“Notatnoprice。”Mr。Q。said。”Mr。GeorgeOsborne，sir，howwillyoutakeit？”Georgecrammedeagerlyaquantityofnotesintohispockets，andpaidDobbinfiftypoundsthatveryeveningatmess。
ThatveryeveningAmeliawrotehimthetenderestoflongletters。Herheartwasoverflowingwithtenderness，butitstillforebodedevil。WhatwasthecauseofMr。
Osborne’sdarklooks？sheasked。Hadanydifferencearisenbetweenhimandherpapa？HerpoorpapareturnedsomelancholyfromtheCity，thatallwerealarmedabouthimathome——infine，therewerefourpagesoflovesandfearsandhopesandforebodings。
“PoorlittleEmmy——dearlittleEmmy。Howfondsheisofme。”Georgesaid，asheperusedthemissive——“andGad，whataheadachethatmixedpunchhasgivenme！”
PoorlittleEmmy，indeed。
CHAPTERXIV
MissCrawleyatHomeAboutthistimetheredroveuptoanexceedinglysnugandwell-appointedhouseinParkLane，atravellingchariotwithalozengeonthepanels，adiscontentedfemaleinagreenveilandcrimpedcurlsontherumble，andalargeandconfidentialmanonthebox。ItwastheequipageofourfriendMissCrawley，returningfromHants。Thecarriagewindowswereshut；thefatspaniel，whoseheadandtongueordinarilylolledoutofoneofthem，reposedonthelapofthediscontentedfemale。Whenthevehiclestopped，alargeroundbundleofshawlswastakenoutofthecarriagebytheaidofvariousdomesticsandayoungladywhoaccompaniedtheheapofcloaks。ThatbundlecontainedMissCrawley，whowasconveyedupstairsforthwith，andputintoabedandchamberwarmedproperlyasforthereceptionofaninvalid。Messengerswentoffforherphysicianandmedicalman。Theycame，consulted，prescribed，vanished。TheyoungcompanionofMissCrawley，attheconclusionoftheirinterview，cameintoreceivetheirinstructions，andadministeredthoseantiphlogisticmedicineswhichtheeminentmenordered。
CaptainCrawleyoftheLifeGuardsrodeupfromKnightsbridgeBarracksthenextday；hisblackchargerpawedthestrawbeforehisinvalidaunt’sdoor。Hewasmostaffectionateinhisinquiriesregardingthatamiablerelative。Thereseemedtobemuchsourceofapprehension。
HefoundMissCrawley’smaidthediscontentedfemaleunusuallysulkyanddespondent；hefoundMissBriggs，herdamedecompagnie，intearsaloneinthedrawing-room。Shehadhastenedhome，hearingofherbelovedfriend’sillness。Shewishedtoflytohercouch，thatcouchwhichshe，Briggs，hadsooftensmoothedinthehourofsickness。ShewasdeniedadmissiontoMissCrawley’sapartment。Astrangerwasadministeringhermedicines——astrangerfromthecountry——anodiousMiss——tearschokedtheutteranceofthedamedecompagnie，andsheburiedhercrushedaffectionsandherpooroldrednoseinherpockethandkerchief。
RawdonCrawleysentuphisnamebythesulkyfemmedechambre，andMissCrawley’snewcompanion，comingtrippingdownfromthesick-room，putalittlehandintohisashesteppedforwardeagerlytomeether，gaveaglanceofgreatscornatthebewilderedBriggs，andbeckoningtheyoungGuardsmanoutofthebackdrawing-
room，ledhimdownstairsintothatnowdesolatedining-
parlour，wheresomanyagooddinnerhadbeencelebrated。
Herethesetwotalkedfortenminutes，discussing，nodoubt，thesymptomsoftheoldinvalidabovestairs；attheendofwhichperiodtheparlourbellwasrungbriskly，andansweredonthatinstantbyMr。Bowls，MissCrawley’slargeconfidentialbutlerwho，indeed，happenedtobeatthekeyholeduringthemostpartoftheinterview；
andtheCaptaincomingout，curlinghismustachios，mountedtheblackchargerpawingamongthestraw，totheadmirationofthelittleblackguardboyscollectedinthestreet。Helookedinatthedining-roomwindow，managinghishorse，whichcurvettedandcaperedbeautifully——foroneinstanttheyoungpersonmightbeseenatthewindow，whenherfigurevanished，and，doubtless，shewentupstairsagaintoresumetheaffectingdutiesofbenevolence。
Whocouldthisyoungwomanbe，Iwonder？Thateveningalittledinnerfortwopersonswaslaidinthedining-
room——whenMrs。Firkin，thelady’smaid，pushedintohermistress’sapartment，andbustledaboutthereduringthevacancyoccasionedbythedepartureofthenewnurse——andthelatterandMissBriggssatdowntotheneatlittlemeal。
Briggswassomuchchokedbyemotionthatshecouldhardlytakeamorselofmeat。Theyoungpersoncarvedafowlwiththeutmostdelicacy，andaskedsodistinctlyforegg-sauce，thatpoorBriggs，beforewhomthatdeliciouscondimentwasplaced，started，madeagreatclatteringwiththeladle，andoncemorefellbackinthemostgushinghystericalstate。
“HadyounotbettergiveMissBriggsaglassofwine？”
saidthepersontoMr。Bowls，thelargeconfidentialman。
Hedidso。Briggsseizeditmechanically，gaspeditdownconvulsively，moanedalittle，andbegantoplaywiththechickenonherplate。
“Ithinkweshallbeabletohelpeachother。”saidthepersonwithgreatsuavity：“andshallhavenoneedofMr。Bowls’skindservices。Mr。Bowls，ifyouplease，wewillringwhenwewantyou。”Hewentdownstairs，where，bytheway，heventedthemosthorridcursesupontheunoffendingfootman，hissubordinate。
“Itisapityyoutakeonso，MissBriggs。”theyoungladysaid，withacool，slightlysarcastic，air。
“Mydearestfriendissoill，andwo——o——on’tseeme。”gurgledoutBriggsinanagonyofrenewedgrief。
“She’snotveryillanymore。Consoleyourself，dearMissBriggs。Shehasonlyovereatenherself——thatisall。
Sheisgreatlybetter。Shewillsoonbequiterestoredagain。
Sheisweakfrombeingcuppedandfrommedicaltreatment，butshewillrallyimmediately。Prayconsoleyourself，andtakealittlemorewine。”
“Butwhy，whywon’tsheseemeagain？”MissBriggsbleatedout。”Oh，Matilda，Matilda，afterthree-and-
twentyyears’tenderness！isthisthereturntoyourpoor，poorArabella？”
“Don’tcrytoomuch，poorArabella。”theothersaidwitheversolittleofagrin；“sheonlywon’tseeyou，becauseshesaysyoudon’tnurseheraswellasIdo。
It’snopleasuretometositupallnight。Iwishyoumightdoitinstead。”
“HaveInottendedthatdearcouchforyears？”
Arabellasaid，“andnow——“
“Nowshepreferssomebodyelse。Well，sickpeoplehavethesefancies，andmustbehumoured。Whenshe’swellIshallgo。”
“Never，never。”Arabellaexclaimed，madlyinhalinghersalts-bottle。
“Neverbewellornevergo，MissBriggs？”theothersaid，withthesameprovokinggood-nature。”Pooh——shewillbewellinafortnight，whenIshallgobacktomylittlepupilsatQueen’sCrawley，andtotheirmother，whoisagreatdealmoresickthanourfriend。Youneednotbejealousaboutme，mydearMissBriggs。Iamapoorlittlegirlwithoutanyfriends，oranyharminme。
Idon’twanttosupplantyouinMissCrawley’sgoodgraces。ShewillforgetmeaweekafterIamgone：andheraffectionforyouhasbeentheworkofyears。Givemealittlewineifyouplease，mydearMissBriggs，andletusbefriends。I’msureIwantfriends。”
Theplacableandsoft-heartedBriggsspeechlesslypushedoutherhandatthisappeal；butshefeltthedesertionmostkeenlyforallthat，andbitterly，bitterlymoanedtheficklenessofherMatilda。Attheendofhalfanhour，themealover，MissRebeccaSharpforsuch，astonishingtostate，isthenameofherwhohasbeendescribedingeniouslyas“theperson“hitherto，wentupstairsagaintoherpatient’srooms，fromwhich，withthemostengagingpoliteness，sheeliminatedpoorFirkin。
“Thankyou，Mrs。Firkin，thatwillquitedo；hownicelyyoumakeit！Iwillringwhenanythingiswanted。”“Thankyou“；andFirkincamedownstairsinatempestofjealousy，onlythemoredangerousbecauseshewasforcedtoconfineitinherownbosom。
Coulditbethetempestwhich，asshepassedthelandingofthefirstfloor，blewopenthedrawing-roomdoor？
No；itwasstealthilyopenedbythehandofBriggs。
Briggshadbeenonthewatch。BriggstoowellheardthecreakingFirkindescendthestairs，andtheclinkofthespoonandgruel-basintheneglectedfemalecarried。
“Well，Firkin？”saysshe，astheotherenteredtheapartment。“Well，Jane？”
“Wussandwuss，MissB……”Firkinsaid，waggingherhead。
“Isshenotbetterthen？”
“Sheneverspokebutonce，andIaskedherifshefeltalittlemoreeasy，andshetoldmetoholdmystupidtongue。Oh，MissB。，Ineverthoughttohaveseenthisday！”Andthewater-worksagainbegantoplay。
“WhatsortofapersonisthisMissSharp，Firkin？I
littlethought，whileenjoyingmyChristmasrevelsintheeleganthomeofmyfirmfriends，theReverendLionelDelamereandhisamiablelady，tofindastrangerhadtakenmyplaceintheaffectionsofmydearest，mystilldearestMatilda！”MissBriggs，itwillbeseenbyherlanguage，wasofaliteraryandsentimentalturn，andhadoncepublishedavolumeofpoems——“TrillsoftheNightingale“——bysubscription。
“MissB。，theyareallinfatyatedaboutthatyoungwoman。”Firkinreplied。“SirPittwouldn’thavelethergo，buthedaredn’trefuseMissCrawleyanything。Mrs。
ButeattheRectoryjistasbad——neverhappyoutofhersight。TheCaptingquitewildabouther。Mr。Crawleymortialjealous。SinceMissC。wastookill，shewon’thavenobodynearherbutMissSharp，Ican’ttellforwherenorforwhy；andIthinksomethinkhasbewidgedeverybody。”
RebeccapassedthatnightinconstantwatchinguponMissCrawley；thenextnighttheoldladysleptsocomfortably，thatRebeccahadtimeforseveralhours’
comfortablereposeherselfonthesofa，atthefootofherpatroness’sbed；verysoon，MissCrawleywassowellthatshesatupandlaughedheartilyataperfectimitationofMissBriggsandhergrief，whichRebeccadescribedtoher。Briggs’weepingsnuffle，andhermannerofusingthehandkerchief，weresocompletelyrenderedthatMissCrawleybecamequitecheerful，totheadmirationofthedoctorswhentheyvisitedher，whousuallyfoundthisworthywomanoftheworld，whentheleastsicknessattackedher，underthemostabjectdepressionandterrorofdeath。
CaptainCrawleycameeveryday，andreceivedbulletinsfromMissRebeccarespectinghisaunt’shealth。
Thisimprovedsorapidly，thatpoorBriggswasallowedtoseeherpatroness；andpersonswithtenderheartsmayimaginethesmotheredemotionsofthatsentimentalfemale，andtheaffectingnatureoftheinterview。
MissCrawleylikedtohaveBriggsinagooddealsoon。Rebeccausedtomimichertoherfacewiththemostadmirablegravity，therebyrenderingtheimitationdoublypiquanttoherworthypatroness。
ThecauseswhichhadledtothedeplorableillnessofMissCrawley，andherdeparturefromherbrother’shouseinthecountry，wereofsuchanunromanticnaturethattheyarehardlyfittobeexplainedinthisgenteelandsentimentalnovel。Forhowisitpossibletohintofadelicatefemale，livingingoodsociety，thatsheateanddranktoomuch，andthatahotsupperoflobstersprofuselyenjoyedattheRectorywasthereasonofanindispositionwhichMissCrawleyherselfpersistedwassolelyattributabletothedampnessoftheweather？TheattackwassosharpthatMatilda——ashisReverenceexpressedit——wasverynearly“offthehooks“；allthefamilywereinafeverofexpectationregardingthewill，andRawdonCrawleywasmakingsureofatleastfortythousandpoundsbeforethecommencementoftheLondonseason。Mr。Crawleysentoverachoiceparceloftracts，toprepareherforthechangefromVanityFairandParkLaneforanotherworld；butagooddoctorfromSouthamptonbeingcalledinintime，vanquishedthelobsterwhichwassonearlyfataltoher，andgavehersufficientstrengthtoenablehertoreturntoLondon。
TheBaronetdidnotdisguisehisexceedingmortificationattheturnwhichaffairstook。
WhileeverybodywasattendingonMissCrawley，andmessengerseveryhourfromtheRectorywerecarryingnewsofherhealthtotheaffectionatefolksthere，therewasaladyinanotherpartofthehouse，beingexceedinglyill，ofwhomnoonetookanynoticeatall；andthiswastheladyofCrawleyherself。Thegooddoctorshookhisheadafterseeingher；towhichvisitSirPittconsented，asitcouldbepaidwithoutafee；andshewasleftfadingawayinherlonelychamber，withnomoreheedpaidtoherthantoaweedinthepark。
Theyoungladies，too，lostmuchoftheinestimablebenefitoftheirgoverness’sinstruction，SoaffectionateanursewasMissSharp，thatMissCrawleywouldtakehermedicinesfromnootherhand。Firkinhadbeendeposedlongbeforehermistress’sdeparturefromthecountry。ThatfaithfulattendantfoundagloomyconsolationonreturningtoLondon，inseeingMissBriggssufferthesamepangsofjealousyandundergothesamefaithlesstreatmenttowhichsheherselfhadbeensubject。