Hewalkedverymodestlybehindthem。Hewasnotwillingtospoilsport。AboutRebeccaandJoshedidnotcareafig。ButhethoughtAmeliaworthyevenofthebrilliantGeorgeOsborne，andashesawthatgood-lookingcouplethreadingthewalkstothegirl’sdelightandwonder，hewatchedherartlesshappinesswithasortoffatherlypleasure。Perhapshefeltthathewouldhavelikedtohavesomethingonhisownarmbesidesashawlthepeoplelaughedatseeingthegawkyyoungofficercarryingthisfemaleburthen；butWilliamDobbinwasverylittleaddictedtoselfishcalculationatall；andsolongashisfriendwasenjoyinghimself，howshouldhebediscontented？
Andthetruthis，thatofallthedelightsoftheGardens；ofthehundredthousandextralamps，whichwerealwayslighted；thefiddlersincockedhats，whoplayedravishingmelodiesunderthegildedcockle-shellinthemidstofthegardens；thesingers，bothofcomicandsentimentalballads，whocharmedtheearsthere；thecountrydances，formedbybouncingcockneysandcockneyesses，andexecutedamidstjumping，thumpingandlaughter；thesignalwhichannouncedthatMadameSaquiwasabouttomountskywardonaslack-ropeascendingtothestars；thehermitthatalwayssatintheilluminatedhermitage；thedarkwalks，sofavourabletotheinterviewsofyounglovers；thepotsofstouthandedaboutbythepeopleintheshabbyoldliveries；andthetwinklingboxes，inwhichthehappyfeastersmade-believetoeatslicesofalmostinvisibleham——ofallthesethings，andofthegentleSimpson，thatkindsmilingidiot，who，Idaresay，presidedeventhenovertheplace——CaptainWilliamDobbindidnottaketheslightestnotice。
HecarriedaboutAmelia’swhitecashmereshawl，andhavingattendedunderthegiltcockle-shell，whileMrs。
SalmonperformedtheBattleofBorodinoasavagecantataagainsttheCorsicanupstart，whohadlatelymetwithhisRussianreverses——Mr。Dobbintriedtohumitashewalkedaway，andfoundhewashumming——thetunewhichAmeliaSedleysangonthestairs，asshecamedowntodinner。
Heburstoutlaughingathimself；forthetruthis，hecouldsingnobetterthananowl。