“Awhat？”Josasked。
“Asentimentalsong，andcallingRosa，Rebecca，what’shername，Amelia’slittlefriend——yourdearestdiddle-
diddle-darling？”Andthisruthlessyoungfellow，seizingholdofDobbin’shand，actedoverthescene，tothehorroroftheoriginalperformer，andinspiteofDobbin’sgood-
naturedentreatiestohimtohavemercy。
“WhyshouldIsparehim？”Osbornesaidtohisfriend’sremonstrances，whentheyquittedtheinvalid，leavinghimunderthehandsofDoctorGollop。”Whatthedeucerighthashetogivehimselfhispatronizingairs，andmakefoolsofusatVauxhall？Who’sthislittleschoolgirlthatisoglingandmakinglovetohim？Hangit，thefamily’slowenoughalready，withoutHER。Agovernessisallverywell，butI’dratherhavealadyformysister-in-law。I’maliberalman；butI’veproperpride，andknowmyownstation：letherknowhers。AndI’lltakedownthatgreathectoringNabob，andpreventhimfrombeingmadeagreaterfoolthanheis。That’swhyItoldhimtolookout，lestshebroughtanactionagainsthim。”
“Isupposeyouknowbest。”Dobbinsaid，thoughratherdubiously。”YoualwayswereaTory，andyourfamily’soneoftheoldestinEngland。But——“
“Comeandseethegirls，andmakelovetoMissSharpyourself。”thelieutenanthereinterruptedhisfriend；butCaptainDobbindeclinedtojoinOsborneinhisdailyvisittotheyoungladiesinRussellSquare。
AsGeorgewalkeddownSouthamptonRow，fromHolborn，helaughedashesaw，attheSedleyMansion，intwodifferentstoriestwoheadsonthelook-out。
Thefactis，MissAmelia，inthedrawing-roombalcony，waslookingveryeagerlytowardstheoppositesideoftheSquare，whereMr。Osbornedwelt，onthewatchforthelieutenanthimself；andMissSharp，fromherlittlebed-
roomonthesecondfloor，wasinobservationuntilMr。
Joseph’sgreatformshouldheaveinsight。
“SisterAnneisonthewatch-tower。”saidhetoAmelia。”butthere’snobodycoming“；andlaughingandenjoyingthejokehugely，hedescribedinthemostludicroustermstoMissSedley，thedismalconditionofherbrother。
“Ithinkit’sverycruelofyoutolaugh，George。”shesaid，lookingparticularlyunhappy；butGeorgeonlylaughedthemoreatherpiteousanddiscomfitedmien，persistedinthinkingthejokeamostdivertingone，andwhenMissSharpcamedownstairs，banteredherwithagreatdealoflivelinessupontheeffectofhercharmsonthefatcivilian。
“OMissSharp！ifyoucouldbutseehimthismorning。”
hesaid——“moaninginhisflowereddressing-gown——
writhingonhissofa；ifyoucouldbuthaveseenhimlollingouthistonguetoGolloptheapothecary。”
“Seewhom？”saidMissSharp。
“Whom？Owhom？CaptainDobbin，ofcourse，towhomwewereallsoattentive，bytheway，lastnight。”
“Wewereveryunkindtohim。”Emmysaid，blushingverymuch。”I——Iquiteforgothim。”
“Ofcourseyoudid。”criedOsborne，stillonthelaugh。
“Onecan’tbeALWAYSthinkingaboutDobbin，youknow，Amelia。Canone，MissSharp？”
“Exceptwhenheoversettheglassofwineatdinner。”
MissSharpsaid，withahaughtyairandatossofthehead，“InevergavetheexistenceofCaptainDobbinonesinglemoment’sconsideration。”
“Verygood，MissSharp，I’lltellhim。”Osbornesaid；
andashespokeMissSharpbegantohaveafeelingofdistrustandhatredtowardsthisyoungofficer，whichhewasquiteunconsciousofhavinginspired。”Heistomakefunofme，ishe？”thoughtRebecca。”HashebeenlaughingaboutmetoJoseph？Hashefrightenedhim？
Perhapshewon’tcome。”——Afilmpassedoverhereyes，andherheartbeatquitequick。
“You’realwaysjoking。”saidshe，smilingasinnocentlyasshecould。”Jokeaway，Mr。George；there’snobodytodefendME。”AndGeorgeOsborne，asshewalkedaway——andAmelialookedreprovinglyathim——feltsomelittlemanlycompunctionforhavinginflictedanyunnecessaryunkindnessuponthishelplesscreature。”MydearestAmelia。”saidhe，“youaretoogood——tookind。Youdon’tknowtheworld。Ido。AndyourlittlefriendMissSharpmustlearnherstation。”
“Don’tyouthinkJoswill——“
“Uponmyword，mydear，Idon’tknow。Hemay，ormaynot。I’mnothismaster。Ionlyknowheisaveryfoolishvainfellow，andputmydearlittlegirlintoaverypainfulandawkwardpositionlastnight。Mydearestdiddle-diddle-darling！”Hewasofflaughingagain，andhediditsodrollythatEmmylaughedtoo。
AllthatdayJosnevercame。ButAmeliahadnofearaboutthis；forthelittleschemerhadactuallysentawaythepage，Mr。Sambo’saide-de-camp，toMr。Joseph’slodgings，toaskforsomebookhehadpromised，andhowhewas；andthereplythroughJos’sman，Mr。Brush，was，thathismasterwasillinbed，andhadjusthadthedoctorwithhim。Hemustcometo-morrow，shethought，butsheneverhadthecouragetospeakawordonthesubjecttoRebecca；nordidthatyoungwomanherselfalludetoitinanywayduringthewholeeveningafterthenightatVauxhall。
Thenextday，however，asthetwoyoungladiessateonthesofa，pretendingtowork，ortowriteletters，ortoreadnovels，Sambocameintotheroomwithhisusualengaginggrin，withapacketunderhisarm，andanoteonatray。”NotefromMr。Jos，Miss。”saysSambo。
HowAmeliatrembledassheopenedit！
Soitran：
DearAmelia，——Isendyouthe“OrphanoftheForest。”
Iwastooilltocomeyesterday。Ileavetownto-dayforCheltenham。Prayexcuseme，ifyoucan，totheamiableMissSharp，formyconductatVauxhall，andentreathertopardonandforgeteverywordImayhaveutteredwhenexcitedbythatfatalsupper。AssoonasIhaverecovered，formyhealthisverymuchshaken，I
shallgotoScotlandforsomemonths，andamTrulyyours，JosSedleyItwasthedeath-warrant。Allwasover。AmeliadidnotdaretolookatRebecca’spalefaceandburningeyes，butshedropttheletterintoherfriend’slap；andgotup，andwentupstairstoherroom，andcriedherlittleheartout。
Blenkinsop，thehousekeeper，theresoughtherpresentlywithconsolation，onwhoseshoulderAmeliaweptconfidentially，andrelievedherselfagooddeal。”Don’ttakeon，Miss。Ididn’tliketotellyou。Butnoneofusinthehousehavelikedherexceptatfust。IsorherwithmyowneyesreadingyourMa’sletters。Pinnersaysshe’salwaysaboutyourtrinket-boxanddrawers，andeverybody’sdrawers，andshe’ssureshe’sputyourwhiteribbingintoherbox。”
“Igaveither，Igaveither。”Ameliasaid。
ButthisdidnotalterMrs。Blenkinsop’sopinionofMissSharp。”Idon’ttrustthemgovernesses，Pinner。”sheremarkedtothemaid。”Theygivethemselvesthehairsandhupstartsofladies，andtheirwagesisnobetterthanyounorme。”
Itnowbecamecleartoeverysoulinthehouse，exceptpoorAmelia，thatRebeccashouldtakeherdeparture，andhighandlowalwayswiththeoneexceptionagreedthatthateventshouldtakeplaceasspeedilyaspossible。
Ourgoodchildransackedallherdrawers，cupboards，reticules，andgimcrackboxes——passedinreviewallhergowns，fichus，tags，bobbins，laces，silkstockings，andfallals——selectingthisthingandthatandtheother，tomakealittleheapforRebecca。AndgoingtoherPapa，thatgenerousBritishmerchant，whohadpromisedtogiveherasmanyguineasasshewasyearsold——shebeggedtheoldgentlemantogivethemoneytodearRebecca，whomustwantit，whileshelackedfornothing。
SheevenmadeGeorgeOsbornecontribute，andnothinglothforhewasasfree-handedayoungfellowasanyinthearmy，hewenttoBondStreet，andboughtthebesthatandspenserthatmoneycouldbuy。
“That’sGeorge’spresenttoyou，Rebecca，dear。”saidAmelia，quiteproudofthebandboxconveyingthesegifts。”Whatatastehehas！There’snobodylikehim。”
“Nobody。”Rebeccaanswered。”HowthankfulIamtohim！”Shewasthinkinginherheart，“ItwasGeorgeOsbornewhopreventedmymarriage。”——AndshelovedGeorgeOsborneaccordingly。
Shemadeherpreparationsfordeparturewithgreatequanimity；andacceptedallthekindlittleAmelia’spresents，afterjusttheproperdegreeofhesitationandreluctance。ShevowedeternalgratitudetoMrs。Sedley，ofcourse；butdidnotintrudeherselfuponthatgoodladytoomuch，whowasembarrassed，andevidentlywishingtoavoidher。ShekissedMr。Sedley’shand，whenhepresentedherwiththepurse；andaskedpermissiontoconsiderhimforthefutureasherkind，kindfriendandprotector。Herbehaviourwassoaffectingthathewasgoingtowriteherachequefortwentypoundsmore；
butherestrainedhisfeelings：thecarriagewasinwaitingtotakehimtodinner，sohetrippedawaywitha“Godblessyou，mydear，alwayscomeherewhenyoucometotown，youknow——DrivetotheMansionHouse，James。”
FinallycamethepartingwithMissAmelia，overwhichpictureIintendtothrowaveil。Butafterasceneinwhichonepersonwasinearnestandtheotheraperfectperformer——afterthetenderestcaresses，themostpathetictears，thesmelling-bottle，andsomeoftheverybestfeelingsoftheheart，hadbeencalledintorequisition——
RebeccaandAmeliaparted，theformervowingtoloveherfriendforeverandeverandever。
CHAPTERVII
CrawleyofQueen’sCrawleyAmongthemostrespectedofthenamesbeginninginC
whichtheCourt-Guidecontained，intheyear18——，wasthatofCrawley，SirPitt，Baronet，GreatGauntStreet，andQueen’sCrawley，Hants。ThishonourablenamehadfiguredconstantlyalsointheParliamentarylistformanyyears，inconjunctionwiththatofanumberofotherworthygentlemenwhosatinturnsfortheborough。
Itisrelated，withregardtotheboroughofQueen’sCrawley，thatQueenElizabethinoneofherprogresses，stoppingatCrawleytobreakfast，wassodelightedwithsomeremarkablyfineHampshirebeerwhichwasthenpresentedtoherbytheCrawleyofthedayahandsomegentlemanwithatrimbeardandagoodleg，thatsheforthwitherectedCrawleyintoaboroughtosendtwomemberstoParliament；andtheplace，fromthedayofthatillustriousvisit，tookthenameofQueen’sCrawley，whichitholdsuptothepresentmoment。Andthough，bythelapseoftime，andthosemutationswhichageproducesinempires，cities，andboroughs，Queen’sCrawleywasnolongersopopulousaplaceasithadbeeninQueenBess’stime——nay，wascomedowntothatconditionofboroughwhichusedtobedenominatedrotten——yet，asSirPittCrawleywouldsaywithperfectjusticeinhiselegantway，“Rotten！behanged——itproducesmeagoodfifteenhundredayear。”
SirPittCrawleynamedafterthegreatCommoner
wasthesonofWalpoleCrawley，firstBaronet，oftheTapeandSealing-WaxOfficeinthereignofGeorgeII。，whenhewasimpeachedforpeculation，aswereagreatnumberofotherhonestgentlemenofthosedays；andWalpoleCrawleywas，asneedscarcelybesaid，sonofJohnChurchillCrawley，namedafterthecelebratedmilitarycommanderofthereignofQueenAnne。ThefamilytreewhichhangsupatQueen’sCrawleyfurthermorementionsCharlesStuart，afterwardscalledBarebonesCrawley，sonoftheCrawleyofJamestheFirst’stime；
andfinally，QueenElizabeth’sCrawley，whoisrepresentedastheforegroundofthepictureinhisforkedbeardandarmour。Outofhiswaistcoat，asusual，growsatree，onthemainbranchesofwhichtheaboveillustriousnamesareinscribed。ClosebythenameofSirPittCrawley，Baronetthesubjectofthepresentmemoir，arewrittenthatofhisbrother，theReverendButeCrawleythegreatCommonerwasindisgracewhenthereverendgentlemanwasborn，rectorofCrawley-cum-Snailby，andofvariousothermaleandfemalemembersoftheCrawleyfamily。
SirPittwasfirstmarriedtoGrizzel，sixthdaughterofMungoBinkie，LordBinkie，andcousin，inconsequence，ofMr。Dundas。Shebroughthimtwosons：Pitt，namednotsomuchafterhisfatherasaftertheheaven-bornminister；andRawdonCrawley，fromthePrinceofWales’sfriend，whomhisMajestyGeorgeIVforgotsocompletely。Manyyearsafterherladyship’sdemise，SirPittledtothealtarRosa，daughterofMr。G。Dawson，ofMudbury，bywhomhehadtwodaughters，forwhosebenefitMissRebeccaSharpwasnowengagedasgoverness。Itwillbeseenthattheyoungladywascomeintoafamilyofverygenteelconnexions，andwasabouttomoveinamuchmoredistinguishedcirclethanthathumbleonewhichshehadjustquittedinRussellSquare。
Shehadreceivedherorderstojoinherpupils，inanotewhichwaswrittenuponanoldenvelope，andwhichcontainedthefollowingwords：
SirPittCrawleybegsMissSharpandbaggidgemaybehearonTuesday，asIleafforQueen’sCrawleyto-morrowmorningERLY。
GreatGauntStreet。