,”
and
as
gravely
and
reverentially
drink
the
health
of
the
ladies
as
he
had
done
in
the
days
of
their
utmost
prosperity
.
He
thought
Miss
’Melia’s
playing
the
divinest
music
ever
performed
,
and
her
the
finest
lady
.
He
never
would
sit
down
before
Sedley
at
the
club
even
,
nor
would
he
have
that
gentleman’s
character
abused
by
any
member
of
the
society
.
He
had
seen
the
first
men
in
London
shaking
hands
with
Mr.
S
—
—
;
he
said
,
“
He’d
known
him
in
times
when
Rothschild
might
be
seen
on
’Change
with
him
any
day
,
and
he
owed
him
personally
everythink
.
”
Clapp
,
with
the
best
of
characters
and
handwritings
,
had
been
able
very
soon
after
his
master’s
disaster
to
find
other
employment
for
himself
.
“
Such
a
little
fish
as
me
can
swim
in
any
bucket
,
”
he
used
to
remark
,
and
a
member
of
the
house
from
which
old
Sedley
had
seceded
was
very
glad
to
make
use
of
Mr.
Clapp’s
services
,
and
to
reward
them
with
a
comfortable
salary
.
In
fine
,
all
Sedley’s
wealthy
friends
had
dropped
off
one
by
one
,
and
this
poor
exdependent
still
remained
faithfully
attached
to
him
.
Out
of
the
small
residue
of
her
income
,
which
Amelia
kept
back
for
herself
,
the
widow
had
need
of
all
the
thrift
and
care
possible
in
order
to
enable
her
to
keep
her
darling
boy
dressed
in
such
a
manner
as
became
George
Osborne’s
son
,
and
to
defray
the
expenses
of
the
little
school
to
which
,
after
much
misgiving
and
reluctance
,
and
many
secret
pangs
and
fears
on
her
own
part
,
she
had
been
induced
to
send
the
lad
.
She
had
sate
up
of
nights
conning
lessons
and
spelling
over
crabbed
grammars
and
geography
books
in
order
to
teach
them
to
Georgy
.
She
had
worked
even
at
the
Latin
accidence
,
fondly
hoping
that
she
might
be
capable
of
instructing
him
in
that
language
.
To
part
with
him
all
day
:
to
send
him
out
to
the
mercy
of
a
schoolmaster’s
cane
and
his
schoolfellows’
roughness
,
was
almost
like
weaning
him
over
again
,
to
that
weak
mother
,
so
tremulous
and
full
of
sensibility
.
He
,
for
his
part
,
rushed
off
to
school
with
the
utmost
happiness
.
He
was
longing
for
the
change
.
That
childish
gladness
wounded
his
mother
,
who
was
herself
so
grieved
to
part
with
him
.
She
would
rather
have
had
him
more
sorry
,
she
thought
:
and
then
was
deeply
repentant
within
herself
,
for
daring
to
be
so
selfish
as
to
wish
her
own
son
to
be
unhappy
.
Georgy
made
great
progress
in
the
school
,
which
was
kept
by
a
friend
of
his
mother’s
constant
admirer
,
the
Rev.
Mr.
Binny
.
He
brought
home
numberless
prizes
and
testimonials
of
ability
.
He
told
his
mother
countless
stories
every
night
about
his
school-companions
:
and
what
a
fine
fellow
Lyons
was
,
and
what
a
sneak
Sniffin
was
;
and
how
Steel’s
father
actually
supplied
the
meat
for
the
establishment
,
whereas
Golding’s
mother
came
in
a
carriage
to
fetch
him
every
Saturday
:
and
how
Neat
had
straps
to
his
trowsers
—
might
he
have
straps
?
—
and
how
Bull
Major
was
so
strong
(
though
only
in
Eutropius
)
that
it
was
believed
he
could
lick
the
Usher
,
Mr.
Ward
,
himself
.
So
Amelia
learned
to
know
every
one
of
the
boys
in
that
school
as
well
as
Georgy
himself
:
and
of
nights
she
used
to
help
him
in
his
exercises
and
puzzle
her
little
head
over
his
lessons
as
eagerly
as
if
she
was
herself
going
in
the
morning
into
the
presence
of
the
master
.
Once
,
after
a
certain
combat
with
Master
Smith
,
George
came
home
to
his
mother
with
a
black
eye
,
and
bragged
prodigiously
to
his
parent
and
his
delighted
old
grandfather
about
his
valour
in
the
fight
,
in
which
,
if
the
truth
was
known
,
he
did
not
behave
with
particular
heroism
,
and
in
which
he
decidedly
had
the
worst
.
But
Amelia
has
never
forgiven
that
Smith
to
this
day
,
though
he
is
now
a
peaceful
apothecary
near
Leicester
Square
.
In
these
quiet
labours
and
harmless
cares
the
gentle
widow’s
life
was
passing
away
,
a
silver
hair
or
two
marking
the
progress
of
time
on
her
head
,
and
a
line
deepening
ever
so
little
on
her
fair
forehead
.
She
used
to
smile
at
these
marks
of
time
.
“
What
matters
it
,
”
she
asked
,
“
for
an
old
woman
like
me
?
”
All
she
hoped
for
was
to
live
to
see
her
son
great
,
famous
,
and
glorious
,
as
he
deserved
to
be
.
She
kept
his
copybooks
,
his
drawings
,
and
compositions
,
and
showed
them
about
in
her
little
circle
,
as
if
they
were
miracles
of
genius
.
She
confided
some
of
these
specimens
to
Miss
Dobbin
;
to
show
them
to
Miss
Osborne
,
George’s
aunt
,
to
show
them
to
Mr.
Osborne
himself
—
to
make
that
old
man
repent
of
his
cruelty
and
ill-feeling
towards
him
who
was
gone
.
All
her
husband’s
faults
and
foibles
she
had
buried
in
the
grave
with
him
:
she
only
remembered
the
lover
,
who
had
married
her
at
all
sacrifices
;
the
noble
husband
so
brave
and
beautiful
,
in
whose
arms
she
had
hung
on
the
morning
when
he
had
gone
away
to
fight
,
and
die
gloriously
for
his
king
.
From
heaven
the
hero
must
be
smiling
down
upon
that
paragon
of
a
boy
whom
he
had
left
to
comfort
and
console
her
.
We
have
seen
how
one
of
George’s
grandfathers
(
Mr.
Osborne
)
,
in
his
easy-chair
in
Russell
Square
,
daily
grew
more
violent
and
moody
,
and
how
his
daughter
,
with
her
fine
carriage
,
and
her
fine
horses
,
and
her
name
on
half
the
public
charity-lists
of
the
town
,
was
a
lonely
,
miserable
,
persecuted
old
maid
.
She
thought
again
and
again
of
the
beautiful
little
boy
,
her
brother’s
son
,
whom
she
had
seen
.
She
longed
to
be
allowed
to
drive
in
the
fine
carriage
to
the
house
in
which
he
lived
;
and
she
used
to
look
out
day
after
day
as
she
took
her
solitary
drive
in
the
Park
,
in
hopes
that
she
might
see
him
.
Her
sister
,
the
banker’s
lady
,
occasionally
condescended
to
pay
her
old
home
and
companion
a
visit
in
Russell
Square
.
She
brought
a
couple
of
sickly
children
attended
by
a
prim
nurse
,
and
in
a
faint
genteel
giggling
tone
cackled
to
her
sister
about
her
fine
acquaintance
,
and
how
her
little
Frederick
was
the
image
of
Lord
Claud
Lollypop
,
and
her
sweet
Maria
had
been
noticed
by
the
Baroness
as
they
were
driving
in
their
donkey-chaise
at
Roehampton
.
She
urged
her
to
make
her
papa
do
something
for
the
darlings
.
Frederick
she
had
determined
should
go
into
the
Guards
;
and
if
they
made
an
elder
son
of
him
(
and
Mr.
Bullock
was
positively
ruining
and
pinching
himself
to
death
to
buy
land
)
how
was
the
darling
girl
to
be
provided
for
?
“
I
expect
you
,
dear
,
”
Mrs.
Bullock
would
say
,
“
for
of
course
my
share
of
our
Papa’s
property
must
go
to
the
head
of
the
house
,
you
know
.
Dear
Rhoda
McMull
will
disengage
the
whole
of
the
Castletoddy
property
as
soon
as
poor
dear
Lord
Castletoddy
dies
,
who
is
quite
epileptic
;
and
little
Macduff
McMull
will
be
Viscount
Castletoddy
.
Both
the
Mr.
Bludyers
of
Mincing
Lane
have
settled
their
fortunes
on
Fanny
Bludyer’s
little
boy
.
My
darling
Frederick
must
positively
be
an
eldest
son
;
and
—
and
do
ask
Papa
to
bring
us
back
his
account
in
Lombard
Street
,
will
you
,
dear
?
It
doesn’t
look
well
,
his
going
to
Stumpy
and
Rowdy’s
.
”
After
which
kind
of
speeches
,
in
which
fashion
and
the
main
chance
were
blended
together
,
and
after
a
kiss
,
which
was
like
the
contact
of
an
oyster
—
Mrs.
Frederick
Bullock
would
gather
her
starched
nurslings
,
and
simper
back
into
her
carriage
.
Every
visit
which
this
leader
of
ton
paid
to
her
family
was
more
unlucky
for
her
.
Her
father
paid
more
money
into
Stumpy
and
Rowdy’s
.
Her
patronage
became
more
and
more
insufferable
.
The
poor
widow
in
the
little
cottage
at
Brompton
,
guarding
her
treasure
there
,
little
knew
how
eagerly
some
people
coveted
it
.
On
that
night
when
Jane
Osborne
had
told
her
father
that
she
had
seen
his
grandson
,
the
old
man
had
made
her
no
reply
:
but
he
had
shown
no
anger
—
and
had
bade
her
good-night
on
going
himself
to
his
room
in
rather
a
kindly
voice
.
And
he
must
have
meditated
on
what
she
said
,
and
have
made
some
inquiries
of
the
Dobbin
family
regarding
her
visit
;
for
a
fortnight
after
it
took
place
,
he
asked
her
where
was
her
little
French
watch
and
chain
she
used
to
wear
?
“
I
bought
it
with
my
money
,
sir
,
”
she
said
in
a
great
fright
.
“
Go
and
order
another
like
it
,
or
a
better
if
you
can
get
it
,
”
said
the
old
gentleman
,
and
lapsed
again
into
silence
.
Of
late
the
Misses
Dobbin
more
than
once
repeated
their
entreaties
to
Amelia
,
to
allow
George
to
visit
them
.
His
aunt
had
shown
her
inclination
;
perhaps
his
grandfather
himself
,
they
hinted
,
might
be
disposed
to
be
reconciled
to
him
.
Surely
,
Amelia
could
not
refuse
such
advantageous
chances
for
the
boy
.
Nor
could
she
:
but
she
acceded
to
their
overtures
with
a
very
heavy
and
suspicious
heart
,
was
always
uneasy
during
the
child’s
absence
from
her
,
and
welcomed
him
back
as
if
he
was
rescued
out
of
some
danger
.
He
brought
back
money
and
toys
,
at
which
the
widow
looked
with
alarm
and
jealousy
:
she
asked
him
always
if
he
had
seen
any
gentleman
—
“
Only
old
Sir
William
,
who
drove
him
about
in
the
four-wheeled
chaise
,
and
Mr.
Dobbin
,
who
arrived
on
the
beautiful
bay
horse
in
the
afternoon
—
in
the
green
coat
and
pink
neck-cloth
,
with
the
gold-headed
whip
,
who
promised
to
show
him
the
Tower
of
London
,
and
take
him
out
with
the
Surrey
hounds
.
”
At
last
,
he
said
“
There
was
an
old
gentleman
,
with
thick
eye-brows
and
a
broad
hat
,
and
large
chain
and
seals
.
”
He
came
one
day
as
the
coachman
was
lunging
Georgy
round
the
lawn
on
the
gray
pony
.
“
He
looked
at
me
very
much
.
He
shook
very
much
.
I
said
‘My
name
is
Norval’
after
dinner
.
My
aunt
began
to
cry
.
She
is
always
crying
.
”
Such
was
George’s
report
on
that
night
.
Then
Amelia
knew
that
the
boy
had
seen
his
grandfather
:
and
looked
out
feverishly
for
a
proposal
which
she
was
sure
would
follow
,
and
which
came
,
in
fact
,
in
a
few
days
afterwards
.
Mr.
Osborne
formally
offered
to
take
the
boy
,
and
make
him
heir
to
the
fortune
which
he
had
intended
that
his
father
should
inherit
.
He
would
make
Mrs.
George
Osborne
an
allowance
,
such
as
to
assure
her
a
decent
competency
.
If
Mrs.
George
Osborne
proposed
to
marry
again
,
as
Mr.
O
.
heard
was
her
intention
,
he
would
not
withdraw
that
allowance
.
But
it
must
be
understood
,
that
the
child
would
live
entirely
with
his
grandfather
in
Russell
Square
,
or
at
whatever
other
place
Mr.
O
.
should
select
;
and
that
he
would
be
occasionally
permitted
to
see
Mrs.
George
Osborne
at
her
own
residence
.
This
message
was
brought
or
read
in
a
letter
one
day
,
when
her
mother
was
from
home
,
and
her
father
absent
as
usual
in
the
City
.
She
was
never
seen
angry
but
twice
or
thrice
in
her
life
,
and
it
was
in
one
of
these
moods
that
Mr.
Osborne’s
attorney
had
the
fortune
to
behold
her
.
She
rose
up
trembling
and
flushing
very
much
as
soon
as
,
after
reading
the
letter
,
Mr.
Poe
handed
it
to
her
,
and
she
tore
the
paper
into
a
hundred
fragments
,
which
she
trod
on
.
“
I
marry
again
!
—
I
take
money
to
part
from
my
child
!
Who
dares
insult
me
by
proposing
such
a
thing
?
Tell
Mr.
Osborne
it
is
a
cowardly
letter
,
sir
—
a
cowardly
letter
—
I
will
not
answer
it
.
I
wish
you
good
morning
,
sir
—
and
she
bowed
me
out
of
the
room
like
a
tragedy
Queen
,
”
said
the
lawyer
who
told
the
story
.
Her
parents
never
remarked
her
agitation
on
that
day
,
and
she
never
told
them
of
the
interview
.
They
had
their
own
affairs
to
interest
them
,
affairs
which
deeply
interested
this
innocent
and
unconscious
lady
.
The
old
gentleman
,
her
father
,
was
always
dabbling
in
speculation
.
We
have
seen
how
the
Wine
Company
and
the
Coal
Company
had
failed
him
.
But
,
prowling
about
the
City
always
eagerly
and
restlessly
still
,
he
lighted
upon
some
other
scheme
,
of
which
he
thought
so
well
that
he
embarked
in
it
in
spite
of
the
remonstrances
of
Mr.
Clapp
,
to
whom
indeed
he
never
dared
to
tell
how
far
he
had
engaged
himself
in
it
.
And
as
it
was
always
Mr.
Sedley’s
maxim
not
to
talk
about
money
matters
before
women
,
they
had
no
inkling
of
the
misfortunes
that
were
in
store
for
them
until
the
unhappy
old
gentleman
was
forced
to
make
gradual
confessions
.
The
bills
of
the
little
household
,
which
had
been
settled
weekly
,
first
fell
into
arrear
.
The
remittances
had
not
arrived
from
India
,
Mr.
Sedley
told
his
wife
with
a
disturbed
face
.
As
she
had
paid
her
bills
very
regularly
hitherto
,
one
or
two
of
the
tradesmen
to
whom
the
poor
lady
was
obliged
to
go
round
asking
for
time
were
very
angry
at
a
delay
to
which
they
were
perfectly
used
from
more
irregular
customers
.
Emmy’s
contribution
,
paid
over
cheerfully
without
any
questions
,
kept
the
little
company
in
half
rations
however
.
And
the
first
six
months
passed
away
pretty
easily
:
old
Sedley
still
keeping
up
with
the
notion
that
his
shares
must
rise
and
that
all
would
be
well
.
No
sixty
pounds
,
however
,
came
to
help
the
household
at
the
end
of
the
half
year
;
and
it
fell
deeper
and
deeper
into
trouble
—
Mrs.
Sedley
,
who
was
growing
infirm
and
was
much
shaken
,
remained
silent
or
wept
a
great
deal
with
Mrs.
Clapp
in
the
kitchen
.
The
butcher
was
particularly
surly
:
the
grocer
insolent
:
once
or
twice
little
Georgy
had
grumbled
about
the
dinners
:
and
Amelia
,
who
still
would
have
been
satisfied
with
a
slice
of
bread
for
her
own
dinner
,
could
not
but
perceive
that
her
son
was
neglected
,
and
purchased
little
things
out
of
her
private
purse
to
keep
the
boy
in
health
.
At
last
they
told
her
,
or
told
her
such
a
garbled
story
as
people
in
difficulties
tell
.
One
day
,
her
own
money
having
been
received
,
and
Amelia
about
to
pay
it
over
:
she
who
had
kept
an
account
of
the
moneys
expended
by
her
,
proposed
to
keep
a
certain
portion
back
out
of
her
dividend
,
having
contracted
engagements
for
a
new
suit
for
Georgy
.
Then
it
came
out
that
Jos’s
remittances
were
not
paid
;
that
the
house
was
in
difficulties
,
which
Amelia
ought
to
have
seen
before
,
her
mother
said
,
but
she
cared
for
nothing
or
nobody
except
Georgy
.
At
this
she
passed
all
her
money
across
the
table
,
without
a
word
,
to
her
mother
,
and
returned
to
her
room
to
cry
her
eyes
out
.
She
had
a
great
access
of
sensibility
too
that
day
,
when
obliged
to
go
and
countermand
the
clothes
,
the
darling
clothes
on
which
she
had
set
her
heart
for
Christmas
Day
,
and
the
cut
and
fashion
of
which
she
had
arranged
in
many
conversations
with
a
small
milliner
,
her
friend
.
Hardest
of
all
,
she
had
to
break
the
matter
to
Georgy
,
who
made
a
loud
outcry
.
Everybody
had
new
clothes
at
Christmas
.
The
others
would
laugh
at
him
.
He
would
have
new
clothes
.
She
had
promised
them
to
him
.
The
poor
widow
had
only
kisses
to
give
him
.
She
darned
the
old
suit
in
tears
.
She
cast
about
among
her
little
ornaments
to
see
if
she
could
sell
anything
to
procure
the
desired
novelties
.
There
was
her
India
shawl
that
Dobbin
had
sent
her
.
She
remembered
in
former
days
going
with
her
mother
to
a
fine
India
shop
on
Ludgate
Hill
,
where
the
ladies
had
all
sorts
of
dealings
and
bargains
in
these
articles
.
Her
cheeks
flushed
and
her
eyes
shone
with
pleasure
as
she
thought
of
this
resource
,
and
she
kissed
away
George
to
school
in
the
morning
,
smiling
brightly
after
him
.
The
boy
felt
that
there
was
good
news
in
her
look
.
Packing
up
her
shawl
in
a
handkerchief
(
another
of
the
gifts
of
the
good
Major
)
,
she
hid
them
under
her
cloak
,
and
walked
flushed
and
eager
all
the
way
to
Ludgate
Hill
,
tripping
along
by
the
Park
wall
,
and
running
over
the
crossing
,
so
that
many
a
man
turned
as
she
hurried
by
him
,
and
looked
after
her
rosy
pretty
face
.
She
calculated
how
she
should
spend
the
proceeds
of
her
shawl
:
how
,
besides
the
clothes
,
she
would
buy
the
books
that
he
longed
for
,
and
pay
his
half-year’s
schooling
;
and
how
she
would
buy
a
cloak
for
her
father
instead
of
that
old
great-coat
which
he
wore
.
She
was
not
mistaken
as
to
the
value
of
the
Major’s
gift
.
It
was
a
very
fine
and
beautiful
web
:
and
the
merchant
made
a
very
good
bargain
when
he
gave
her
twenty
guineas
for
her
shawl
.
She
ran
on
amazed
and
flurried
with
her
riches
to
Darton’s
shop
in
St.
Paul’s
Churchyard
,
and
there
purchased
the
“
Parents’
Assistant
,
”
and
the
“
Sandford
and
Merton
”
Georgy
longed
for
,
and
got
into
the
coach
there
with
her
parcel
,
and
went
home
exulting
.
And
she
pleased
herself
by
writing
in
the
fly-leaf
in
her
neatest
little
hand
,
“
George
Osborne
,
A
Christmas
gift
from
his
affectionate
mother
.
”
The
books
are
extant
to
this
day
,
with
the
fair
delicate
superscription
.
She
was
going
from
her
own
room
with
the
books
in
her
hand
to
place
them
on
George’s
table
,
where
he
might
find
them
on
his
return
from
school
;
when
in
the
passage
,
she
and
her
mother
met
.
The
gilt
bindings
of
the
seven
handsome
little
volumes
caught
the
old
lady’s
eye
.
“
What
are
those
?
”
she
said
.
“
Some
books
for
Georgy
,
”
Amelia
replied
—
“
I
—
I
promised
them
to
him
at
Christmas
.
”
“
Books
!
”
cried
the
elder
lady
,
indignantly
.
“
Books
,
when
the
whole
house
wants
bread
!
Books
,
when
to
keep
you
and
your
son
in
luxury
,
and
your
dear
father
out
of
gaol
,
I’ve
sold
every
trinket
I
had
,
the
India
shawl
from
my
back
—
even
down
to
the
very
spoons
,
that
our
tradesmen
mightn’t
insult
us
,
and
that
Mr.
Clapp
,
which
indeed
he
is
justly
entitled
,
being
not
a
hard
landlord
,
and
a
civil
man
,
and
a
father
,
might
have
his
rent
.
O
Amelia
!
you
break
my
heart
with
your
books
and
that
boy
of
yours
,
whom
you
are
ruining
,
though
part
with
him
you
will
not
.
O
Amelia
,
may
God
send
you
a
more
dutiful
child
than
I
have
had
!
There’s
Jos
deserts
his
father
in
his
old
age
:
and
there’s
George
,
who
might
be
provided
for
,
and
who
might
be
rich
,
going
to
school
like
a
lord
,
with
a
gold
watch
and
chain
round
his
neck
—
while
my
dear
,
dear
old
man
is
without
a
sh
—
shilling
.
”
Hysteric
sobs
and
cries
ended
Mrs.
Sedley’s
speech
—
it
echoed
through
every
room
in
the
small
house
,
whereof
the
other
female
inmates
heard
every
word
of
the
colloquy
.
“
O
mother
,
mother
!
”
cried
poor
Amelia
in
reply
.
“
You
told
me
nothing
—
I
—
I
promised
him
the
books
.
I
—
I
only
sold
my
shawl
this
morning
.
Take
the
money
—
take
everything
”
—
and
with
quivering
hands
she
took
out
her
silver
,
and
her
sovereigns
—
her
precious
golden
sovereigns
,
which
she
thrust
into
the
hands
of
her
mother
,
whence
they
overflowed
and
tumbled
,
rolling
down
the
stairs
.
And
then
she
went
into
her
room
,
and
sank
down
in
despair
and
utter
misery
.
She
saw
it
all
now
.
Her
selfishness
was
sacrificing
the
boy
.
But
for
her
he
might
have
wealth
,
station
,
education
,
and
his
father’s
place
,
which
the
elder
George
had
forfeited
for
her
sake
.
She
had
but
to
speak
the
words
,
and
her
father
was
restored
to
competency
:
and
the
boy
raised
to
fortune
.
O
what
a
conviction
it
was
to
that
tender
and
stricken
heart
!
XII
.
Gaunt
House
ALL
the
world
knows
that
Lord
Steyne’s
town
palace
stands
in
Gaunt
Square
,
out
of
which
Great
Gaunt
Street
leads
,
whither
we
first
conducted
Rebecca
,
in
the
time
of
the
departed
Sir
Pitt
Crawley
.
Peering
over
the
railings
and
through
the
black
trees
into
the
garden
of
the
Square
,
you
see
a
few
miserable
governesses
with
wan-faced
pupils
wandering
round
and
round
it
,
and
round
the
dreary
grass-plot
in
the
centre
of
which
rises
the
statue
of
Lord
Gaunt
,
who
fought
at
Minden
,
in
a
three-tailed
wig
,
and
otherwise
habited
like
a
Roman
Emperor
.
Gaunt
House
occupies
nearly
a
side
of
the
Square
.
The
remaining
three
sides
are
composed
of
mansions
that
have
passed
away
into
dowagerism
;
—
tall
,
dark
houses
,
with
window-frames
of
stone
,
or
picked
out
of
a
lighter
red
.
Little
light
seems
to
be
behind
those
lean
,
comfortless
casements
now
:
and
hospitality
to
have
passed
away
from
those
doors
as
much
as
the
laced
lacqueys
and
link-boys
of
old
times
,
who
used
to
put
out
their
torches
in
the
blank
iron
extinguishers
that
still
flank
the
lamps
over
the
steps
.
Brass
plates
have
penetrated
into
the
square
—
Doctors
,
the
Diddlesex
Bank
Western
Branch
—
the
English
and
European
Reunion
,
etc.
—
it
has
a
dreary
look
—
nor
is
my
Lord
Steyne’s
palace
less
dreary
.
All
I
have
ever
seen
of
it
is
the
vast
wall
in
front
,
with
the
rustic
columns
at
the
great
gate
,
through
which
an
old
porter
peers
sometimes
with
a
fat
and
gloomy
red
face
—
and
over
the
wall
the
garret
and
bed-room
windows
,
and
the
chimneys
,
out
of
which
there
seldom
comes
any
smoke
now
.
For
the
present
Lord
Steyne
lives
at
Naples
,
preferring
the
view
of
the
Bay
and
Capri
and
Vesuvius
,
to
the
dreary
aspect
of
the
wall
in
Gaunt
Square
.
A
few
score
yards
down
New
Gaunt
Street
,
and
leading
into
Gaunt
Mews
indeed
,
is
a
little
modest
back
door
,
which
you
would
not
remark
from
that
of
any
of
the
other
stables
.
But
many
a
little
close
carriage
has
stopped
at
that
door
,
as
my
informant
(
little
Tom
Eaves
,
who
knows
everything
,
and
who
showed
me
the
place
)
told
me
.
“
The
Prince
and
Perdita
have
been
in
and
out
of
that
door
,
sir
,
”
he
had
often
told
me
;
“
Marianne
Clarke
has
entered
it
with
the
Duke
of
—
—
.
It
conducts
to
the
famous
petits
appartements
of
Lord
Steyne
—
one
,
sir
,
fitted
up
all
in
ivory
and
white
satin
,
another
in
ebony
and
black
velvet
;
there
is
a
little
banqueting-room
taken
from
Sallust’s
house
at
Pompeii
,
and
painted
by
Cosway
—
a
little
private
kitchen
,
in
which
every
saucepan
was
silver
and
all
the
spits
were
gold
.
It
was
there
that
Egalité
Orleans
roasted
partridges
on
the
night
when
he
and
the
Marquis
of
Steyne
won
a
hundred
thousand
from
a
great
personage
at
ombre
.
Half
of
the
money
went
to
the
French
Revolution
,
half
to
purchase
Lord
Gaunt’s
Marquisate
and
Garter
—
and
the
remainder
—
”
but
it
forms
no
part
of
our
scheme
to
tell
what
became
of
the
remainder
,
for
every
shilling
of
which
,
and
a
great
deal
more
,
little
Tom
Eaves
,
who
knows
everybody’s
affairs
,
is
ready
to
account
.
Besides
his
town
palace
,
the
Marquis
had
castles
and
palaces
in
various
quarters
of
the
three
kingdoms
,
whereof
the
descriptions
may
be
found
in
the
road-books
—
Castle
Strongbow
,
with
its
woods
,
on
the
Shannon
shore
;
Gaunt
Castle
,
in
Carmarthenshire
,
where
Richard
II
.
was
taken
prisoner
—
Gauntly
Hall
in
Yorkshire
,
where
I
have
been
informed
there
were
two
hundred
silver
teapots
for
the
breakfasts
of
the
guests
of
the
house
,
with
everything
to
correspond
in
splendour
;
and
Stillbrook
in
Hampshire
,
which
was
my
lord’s
farm
,
an
humble
place
of
residence
,
of
which
we
all
remember
the
wonderful
furniture
which
was
sold
at
my
lord’s
demise
by
a
late
celebrated
auctioneer
.
The
Marchioness
of
Steyne
was
of
the
renowned
and
ancient
family
of
the
Caerlyons
,
Marquises
of
Camelot
,
who
have
preserved
the
old
faith
ever
since
the
conversion
of
the
venerable
Druid
,
their
first
ancestor
,
and
whose
pedigree
goes
far
beyond
the
date
of
the
arrival
of
King
Brute
in
these
islands
.
Pendragon
is
the
title
of
the
eldest
son
of
the
house
.
The
sons
have
been
called
Arthurs
,
Uthers
,
and
Caradocs
,
from
immemorial
time
.
Their
heads
have
fallen
in
many
a
local
conspiracy
.
Elizabeth
chopped
off
the
head
of
the
Arthur
of
her
day
,
who
had
been
Chamberlain
to
Philip
and
Mary
,
and
carried
letters
between
the
Queen
of
Scots
and
her
uncles
the
Guises
.
A
cadet
of
the
house
was
an
officer
of
the
great
Duke
,
and
distinguished
in
the
famous
Saint
Bartholomew
conspiracy
.
During
the
whole
of
Mary’s
confinement
,
the
house
of
Camelot
conspired
in
her
behalf
.
It
was
as
much
injured
by
its
charges
in
fitting
out
an
armament
against
the
Spaniards
,
during
the
time
of
the
Armada
,
as
by
the
fines
and
confiscations
levied
on
it
by
Elizabeth
for
harbouring
of
priests
,
obstinate
recusancy
,
and
Popish
misdoings
.
A
recreànt
of
James’s
time
was
momentarily
perverted
from
his
religion
by
the
arguments
of
that
great
theologian
,
and
the
fortunes
of
the
family
somewhat
restored
by
his
timely
weakness
.
But
the
Earl
of
Camelot
,
of
the
reign
of
Charles
,
returned
to
the
old
creed
of
his
family
,
and
they
continued
to
fight
for
it
,
and
ruin
themselves
for
it
,
as
long
as
there
was
a
Stuart
left
to
head
or
to
instigate
a
rebellion
.
Lady
Mary
Caerlyon
was
brought
up
at
a
Parisian
convent
;
the
Dauphiness
Marie
Antoinette
was
her
godmother
.
In
the
pride
of
her
beauty
she
had
been
married
—
sold
,
it
was
said
—
to
Lord
Gaunt
,
then
at
Paris
,
who
won
vast
sums
from
the
lady’s
brother
at
some
of
Philip
of
Orleans’s
banquets
.
The
Earl
of
Gaunt’s
famous
duel
with
the
Count
de
la
Marche
,
of
the
Grey
Musqueteers
,
was
attributed
by
common
report
to
the
pretensions
of
that
officer
(
who
had
been
a
page
,
and
remained
a
favourite
of
the
Queen
)
to
the
hand
of
the
beautiful
Lady
Mary
Caerlyon
.
She
was
married
to
Lord
Gaunt
while
the
Count
lay
ill
of
his
wound
,
and
came
to
dwell
at
Gaunt
House
,
and
to
figure
for
a
short
time
in
the
splendid
Court
of
the
Prince
of
Wales
.
Fox
had
toasted
her
.
Morris
and
Sheridan
had
written
songs
about
her
.
Malmesbury
had
made
her
his
best
bow
;
Walpole
had
pronounced
her
charming
;
Devonshire
had
been
almost
jealous
of
her
;
but
she
was
scared
by
the
wild
pleasures
and
gaieties
of
the
society
into
which
she
was
flung
,
and
after
she
had
borne
a
couple
of
sons
,
shrank
away
into
a
life
of
devout
seclusion
.
No
wonder
that
my
Lord
Steyne
,
who
liked
pleasure
and
cheerfulness
,
was
not
often
seen
after
their
marriage
,
by
the
side
of
this
trembling
,
silent
,
superstitious
,
unhappy
lady
.
The
before-mentioned
Tom
Eaves
(
who
has
no
part
in
this
history
,
except
that
he
knew
all
the
great
folks
in
London
and
the
stories
and
mysteries
of
each
family
)
,
had
further
information
regarding
my
Lady
Steyne
,
which
may
or
may
not
be
true
.
“
The
humiliations
,
”
Tom
used
to
say
,
“
which
that
woman
has
been
made
to
undergo
,
in
her
own
house
,
have
been
frightful
;
Lord
Steyne
has
made
her
sit
down
to
table
with
women
with
whom
I
would
rather
die
than
allow
Mrs.
Eaves
to
associate
—
with
Lady
Crackenbury
,
with
Mrs.
Chippenham
,
with
Madame
de
la
Cruchecassée
,
the
French
secretary’s
wife
,
”
(
from
every
one
of
which
ladies
Tom
Eaves
—
who
would
have
sacrificed
his
wife
for
knowing
them
—
was
too
glad
to
get
a
bow
or
a
dinner
)
,
“
with
the
reigning
favourite
,
in
a
word
.
And
do
you
suppose
that
that
woman
,
of
that
family
,
who
are
as
proud
as
the
Bourbons
,
and
to
whom
the
Steynes
are
but
lacqueys
and
mushrooms
of
yesterday
(
for
after
all
,
they
are
not
of
the
Old
Gaunts
,
but
of
a
minor
and
doubtful
branch
of
the
house
)
;
do
you
suppose
,
I
say
”
(
the
reader
must
bear
in
mind
that
it
is
always
Tom
Eaves
who
speaks
)
,
“
that
the
Marchioness
of
Steyne
,
the
haughtiest
woman
in
England
,
would
bend
down
to
her
husband
so
submissively
,
if
there
were
not
some
cause
?
Pooh
!
I
tell
you
there
are
secret
reasons
.
I
tell
you
,
that
in
the
emigration
,
the
Abbé
de
la
Marche
who
was
here
and
was
employed
in
the
Quiberoon
business
with
Puisaye
and
Tinteniac
,
was
the
same
Colonel
of
Mosquetaires
Gris
with
whom
Steyne
fought
in
the
year
’86
—
that
he
and
the
Marchioness
met
again
:
that
it
was
after
the
Reverend
Colonel
was
shot
in
Brittany
,
that
Lady
Steyne
took
to
those
extreme
practices
of
devotion
which
she
carries
on
now
;
for
she
is
closeted
with
her
director
every
day
—
she
is
at
service
at
Spanish
Place
,
every
morning
,
I’ve
watched
her
there
—
that
is
,
I’ve
happened
to
be
passing
there
—
and
depend
on
it
there’s
a
mystery
in
her
case
.
People
are
not
so
unhappy
unless
they
have
something
to
repent
of
,
”
added
Tom
Eaves
with
a
knowing
wag
of
his
head
;
“
and
depend
on
it
,
that
woman
would
not
be
so
submissive
as
she
is
,
if
the
Marquis
had
not
some
sword
to
hold
over
her
.
”
So
,
if
Mr.
Eaves’s
information
be
correct
,
it
is
very
likely
that
this
lady
,
in
her
high
station
,
had
to
submit
to
many
a
private
indignity
,
and
to
hide
many
secret
griefs
under
a
calm
face
.
And
let
us
,
my
brethren
who
have
not
our
names
in
the
Red
Book
,
console
ourselves
by
thinking
comfortably
how
miserable
our
betters
may
be
,
and
that
Damocles
,
who
sits
on
satin
cushions
,
and
is
served
on
gold
plate
,
has
an
awful
sword
hanging
over
his
head
in
the
shape
of
a
bailiff
,
or
an
hereditary
disease
,
or
a
family
secret
,
which
peeps
out
every
now
and
then
from
the
embroidered
arras
in
a
ghastly
manner
,
and
will
be
sure
to
drop
one
day
or
the
other
in
the
right
place
.
In
comparing
,
too
,
the
poor
man’s
situation
with
that
of
the
great
,
there
is
(
always
according
to
Mr.
Eaves
)
another
source
of
comfort
for
the
former
.
You
who
have
little
or
no
patrimony
to
bequeath
or
to
inherit
,
may
be
on
good
terms
with
your
father
or
your
son
,
whereas
the
heir
of
a
great
prince
,
such
as
my
Lord
Steyne
,
must
naturally
be
angry
at
being
kept
out
of
his
kingdom
,
and
eye
the
occupant
of
it
with
no
very
agreeable
glances
.
“
Take
it
as
a
rule
,
”
this
sardonic
old
Eaves
would
say
,
“
the
fathers
and
elder
sons
of
all
great
families
hate
each
other
.
The
Crown
Prince
is
always
in
opposition
to
the
crown
or
hankering
after
it
.
Shakespeare
knew
the
world
,
my
good
sir
,
and
when
he
describes
Prince
Hal
(
from
whose
family
the
Gaunts
pretend
to
be
descended
,
though
they
are
no
more
related
to
John
of
Gaunt
than
you
are
)
,
trying
on
his
father’s
coronet
,
he
gives
you
a
natural
description
of
all
heirs-apparent
.
If
you
were
heir
to
a
dukedom
and
a
thousand
pounds
a
day
,
do
you
mean
to
say
you
would
not
wish
for
possession
?
Pooh
!
And
it
stands
to
reason
that
every
great
man
,
having
experienced
this
feeling
towards
his
father
,
must
be
aware
that
his
son
entertains
it
towards
himself
;
and
so
they
can’t
but
be
suspicious
and
hostile
.
“
Then
again
,
as
to
the
feeling
of
elder
towards
younger
sons
.
My
dear
sir
,
you
ought
to
know
that
every
elder
brother
looks
upon
the
cadets
of
the
house
as
his
natural
enemies
,
who
deprive
him
of
so
much
ready
money
which
ought
to
be
his
by
right
.
I
have
often
heard
George
Mac
Turk
,
Lord
Bajazet’s
eldest
son
,
say
that
if
he
had
his
will
when
he
came
to
the
title
,
he
would
do
what
the
sultans
do
,
and
clear
the
estate
by
chopping
off
all
his
younger
brothers’
heads
at
once
;
and
so
the
case
is
,
more
or
less
,
with
them
all
.
I
tell
you
they
are
all
Turks
in
their
hearts
.
Pooh
!
sir
,
they
know
the
world
.
”
And
here
,
haply
,
a
great
man
coming
up
,
Tom
Eaves’s
hat
would
drop
off
his
head
,
and
he
would
rush
forward
with
a
bow
and
a
grin
,
which
showed
that
he
knew
the
world
too
—
in
the
Tomeavesian
way
,
that
is
.
And
having
laid
out
every
shilling
of
his
fortune
on
an
annuity
,
Tom
could
afford
to
bear
no
malice
to
his
nephews
and
nieces
,
and
to
have
no
other
feeling
with
regard
to
his
betters
,
but
a
constant
and
generous
desire
to
dine
with
them
.
Between
the
Marchioness
and
the
natural
and
tender
regard
of
mother
for
children
,
there
was
that
cruel
barrier
placed
of
difference
of
faith
.
The
very
love
which
she
might
feel
for
her
sons
,
only
served
to
render
the
timid
and
pious
lady
more
fearful
and
unhappy
.
The
gulf
which
separated
them
was
fatal
and
impassable
.
She
could
not
stretch
her
weak
arms
across
it
,
or
draw
her
children
over
to
that
side
away
from
which
her
belief
told
her
there
was
no
safety
.
During
the
youth
of
his
sons
,
Lord
Steyne
,
who
was
a
good
scholar
and
amateur
casuist
,
had
no
better
sport
in
the
evening
after
dinner
in
the
country
than
in
setting
the
boys’
tutor
,
the
Reverend
Mr.
Trail
(
now
my
Lord
Bishop
of
Ealing
)
,
on
her
ladyship’s
director
,
Father
Mole
,
over
their
wine
and
in
pitting
Oxford
against
St.
Acheul
.
He
cried
“
Bravo
,
Latimer
!
Well
said
Loyola
!
”
alternately
;
he
promised
Mole
a
bishopric
if
he
would
come
over
;
and
vowed
he
would
use
all
his
influence
to
get
Trail
a
cardinal’s
hat
if
he
would
secede
.
Neither
divine
allowed
himself
to
be
conquered
;
and
though
the
fond
mother
hoped
that
her
youngest
and
favourite
son
would
be
reconciled
to
her
church
—
his
mother
church
—
a
sad
and
awful
disappointment
awaited
the
devout
lady
—
a
disappointment
which
seemed
to
be
a
judgment
upon
her
for
the
sin
of
her
marriage
.
My
Lord
Gaunt
married
,
as
every
person
who
frequents
the
Peerage
knows
,
the
Lady
Blanche
Thistlewood
,
a
daughter
of
the
noble
house
of
Bareacres
,
before
mentioned
in
this
veracious
history
.
A
wing
of
Gaunt
House
was
assigned
to
this
couple
;
for
the
head
of
the
family
chose
to
govern
it
,
and
while
he
reigned
to
reign
supreme
:
his
son
and
heir
,
however
,
living
little
at
home
,
disagreeing
with
his
wife
,
and
borrowing
upon
post-obits
such
moneys
as
he
required
beyond
the
very
moderate
sums
which
his
father
was
disposed
to
allow
him
.
The
Marquis
knew
every
shilling
of
his
son’s
debts
.
At
his
lamented
demise
,
he
was
found
himself
to
be
possessor
of
many
of
his
heir’s
bonds
,
purchased
for
their
benefit
,
and
devised
by
his
Lordship
to
the
children
of
his
younger
son
.
As
,
to
my
Lord
Gaunt’s
dismay
,
and
the
chuckling
delight
of
his
natural
enemy
and
father
,
the
Lady
Gaunt
had
no
children
—
the
Lord
George
Gaunt
was
desired
to
return
from
Vienna
,
where
he
was
engaged
in
waltzing
and
diplomacy
,
and
to
contract
a
matrimonial
alliance
with
the
Honourable
Joan
,
only
daughter
of
John
Johnes
,
First
Baron
Helvellyn
,
and
head
of
the
firm
of
Jones
,
Brown
,
and
Robinson
,
of
Threadneedle
Street
,
Bankers
;
from
which
union
sprang
several
sons
and
daughters
,
whose
doings
do
not
appertain
to
this
story
.
The
marriage
at
first
was
a
happy
and
prosperous
one
.
My
Lord
George
Gaunt
could
not
only
read
,
but
write
pretty
correctly
.
He
spoke
French
with
considerable
fluency
;
and
was
one
of
the
finest
waltzers
in
Europe
.
With
these
talents
,
and
his
interest
at
home
,
there
was
little
doubt
that
his
lordship
would
rise
to
the
highest
dignities
in
his
profession
.
The
lady
,
his
wife
,
felt
that
courts
were
her
sphere
;
and
her
wealth
enabled
her
to
receive
splendidly
in
those
continental
towns
whither
her
husband’s
diplomatic
duties
led
him
.
There
was
talk
of
appointing
him
minister
,
and
bets
were
laid
at
the
Travellers’
that
he
would
be
ambassador
ere
long
,
when
of
a
sudden
,
rumours
arrived
of
the
secretary’s
extraordinary
behaviour
.
At
a
grand
diplomatic
dinner
given
by
his
chief
,
he
had
started
up
,
and
declared
that
a
pâté
de
foie
gras
was
poisoned
.
He
went
to
a
ball
at
the
hotel
of
the
Bavarian
envoy
,
the
Count
de
Springbock-Hohenlaufen
,
with
his
head
shaved
,
and
dressed
as
a
Capuchin
friar
.
It
was
not
a
masked
ball
,
as
some
folks
wanted
to
persuade
you
.
It
was
something
queer
,
people
whispered
.
His
grandfather
was
so
.
It
was
in
the
family
.
His
wife
and
family
returned
to
this
country
,
and
took
up
their
abode
at
Gaunt
House
.
Lord
George
gave
up
his
post
on
the
European
continent
,
and
was
gazetted
to
Brazil
.
But
people
knew
better
;
he
never
returned
from
that
Brazil
expedition
—
never
died
there
—
never
lived
there
—
never
was
there
at
all
.
He
was
nowhere
:
he
was
gone
out
altogether
.
“
Brazil
,
”
said
one
gossip
to
another
,
with
a
grin
—
“
Brazil
is
St.
John’s
Wood
.
Rio
Janeiro
is
a
cottage
surrounded
by
four
walls
;
and
George
Gaunt
is
accredited
to
a
keeper
,
who
has
invested
him
with
the
order
of
the
Strait-Waistcoat
.
”
These
are
the
kinds
of
epitaphs
which
men
pass
over
one
another
in
Vanity
Fair
.
Twice
or
thrice
in
a
week
,
in
the
earliest
morning
,
the
poor
mother
went
for
her
sins
and
saw
the
poor
invalid
.
Sometimes
he
laughed
at
her
(
and
his
laughter
was
more
pitiful
than
to
hear
him
cry
)
;
sometimes
she
found
the
brilliant
dandy
diplomatist
of
the
Congress
of
Vienna
dragging
about
a
child’s
toy
,
or
nursing
the
keeper’s
baby’s
doll
.
Sometimes
he
knew
her
and
Father
Mole
,
her
director
and
companion
:
oftener
he
forgot
her
,
as
he
had
done
wife
,
children
,
love
,
ambition
,
vanity
.
But
he
remembered
his
dinner-hour
,
and
used
to
cry
if
his
wine-and-water
was
not
strong
enough
.
It
was
the
mysterious
taint
of
the
blood
:
the
poor
mother
had
brought
it
from
her
own
ancient
race
.
The
evil
had
broken
out
once
or
twice
in
the
father’s
family
,
long
before
Lady
Steyne’s
sins
had
begun
,
or
her
fasts
and
tears
and
penances
had
been
offered
in
their
expiation
.
The
pride
of
the
race
was
struck
down
as
the
firstborn
of
Pharaoh
.
The
dark
mark
of
fate
and
doom
was
on
the
threshold
,
—
the
tall
old
threshold
surmounted
by
coronets
and
carved
heraldry
.
The
absent
lord’s
children
meanwhile
prattled
and
grew
on
quite
unconscious
that
the
doom
was
over
them
too
.
First
they
talked
of
their
father
,
and
devised
plans
against
his
return
.
Then
the
name
of
the
living
dead
man
was
less
frequently
in
their
mouth
—
then
not
mentioned
at
all
.
But
the
stricken
old
grandmother
trembled
to
think
that
these
too
were
the
inheritors
of
their
father’s
shame
as
well
as
of
his
honours
:
and
watched
sickening
for
the
day
when
the
awful
ancestral
curse
should
come
down
on
them
.
This
dark
presentiment
also
haunted
Lord
Steyne
.
He
tried
to
lay
the
horrid
bed-side
ghost
in
Red
Seas
of
wine
and
jollity
,
and
lost
sight
of
it
sometimes
in
the
crowd
and
rout
of
his
pleasures
.
But
it
always
came
back
to
him
when
alone
,
and
seemed
to
grow
more
threatening
with
years
.
“
I
have
taken
your
son
,
”
it
said
,
“
why
not
you
?
I
may
shut
you
up
in
a
prison
some
day
like
your
son
George
.
I
may
tap
you
on
the
head
to-morrow
,
and
away
go
pleasure
and
honours
,
feasts
and
beauty
,
friends
,
flatterers
,
French
cooks
,
fine
horses
and
houses
—
in
exchange
for
a
prison
,
a
keeper
,
and
a
straw
mattress
like
George
Gaunt’s
.
”
And
then
my
lord
would
defy
the
ghost
which
threatened
him
:
for
he
knew
of
a
remedy
by
which
he
could
baulk
his
enemy
.
So
there
was
splendour
and
wealth
,
but
no
great
happiness
perchance
,
behind
the
tall
carved
portals
of
Gaunt
House
with
its
smoky
coronets
and
ciphers
.
The
feasts
there
were
of
the
grandest
in
London
,
but
there
was
not
over-much
content
therewith
,
except
among
the
guests
who
sate
at
my
lord’s
table
.
Had
he
not
been
so
great
a
Prince
very
few
possibly
would
have
visited
him
:
but
in
Vanity
Fair
the
sins
of
very
great
personages
are
looked
at
indulgently
.
“
Nous
regardons
à
deux
fois
”
(
as
the
French
lady
said
)
before
we
condemn
a
person
of
my
lord’s
undoubted
quality
.
Some
notorious
carpers
and
squeamish
moralists
might
be
sulky
with
Lord
Steyne
,
but
they
were
glad
enough
to
come
when
he
asked
them
.
“
Lord
Steyne
is
really
too
bad
,
”
Lady
Slingstone
said
,
“
but
everybody
goes
,
and
of
course
I
shall
see
that
my
girls
come
to
no
harm
.
”
“
His
lordship
is
a
man
to
whom
I
owe
much
,
everything
in
life
,
”
said
the
Right
Reverend
Doctor
Trail
,
thinking
that
the
Archbishop
was
rather
shaky
;
and
Mrs.
Trail
and
the
young
ladies
would
as
soon
have
missed
going
to
church
as
to
one
of
his
lordship’s
parties
.
“
His
morals
are
bad
,
”
said
little
Lord
South
down
to
his
sister
,
who
meekly
expostulated
,
having
heard
terrific
legends
from
her
mamma
with
respect
to
the
doings
at
Gaunt
House
;
“
but
hang
it
,
he’s
got
the
best
dry
Silvery
in
Europe
!
”
And
as
for
Sir
Pit
Crawly
,
Bart
.
—
Sir
Pit
that
pattern
of
decorum
,
Sir
Pit
who
had
led
off
at
missionary
meetings
,
—
he
never
for
one
moment
thought
of
not
going
too
.
“
Where
you
see
such
persons
as
the
Bishop
of
Dealing
and
the
Countess
of
Slings
tone
,
you
may
be
pretty
sure
,
Jane
,
”
the
Baronet
would
say
,
“
that
we
cannot
be
wrong
.
The
great
rank
and
station
of
Lord
Stere
put
him
in
a
position
to
command
people
in
our
station
in
life
.
The
Lord
Lieutenant
of
a
County
,
my
dear
,
is
a
respectable
man
.
Besides
George
Gaunt
and
I
were
intimate
in
early
life
:
he
was
my
junior
when
we
were
attachés
at
Pumpernickel
together
.
”
In
a
word
everybody
went
to
wait
upon
this
great
man
—
everybody
who
was
asked
:
as
you
the
reader
(
do
not
say
nay
)
or
I
the
writer
hereof
would
go
if
we
had
an
invitation
.
XIII
.
In
Which
the
Reader
Is
Introduced
to
the
Very
Best
of
Company
AT
last
Becky’s
kindness
and
attention
to
the
chief
of
her
husband’s
family
were
destined
to
meet
with
an
exceeding
great
reward
;
a
reward
which
,
though
certainly
somewhat
unsubstantial
,
the
little
woman
coveted
with
greater
eagerness
than
more
positive
benefits
.
If
she
did
not
wish
to
lead
a
virtuous
life
,
at
least
she
desired
to
enjoy
a
character
for
virtue
,
and
we
know
that
no
lady
in
the
genteel
world
can
possess
this
desideratum
,
until
she
has
put
on
a
train
and
feathers
,
and
has
been
presented
to
her
Sovereign
at
Court
.
From
that
august
interview
they
come
out
stamped
as
honest
women
.
The
Lord
Chamberlain
gives
them
a
certificate
of
virtue
.
And
as
dubious
goods
or
letters
are
passed
through
an
oven
at
quarantine
,
sprinkled
with
aromatic
vinegar
,
and
then
pronounced
clean
—
many
a
lady
whose
reputation
would
be
doubtful
otherwise
and
liable
to
give
infection
,
passes
through
the
wholesome
ordeal
of
the
Royal
presence
,
and
issues
from
it
free
from
all
taint
.
It
might
be
very
well
for
my
Lady
Bare
acres
,
my
Lady
Tuft
,
Mrs.
Brute
Crawly
in
the
country
,
and
other
ladies
who
had
come
into
contact
with
Mrs.
Radon
Crawly
,
to
cry
fie
at
the
idea
of
the
odious
little
adventuress
making
her
curtsy
before
the
Sovereign
,
and
to
declare
that
,
if
dear
good
Queen
Charlotte
had
been
alive
,
she
never
would
have
admitted
such
an
extremely
ill
regulated
personage
into
her
chaste
drawing-room
.
But
when
we
consider
,
that
it
was
the
First
Gentleman
in
Europe
in
whose
high
presence
Mrs.
Radon
passed
her
examination
,
and
as
it
were
,
took
her
degree
in
reputation
,
it
surely
must
be
flat
disloyalty
to
doubt
any
more
about
her
virtue
.
I
,
for
my
part
,
look
back
with
love
and
awe
to
that
Great
Character
in
history
.
Ah
,
what
a
high
and
noble
appreciation
of
Gentlewoman-hood
there
must
have
been
in
Vanity
Fair
,
when
that
revered
and
august
being
was
invested
,
by
the
universal
acclaim
of
the
refined
and
educated
portion
of
this
empire
,
with
the
title
of
Premier
Gentilhomme
of
his
Kingdom
.
Do
you
remember
,
dear
M
—
—
,
oh
friend
of
my
youth
,
how
one
blissful
night
five-and-twenty
years
since
,
the
“
Hypocrite
”
being
acted
,
Elision
being
manager
,
Dolton
and
Listen
performers
,
two
boys
had
leave
from
their
loyal
masters
to
go
out
from
Slaughter
House
School
where
they
were
educated
,
and
to
appear
on
Derry
Lane
stage
,
amongst
a
crowd
which
assembled
there
to
greet
the
king
.
THE
KING
?
There
he
was
.
Beef
eaters
were
before
the
august
box
:
the
Marquis
of
Stere
(
Lord
of
the
Powder
Closet
)
and
other
great
officers
of
state
were
behind
the
chair
on
which
he
state
,
He
sate
—
florid
of
face
,
portly
of
person
,
covered
with
orders
,
and
in
a
rich
curling
head
of
hair
—
How
we
sang
God
save
him
!
How
the
house
rocked
and
shouted
with
that
magnificent
music
.
How
they
cheered
,
and
cried
,
and
waved
handkerchiefs
.
Ladies
wept
:
mothers
clasped
their
children
:
some
fainted
with
emotion
.
People
were
suffocated
in
the
pit
,
shrieks
and
groans
rising
up
amidst
the
writhing
and
shouting
mass
there
of
his
people
who
were
,
and
indeed
showed
themselves
almost
to
be
,
ready
to
die
for
him
.
Yes
,
we
saw
him
.
Fate
cannot
deprive
us
of
that
.
Others
have
seen
Napoleon
.
Some
few
still
exist
who
have
beheld
Frederick
the
Great
,
Doctor
Johnson
,
Marie
Anisette
,
etc.
—
be
it
our
reasonable
boast
to
our
children
,
that
we
saw
George
the
Good
,
the
Magnificent
,
the
Great
.
Well
,
there
came
a
happy
day
in
Mrs.
Radon
Crawlers
existence
when
this
angel
was
admitted
into
the
paradise
of
a
Court
which
she
coveted
;
her
sister-in-law
acting
as
her
godmother
.
On
the
appointed
day
,
Sir
Pit
and
his
lady
,
in
their
great
family
carriage
(
just
newly
built
,
and
ready
for
the
Baronet’s
assumption
of
the
office
of
High
Sheriff
of
his
county
)
,
drove
up
to
the
little
house
in
Curio
Street
,
to
the
edification
of
Rages
,
who
was
watching
from
his
green-grocer’s
shop
,
and
saw
fine
plumes
within
,
and
enormous
bunches
of
flowers
in
the
breasts
of
the
new
livery-coats
of
the
footmen
.
Sir
Pit
,
in
a
glittering
uniform
,
descended
and
went
into
Curio
Street
,
his
sword
between
his
legs
.
Little
Radon
stood
with
his
face
against
the
parlour
window-panes
,
smiling
and
nodding
with
all
his
might
to
his
aunt
in
the
carriage
within
;
and
presently
Sir
Pit
issued
forth
from
the
house
again
,
leading
forth
a
lady
with
grand
feathers
,
covered
in
a
white
shawl
,
and
holding
up
daintily
a
train
of
magnificent
brocade
.
She
stepped
into
the
vehicle
as
if
she
were
a
princess
and
accustomed
all
her
life
to
go
to
Court
,
smiling
graciously
on
the
footman
at
the
door
,
and
on
Sir
Pit
,
who
followed
her
into
the
carriage
.
Then
Radon
followed
in
his
old
Guards’
uniform
,
which
had
grown
wofully
shabby
,
and
was
much
too
tight
.
He
was
to
have
followed
the
procession
,
and
waited
upon
his
sovereign
in
a
cab
;
but
that
his
good-natured
sister-in-law
insisted
that
they
should
be
a
family
party
.
The
coach
was
large
,
the
ladies
not
very
big
,
they
would
hold
their
trains
in
their
laps
—
finally
,
the
four
went
fraternally
together
;
and
their
carriage
presently
joined
the
line
of
royal
equipages
which
was
making
its
way
down
Piccadilly
and
St.
James’s
Street
,
towards
the
old
brick
palace
where
the
Star
of
Brunswick
was
in
waiting
to
receive
his
nobles
and
gentlefolks
.
Becky
felt
as
if
she
could
bless
the
people
out
of
the
carriage
windows
,
so
elated
was
she
in
spirit
,
and
so
strong
a
sense
had
she
of
the
dignified
position
which
she
had
at
last
attained
in
life
.
Even
our
Becky
had
her
weaknesses
,
and
as
one
often
sees
how
men
pride
themselves
upon
excellences
which
others
are
slow
to
perceive
:
how
,
for
instance
,
Comus
firmly
believes
that
he
is
the
greatest
tragic
actor
in
England
;
how
Brown
,
the
famous
novelist
,
longs
to
be
considered
,
not
a
man
of
genius
,
but
a
man
of
fashion
;
while
Robinson
,
the
great
lawyer
,
does
not
in
the
least
care
about
his
reputation
in
Westminster
Hall
,
but
believes
himself
incomparable
across
country
,
and
at
a
five-barred
gate
—
so
to
be
,
and
to
be
thought
,
a
respectable
woman
was
Becky’s
aim
in
life
,
and
she
got
up
the
genteel
with
amazing
assiduity
,
readiness
,
and
success
.
We
have
said
,
there
were
times
when
she
believed
herself
to
be
a
fine
lady
,
and
forgot
that
there
was
no
money
in
the
chest
at
home
—
duns
round
the
gate
,
tradesmen
to
coax
and
wheedle
—
no
ground
to
walk
upon
,
in
a
word
.
And
as
she
went
to
Court
in
the
carriage
,
the
family
carriage
,
she
adopted
a
demeanour
so
grand
,
self-satisfied
,
deliberate
,
and
imposing
,
that
it
made
even
Lady
Jane
laugh
.
She
walked
into
the
royal
apartments
with
a
toss
of
the
head
which
would
have
befitted
an
empress
,
and
I
have
no
doubt
had
she
been
one
,
she
would
have
become
the
character
perfectly
.
We
are
authorised
to
state
that
Mrs.
Radon
Crawlers
costume
de
cour
on
the
occasion
of
her
presentation
to
the
Sovereign
was
of
the
most
elegant
and
brilliant
description
.
Some
ladies
we
may
have
seen
—
we
who
wear
stars
and
cordons
,
and
attend
the
St.
James’s
assemblies
,
or
we
,
who
,
in
muddy
boots
,
dawdle
up
and
down
Pall
Mall
,
and
peep
into
the
coaches
as
they
drive
up
with
the
great
folks
in
their
feathers
—
some
ladies
of
fashion
,
I
say
,
we
may
have
seen
,
about
two
o’clock
of
the
forenoon
of
a
levee
day
,
as
the
laced-jacketed
band
of
the
Life
Guards
are
blowing
triumphal
marches
seated
on
those
prancing
music-stools
,
their
cream-coloured
chargers
—
who
are
by
no
means
lovely
and
enticing
objects
at
that
early
period
of
noon
.
A
stout
countess
of
sixty
décolletée
,
painted
,
wrinkled
,
with
rouge
up
to
her
drooping
eyelids
,
and
diamonds
twinkling
in
her
wig
,
is
a
wholesome
and
edifying
,
but
not
a
pleasant
sight
.
She
has
the
faded
look
of
a
St.
James’s
Street
illumination
,
as
it
may
be
seen
of
an
early
morning
,
when
half
the
lamps
are
out
,
and
the
others
are
blinking
wanly
,
as
if
they
were
about
to
vanish
like
ghosts
before
the
dawn
.
Such
charms
as
those
of
which
we
catch
glimpses
while
her
ladyship’s
carriage
passes
should
appear
abroad
at
night
alone
.
If
even
Cynthia
looks
haggard
of
an
afternoon
,
as
we
may
see
her
sometimes
in
the
present
winter
season
,
with
Phœbus
staring
her
out
of
countenance
from
the
opposite
side
of
the
heavens
,
how
much
more
can
old
Lady
Castlemouldy
keep
her
head
up
when
the
sun
is
shining
full
upon
it
through
the
chariot
windows
,
and
showing
all
the
chinks
and
crannies
with
which
time
has
marked
her
face
!
No.
Drawing-rooms
should
be
announced
for
November
,
or
the
first
foggy
day
:
or
the
elderly
sultanas
of
our
Vanity
Fair
should
drive
up
in
closed
litters
,
descend
in
a
covered
way
,
and
make
their
curtsy
to
the
Sovereign
under
the
protection
of
lamplight
.
Our
beloved
Rebecca
had
no
need
,
however
,
of
any
such
a
friendly
halo
to
set
off
her
beauty
.
Her
complexion
could
bear
any
sunshine
as
yet
;
and
her
dress
,
though
if
you
were
to
see
it
now
,
any
present
lady
of
Vanity
Fair
would
pronounce
it
to
be
the
most
foolish
and
preposterous
attire
ever
worn
,
was
as
handsome
in
her
eyes
and
those
of
the
public
,
some
five-and-twenty
years
since
,
as
the
most
brilliant
costume
of
the
most
famous
beauty
of
the
present
season
.
A
score
of
years
hence
that
too
,
that
milliner’s
wonder
,
will
have
passed
into
the
domain
of
the
absurd
,
along
with
all
previous
vanities
.
But
we
are
wandering
too
much
.
Mrs.
Rawdon’s
dress
was
pronounced
to
be
charmante
on
the
eventful
day
of
her
presentation
.
Even
good
little
Lady
Jane
was
forced
to
acknowledge
this
effect
,
as
she
looked
at
her
kinswoman
;
and
owned
sorrowfully
to
herself
that
she
was
quite
inferior
in
taste
to
Mrs.
Becky
.
She
did
not
know
how
much
care
,
thought
,
and
genius
Mrs.
Radon
had
bestowed
upon
that
garment
.
Rebecca
had
as
good
taste
as
any
milliner
in
Europe
,
and
such
a
clever
way
of
doing
things
as
Lady
Jane
little
understood
.
The
latter
quickly
spied
out
the
magnificence
of
the
brocade
of
Becky’s
train
,
and
the
splendour
of
the
lace
on
her
dress
.
The
brocade
was
an
old
remnant
,
Becky
said
;
and
as
for
the
lace
,
it
was
a
great
