he’samagistrateatBudgebudge，andsuretobeincouncilinfiveyears。Well，sir，theArtillerygaveaball，andQuintin，oftheKing’s14th，saidtome，’Sedley，’saidhe，’IbetyouthirteentotenthatSophyCutlerhookseitheryouorMulligatawneybeforetherains。’’Done，’
saysI；andegad，sir——thisclaret’sverygood。Adamson’sorCarbonell’s？”
Aslightsnorewastheonlyreply：thehoneststockbrokerwasasleep，andsotherestofJoseph’sstorywaslostforthatday。Buthewasalwaysexceedinglycommunicativeinaman’sparty，andhastoldthisdelightfultalemanyscoresoftimestohisapothecary，Dr。Gollop，whenhecametoinquireabouttheliverandtheblue-pill。
Beinganinvalid，JosephSedleycontentedhimselfwithabottleofclaretbesideshisMadeiraatdinner，andhemanagedacoupleofplatesfullofstrawberriesandcream，andtwenty-fourlittleroutcakesthatwerelyingneglectedinaplatenearhim，andcertainlyfornovelistshavetheprivilegeofknowingeverything
hethoughtagreatdealaboutthegirlupstairs。”Anice，gay，merryyoungcreature。”thoughthetohimself。”HowshelookedatmewhenIpickedupherhandkerchiefatdinner！Shedroppedittwice。Who’sthatsinginginthedrawing-room？’Gad！shallIgoupandsee？”
Buthismodestycamerushinguponhimwithuncontrollableforce。Hisfatherwasasleep：hishatwasinthehall：therewasahackney-coachstandinghardbyinSouthamptonRow。”I’llgoandseetheFortyThieves。”saidhe，“andMissDecamp’sdance“；andheslippedawaygentlyonthepointedtoesofhisboots，anddisappeared，withoutwakinghisworthyparent。
“TheregoesJoseph。”saidAmelia，whowaslookingfromtheopenwindowsofthedrawing-room，whileRebeccawassingingatthepiano。
“MissSharphasfrightenedhimaway。”saidMrs。
Sedley。”PoorJoe，whyWILLhebesoshy？”
CHAPTERIV
TheGreenSilkPursePoorJoe’spaniclastedfortwoorthreedays；duringwhichhedidnotvisitthehouse，norduringthatperioddidMissRebeccaevermentionhisname。ShewasallrespectfulgratitudetoMrs。Sedley；delightedbeyondmeasureattheBazaars；andinawhirlofwonderatthetheatre，whitherthegood-naturedladytookher。Oneday，Ameliahadaheadache，andcouldnotgouponsomepartyofpleasuretowhichthetwoyoungpeoplewereinvited：nothingcouldinduceherfriendtogowithouther。
“What！youwhohaveshownthepoororphanwhathappinessandloveareforthefirsttimeinherlife——quitYOU？Never！”andthegreeneyeslookeduptoHeavenandfilledwithtears；andMrs。Sedleycouldnotbutownthatherdaughter’sfriendhadacharmingkindheartofherown。
AsforMr。Sedley’sjokes，Rebeccalaughedatthemwithacordialityandperseverancewhichnotalittlepleasedandsoftenedthatgood-naturedgentleman。NorwasitwiththechiefsofthefamilyalonethatMissSharpfoundfavour。SheinterestedMrs。Blenkinsopbyevincingthedeepestsympathyintheraspberry-jampreserving，whichoperationwasthengoingonintheHousekeeper’sroom；shepersistedincallingSambo“Sir。”
and“Mr。Sambo。”tothedelightofthatattendant；andsheapologisedtothelady’smaidforgivinghertroubleinventuringtoringthebell，withsuchsweetnessandhumility，thattheServants’HallwasalmostascharmedwithherastheDrawingRoom。
Once，inlookingoversomedrawingswhichAmeliahadsentfromschool，Rebeccasuddenlycameupononewhichcausedhertoburstintotearsandleavetheroom。
ItwasonthedaywhenJoeSedleymadehissecondappearance。
Ameliahastenedafterherfriendtoknowthecauseofthisdisplayoffeeling，andthegood-naturedgirlcamebackwithouthercompanion，ratheraffectedtoo。”Youknow，herfatherwasourdrawing-master，Mamma，atChiswick，andusedtodoallthebestpartsofourdrawings。”
“Mylove！I’msureIalwaysheardMissPinkertonsaythathedidnottouchthem——heonlymountedthem。”
“Itwascalledmounting，Mamma。Rebeccaremembersthedrawing，andherfatherworkingatit，andthethoughtofitcameuponherrathersuddenly——andso，youknow，she——“
“Thepoorchildisallheart。”saidMrs。Sedley。
“Iwishshecouldstaywithusanotherweek。”saidAmelia。
“She’sdevilishlikeMissCutlerthatIusedtomeetatDumdum，onlyfairer。She’smarriednowtoLance，theArtillerySurgeon。Doyouknow，Ma’am，thatonceQuintin，ofthe14th，betme——“
“0Joseph，weknowthatstory。”saidAmelia，laughing。
Nevermindabouttellingthat；butpersuadeMammatowritetoSirSomethingCrawleyforleaveofabsenceforpoordearRebecca：hereshecomes，hereyesredwithweeping。”
“I’mbetter，now。”saidthegirl，withthesweetestsmilepossible，takinggood-naturedMrs。Sedley’sextendedhandandkissingitrespectfully。”Howkindyouallaretome！
All。”sheadded，withalaugh，“exceptyou，Mr。Joseph。”
“Me！”saidJoseph，meditatinganinstantdeparture“GraciousHeavens！GoodGad！MissSharp！’
“Yes；howcouldyoubesocruelastomakemeeatthathorridpepper-dishatdinner，thefirstdayIeversawyou？YouarenotsogoodtomeasdearAmelia。”
“Hedoesn’tknowyousowell。”criedAmelia。
“Idefyanybodynottobegoodtoyou，mydear。”
saidhermother。
“Thecurrywascapital；indeeditwas。”saidJoe，quitegravely。”PerhapstherewasNOTenoughcitronjuiceinit——no，therewasNOT。”
“Andthechilis？”
“ByJove，howtheymadeyoucryout！”saidJoe，caughtbytheridiculeofthecircumstance，andexplodinginafitoflaughterwhichendedquitesuddenly，asusual。
“IshalltakecarehowIletYOUchooseformeanothertime。”saidRebecca，astheywentdownagaintodinner。”Ididn’tthinkmenwerefondofputtingpoorharmlessgirlstopain。”
“ByGad，MissRebecca，Iwouldn’thurtyoufortheworld。”
“No。”saidshe，“IKNOWyouwouldn’t“；andthenshegavehimeversogentleapressurewithherlittlehand，anddrewitbackquitefrightened，andlookedfirstforoneinstantinhisface，andthendownatthecarpet-
rods；andIamnotpreparedtosaythatJoe’sheartdidnotthumpatthislittleinvoluntary，timid，gentlemotionofregardonthepartofthesimplegirl。
Itwasanadvance，andassuch，perhaps，someladiesofindisputablecorrectnessandgentilitywillcondemntheactionasimmodest；but，yousee，poordearRebeccahadallthisworktodoforherself。Ifapersonistoopoortokeepaservant，thougheversoelegant，hemustsweephisownrooms：ifadeargirlhasnodearMammatosettlematterswiththeyoungman，shemustdoitforherself。Andoh，whatamercyitisthatthesewomendonotexercisetheirpowersoftener！Wecan’tresistthem，iftheydo。Letthemshoweversolittleinclination，andmengodownontheirkneesatonce：oldorugly，itisallthesame。AndthisIsetdownasapositivetruth。Awomanwithfairopportunities，andwithoutanabsolutehump，maymarryWHOMSHELIKES。Onlyletusbethankfulthatthedarlingsarelikethebeastsofthefield，anddon’tknowtheirownpower。Theywouldovercomeusentirelyiftheydid。
“Egad！”thoughtJoseph，enteringthedining-room，“I
exactlybegintofeelasIdidatDumdumwithMissCutler。”Manysweetlittleappeals，halftender，halfjocular，didMissSharpmaketohimaboutthedishesatdinner；forbythistimeshewasonafootingofconsiderablefamiliaritywiththefamily，andasforthegirls，theylovedeachotherlikesisters。Youngunmarriedgirlsalwaysdo，iftheyareinahousetogetherfortendays。
AsifbentuponadvancingRebecca’splansineveryway——whatmustAmeliado，butremindherbrotherofapromisemadelastEasterholidays——“WhenIwasagirlatschool。”saidshe，laughing——apromisethathe，Joseph，wouldtakehertoVauxhall。”Now。”shesaid。”thatRebeccaiswithus，willbetheverytime。”
“O，delightful！”saidRebecca，goingtoclapherhands；
butsherecollectedherself，andpaused，likeamodestcreature，asshewas。
“To-nightisnotthenight。”saidJoe。
“Well，to-morrow。”
“To-morrowyourPapaandIdineout。”saidMrs。
Sedley。
“Youdon’tsupposethatI’mgoing，Mrs。Sed？”saidherhusband，“andthatawomanofyouryearsandsizeistocatchcold，insuchanabominabledampplace？”
’Thechildrenmusthavesomeonewiththem。”criedMrs。Sedley。
“LetJoego。”said-hisfather，laughing。”He’sbigenough。”AtwhichspeechevenMr。Samboatthesideboardburstoutlaughing，andpoorfatJoefeltinclinedtobecomeaparricidealmost。
“Undohisstays！”continuedthepitilessoldgentleman。
“Flingsomewaterinhisface，MissSharp，orcarryhimupstairs：thedearcreature’sfainting。Poorvictim！carryhimup；he’saslightasafeather！”
“IfIstandthis，sir，I’md——！”roaredJoseph。
“OrderMr。Jos’selephant，Sambo！”criedthefather。
“SendtoExeter’Change，Sambo“；butseeingJosreadyalmosttocrywithvexation，theoldjokerstoppedhislaughter，andsaid，holdingouthishandtohisson，“It’sallfairontheStockExchange，Jos——and，Sambo，nevermindtheelephant，butgivemeandMr。JosaglassofChampagne。Boneyhimselfhasn’tgotsuchinhiscellar，myboy！”
AgobletofChampagnerestoredJoseph’sequanimity，andbeforethebottlewasemptied，ofwhichasaninvalidhetooktwo-thirds，hehadagreedtotaketheyoungladiestoVauxhall。
“Thegirlsmusthaveagentlemanapiece。”saidtheoldgentleman。”JoswillbesuretoleaveEmmyinthecrowd，hewillbesotakenupwithMissSharphere。Sendto96，andaskGeorgeOsborneifhe’llcome。”
Atthis，Idon’tknowintheleastforwhatreason，Mrs。Sedleylookedatherhusbandandlaughed。Mr。
Sedley’seyestwinkledinamannerindescribablyroguish，andhelookedatAmelia；andAmelia，hangingdownherhead，blushedasonlyyoungladiesofseventeenknowhowtoblush，andasMissRebeccaSharpneverblushedinherlife——atleastnotsinceshewaseightyearsold，andwhenshewascaughtstealingjamoutofacupboardbyhergodmother。”Ameliahadbetterwriteanote。”saidherfather；“andletGeorgeOsborneseewhatabeautifulhandwritingwehavebroughtbackfromMissPinkerton’s。DoyourememberwhenyouwrotetohimtocomeonTwelfth-night，Emmy，andspelttwelfthwithoutthef？”
“Thatwasyearsago。”saidAmelia。
“Itseemslikeyesterday，don’tit，John？”saidMrs。
Sedleytoherhusband；andthatnightinaconversationwhichtookplaceinafrontroominthesecondfloor，inasortoftent，hungroundwithchintzofarichandfantasticIndiapattern，anddoublewithcalicoofatenderrose-colour；intheinteriorofwhichspeciesofmarqueewasafeatherbed，onwhichweretwopillows，onwhichweretworoundredfaces，oneinalacednightcap，andoneinasimplecottonone，endinginatassel——inACURTAINLECTURE，Isay，Mrs。SedleytookherhusbandtotaskforhiscruelconducttopoorJoe。
“Itwasquitewickedofyou，Mr。Sedley。”saidshe。”totormentthepoorboyso。”
“Mydear。”saidthecotton-tasselindefenceofhisconduct，“Josisagreatdealvainerthanyoueverwereinyourlife，andthat’ssayingagooddeal。Though，somethirtyyearsago，intheyearseventeenhundredandeighty——whatwasit？——perhapsyouhadarighttobevain——Idon’tsayno。ButI’venopatiencewithJosandhisdandifiedmodesty。Itisout-JosephingJoseph，mydear，andallthewhiletheboyisonlythinkingofhimself，andwhatafinefellowheis。Idoubt，Ma’am，weshallhavesometroublewithhimyet。HereisEmmy’slittlefriendmakinglovetohimashardasshecan；that’squiteclear；andifshedoesnotcatchhimsomeotherwill。Thatmanisdestinedtobeapreytowoman，asIamtogoon’Changeeveryday。It’samercyhedidnotbringusoverablackdaughter-in-law，mydear。But，markmywords，thefirstwomanwhofishesforhim，hookshim。”
“Sheshallgooffto-morrow，thelittleartfulcreature。”
saidMrs。Sedley，withgreatenergy。