Vanity
Fair
a
Novel
without
a
Hero
William
Makepeace
Thackeray
With
illustrations
by
the
Author
Before
the
Curtain
As
the
manager
of
the
Performance
sits
before
the
curtain
on
the
boards
and
looks
into
the
Fair
,
a
feeling
of
profound
melancholy
comes
over
him
in
his
survey
of
the
bustling
place
.
There
is
a
great
quantity
of
eating
and
drinking
,
making
love
and
jilting
,
laughing
and
the
contrary
,
smoking
,
cheating
,
fighting
,
dancing
and
fiddling
;
there
are
bullies
pushing
about
,
bucks
ogling
the
women
,
knaves
picking
pockets
,
policemen
on
the
look-out
,
quacks
(
OTHER
quacks
,
plague
take
them
!
)
bawling
in
front
of
their
booths
,
and
yokels
looking
up
at
the
tinselled
dancers
and
poor
old
rouged
tumblers
,
while
the
light-fingered
folk
are
operating
upon
their
pockets
behind
.
Yes
,
this
is
VANITY
FAIR
;
not
a
moral
place
certainly
;
nor
a
merry
one
,
though
very
noisy
.
Look
at
the
faces
of
the
actors
and
buffoons
when
they
come
off
from
their
business
;
and
Tom
Fool
washing
the
paint
off
his
cheeks
before
he
sits
down
to
dinner
with
his
wife
and
the
little
Jack
Puddings
behind
the
canvas
.
The
curtain
will
be
up
presently
,
and
he
will
be
turning
over
head
and
heels
,
and
crying
,
“
How
are
you
?
”
A
man
with
a
reflective
turn
of
mind
,
walking
through
an
exhibition
of
this
sort
,
will
not
be
oppressed
,
I
take
it
,
by
his
own
or
other
people’s
hilarity
.
An
episode
of
humour
or
kindness
touches
and
amuses
him
here
and
there
—
a
pretty
child
looking
at
a
gingerbread
stall
;
a
pretty
girl
blushing
whilst
her
lover
talks
to
her
and
chooses
her
fairing
;
poor
Tom
Fool
,
yonder
behind
the
waggon
,
mumbling
his
bone
with
the
honest
family
which
lives
by
his
tumbling
;
but
the
general
impression
is
one
more
melancholy
than
mirthful
.
When
you
come
home
you
sit
down
in
a
sober
,
contemplative
,
not
uncharitable
frame
of
mind
,
and
apply
yourself
to
your
books
or
your
business
.
I
have
no
other
moral
than
this
to
tag
to
the
present
story
of
“
Vanity
Fair
.
”
Some
people
consider
Fairs
immoral
altogether
,
and
eschew
such
,
with
their
servants
and
families
:
very
likely
they
are
right
.
But
persons
who
think
otherwise
,
and
are
of
a
lazy
,
or
a
benevolent
,
or
a
sarcastic
mood
,
may
perhaps
like
to
step
in
for
half
an
hour
,
and
look
at
the
performances
.
There
are
scenes
of
all
sorts
;
some
dreadful
combats
,
some
grand
and
lofty
horse-riding
,
some
scenes
of
high
life
,
and
some
of
very
middling
indeed
;
some
love-making
for
the
sentimental
,
and
some
light
comic
business
;
the
whole
accompanied
by
appropriate
scenery
and
brilliantly
illuminated
with
the
Author’s
own
candles
.
What
more
has
the
Manager
of
the
Performance
to
say
?
—
To
acknowledge
the
kindness
with
which
it
has
been
received
in
all
the
principal
towns
of
England
through
which
the
Show
has
passed
,
and
where
it
has
been
most
favourably
noticed
by
the
respected
conductors
of
the
public
Press
,
and
by
the
Nobility
and
Gentry
.
He
is
proud
to
think
that
his
Puppets
have
given
satisfaction
to
the
very
best
company
in
this
empire
.
The
famous
little
Becky
Puppet
has
been
pronounced
to
be
uncommonly
flexible
in
the
joints
,
and
lively
on
the
wire
;
the
Amelia
Doll
,
though
it
has
had
a
smaller
circle
of
admirers
,
has
yet
been
carved
and
dressed
with
the
greatest
care
by
the
artist
;
the
Dobbin
Figure
,
though
apparently
clumsy
,
yet
dances
in
a
very
amusing
and
natural
manner
;
the
Little
Boys’
Dance
has
been
liked
by
some
;
and
please
to
remark
the
richly
dressed
figure
of
the
Wicked
Nobleman
,
on
which
no
expense
has
been
spared
,
and
which
Old
Nick
will
fetch
away
at
the
end
of
this
singular
performance
.
And
with
this
,
and
a
profound
bow
to
his
patrons
,
the
Manager
retires
,
and
the
curtain
rises
.
LONDON
,
June
28
,
1848
I
.
Chiswick
Mall
WHILE
the
present
century
was
in
its
teens
,
and
on
one
sunshiny
morning
in
June
,
there
drove
up
to
the
great
iron
gate
of
Miss
Pinkerton’s
academy
for
young
ladies
,
on
Chiswick
Mall
,
a
large
family
coach
,
with
two
fat
horses
in
blazing
harness
,
driven
by
a
fat
coachman
in
a
three-cornered
hat
and
wig
,
at
the
rate
of
four
miles
an
hour
.
A
black
servant
,
who
reposed
on
the
box
beside
the
fat
coachman
,
uncurled
his
bandy
legs
as
soon
as
the
equipage
drew
up
opposite
Miss
Pinkerton’s
shining
brass
plate
,
and
as
he
pulled
the
bell
,
at
least
a
score
of
young
heads
were
seen
peering
out
of
the
narrow
windows
of
the
stately
old
brick
house
.
Nay
,
the
acute
observer
might
have
recognized
the
little
red
nose
of
good-natured
Miss
Jemima
Pinkerton
herself
,
rising
over
some
geranium-pots
in
the
window
of
that
lady’s
own
drawing-room
.
“
It
is
Mrs.
Sedley’s
coach
,
sister
,
”
said
Miss
Jemima
“
Sambo
,
the
black
servant
,
has
just
rung
the
bell
;
and
the
coachman
has
a
new
red
waistcoat
.
”
“
Have
you
completed
all
the
necessary
preparations
incident
to
Miss
Sedley’s
departure
,
Miss
Jemima
?
”
asked
Miss
Pinkerton
herself
,
that
majestic
lady
;
the
Semiramis
of
Hammersmith
,
the
friend
of
Doctor
Johnson
,
the
correspondent
of
Mrs.
Chapone
herself
.
“
The
girls
were
up
at
four
this
morning
,
packing
her
trunks
,
sister
,
”
replied
Miss
Jemima
;
“
we
have
made
her
a
bow-pot
.
”
“
Say
a
bouquet
,
sister
Jemima
,
’tis
more
genteel
.
”
“
Well
,
a
booky
as
big
almost
as
a
hay-stack
;
I
have
put
up
two
bottles
of
the
gillyflower-water
for
Mrs.
Sedley
,
and
the
receipt
for
making
it
,
in
Amelia’s
box
.
”
“
And
I
trust
,
Miss
Jemima
,
you
have
made
a
copy
of
Miss
Sedley’s
account
.
This
is
it
,
is
it
?
Very
good
—
ninety-three
pounds
,
four
shillings
.
Be
kind
enough
to
address
it
to
John
Sedley
,
Esquire
,
and
to
seal
this
billet
which
I
have
written
to
his
lady
.
”
In
Miss
Jemima’s
eyes
an
autograph
letter
of
her
sister
,
Miss
Pinkerton
,
was
an
object
of
as
deep
veneration
as
would
have
been
a
letter
from
a
sovereign
.
Only
when
her
pupils
quitted
the
establishment
,
or
when
they
were
about
to
be
married
,
and
once
,
when
poor
Miss
Birch
died
of
the
scarlet
fever
,
was
Miss
Pinkerton
known
to
write
personally
to
the
parents
of
her
pupils
;
and
it
was
Jemima’s
opinion
that
if
anything
could
console
Mrs.
Birch
for
her
daughter’s
loss
,
it
would
be
that
pious
and
eloquent
composition
in
which
Miss
Pinkerton
announced
the
event
.
In
the
present
instance
Miss
Pinkerton’s
“
billet
”
was
to
the
following
effect
:
—
“
MADAM
—
After
her
six
years’
residence
at
the
Mall
,
I
have
the
honour
and
happiness
of
presenting
Miss
Amelia
Sedley
to
her
parents
,
as
a
young
lady
not
unworthy
to
occupy
a
fitting
position
in
their
polished
and
refined
circle
.
Those
virtues
which
characterise
the
young
English
gentlewoman
,
those
accomplishments
which
become
her
birth
and
station
,
will
not
be
found
wanting
in
the
amiable
Miss
Sedley
,
whose
industry
and
obedience
have
endeared
her
to
her
instructors
,
and
whose
delightful
sweetness
of
temper
has
charmed
her
aged
and
her
youthful
companions
.
“
In
music
,
in
dancing
,
in
orthography
,
in
every
variety
of
embroidery
and
needle-work
,
she
will
be
found
to
have
realised
her
friends’
fondest
wishes
.
In
geography
there
is
still
much
to
be
desired
;
and
a
careful
and
undeviating
use
of
the
backboard
,
for
four
hours
daily
during
the
next
three
years
,
is
recommended
as
necessary
to
the
acquirement
of
that
dignified
deportment
and
carriage
,
so
requisite
for
every
young
lady
of
fashion
.
“
In
the
principles
of
religion
and
morality
,
Miss
Sedley
will
be
found
worthy
of
an
establishment
which
has
been
honoured
by
the
presence
of
The
Great
Lexicographer
,
and
the
patronage
of
the
admirable
Mrs.
Chapone
.
In
leaving
the
Mall
,
Miss
Amelia
carries
with
her
the
hearts
of
her
companions
,
and
the
affectionate
regards
of
her
mistress
,
who
has
the
honour
to
subscribe
herself
,
“
P.S.
—
Miss
Sharp
accompanies
Miss
Sedley
.
It
is
particularly
requested
that
Miss
Sharp’s
stay
in
Russell
Square
may
not
exceed
ten
days
.
The
family
of
distinction
with
whom
she
is
engaged
,
desire
to
avail
themselves
of
her
services
as
soon
as
possible
.
”
This
letter
completed
,
Miss
Pinkerton
proceeded
to
write
her
own
name
,
and
Miss
Sedley’s
,
in
the
fly-leaf
of
a
Johnson’s
Dictionary
—
the
interesting
work
which
she
invariably
presented
to
her
scholars
,
on
their
departure
from
the
Mall
.
On
the
cover
was
inserted
a
copy
of
“
Lines
addressed
to
a
young
lady
on
quitting
Miss
Pinkerton’s
school
,
at
the
Mall
;
by
the
late
revered
Doctor
Samuel
Johnson
.
”
In
fact
,
the
Lexicographer’s
name
was
always
on
the
lips
of
this
majestic
woman
,
and
a
visit
he
had
paid
to
her
was
the
cause
of
her
reputation
and
her
fortune
.
Being
commanded
by
her
elder
sister
to
get
“
the
Dictionary
”
from
the
cupboard
,
Miss
Jemima
had
extracted
two
copies
of
the
book
from
the
receptacle
in
question
.
When
Miss
Pinkerton
had
finished
the
inscription
in
the
first
,
Jemima
,
with
rather
a
dubious
and
timid
air
,
handed
her
the
second
.
“
For
whom
is
this
,
Miss
Jemima
?
”
said
Miss
Pinkerton
,
with
awful
coldness
.
“
For
Becky
Sharp
,
”
answered
Jemima
,
trembling
very
much
,
and
blushing
over
her
withered
face
and
neck
,
as
she
turned
her
back
on
her
sister
.
“
For
Becky
Sharp
:
she’s
going
too
.
”
“
MISS
JEMIMA
!
”
exclaimed
Miss
Pinkerton
,
in
the
largest
capitals
.
“
Are
you
in
your
senses
?
Replace
the
Dixonary
in
the
closet
,
and
never
venture
to
take
such
a
liberty
in
future
.
”
“
Well
,
sister
,
it’s
only
two-and-ninepence
,
and
poor
Becky
will
be
miserable
if
she
don’t
get
one
.
”
“
Send
Miss
Sedley
instantly
to
me
,
”
said
Miss
Pinkerton
.
And
so
venturing
not
to
say
another
word
,
poor
Jemima
trotted
off
,
exceedingly
flurried
and
nervous
.
Miss
Sedley’s
papa
was
a
merchant
in
London
,
and
a
man
of
some
wealth
;
whereas
Miss
Sharp
was
an
articled
pupil
,
for
whom
Miss
Pinkerton
had
done
,
as
she
thought
,
quite
enough
,
without
conferring
upon
her
at
parting
the
high
honour
of
the
Dixonary
.
Although
schoolmistresses’
letters
are
to
be
trusted
no
more
nor
less
than
churchyard
epitaphs
;
yet
,
as
it
sometimes
happens
that
a
person
departs
this
life
,
who
is
really
deserving
of
all
the
praises
the
stone-cutter
carves
over
his
bones
;
who
is
a
good
Christian
,
a
good
parent
,
child
,
wife
,
or
husband
;
who
actually
does
leave
a
disconsolate
family
to
mourn
his
loss
;
so
in
academies
of
the
male
and
female
sex
it
occurs
every
now
and
then
,
that
the
pupil
is
fully
worthy
of
the
praises
bestowed
by
the
disinterested
instructor
.
Now
,
Miss
Amelia
Sedley
was
a
young
lady
of
this
singular
species
;
and
deserved
not
only
all
that
Miss
Pinkerton
said
in
her
praise
,
but
had
many
charming
qualities
which
that
pompous
old
Minerva
of
a
woman
could
not
see
,
from
the
differences
of
rank
and
age
between
her
pupil
and
herself
.
For
she
could
not
only
sing
like
a
lark
,
or
a
Mrs.
Billington
,
and
dance
like
Hillisberg
or
Parisot
;
and
embroider
beautifully
;
and
spell
as
well
as
a
Dixonary
itself
;
but
she
had
such
a
kindly
,
smiling
,
tender
,
gentle
,
generous
heart
of
her
own
,
as
won
the
love
of
everybody
who
came
near
her
,
from
Minerva
herself
down
to
the
poor
girl
in
the
scullery
,
and
the
one-eyed
tart-woman’s
daughter
,
who
was
permitted
to
vend
her
wares
once
a
week
to
the
young
ladies
in
the
Mall
.
She
had
twelve
intimate
and
bosom
friends
out
of
the
twenty-four
young
ladies
.
Even
envious
Miss
Briggs
never
spoke
ill
of
her
,
high
and
mighty
Miss
Saltire
(
Lord
Dexter’s
granddaughter
)
allowed
that
her
figure
was
genteel
;
and
as
for
Miss
Swartz
,
the
rich
woolly-haired
mulatto
from
St.
Kitt’s
,
on
the
day
Amelia
went
away
,
she
was
in
such
a
passion
of
tears
,
that
they
were
obliged
to
send
for
Dr.
Floss
,
and
half
tipsify
her
with
salvolatile
.
Miss
Pinkerton’s
attachment
was
,
as
may
be
supposed
,
from
the
high
position
and
eminent
virtues
of
that
lady
,
calm
and
dignified
;
but
Miss
Jemima
had
already
whimpered
several
times
at
the
idea
of
Amelia’s
departure
;
and
,
but
for
fear
of
her
sister
,
would
have
gone
off
in
downright
hysterics
,
like
the
heiress
(
who
paid
double
)
of
St.
Kitt’s
.
Such
luxury
of
grief
,
however
,
is
only
allowed
to
parlour-boarders
.
Honest
Jemima
had
all
the
bills
,
and
the
washing
,
and
the
mending
,
and
the
puddings
,
and
the
plate
and
crockery
,
and
the
servants
to
superintend
.
But
why
speak
about
her
?
It
is
probable
that
we
shall
not
hear
of
her
again
from
this
moment
to
the
end
of
time
,
and
that
when
the
great
filigree
iron
gates
are
once
closed
on
her
,
she
and
her
awful
sister
will
never
issue
therefrom
into
this
little
world
of
history
.
But
as
we
are
to
see
a
great
deal
of
Amelia
there
is
no
harm
in
saying
,
at
the
outset
of
our
acquaintance
,
that
she
was
a
dear
little
creature
;
and
a
great
mercy
it
is
,
both
in
life
and
in
novels
,
which
(
and
the
latter
especially
)
abound
in
villains
of
the
most
sombre
sort
,
that
we
are
to
have
for
a
constant
companion
,
so
guileless
and
good-natured
a
person
.
As
she
is
not
a
heroine
,
there
is
no
need
to
describe
her
person
;
indeed
I
am
afraid
that
her
nose
was
rather
short
than
otherwise
,
and
her
cheeks
a
great
deal
too
round
and
red
for
a
heroine
;
but
her
face
blushed
with
rosy
health
,
and
her
lips
with
the
freshest
of
smiles
,
and
she
had
a
pair
of
eyes
which
sparkled
with
the
brightest
and
honestest
good-humour
,
except
indeed
when
they
filled
with
tears
,
and
that
was
a
great
deal
too
often
;
for
the
silly
thing
would
cry
over
a
dead
canary-bird
;
or
over
a
mouse
,
that
the
cat
haply
had
seized
upon
;
or
over
the
end
of
a
novel
,
were
it
ever
so
stupid
;
and
as
for
saying
an
unkind
word
to
her
,
were
any
persons
hard-hearted
enough
to
do
so
—
why
,
so
much
the
worse
for
them
.
Even
Miss
Pinkerton
,
that
austere
and
god-like
woman
,
ceased
scolding
her
after
the
first
time
,
and
though
she
no
more
comprehended
sensibility
than
she
did
Algebra
,
gave
all
masters
and
teachers
particulars
orders
to
treat
Miss
Sedley
with
the
utmost
gentleness
,
as
harsh
treatment
was
injurious
to
her
.
So
that
when
the
day
of
departure
came
,
between
her
two
customs
of
laughing
and
crying
,
Miss
Sedley
was
greatly
puzzled
how
to
act
.
She
was
glad
to
go
home
,
and
yet
most
wofully
sad
at
leaving
school
.
For
three
days
before
,
little
Laura
Martin
,
the
orphan
,
followed
her
about
,
like
a
little
dog
.
She
had
to
make
and
receive
at
least
fourteen
presents
,
—
to
make
fourteen
solemn
promises
of
writing
every
week
:
“
Send
my
letters
under
cover
to
my
grandpapa
,
the
Earl
of
Dexter
,
”
said
Miss
Saltire
(
who
,
by
the
way
,
was
rather
shabby
)
:
“
Never
mind
the
postage
,
but
write
every
day
,
you
dear
darling
,
”
said
the
impetuous
and
woolly-headed
,
but
generous
and
affectionate
Miss
Swartz
;
and
the
orphan
little
Laura
Martin
(
who
was
just
in
round-hand
)
,
took
her
friend’s
hand
and
said
,
looking
up
in
her
face
wistfully
,
“
Amelia
,
when
I
write
to
you
I
shall
call
you
Mamma
.
”
All
which
details
,
I
have
no
doubt
,
JONES
,
who
reads
this
book
at
his
Club
,
will
pronounce
to
be
excessively
foolish
,
trivial
,
twaddling
,
and
ultra-sentimental
.
Yes
;
I
can
see
Jones
at
this
minute
(
rather
flushed
with
his
joint
of
mutton
and
half
pint
of
wine
)
,
taking
out
his
pencil
and
scoring
under
the
words
“
foolish
,
twaddling
,
”
etc.
,
and
adding
to
them
his
own
remark
of
“
quite
true
.
”
Well
,
he
is
a
lofty
man
of
genius
,
and
admires
the
great
and
heroic
in
life
and
novels
;
and
so
had
better
take
warning
and
go
elsewhere
.
Well
,
then
.
The
flowers
,
and
the
presents
,
and
the
trunks
,
and
bonnet-boxes
of
Miss
Sedley
having
been
arranged
by
Mr.
Sambo
in
the
carriage
,
together
with
a
very
small
and
weather-beaten
old
cow’s-skin
trunk
with
Miss
Sharp’s
card
neatly
nailed
upon
it
,
which
was
delivered
by
Sambo
with
a
grin
,
and
packed
by
the
coachman
with
a
corresponding
sneer
—
the
hour
for
parting
came
;
and
the
grief
of
that
moment
was
considerably
lessened
by
the
admirable
discourse
which
Miss
Pinkerton
addressed
to
her
pupil
.
Not
that
the
parting
speech
caused
Amelia
to
philosophise
,
or
that
it
armed
her
in
any
way
with
a
calmness
,
the
result
of
argument
;
but
it
was
intolerably
dull
,
pompous
and
tedious
;
and
having
the
fear
of
her
schoolmistress
greatly
before
her
eyes
,
Miss
Sedley
did
not
venture
,
in
her
presence
,
to
give
way
to
any
ebullitions
of
private
grief
.
A
seed-cake
and
a
bottle
of
wine
were
produced
in
the
drawing-room
,
as
on
the
solemn
occasions
of
the
visits
of
parents
,
and
these
refreshments
being
partaken
of
,
Miss
Sedley
was
at
liberty
to
depart
.
“
You’ll
go
in
and
say
good-by
to
Miss
Pinkerton
,
Becky
!
”
said
Miss
Jemima
to
a
young
lady
of
whom
nobody
took
any
notice
and
who
was
coming
down
stairs
with
her
own
bandbox
.
“
I
suppose
I
must
,
”
said
Miss
Sharp
calmly
,
and
much
to
the
wonder
of
Miss
Jemima
;
and
the
latter
having
knocked
at
the
door
,
and
receiving
permission
to
come
in
,
Miss
Sharp
advanced
in
a
very
unconcerned
manner
,
and
said
in
French
,
and
with
a
perfect
accent
,
“
Mademoiselle
,
je
viens
vous
faire
mes
adieux
.
”
Miss
Pinkerton
did
not
understand
French
;
she
only
directed
those
who
did
:
but
biting
her
lips
and
throwing
up
her
venerable
and
Roman-nosed
head
,
(
on
the
top
of
which
figured
a
large
and
solemn
turban
,
)
she
said
,
“
Miss
Sharp
,
I
wish
you
a
good
morning
.
”
As
the
Hammersmith
Semiramis
spoke
,
she
waved
one
hand
,
both
by
the
way
of
adieu
,
and
to
give
Miss
Sharp
an
opportunity
of
shaking
one
of
the
fingers
of
the
hand
which
was
left
out
for
that
purpose
.
Miss
Sharp
only
folded
her
own
hands
with
a
very
frigid
smile
and
bow
,
and
quite
declined
to
accept
the
proffered
honour
;
on
which
Semiramis
tossed
up
her
turban
more
indignantly
than
ever
.
In
fact
,
it
was
a
little
battle
between
the
young
lady
and
the
old
one
,
and
the
latter
was
worsted
.
“
Heaven
bless
you
,
my
child
,
”
said
she
,
embracing
Amelia
,
and
scowling
the
while
over
the
girl’s
shoulder
at
Miss
Sharp
.
“
Come
away
,
Becky
,
”
said
Miss
Jemima
,
pulling
the
young
woman
away
in
great
alarm
,
and
the
drawingroom
door
closed
upon
them
for
ever
.
Then
came
the
struggle
and
parting
below
.
Words
refuse
to
tell
it
.
All
the
servants
were
there
in
the
hall
—
all
the
dear
friends
—
all
the
young
ladies
—
the
dancing-master
who
had
just
arrived
;
and
there
was
such
a
scuffling
,
and
hugging
,
and
kissing
,
and
crying
,
with
the
hysterical
yoops
of
Miss
Swartz
,
the
parlour-boarder
,
from
her
room
,
as
no
pen
can
depict
,
and
as
the
tender
heart
would
fain
pass
over
.
The
embracing
was
over
;
they
parted
—
that
is
,
Miss
Sedley
parted
from
her
friends
.
Miss
Sharp
had
demurely
entered
the
carriage
some
minutes
before
.
Nobody
cried
for
leaving
her
.
Sambo
of
the
bandy
legs
slammed
the
carriage
door
on
his
young
weeping
mistress
.
He
sprang
up
behind
the
carriage
.
“
Stop
!
”
cried
Miss
Jemima
,
rushing
to
the
gate
with
a
parcel
.
“
It’s
some
sandwiches
,
my
dear
,
”
said
she
to
Amelia
.
“
You
may
be
hungry
,
you
know
;
and
Becky
,
Becky
Sharp
,
here’s
a
book
for
you
that
my
sister
—
that
is
,
I
—
Johnson’s
Dixonary
,
you
know
;
you
mustn’t
leave
us
without
that
.
Good-by
.
Drive
on
,
coachman
.
God
bless
you
!
”
And
the
kind
creature
retreated
into
the
garden
,
overcome
with
emotion
.
But
,
lo
!
and
just
as
the
coach
drove
off
,
Miss
Sharp
put
her
pale
face
out
of
the
window
and
actually
flung
the
book
back
into
the
garden
.
This
almost
caused
Jemima
to
faint
with
terror
.
“
Well
,
I
never
,
”
—
said
she
—
“
what
an
audacious
”
—
Emotion
prevented
her
from
completing
either
sentence
.
The
carriage
rolled
away
;
the
great
gates
were
closed
;
the
bell
rang
for
the
dancing
lesson
.
The
world
is
before
the
two
young
ladies
;
and
so
,
farewell
to
Chiswick
Mall
.
II
.
In
Which
Miss
Sharp
and
Miss
Sedley
Prepare
to
Open
the
Campaign
WHEN
Miss
Sharp
had
performed
the
heroical
act
mentioned
in
the
last
chapter
,
and
had
seen
the
Dixonary
,
flying
over
the
pavement
of
the
little
garden
,
fall
at
length
at
the
feet
of
the
astonished
Miss
Jemima
,
the
young
lady’s
countenance
,
which
had
before
worn
an
almost
livid
look
of
hatred
,
assumed
a
smile
that
perhaps
was
scarcely
more
agreeable
,
and
she
sank
back
in
the
carriage
in
an
easy
frame
of
mind
,
saying
—
“
So
much
for
the
Dixonary
;
and
,
thank
God
,
I’m
out
of
Chiswick
.
”
Miss
Sedley
was
almost
as
flurried
at
the
act
of
defiance
as
Miss
Jemima
had
been
;
for
,
consider
,
it
was
but
one
minute
that
she
had
left
school
,
and
the
impressions
of
six
years
are
not
got
over
in
that
space
of
time
.
Nay
,
with
some
persons
those
awes
and
terrors
of
youth
last
for
ever
and
ever
.
I
know
,
for
instance
,
an
old
gentleman
of
sixty-eight
,
who
said
to
me
one
morning
at
breakfast
,
with
a
very
agitated
countenance
,
“
I
dreamed
last
night
that
I
was
flogged
by
Dr.
Raine
.
”
Fancy
had
carried
him
back
five-and-fifty
years
in
the
course
of
that
evening
.
Dr.
Raine
and
his
rod
were
just
as
awful
to
him
in
his
heart
,
then
,
at
sixty-eight
,
as
they
had
been
at
thirteen
.
If
the
Doctor
,
with
a
large
birch
,
had
appeared
bodily
to
him
,
even
at
the
age
of
threescore
and
eight
,
and
had
said
in
awful
voice
,
“
boy
,
take
down
your
pant
...
?
”
Well
,
well
,
Miss
Sedley
was
exceedingly
alarmed
at
this
act
of
insubordination
.
“
How
could
you
do
so
,
Rebecca
?
”
at
last
she
said
,
after
a
pause
.
“
Why
,
do
you
think
Miss
Pinkerton
will
come
out
and
order
me
back
to
the
black-hole
?
”
said
Rebecca
,
laughing
.
“
No
:
but
—
—
”
“
I
hate
the
whole
house
,
”
continued
Miss
Sharp
in
a
fury
.
“
I
hope
I
may
never
set
eyes
on
it
again
.
I
wish
it
were
in
the
bottom
of
the
Thames
,
I
do
;
and
if
Miss
Pinkerton
were
there
,
I
wouldn’t
pick
her
out
,
that
I
wouldn’t
.
O
how
I
should
like
to
see
her
floating
in
the
water
yonder
,
turban
and
all
,
with
her
train
streaming
after
her
,
and
her
nose
like
the
beak
of
a
wherry
.
”
“
Hush
!
”
cried
Miss
Sedley
.
“
Why
,
will
the
black
footman
tell
tales
?
”
cried
Miss
Rebecca
,
laughing
.
“
He
may
go
back
and
tell
Miss
Pinkerton
that
I
hate
her
with
all
my
soul
;
and
I
wish
he
would
;
and
I
wish
I
had
a
means
of
proving
it
,
too
.
For
two
years
I
have
only
had
insults
and
outrage
from
her
.
I
have
been
treated
worse
than
any
servant
in
the
kitchen
.
I
have
never
had
a
friend
or
a
kind
word
,
except
from
you
.
I
have
been
made
to
tend
the
little
girls
in
the
lower
schoolroom
,
and
to
talk
French
to
the
Misses
,
until
I
grew
sick
of
my
mother-tongue
.
But
that
talking
French
to
Miss
Pinkerton
was
capital
fun
,
wasn’t
it
?
She
doesn’t
know
a
word
of
French
,
and
was
too
proud
to
confess
it
.
I
believe
it
was
that
which
made
her
part
with
me
;
and
so
thank
Heaven
for
French
.
Vive
la
France
!
Vive
l’Empereur
!
Vive
Bonaparte
!
”
“
O
Rebecca
,
Rebecca
,
for
shame
!
”
cried
Miss
Sedley
;
for
this
was
the
greatest
blasphemy
Rebecca
had
as
yet
uttered
;
and
in
those
days
,
in
England
,
to
say
,
“
Long
live
Bonaparte
!
”
was
as
much
as
to
say
,
“
Long
live
Lucifer
!
”
“
How
can
you
—
how
dare
you
have
such
wicked
,
revengeful
thoughts
?
”
“
Revenge
may
be
wicked
,
but
it’s
natural
,
”
answered
Miss
Rebecca
.
“
I’m
no
angel
.
”
And
,
to
say
the
truth
,
she
certainly
was
not
.
For
it
may
be
remarked
in
the
course
of
this
little
conversation
(
which
took
place
as
the
coach
rolled
along
lazily
by
the
river
side
)
that
though
Miss
Rebecca
Sharp
has
twice
had
occasion
to
thank
Heaven
,
it
has
been
,
in
the
first
place
,
for
ridding
her
of
some
person
whom
she
hated
,
and
secondly
,
for
enabling
her
to
bring
her
enemies
to
some
sort
of
perplexity
or
confusion
;
neither
of
which
are
very
amiable
motives
for
religious
gratitude
,
or
such
as
would
be
put
forward
by
persons
of
kind
and
placable
disposition
.
Miss
Rebecca
was
not
,
then
,
in
the
least
kind
or
placable
.
All
the
world
used
her
ill
,
said
this
young
misanthropist
,
and
we
may
be
pretty
certain
that
persons
whom
all
the
world
treats
ill
deserve
entirely
the
treatment
they
get
.
The
world
is
a
looking-glass
,
and
gives
back
to
every
man
the
reflection
of
his
own
face
.
Frown
at
it
,
and
it
will
in
turn
look
sourly
upon
you
;
laugh
at
it
and
with
it
,
and
it
is
a
jolly
kind
companion
;
and
so
let
all
young
persons
take
their
choice
.
This
is
certain
,
that
if
the
world
neglected
Miss
Sharp
,
she
never
was
known
to
have
done
a
good
action
in
behalf
of
anybody
;
nor
can
it
be
expected
that
twenty-four
young
ladies
should
all
be
as
amiable
as
the
heroine
of
this
work
,
Miss
Sedley
(
whom
we
have
selected
for
the
very
reason
that
she
was
the
best-natured
of
all
,
otherwise
what
on
earth
was
to
have
prevented
us
from
putting
up
Miss
Swartz
,
or
Miss
Crump
,
or
Miss
Hopkins
,
as
heroine
in
her
place
?
)
—
it
could
not
be
expected
that
every
one
should
be
of
the
humble
and
gentle
temper
of
Miss
Amelia
Sedley
;
should
take
every
opportunity
to
vanquish
Rebecca’s
hard-heartedness
and
ill-humor
;
and
,
by
a
thousand
kind
words
and
offices
,
overcome
,
for
once
at
least
,
her
hostility
to
her
kind
.
Miss
Sharp’s
father
was
an
artist
,
and
in
that
quality
had
given
lessons
of
drawing
at
Miss
Pinkerton’s
school
.
He
was
a
clever
man
;
a
pleasant
companion
;
a
careless
student
;
with
a
great
propensity
for
running
into
debt
,
and
a
partiality
for
the
tavern
.
When
he
was
drunk
,
he
used
to
beat
his
wife
and
daughter
;
and
the
next
morning
,
with
a
headache
,
he
would
rail
at
the
world
for
its
neglect
of
his
genius
,
and
abuse
,
with
a
good
deal
of
cleverness
,
and
sometimes
with
perfect
reason
,
the
fools
,
his
brother
painters
.
As
it
was
with
the
utmost
difficulty
that
he
could
keep
himself
,
and
as
he
owed
money
for
a
mile
round
Soho
,
where
he
lived
,
he
thought
to
better
his
circumstances
by
marrying
a
young
woman
of
the
French
nation
,
who
was
by
profession
an
opera-girl
.
The
humble
calling
of
her
female
parent
,
Miss
Sharp
never
alluded
to
,
but
used
to
state
subsequently
that
the
Entrechats
were
a
noble
family
of
Gascony
,
and
took
great
pride
in
her
descent
from
them
.
And
curious
it
is
,
that
as
she
advanced
in
life
this
young
lady’s
ancestors
increased
in
rank
and
splendour
.
Rebecca’s
mother
had
had
some
education
somewhere
,
and
the
daughter
spoke
French
with
purity
and
a
Parisian
accent
.
It
was
in
those
days
rather
a
rare
accomplishment
,
and
led
to
her
engagement
with
the
orthodox
Miss
Pinkerton
.
For
her
mother
being
dead
,
her
father
,
finding
himself
not
likely
to
recover
,
after
his
third
attack
of
delirium
tremens
,
wrote
a
manly
and
pathetic
letter
to
Miss
Pinkerton
,
recommending
the
orphan
child
to
her
protection
,
and
so
descended
to
the
grave
,
after
two
bailiffs
had
quarrelled
over
his
corpse
.
Rebecca
was
seventeen
when
she
came
to
Chiswick
,
and
was
bound
over
as
an
articled
pupil
;
her
duties
being
to
talk
French
,
as
we
have
seen
;
and
her
privileges
to
live
cost
free
,
and
,
with
a
few
guineas
a
year
,
to
gather
scraps
of
knowledge
from
the
professors
who
attended
the
school
.
She
was
small
and
slight
in
person
;
pale
,
sandy-haired
,
and
with
eyes
habitually
cast
down
:
when
they
looked
up
they
were
very
large
,
odd
,
and
attractive
;
so
attractive
,
that
the
Reverend
Mr.
Crisp
,
fresh
from
Oxford
,
and
curate
to
the
Vicar
of
Chiswick
,
the
Reverend
Mr.
Flowerdew
,
fell
in
love
with
Miss
Sharp
;
being
shot
dead
by
a
glance
of
her
eyes
which
was
fired
all
the
way
across
Chiswick
Church
from
the
school-pew
to
the
reading-desk
.
This
infatuated
young
man
used
sometimes
to
take
tea
with
Miss
Pinkerton
,
to
whom
he
had
been
presented
by
his
mamma
,
and
actually
proposed
something
like
marriage
in
an
intercepted
note
,
which
the
one-eyed
apple-woman
was
charged
to
deliver
.
Mrs.
Crisp
was
summoned
from
Buxton
,
and
abruptly
carried
off
her
darling
boy
;
but
the
idea
,
even
,
of
such
an
eagle
in
the
Chiswick
dovecot
caused
a
great
flutter
in
the
breast
of
Miss
Pinkerton
,
who
would
have
sent
away
Miss
Sharp
,
but
that
she
was
bound
to
her
under
a
forfeit
,
and
who
never
could
thoroughly
believe
the
young
lady’s
protestations
that
she
had
never
exchanged
a
single
word
with
Mr.
Crisp
,
except
under
her
own
eyes
on
the
two
occasions
when
she
had
met
him
at
tea
.
By
the
side
of
many
tall
and
bouncing
young
ladies
in
the
establishment
,
Rebecca
Sharp
looked
like
a
child
.
But
she
had
the
dismal
precocity
of
poverty
.
Many
a
dun
had
she
talked
to
,
and
turned
away
from
her
father’s
door
;
many
a
tradesman
had
she
coaxed
and
wheedled
into
goodhumour
,
and
into
the
granting
of
one
meal
more
.
She
sate
commonly
with
her
father
,
who
was
very
proud
of
her
wit
,
and
heard
the
talk
of
many
of
his
wild
companions
—
often
but
ill-suited
for
a
girl
to
hear
.
But
she
never
had
been
a
girl
,
she
said
;
she
had
been
a
woman
since
she
was
eight
years
old
.
O
why
did
Miss
Pinkerton
let
such
a
dangerous
bird
into
her
cage
?
The
fact
is
,
the
old
lady
believed
Rebecca
to
be
the
meekest
creature
in
the
world
,
so
admirably
,
on
the
occasions
when
her
father
brought
her
to
Chiswick
,
used
Rebecca
to
perform
the
part
of
the
ingenue
;
and
only
a
year
before
the
arrangement
by
which
Rebecca
had
been
admitted
into
her
house
,
and
when
Rebecca
was
sixteen
years
old
,
Miss
Pinkerton
majestically
,
and
with
a
little
speech
,
made
her
a
present
of
a
doll
—
which
was
,
by
the
way
,
the
confiscated
property
of
Miss
Swindle
,
discovered
surreptitiously
nursing
it
in
school-hours
.
How
the
father
and
daughter
laughed
as
they
trudged
home
together
after
the
evening
party
,
(
it
was
on
the
occasion
of
the
speeches
,
when
all
the
professors
were
invited
,
)
and
how
Miss
Pinkerton
would
have
raged
had
she
seen
the
caricature
of
herself
which
the
little
mimic
,
Rebecca
,
managed
to
make
out
of
her
doll
.
Becky
used
to
go
through
dialogues
with
it
;
it
formed
the
delight
of
Newman
Street
,
Gerrard
Street
,
and
the
Artists’
quarter
:
and
the
young
painters
,
when
they
came
to
take
their
gin-and-water
with
their
lazy
,
dissolute
,
clever
,
jovial
senior
,
used
regularly
to
ask
Rebecca
if
Miss
Pinkerton
was
at
home
:
she
was
as
well
known
to
them
,
poor
soul
!
as
Mr.
Lawrence
or
President
West
.
Once
Rebecca
had
the
honour
to
pass
a
few
days
at
Chiswick
;
after
which
she
brought
back
Jemima
,
and
erected
another
doll
as
Miss
Jemmy
:
for
though
that
honest
creature
had
made
and
given
her
jelly
and
cake
enough
for
three
children
,
and
a
seven-shilling
piece
at
parting
,
the
girl’s
sense
of
ridicule
was
far
stronger
than
her
gratitude
,
and
she
sacrificed
Miss
Jemmy
quite
as
pitilessly
as
her
sister
.
The
catastrophe
came
,
and
she
was
brought
to
the
Mall
as
to
her
home
.
The
rigid
formality
of
the
place
suffocated
her
:
the
prayers
and
the
meals
,
the
lessons
and
the
walks
,
which
were
arranged
with
a
conventual
regularity
,
oppressed
her
almost
beyond
endurance
;
and
she
looked
back
to
the
freedom
and
the
beggary
of
the
old
studio
in
Soho
with
so
much
regret
,
that
everybody
,
herself
included
,
fancied
she
was
consumed
with
grief
for
her
father
.
She
had
a
little
room
in
the
garret
,
where
the
maids
heard
her
walking
and
sobbing
at
night
;
but
it
was
with
rage
,
and
not
with
grief
.
She
had
not
been
much
of
a
dissembler
,
until
now
her
loneliness
taught
her
to
feign
.
She
had
never
mingled
in
the
society
of
women
:
her
father
,
reprobate
as
he
was
,
was
a
man
of
talent
;
his
conversation
was
a
thousand
times
more
agreeable
to
her
than
the
talk
of
such
of
her
own
sex
as
she
now
encountered
.
The
pompous
vanity
of
the
old
schoolmistress
,
the
foolish
good-humour
of
her
sister
,
the
silly
chat
and
scandal
of
the
elder
girls
,
and
the
frigid
correctness
of
the
governesses
equally
annoyed
her
;
and
she
had
no
soft
maternal
heart
,
this
unlucky
girl
,
otherwise
the
prattle
and
talk
of
the
younger
children
,
with
whose
care
she
was
chiefly
intrusted
,
might
have
soothed
and
interested
her
;
but
she
lived
among
them
two
years
,
and
not
one
was
sorry
that
she
went
away
.
The
gentle
tender-hearted
Amelia
Sedley
was
the
only
person
to
whom
she
could
attach
herself
in
the
least
;
and
who
could
help
attaching
herself
to
Amelia
?
The
happiness
—
the
superior
advantages
of
the
young
women
round
about
her
,
gave
Rebecca
inexpressible
pangs
of
envy
.
“
What
airs
that
girl
gives
herself
,
because
she
is
an
Earl’s
grand-daughter
,
”
she
said
of
one
.
“
How
they
cringe
and
bow
to
that
Creole
,
because
of
her
hundred
thousand
pounds
!
I
am
a
thousand
times
cleverer
and
more
charming
than
that
creature
,
for
all
her
wealth
.
I
am
as
well
bred
as
the
Earl’s
grand-daughter
,
for
all
her
fine
pedigree
;
and
yet
every
one
passes
me
by
here
.
And
yet
,
when
I
was
at
my
father’s
,
did
not
the
men
give
up
their
gayest
balls
and
parties
in
order
to
pass
the
evening
with
me
?
”
She
determined
at
any
rate
to
get
free
from
the
prison
in
which
she
found
herself
,
and
now
began
to
act
for
herself
,
and
for
the
first
time
to
make
connected
plans
for
the
future
.
She
took
advantage
,
therefore
,
of
the
means
of
study
the
place
offered
her
;
and
as
she
was
already
a
musician
and
a
good
linguist
,
she
speedily
went
through
the
little
course
of
study
which
was
considered
necessary
for
ladies
in
those
days
.
Her
music
she
practised
incessantly
,
and
one
day
,
when
the
girls
were
out
,
and
she
had
remained
at
home
,
she
was
overheard
to
play
a
piece
so
well
,
that
Minerva
thought
wisely
,
she
could
spare
herself
the
expense
of
a
master
for
the
juniors
,
and
intimated
to
Miss
Sharp
that
she
was
to
instruct
them
in
music
for
the
future
.
The
girl
refused
;
and
for
the
first
time
,
and
to
the
astonishment
of
the
majestic
mistress
of
the
school
.
“
I
am
here
to
speak
French
with
the
children
,
”
Rebecca
said
abruptly
,
“
not
to
teach
them
music
,
and
save
money
for
you
.
Give
me
money
,
and
I
will
teach
them
.
”
Minerva
was
obliged
to
yield
,
and
,
of
course
,
disliked
her
from
that
day
.
“
For
five-and-thirty
years
,
”
she
said
,
and
with
great
justice
,
“
I
never
have
seen
the
individual
who
has
dared
in
my
own
house
to
question
my
authority
.
I
have
nourished
a
viper
in
my
bosom
.
”
“
A
viper
—
a
fiddlestick
,
”
said
Miss
Sharp
to
the
old
lady
,
almost
fainting
with
astonishment
.
“
You
took
me
because
I
was
useful
.
There
is
no
question
of
gratitude
between
us
.
I
hate
this
place
,
and
want
to
leave
it
.
I
will
do
nothing
here
but
what
I
am
obliged
to
do
.
”
It
was
in
vain
that
the
old
lady
asked
her
if
she
was
aware
she
was
speaking
to
Miss
Pinkerton
?
Rebecca
laughed
in
her
face
,
with
a
horrid
sarcastic
demoniacal
laughter
,
that
almost
sent
the
schoolmistress
into
fits
.
“
Give
me
a
sum
of
money
,
”
said
the
girl
,
“
and
get
rid
of
me
—
or
,
if
you
like
better
,
get
me
a
good
place
as
governess
in
a
noblesman’s
family
—
you
can
do
so
if
you
please
.
”
And
in
their
further
disputes
she
always
returned
to
this
point
,
“
Get
me
a
situation
—
we
hate
each
other
,
and
I
am
ready
to
go
.
”
Worthy
Miss
Pinkerton
,
although
she
had
a
Roman
nose
and
a
turban
,
and
was
as
tall
as
a
grenadier
,
and
had
been
up
to
this
time
an
irresistible
princess
,
had
no
will
or
strength
like
that
of
her
little
apprentice
,
and
in
vain
did
battle
against
her
,
and
tried
to
overawe
her
.
Attempting
once
to
scold
her
in
public
,
Rebecca
hit
upon
the
beforementioned
plan
of
answering
her
in
French
,
which
quite
routed
the
old
woman
.
In
order
to
maintain
authority
in
her
school
,
it
became
necessary
to
remove
this
rebel
,
this
monster
,
this
serpent
,
this
firebrand
;
and
hearing
about
this
time
that
Sir
Pitt
Crawley’s
family
was
in
want
of
a
governess
,
she
actually
recommended
Miss
Sharp
for
the
situation
,
firebrand
and
servant
as
she
was
.
“
I
cannot
,
certainly
,
”
she
said
,
“
find
fault
with
Miss
Sharp’s
conduct
,
except
to
myself
;
and
must
allow
that
her
talents
and
accomplishments
are
of
a
high
order
.
As
far
as
the
head
goes
,
at
least
,
she
does
credit
to
the
educational
system
pursued
at
my
establishment
.
”
And
so
the
schoolmistress
reconciled
the
recommendation
to
her
conscience
,
and
the
indentures
were
cancelled
,
and
the
apprentice
was
free
.
The
battle
here
described
in
a
few
lines
,
of
course
,
lasted
for
some
months
.
And
as
Miss
Sedley
,
being
now
in
her
seventeenth
year
,
was
about
to
leave
school
,
and
had
a
friendship
for
Miss
Sharp
,
(
“
’tis
the
only
point
in
Amelia’s
behaviour
,
”
said
Minerva
,
“
which
has
not
been
satisfactory
to
her
mistress
,
”
)
Miss
Sharp
was
invited
by
her
friend
to
pass
a
week
with
her
at
home
,
before
she
entered
upon
her
duties
as
governess
in
a
private
family
.
Thus
the
world
began
for
these
two
young
ladies
.
For
Amelia
it
was
quite
a
new
,
fresh
,
brilliant
world
,
with
all
the
bloom
upon
it
.
It
was
not
quite
a
new
one
for
Rebecca
—
(
indeed
,
if
the
truth
must
be
told
with
respect
to
the
Crisp
affair
,
the
tart-woman
hinted
to
somebody
,
who
took
an
affidavit
of
the
fact
to
somebody
else
.
that
there
was
a
great
deal
more
than
was
made
public
regarding
Mr.
Crisp
and
Miss
Sharp
,
and
that
his
letter
was
in
answer
to
another
letter
)
.
But
who
can
tell
you
the
real
truth
of
the
matter
?
At
all
events
,
if
Rebecca
was
not
beginning
the
world
,
she
was
beginning
it
over
again
.
By
the
time
the
young
ladies
reached
Kensington
turnpike
,
Amelia
had
not
forgotten
her
companions
,
but
had
dried
her
tears
,
and
had
blushed
very
much
and
been
delighted
at
a
young
officer
of
the
Life
Guards
,
who
spied
her
as
he
was
riding
by
and
said
,
“
A
dem
fine
gal
,
egad
!
”
and
before
the
carriage
arrived
in
Russell
Square
,
a
great
deal
of
conversation
had
taken
place
about
the
Drawing-room
,
and
whether
or
not
young
ladies
wore
powder
as
well
as
hoops
when
presented
,
and
whether
she
was
to
have
that
honour
:
to
the
Lord
Mayor’s
ball
she
knew
she
was
to
go
.
And
when
at
length
home
was
reached
,
Miss
Amelia
Sedley
skipped
out
on
Sambo’s
arm
,
as
happy
and
as
handsome
a
girl
as
any
in
the
whole
big
city
of
London
.
Both
he
and
coachman
agreed
on
this
point
,
and
so
did
her
father
and
mother
,
and
so
did
every
one
of
the
servants
in
the
house
,
as
they
stood
bobbing
and
curtseying
,
and
smiling
,
in
the
hall
to
welcome
their
young
mistress
.
You
may
be
sure
that
she
showed
Rebecca
over
every
room
of
the
house
,
and
everything
in
every
one
of
her
drawers
;
and
her
books
,
and
her
piano
,
and
her
dresses
,
and
all
her
necklaces
,
brooches
,
laces
,
and
gimcracks
.
She
insisted
upon
Rebecca
accepting
the
white
cornelian
and
the
turquoise
rings
,
and
a
sweet
sprigged
muslin
,
which
was
too
small
for
her
,
though
it
would
fit
her
friend
to
a
nicety
;
and
she
determined
in
her
heart
to
ask
her
mother’s
permission
to
present
her
white
Cashmere
shawl
to
her
friend
.
Could
she
not
spare
it
?
and
had
not
her
brother
Joseph
just
brought
her
two
from
India
?
When
Rebecca
saw
the
two
magnificent
Cashmere
shawls
which
Joseph
Sedley
had
brought
home
to
his
sister
,
she
said
,
with
perfect
truth
,
“
that
it
must
be
delightful
to
have
a
brother
,
”
and
easily
got
the
pity
of
the
tender-hearted
Amelia
,
for
being
alone
in
the
world
,
an
orphan
without
friends
or
kindred
.
“
Not
alone
,
”
said
Amelia
;
“
you
know
,
Rebecca
,
I
shall
always
be
your
friend
,
and
love
you
as
a
sister
—
indeed
I
will
.
”
“
Ah
,
but
to
have
parents
,
as
you
have
—
kind
,
rich
,
affectionate
parents
,
who
give
you
everything
you
ask
for
;
and
their
love
,
which
is
more
precious
than
all
!
My
poor
papa
could
give
me
nothing
,
and
I
had
but
two
frocks
in
all
the
world
!
And
then
,
to
have
a
brother
,
a
dear
brother
!
Oh
,
how
you
must
love
him
!
”
Amelia
laughed
.
“
What
!
don’t
you
love
him
?
you
,
who
say
you
love
everybody
?
”
“
Yes
,
of
course
,
I
do
—
only
—
”
“
Only
what
?
”
“
Only
Joseph
doesn’t
seem
to
care
much
whether
I
love
him
or
not
.
He
gave
me
two
fingers
to
shake
when
he
arrived
after
ten
years’
absence
!
He
is
very
kind
and
good
,
but
he
scarcely
ever
speaks
to
me
;
I
think
he
loves
his
pipe
a
great
deal
better
than
his
”
...
but
here
Amelia
checked
herself
,
for
why
should
she
speak
ill
of
her
brother
?
“
He
was
very
kind
to
me
as
a
child
,
”
she
added
;
“
I
was
but
five
years
old
when
he
went
away
.
”
“
Isn’t
he
very
rich
?
”
said
Rebecca
.
“
They
say
all
Indian
nabobs
are
enormously
rich
.
”
“
I
believe
he
has
a
very
large
income
.
”
“
And
is
your
sister-in-law
a
nice
pretty
woman
?
”
“
La
!
Joseph
is
not
married
,
”
said
Amelia
,
laughing
again
.
Perhaps
she
had
mentioned
the
fact
already
to
Rebecca
,
but
that
young
lady
did
not
appear
to
have
remembered
it
;
indeed
,
vowed
and
protested
that
she
expected
to
see
a
number
of
Amelia’s
nephews
and
nieces
.
She
was
quite
disappointed
that
Mr.
Sedley
was
not
married
;
she
was
sure
Amelia
had
said
he
was
,
and
she
doted
so
on
little
children
.
“
I
think
you
must
have
had
enough
of
them
at
Chiswick
,
”
said
Amelia
,
rather
wondering
at
the
sudden
tenderness
on
her
friend’s
part
;
and
indeed
in
later
days
Miss
Sharp
would
never
have
committed
herself
so
far
as
to
advance
opinions
,
the
untruth
of
which
would
have
been
so
easily
detected
.
But
we
must
remember
that
she
is
but
nineteen
as
yet
,
unused
to
the
art
of
deceiving
,
poor
innocent
creature
!
and
making
her
own
experience
in
her
own
person
.
The
meaning
of
the
above
series
of
queries
,
as
translated
in
the
heart
of
this
ingenious
young
woman
,
was
simply
this
:
—
“
If
Mr.
Joseph
Sedley
is
rich
and
unmarried
,
why
should
I
not
marry
him
?
I
have
only
a
fortnight
,
to
be
sure
,
but
there
is
no
harm
in
trying
.
”
And
she
determined
within
herself
to
make
this
laudable
attempt
.
She
redoubled
her
caresses
to
Amelia
;
she
kissed
the
white
cornelian
necklace
as
she
put
it
on
;
and
vowed
she
would
never
,
never
part
with
it
.
When
the
dinner-bell
rang
she
went
down
stairs
with
her
arm
round
her
friend’s
waist
,
as
is
the
habit
of
young
ladies
.
She
was
so
agitated
at
the
drawing-room
door
,
that
she
could
hardly
find
courage
to
enter
.
“
Feel
my
heart
,
how
it
beats
,
dear
!
”
said
she
to
her
friend
.
“
No
,
it
doesn’t
,
”
said
Amelia
.
“
Come
in
,
don’t
be
frightened
.
Papa
won’t
do
you
any
harm
.
”
III
.
Rebecca
Is
in
Presence
of
the
Enemy
A
VERY
stout
,
puffy
man
,
in
buckskins
and
Hessian
boots
,
with
several
immense
neckcloths
,
that
rose
almost
to
his
nose
,
with
a
red
striped
waistcoat
and
an
apple
green
coat
with
steel
buttons
almost
as
large
as
crown
pieces
,
(
it
was
the
morning
costume
of
a
dandy
or
blood
of
those
days
)
was
reading
the
paper
by
the
fire
when
the
two
girls
entered
,
and
bounced
off
his
arm-chair
,
and
blushed
excessively
,
and
hid
his
entire
face
almost
in
his
neckcloths
at
this
apparition
.
“
It’s
only
your
sister
,
Joseph
,
”
said
Amelia
,
laughing
and
shaking
the
two
fingers
which
he
held
out
.
“
I’ve
come
home
for
good
,
you
know
;
and
this
is
my
friend
,
Miss
Sharp
,
whom
you
have
heard
me
mention
.
”
“
No
,
never
,
upon
my
word
,
”
said
the
head
under
the
neckcloth
,
shaking
very
much
,
—
“
that
is
,
yes
,
—
what
abominably
cold
weather
,
Miss
;
”
—
and
herewith
he
fell
to
poking
the
fire
with
all
his
might
,
although
it
was
in
the
middle
of
June
.
“
He’s
very
handsome
,
”
whispered
Rebecca
to
Amelia
,
rather
loud
.
“
Do
you
think
so
?
”
said
the
latter
.
“
I’ll
tell
him
.
”
“
Darling
!
not
for
worlds
,
”
said
Miss
Sharp
,
starting
back
as
timid
as
a
fawn
.
She
had
previously
made
a
respectful
virgin-like
curtsey
to
the
gentleman
,
and
her
modest
eyes
gazed
so
perseveringly
on
the
carpet
that
it
was
a
wonder
how
she
should
have
found
an
opportunity
to
see
him
.
“
Thank
you
for
the
beautiful
shawls
,
brother
,
”
said
Amelia
to
the
fire
poker
.
“
Are
they
not
beautiful
,
Rebecca
?
”
“
O
heavenly
!
”
said
Miss
Sharp
,
and
her
eyes
went
from
the
carpet
straight
to
the
chandelier
.
Joseph
still
continued
a
huge
clattering
at
the
poker
and
tongs
,
puffing
and
blowing
the
while
,
and
turning
as
red
as
his
yellow
face
would
allow
him
.
“
I
can’t
make
you
such
handsome
presents
,
Joseph
,
”
continued
his
sister
,
“
but
while
I
was
at
school
,
I
have
embroidered
for
you
a
very
beautiful
pair
of
braces
.
”
“
Good
Gad
!
Amelia
,
”
cried
the
brother
,
in
serious
alarm
,
“
what
do
you
mean
?
”
and
plunging
with
all
his
might
at
the
bell-rope
,
that
article
of
furniture
came
away
in
his
hand
,
and
increased
the
honest
fellow’s
confusion
.
“
For
heaven’s
sake
see
if
my
buggy’s
at
the
door
.
I
can’t
wait
.
I
must
go
.
D
—
that
groom
of
mine
.
I
must
go
.
”
At
this
minute
the
father
of
the
family
walked
in
,
rattling
his
seals
like
a
true
British
merchant
.
“
What’s
the
matter
,
Emmy
?
”
says
he
.
“
Joseph
wants
me
to
see
if
his
—
his
buggy
is
at
the
door
.
What
is
a
buggy
,
papa
?
”
“
It
is
a
one-horse
palanquin
,
”
said
the
old
gentleman
,
who
was
a
wag
in
his
way
.
Joseph
at
this
burst
out
into
a
wild
fit
of
laughter
;
in
which
,
encountering
the
eye
of
Miss
Sharp
,
he
stopped
all
of
a
sudden
,
as
if
he
had
been
shot
.
“
This
young
lady
is
your
friend
?
Miss
Sharp
,
I
am
very
happy
to
see
you
.
Have
you
and
Emmy
been
quarrelling
already
with
Joseph
,
that
he
wants
to
be
off
?
”
“
I
promised
Bonamy
of
our
service
,
sir
,
”
said
Joseph
,
“
to
dine
with
him
.
”
“
O
fie
!
didn’t
you
tell
your
mother
you
would
dine
here
?
”
“
But
in
this
dress
it’s
impossible
.
”
“
Look
at
him
,
isn’t
he
handsome
enough
to
dine
anywhere
,
Miss
Sharp
?
”
On
which
,
of
course
,
Miss
Sharp
looked
at
her
friend
,
and
they
both
set
off
in
a
fit
of
laughter
,
highly
agreeable
to
the
old
gentleman
.
“
Did
you
ever
see
a
pair
of
buckskins
like
those
at
Miss
Pinkerton’s
?
”
continued
he
,
following
up
his
advantage
.
“
Gracious
heavens
!
Father
,
”
cried
Joseph
.
“
There
now
,
I
have
hurt
his
feelings
.
Mrs.
Sedley
,
my
dear
,
I
have
hurt
your
son’s
feelings
.
I
have
alluded
to
his
buckskins
.
Ask
Miss
Sharp
if
I
haven’t
?
Come
,
Joseph
,
be
friends
with
Miss
sharp
and
let
us
all
go
to
dinner
.
”
“
There’s
a
pillau
,
Joseph
,
just
as
you
like
it
,
and
Papa
has
brought
home
the
best
turbot
in
Billingsgate
.
”
“
Come
,
come
,
sir
,
walk
down
stairs
with
Miss
Sharp
,
and
I
will
follow
with
these
two
young
women
,
”
said
the
father
,
and
he
took
an
arm
of
wife
and
daughter
and
walked
merrily
off
.
If
Miss
Rebecca
Sharp
had
determined
in
her
heart
upon
making
the
conquest
of
this
big
beau
,
I
don’t
think
,
ladies
,
we
have
any
right
to
blame
her
;
for
though
the
task
of
husband-hunting
is
generally
,
and
with
becoming
modesty
,
entrusted
by
young
persons
to
their
mammas
,
recollect
that
Miss
Sharp
had
no
kind
parent
to
arrange
these
delicate
matters
for
her
,
and
that
if
she
did
not
get
a
husband
for
herself
,
there
was
no
one
else
in
the
wide
world
who
would
take
the
trouble
off
her
hands
.
What
causes
young
people
to
“
come
out
,
”
but
the
noble
ambition
of
matrimony
?
What
sends
them
trooping
to
watering-places
?
What
keeps
them
dancing
till
five
o’clock
in
the
morning
through
a
whole
mortal
season
?
What
causes
them
to
labour
at
piano-forte
sonatas
,
and
to
learn
four
songs
from
a
fashionable
master
at
a
guinea
a
lesson
,
and
to
play
the
harp
if
they
have
handsome
arms
and
neat
elbows
,
and
to
wear
Lincoln
Green
toxophilite
hats
and
feathers
,
but
that
they
may
bring
down
some
“
desirable
”
young
man
with
those
killing
bows
and
arrows
of
theirs
?
What
causes
respectable
parents
to
take
up
their
carpets
,
set
their
houses
topsy-turvy
,
and
spend
a
fifth
of
their
year’s
income
in
ball
suppers
and
iced
champagne
?
Is
it
sheer
love
of
their
species
,
an
unadulterated
wish
to
see
young
people
happy
and
dancing
?
Psha
!
they
want
to
marry
their
daughters
;
and
,
as
honest
Mrs.
Sedley
has
,
in
the
depths
of
her
kind
heart
,
already
arranged
a
score
of
little
schemes
for
the
settlement
of
her
Amelia
,
so
also
had
our
beloved
but
unprotected
Rebecca
determined
to
do
her
very
best
to
secure
the
husband
,
who
was
even
more
necessary
for
her
than
for
her
friend
.
She
had
a
vivid
imagination
;
she
had
,
besides
,
read
the
Arabian
Nights
and
Guthrie’s
Geography
;
and
it
is
a
fact
,
that
while
she
was
dressing
for
dinner
,
and
after
she
had
asked
Amelia
whether
her
brother
was
very
rich
,
she
had
built
for
herself
a
most
magnificent
castle
in
the
air
,
of
which
she
was
mistress
,
with
a
husband
somewhere
in
the
background
(
she
had
not
seen
him
as
yet
,
and
his
figure
would
not
therefore
be
very
distinct
)
;
she
had
arrayed
herself
in
an
infinity
of
shawls
,
turbans
,
and
diamond
necklaces
,
and
had
mounted
upon
an
elephant
to
the
sound
of
the
march
in
Bluebeard
,
in
order
to
pay
a
visit
of
ceremony
to
the
Grand
Mogul
.
Charming
Alnaschar
visions
!
it
is
the
happy
privilege
of
youth
to
construct
you
,
and
many
a
fanciful
young
creature
besides
Rebecca
Sharp
has
indulged
in
these
delightful
day-dreams
ere
now
!
Joseph
Sedley
was
twelve
years
older
than
his
sister
Amelia
.
He
was
in
the
East
India
Company’s
Civil
Service
,
and
his
name
appeared
,
at
the
period
of
which
we
write
,
in
the
Bengal
division
of
the
East
India
Register
,
as
collector
of
Boggley
Wollah
,
an
honourable
and
lucrative
post
,
as
everybody
knows
:
in
order
to
know
to
what
higher
posts
Joseph
rose
in
the
service
,
the
reader
is
referred
to
the
same
periodical
.
Boggley
Wollah
is
situated
in
a
fine
,
lonely
,
marshy
,
jungly
district
,
famous
for
snipe-shooting
,
and
where
not
unfrequently
you
may
flush
a
tiger
.
