to
his
mother
?
Whilst
her
papa
was
awake
she
did
not
talk
much
about
Georgy
.
To
hear
about
Mr.
Osborne
and
Russell
Square
was
not
agreeable
to
the
old
man
,
who
very
likely
was
unconscious
that
he
had
been
living
for
some
months
past
mainly
on
the
bounty
of
his
richer
rival
;
and
lost
his
temper
if
allusion
was
made
to
the
other
.
Dobbin
told
him
all
,
and
a
little
more
perhaps
than
all
,
that
had
happened
on
board
the
Ramchunder
;
and
exaggerated
Jos’s
benevolent
dispositions
towards
his
father
,
and
resolution
to
make
him
comfortable
in
his
old
days
.
The
truth
is
,
that
during
the
voyage
the
Major
had
impressed
this
duty
most
strongly
upon
his
fellow-passenger
and
extorted
promises
from
him
that
he
would
take
charge
of
his
sister
and
her
child
.
He
soothed
Jos’s
irritation
with
regard
to
the
bills
which
the
old
gentleman
had
drawn
upon
him
,
gave
a
laughing
account
of
his
own
sufferings
on
the
same
score
,
and
of
the
famous
consignment
of
wine
with
which
the
old
man
had
favoured
him
:
and
brought
Mr.
Jos
,
who
was
by
no
means
an
ill-natured
person
when
well
pleased
and
moderately
flattered
,
to
a
very
good
state
of
feeling
regarding
his
relatives
in
Europe
.
And
in
fine
I
am
ashamed
to
say
that
the
Major
stretched
the
truth
so
far
as
to
tell
old
Mr.
Sedley
that
it
was
mainly
a
desire
to
see
his
parent
which
brought
Jos
once
more
to
Europe
.
At
his
accustomed
hour
Mr.
Sedley
began
to
doze
in
his
chair
,
and
then
it
was
Amelia’s
opportunity
to
commence
her
conversation
,
which
she
did
with
great
eagerness
;
—
it
related
exclusively
to
Georgy
.
She
did
not
talk
at
all
about
her
own
sufferings
at
breaking
from
him
,
for
indeed
,
this
worthy
woman
,
though
she
was
half-killed
by
the
separation
from
the
child
,
yet
thought
it
was
very
wicked
in
her
to
repine
at
losing
him
;
but
everything
concerning
him
,
his
virtues
,
talents
,
and
prospects
,
she
poured
out
.
She
described
his
angelic
beauty
;
narrated
a
hundred
instances
of
his
generosity
and
greatness
of
mind
whilst
living
with
her
:
how
a
Royal
Duchess
had
stopped
and
admired
him
in
Kensington
Gardens
;
how
splendidly
he
was
cared
for
now
,
and
how
he
had
a
groom
and
a
pony
;
what
quickness
and
cleverness
he
had
,
and
what
a
prodigiously
well-read
and
delightful
person
the
Reverend
Lawrence
Veal
was
,
George’s
master
.
“
He
knows
everything
,
”
Amelia
said
.
“
He
has
the
most
delightful
parties
.
You
who
are
so
learned
yourself
,
and
have
read
so
much
,
and
are
so
clever
and
accomplished
—
don’t
shake
your
head
and
say
no
—
He
always
used
say
you
were
—
you
will
be
charmed
with
Mr.
Veal’s
parties
.
The
last
Tuesday
in
every
month
.
He
says
there
is
no
place
in
the
bar
or
the
senate
that
Georgy
may
not
aspire
to
.
Look
here
,
”
and
she
went
to
the
piano-drawer
and
drew
out
a
theme
of
Georgy’s
composition
.
This
great
effort
of
genius
,
which
is
still
in
the
possession
of
George’s
mother
,
is
as
follows
:
On
Selfishness
.
—
Of
all
the
vices
which
degrade
the
human
character
,
Selfishness
is
the
most
odious
and
contemptible
.
An
undue
love
of
Self
leads
to
the
most
monstrous
crimes
;
and
occasions
the
greatest
misfortune
both
in
States
and
Families
.
As
a
selfish
man
will
impoverish
his
family
and
often
bring
them
to
ruin
:
so
a
selfish
king
brings
ruin
on
his
people
and
often
plunges
them
into
war
.
Example
:
The
selfishness
of
Achilles
,
as
remarked
by
the
poet
Homer
,
occasioned
a
thousand
woes
to
the
Greeks
—
[
Greek
]
—
(
Hom
.
II
.
A
.
2
)
.
The
selfishness
of
the
late
Napoleon
Bonaparte
occasioned
innumerable
wars
in
Europe
,
and
caused
him
to
perish
,
himself
,
in
a
miserable
island
:
—
that
of
Saint
Helena
it
the
Atlantic
Ocean
.
We
see
by
these
examples
that
we
are
not
to
consult
our
own
interest
and
ambition
,
but
that
we
are
to
consider
the
interests
of
others
as
well
as
our
own
.
Athenè
House
,
24
April
,
1827.
“
Think
of
him
writing
such
a
hand
,
and
quoting
Greek
too
,
at
his
age
,
”
the
delighted
mother
said
.
“
O
William
,
”
she
added
,
holding
out
her
hand
to
the
Major
—
“
what
a
treasure
Heaven
has
given
me
in
that
boy
!
He
is
the
comfort
of
my
life
—
and
he
is
the
image
of
—
of
him
that’s
gone
!
”
“
Ought
I
to
be
angry
with
her
for
being
faithful
to
him
?
”
William
thought
.
“
Ought
I
to
be
jealous
of
my
friend
in
the
grave
,
or
hurt
that
such
a
heart
as
Amelia’s
can
love
only
once
and
for
ever
?
Oh
,
George
,
George
,
how
little
you
know
the
prize
you
had
,
though
.
”
This
sentiment
passed
rapidly
through
William’s
mind
,
as
he
was
holding
Amelia’s
hand
,
whilst
the
handkerchief
was
veiling
her
eyes
.
“
Dear
friend
,
”
she
said
,
pressing
the
hand
which
held
hers
,
“
how
good
,
how
kind
you
always
have
been
to
me
!
See
!
Papa
is
stirring
.
You
will
go
and
see
Georgy
to-morrow
,
won’t
you
?
”
“
Not
to-morrow
,
”
said
poor
old
Dobbin
.
“
I
have
business
.
”
He
did
not
like
to
own
that
he
had
not
as
yet
been
to
his
parents’
and
his
dear
sister
Anne
—
a
remissness
for
which
I
am
sure
every
well-regulated
person
will
blame
the
Major
.
And
presently
he
took
his
leave
,
leaving
his
address
behind
him
for
Jos
,
against
the
latter’s
arrival
.
And
so
the
first
day
was
over
,
and
he
had
seen
her
.
When
he
got
back
to
the
Slaughters’
,
the
roast
fowl
was
of
course
cold
,
in
which
condition
he
ate
it
for
supper
.
And
knowing
what
early
hours
his
family
kept
,
and
that
it
would
be
needless
to
disturb
their
slumbers
at
so
late
an
hour
,
it
is
on
record
,
that
Major
Dobbin
treated
himself
to
half-price
at
the
Haymarket
Theatre
that
evening
,
where
let
us
hope
he
enjoyed
himself
.
XXIV
.
The
Old
Piano
THE
MAJOR’S
visit
left
old
John
Sedley
in
a
great
state
of
agitation
and
excitement
.
His
daughter
could
not
induce
him
to
settle
down
to
his
customary
occupations
or
amusements
that
night
.
He
passed
the
evening
fumbling
amongst
his
boxes
and
desks
,
untying
his
papers
with
trembling
hands
,
and
sorting
and
arranging
them
against
Jos’s
arrival
.
He
had
them
in
the
greatest
order
—
his
tapes
and
his
files
,
his
receipts
,
and
his
letters
with
lawyers
and
correspondents
;
the
documents
relative
to
the
Wine
Project
(
which
failed
from
a
most
unaccountable
accident
,
after
commencing
with
the
most
splendid
prospects
)
,
the
Coal
Project
(
which
only
a
want
of
capital
prevented
from
becoming
the
most
successful
scheme
ever
put
before
the
public
)
,
the
Patent
Saw-mills
and
Sawdust
Consolidation
Project
,
etc.
,
etc.
—
All
night
,
until
a
very
late
hour
,
he
passed
in
the
preparation
of
these
documents
,
trembling
about
from
one
room
to
another
,
with
a
quivering
candle
and
shaky
hands
.
—
Here’s
the
wine
papers
,
here’s
the
sawdust
,
here’s
the
coals
;
here’s
my
letters
to
Calcutta
and
Madras
,
and
replies
from
Major
Dobbin
,
C.B.
,
and
Mr.
Joseph
Sedley
to
the
same
.
“
He
shall
find
no
irregularity
about
me
,
Emmy
,
”
the
old
gentleman
said
.
Emmy
smiled
.
“
I
don’t
think
Jos
will
care
about
seeing
those
papers
,
Papa
,
”
she
said
.
“
You
don’t
know
anything
about
business
,
my
dear
,
”
answered
the
sire
,
shaking
his
head
with
an
important
air
.
And
it
must
be
confessed
,
that
on
this
point
Emmy
was
very
ignorant
,
and
that
is
a
pity
,
some
people
are
so
knowing
.
All
these
twopenny
documents
arranged
on
a
side
table
,
old
Sedley
covered
them
carefully
over
with
a
clean
bandanna
handkerchief
(
one
out
of
Major
Dobbin’s
lot
)
,
and
enjoined
the
maid
and
landlady
of
the
house
,
in
the
most
solemn
way
,
not
to
disturb
those
papers
,
which
were
arranged
for
the
arrival
of
Mr.
Joseph
Sedley
the
next
morning
,
“
Mr.
Joseph
Sedley
of
the
Honourable
East
India
Company’s
Bengal
Civil
Service
.
”
Amelia
found
him
up
very
early
the
next
morning
,
more
eager
,
more
hectic
,
and
more
shaky
than
ever
.
“
I
didn’t
sleep
much
,
Emmy
,
my
dear
,
”
he
said
.
“
I
was
thinking
of
my
poor
Bessy
.
I
wish
she
was
alive
,
to
ride
in
Jos’s
carriage
once
again
.
She
kept
her
own
,
and
became
it
very
well
.
”
And
his
eyes
filled
with
tears
,
which
trickled
down
his
furrowed
old
face
.
Amelia
wiped
them
away
,
and
smilingly
kissed
him
,
and
tied
the
old
man’s
neckcloth
in
a
smart
bow
,
and
put
his
brooch
into
his
best
shirt
frill
,
in
which
,
in
his
Sunday
suit
of
mourning
,
he
sat
from
six
o’clock
in
the
morning
awaiting
the
arrival
of
his
son
.
There
are
some
splendid
tailors’
shops
in
the
High
Street
of
Southampton
,
in
the
fine
plate-glass
windows
of
which
hang
gorgeous
waistcoats
of
all
sorts
,
of
silk
and
velvet
,
and
gold
and
crimson
,
and
pictures
of
the
last
new
fashions
in
which
those
wonderful
gentlemen
with
quizzing
glasses
,
and
holding
on
to
little
boys
with
the
exceeding
large
eyes
and
curly
hair
,
ogle
ladies
in
riding
habits
prancing
by
the
Statue
of
Achilles
at
Apsley
House
.
Jos
,
although
provided
with
some
of
the
most
splendid
vests
that
Calcutta
could
furnish
,
thought
he
could
not
go
to
town
until
he
was
supplied
with
one
or
two
of
these
garments
,
and
selected
a
crimson
stain
,
embroidered
with
gold
butterflies
,
and
a
black
and
red
velvet
tartan
with
white
stripes
and
a
rolling
collar
,
with
which
,
and
a
rich
blue
satin
stock
and
a
gold
pin
,
consisting
of
a
five-barred
gate
with
a
horseman
in
pink
enamel
jumping
over
it
,
he
thought
he
might
make
his
entry
into
London
with
some
dignity
.
For
Jos’s
former
shyness
and
blundering
blushing
timidity
had
given
way
to
a
more
candid
and
courageous
self-assertion
of
his
worth
.
“
I
don’t
care
about
owning
it
,
”
Waterloo
Sedley
would
say
to
his
friends
,
“
I
am
a
dressy
man
:
”
and
though
rather
uneasy
if
the
ladies
looked
at
him
at
the
Government
House
balls
,
and
though
he
blushed
and
turned
away
alarmed
under
their
glances
,
it
was
chiefly
from
a
dread
lest
they
should
make
love
to
him
,
that
he
avoided
them
,
being
averse
to
marriage
altogether
.
But
there
was
no
such
swell
in
Calcutta
as
Waterloo
Sedley
,
I
have
heard
say
:
and
he
had
the
handsomest
turnout
,
gave
the
best
bachelor
dinners
,
and
had
the
finest
plate
in
the
whole
place
.
To
make
these
waistcoats
for
a
man
of
his
size
and
dignity
took
at
least
a
day
,
part
of
which
he
employed
in
hiring
a
servant
to
wait
upon
him
and
his
native
;
and
in
instructing
the
agent
who
cleared
his
baggage
,
his
boxes
,
his
books
,
which
he
never
read
;
his
chests
of
mangoes
,
chutney
,
and
currie-powders
;
his
shawls
for
presents
to
people
whom
he
didn’t
know
as
yet
;
and
the
rest
of
his
Persicos
apparatus
.
At
length
,
he
drove
leisurely
to
London
on
the
third
day
,
and
in
the
new
waistcoat
:
the
native
with
chattering
teeth
,
shuddering
in
a
shawl
on
the
box
by
the
side
of
the
new
European
servant
;
Jos
puffing
his
pipe
at
intervals
within
,
and
looking
so
majestic
,
that
the
little
boys
cried
Hooray
,
and
many
people
thought
he
must
be
a
Governor-General
.
He
,
I
promise
,
did
not
decline
the
obsequious
invitation
of
the
landlords
to
alight
and
refresh
himself
in
the
neat
country
towns
.
Having
partaken
of
a
copious
breakfast
,
with
fish
,
and
rice
,
and
hard
eggs
,
at
Southampton
,
he
had
so
far
rallied
at
Winchester
as
to
think
a
glass
of
sherry
necessary
.
At
Alton
he
stepped
out
of
the
carriage
at
his
servant’s
request
,
and
imbibed
some
of
the
ale
for
which
the
place
is
famous
.
At
Farnham
he
stopped
to
view
the
Bishop’s
Castle
,
and
to
partake
of
a
light
dinner
of
stewed
eels
,
veal
cutlets
,
and
French
beans
,
with
a
bottle
of
claret
.
He
was
cold
over
Bagshot
Heath
,
where
the
native
chattered
more
and
more
,
and
Jos
Sahib
took
some
brandy-and-water
;
in
fact
,
when
he
drove
into
town
he
was
as
full
of
wine
,
beer
,
meat
,
pickles
,
cherry-brandy
,
and
tobacco
,
as
the
steward’s
cabin
of
a
steam-packet
.
It
was
evening
when
his
carriage
thundered
up
to
the
little
door
in
Brompton
,
whither
the
affectionate
fellow
drove
first
,
and
before
hieing
to
the
apartments
secured
for
him
by
Mr.
Dobbin
at
the
Slaughters’
.
All
the
faces
in
the
street
were
in
the
windows
;
the
little
maid-servant
flew
to
the
wicket-gate
,
the
Mesdames
Clapp
looked
out
from
the
casement
of
the
ornamented
kitchen
;
Emmy
,
in
a
great
flutter
,
was
in
the
passage
among
the
hats
and
coats
,
and
old
Sedley
in
the
parlour
inside
,
shaking
all
over
.
Jos
descended
from
the
post-chaise
and
down
the
creaking
swaying
steps
in
awful
state
,
supported
by
the
new
valet
from
Southampton
and
the
shuddering
native
,
whose
brown
face
was
now
livid
with
cold
,
and
of
the
colour
of
a
turkey’s
gizzard
.
He
created
an
immense
sensation
in
the
passage
presently
,
where
Mrs.
and
Miss
Clapp
,
coming
perhaps
to
listen
at
the
parlour
door
,
found
Loll
Jewab
shaking
upon
the
hall-bench
under
the
coats
,
moaning
in
a
strange
piteous
way
,
and
showing
his
yellow
eyeballs
and
white
teeth
.
For
,
you
see
,
we
have
adroitly
shut
the
door
upon
the
meeting
between
Jos
and
the
old
father
,
and
the
poor
little
gentle
sister
inside
.
The
old
man
was
very
much
affected
:
so
,
of
course
,
was
his
daughter
:
nor
was
Jos
without
feeling
.
In
that
long
absence
of
ten
years
,
the
most
selfish
will
think
about
home
and
early
ties
.
Distance
sanctifies
both
.
Long
brooding
over
those
lost
pleasures
exaggerates
their
charm
and
sweetness
.
Jos
was
unaffectedly
glad
to
see
and
shake
the
hand
of
his
father
,
between
whom
and
himself
there
had
been
a
coolness
—
glad
to
see
his
little
sister
,
whom
he
remembered
so
pretty
and
smiling
,
and
pained
at
the
alteration
which
time
,
grief
,
and
misfortune
had
made
in
the
shattered
old
man
.
Emmy
had
come
out
to
the
door
in
her
black
clothes
and
whispered
to
him
of
her
mother’s
death
,
and
not
to
speak
of
it
to
their
father
.
There
was
no
need
of
this
caution
,
for
the
elder
Sedley
himself
began
immediately
to
speak
of
the
event
,
and
prattled
about
it
,
and
wept
over
it
plenteously
.
It
shocked
the
Indian
not
a
little
,
and
made
him
think
of
himself
less
than
the
poor
fellow
was
accustomed
to
do
.
The
result
of
the
interview
must
have
been
very
satisfactory
,
for
when
Jos
had
reascended
his
post-chaise
,
and
had
driven
away
to
his
hotel
,
Emmy
embraced
her
father
tenderly
,
appealing
to
him
with
an
air
of
triumph
,
and
asking
the
old
man
whether
she
did
not
always
say
that
her
brother
had
a
good
heart
?
Indeed
,
Joseph
Sedley
,
affected
by
the
humble
position
in
which
he
found
his
relations
,
and
in
the
expansiveness
and
overflowing
of
heart
occasioned
by
the
first
meeting
,
declared
that
they
should
never
suffer
want
or
discomfort
any
more
,
that
he
was
at
home
for
some
time
at
any
rate
,
during
which
his
house
and
everything
he
had
should
be
theirs
:
and
that
Amelia
would
look
very
pretty
at
the
head
of
his
table
—
until
she
would
accept
one
of
her
own
.
She
shook
her
head
sadly
,
and
had
,
as
usual
,
recourse
to
the
water-works
.
She
knew
what
he
meant
.
She
and
her
young
confidante
,
Miss
Mary
,
had
talked
over
the
matter
most
fully
,
the
very
night
of
the
Major’s
visit
:
beyond
which
time
the
impetuous
Polly
could
not
refrain
from
talking
of
the
discovery
which
she
had
made
,
and
describing
the
start
and
tremor
of
joy
by
which
Major
Dobbin
betrayed
himself
when
Mr.
Binny
passed
with
his
bride
,
and
the
Major
learned
that
he
had
no
longer
a
rival
to
fear
.
“
Didn’t
you
see
how
he
shook
all
over
when
you
asked
if
he
was
married
,
and
he
said
,
‘Who
told
you
those
lies
?
’
O
Ma’am
,
”
Polly
said
,
“
he
never
kept
his
eyes
off
you
:
and
I’m
sure
he’s
grown
grey
a-thinking
of
you
.
”
But
Amelia
,
looking
up
at
her
bed
,
over
which
hung
the
portraits
of
her
husband
and
son
,
told
her
young
protégée
,
never
,
never
,
to
speak
on
that
subject
again
;
that
Major
Dobbin
had
been
her
husband’s
dearest
friend
,
and
her
own
and
George’s
most
kind
and
affectionate
guardian
;
that
she
loved
him
as
a
brother
—
but
that
a
woman
who
had
been
married
to
such
an
angel
as
that
,
and
she
pointed
to
the
wall
,
could
never
think
of
any
other
union
.
Poor
Polly
sighed
:
she
thought
what
she
should
do
if
young
