ItreappearednowforpoorRoseDawson。SirPittwasawidoweragain。Thearmsquarteredontheshieldalongwithhisownwerenot，tobesure，poorRose’s。
Shehadnoarms。ButthecherubspaintedonthescutcheonansweredaswellforherasforSirPitt’smother，andResurgamwaswrittenunderthecoat，flankedbytheCrawleyDoveandSerpent。ArmsandHatchments，Resurgam——Hereisanopportunityformoralising！
Mr。Crawleyhadtendedthatotherwisefriendlessbedside。Shewentoutoftheworldstrengthenedbysuchwordsandcomfortashecouldgiveher。Formanyyearshiswastheonlykindnesssheeverknew；theonlyfriendshipthatsolacedinanywaythatfeeble，lonelysoul。
Herheartwasdeadlongbeforeherbody。ShehadsoldittobecomeSirPittCrawley’swife。MothersanddaughtersaremakingthesamebargaineverydayinVanityFair。
Whenthedemisetookplace，herhusbandwasinLondonattendingtosomeofhisinnumerableschemes，andbusywithhisendlesslawyers。Hehadfoundtime，nevertheless，tocallofteninParkLane，andtodespatchmanynotestoRebecca，entreatingher，enjoiningher，commandinghertoreturntoheryoungpupilsinthecountry，whowerenowutterlywithoutcompanionshipduringtheirmother’sillness。ButMissCrawleywouldnothearofherdeparture；forthoughtherewasnoladyoffashioninLondonwhowoulddesertherfriendsmorecomplacentlyassoonasshewastiredoftheirsociety，andthoughfewtiredofthemsooner，yetaslongasherengoumentlastedherattachmentwasprodigious，andsheclungstillwiththegreatestenergytoRebecca。
ThenewsofLadyCrawley’sdeathprovokednomoregrieforcommentthanmighthavebeenexpectedinMissCrawley’sfamilycircle。”IsupposeImustputoffmypartyforthe3rd。”MissCrawleysaid；andadded，afterapause，“Ihopemybrotherwillhavethedecencynottomarryagain。”“WhataconfoundedragePittwillbeinifhedoes。”Rawdonremarked，withhisusualregardforhiselderbrother。Rebeccasaidnothing。Sheseemedbyfarthegravestandmostimpressedofthefamily。ShelefttheroombeforeRawdonwentawaythatday；buttheymetbychancebelow，ashewasgoingawayaftertakingleave，andhadaparleytogether。
Onthemorrow，asRebeccawasgazingfromthewindow，shestartledMissCrawley，whowasplacidlyoccupiedwithaFrenchnovel，bycryingoutinanalarmedtone，“Here’sSirPitt，Ma’am！”andtheBaronet’sknockfollowedthisannouncement。
“Mydear，Ican’tseehim。Iwon’tseehim。TellBowlsnotathome，orgodownstairsandsayI’mtooilltoreceiveanyone。Mynervesreallywon’tbearmybrotheratthismoment。”criedoutMissCrawley，andresumedthenovel。
“She’stooilltoseeyou，sir。”Rebeccasaid，trippingdowntoSirPitt，whowaspreparingtoascend。
“Somuchthebetter。”SirPittanswered。”IwanttoseeYOU，MissBecky。Comealongameintotheparlour。”
andtheyenteredthatapartmenttogether。
“IwawntyoubackatQueen’sCrawley，Miss。”thebaronetsaid，fixinghiseyesuponher，andtakingoffhisblackglovesandhishatwithitsgreatcrapehat-band。
Hiseyeshadsuchastrangelook，andfixeduponhersosteadfastly，thatRebeccaSharpbeganalmosttotremble。
“Ihopetocomesoon。”shesaidinalowvoice，“assoonasMissCrawleyisbetter——andreturnto——tothedearchildren。”
“You’vesaidsothesethreemonths，Becky。”repliedSirPitt，“andstillyougohangingontomysister，who’llflingyouofflikeanoldshoe，whenshe’sworeyouout。
ItellyouIwantyou。I’mgoingbacktotheVuneral。
Willyoucomeback？Yesorno？”
“Idaren’t——Idon’tthink——itwouldberight——tobealone——withyou，sir。”Beckysaid，seeminglyingreatagitation。
“Isayagin，Iwantyou。”SirPittsaid，thumpingthetable。”Ican’tgitonwithoutyou。Ididn’tseewhatitwastillyouwentaway。Thehouseallgoeswrong。It’snotthesameplace。Allmyaccountshasgotmuddledagin。
YouMUSTcomeback。Docomeback。DearBecky，docome。”
“Come——aswhat，sir？”Rebeccagaspedout。
“ComeasLadyCrawley，ifyoulike。”theBaronetsaid，graspinghiscrapehat。”There！willthatzatusfyyou？
Comebackandbemywife。Yourvitvor’t。Birthbehanged。You’reasgoodaladyaseverIsee。You’vegotmorebrainsinyourlittlevingerthananybaronet’swifeinthecounty。Willyoucome？Yesorno？”
“Oh，SirPitt！”Rebeccasaid，verymuchmoved。
“Sayyes，Becky。”SirPittcontinued。”I’manoldman，butagood’n。I’mgoodfortwentyyears。I’llmakeyouhappy，zeeifIdon’t。Youshalldowhatyoulike；spendwhatyoulike；and’aveitallyourownway。I’llmakeyouazettlement。I’lldoeverythingreglar。Lookyear！”
andtheoldmanfelldownonhiskneesandleeredatherlikeasatyr。
Rebeccastartedbackapictureofconsternation。Inthecourseofthishistorywehaveneverseenherloseherpresenceofmind；butshedidnow，andweptsomeofthemostgenuinetearsthateverfellfromhereyes。
“Oh，SirPitt！”shesaid。”Oh，sir——I——I’mmarriedALREADY。”
CHAPTERXV
InWhichRebecca’sHusbandAppearsforaShortTimeEveryreaderofasentimentalturnandwedesirenoothermusthavebeenpleasedwiththetableauwithwhichthelastactofourlittledramaconcluded；forwhatcanbeprettierthananimageofLoveonhiskneesbeforeBeauty？
ButwhenLoveheardthatawfulconfessionfromBeautythatshewasmarriedalready，hebouncedupfromhisattitudeofhumilityonthecarpet，utteringexclamationswhichcausedpoorlittleBeautytobemorefrightenedthanshewaswhenshemadeheravowal。”Married；you’rejoking。”theBaronetcried，afterthefirstexplosionofrageandwonder。”You’remakingvunofme，Becky。Who’devergotomarryyouwithoutashillingtoyourvortune？”
“Married！married！”Rebeccasaid，inanagonyoftears——hervoicechokingwithemotion，herhandkerchiefuptoherreadyeyes，faintingagainstthemantelpieceafigureofwoefittomeltthemostobdurateheart。”0
SirPitt，dearSirPitt，donotthinkmeungratefulforallyourgoodnesstome。Itisonlyyourgenerositythathasextortedmysecret。”
“Generositybehanged！”SirPittroaredout。”Whoisittu，then，you’remarried？Wherewasit？”
“Letmecomebackwithyoutothecountry，sir！Letmewatchoveryouasfaithfullyasever！Don’t，don’tseparatemefromdearQueen’sCrawley！”
“Thefellerhasleftyou，hashe？”theBaronetsaid，beginning，ashefancied，tocomprehend。”Well，Becky——
comebackifyoulike。Youcan’teatyourcakeandhaveit。AnywaysImadeyouavairoffer。Coombackasgoverness——youshallhaveitallyourownway。”Sheheldoutonehand。Shecriedfittobreakherheart；herringletsfelloverherface，andoverthemarblemantelpiecewhereshelaidit。
“Sotherascalranoff，eh？”SirPittsaid，withahideousattemptatconsolation。”Nevermind，Becky，I’LLtakecareof’ee。”
“Oh，sir！itwouldbetheprideofmylifetogobacktoQueen’sCrawley，andtakecareofthechildren，andofyouasformerly，whenyousaidyouwerepleasedwiththeservicesofyourlittleRebecca。WhenIthinkofwhatyouhavejustofferedme，myheartfillswithgratitudeindeeditdoes。Ican’tbeyourwife，sir；letme——letmebeyourdaughter。”
Sayingwhich，RebeccawentdownonHERkneesinamosttragicalway，and，takingSirPitt’shornyblackhandbetweenherowntwowhichwereveryprettyandwhite，andassoftassatin，lookedupinhisfacewithanexpressionofexquisitepathosandconfidence，when——
whenthedooropened，andMissCrawleysailedin。
Mrs。FirkinandMissBriggs，whohappenedbychancetobeattheparlourdoorsoonaftertheBaronetandRebeccaenteredtheapartment，hadalsoseenaccidentally，throughthekeyhole，theoldgentlemanprostratebeforethegoverness，andhadheardthegenerousproposalwhichhemadeher。ItwasscarcelyoutofhismouthwhenMrs。FirkinandMissBriggshadstreamedupthestairs，hadrushedintothedrawing-roomwhereMissCrawleywasreadingtheFrenchnovel，andhadgiventhatoldladytheastoundingintelligencethatSirPittwasonhisknees，proposingtoMissSharp。Andifyoucalculatethetimefortheabovedialoguetotakeplace——thetimeforBriggsandFirkintoflytothedrawing-
room——thetimeforMissCrawleytobeastonished，andtodrophervolumeofPigaultleBrun——andthetimeforhertocomedownstairs——youwillseehowexactlyaccuratethishistoryis，andhowMissCrawleymusthaveappearedattheveryinstantwhenRebeccahadassumedtheattitudeofhumility。
“Itistheladyontheground，andnotthegentleman。”
MissCrawleysaid，withalookandvoiceofgreatscorn。
“TheytoldmethatYOUwereonyourknees，SirPitt：dokneeloncemore，andletmeseethisprettycouple！”
“IhavethankedSirPittCrawley，Ma’am。”Rebeccasaid，rising，“andhavetoldhimthat——thatInevercanbecomeLadyCrawley。”
“Refusedhim！”MissCrawleysaid，morebewilderedthanever。BriggsandFirkinatthedooropenedtheeyesofastonishmentandthelipsofwonder。
“Yes——refused。”Rebeccacontinued，withasad，tearfulvoice。
“AndamItocreditmyearsthatyouabsolutelyproposedtoher，SirPitt？”theoldladyasked。
“Ees。”saidtheBaronet，“Idid。”
“Andsherefusedyouasshesays？”
“Ees。”SirPittsaid，hisfeaturesonabroadgrin。
“Itdoesnotseemtobreakyourheartatanyrate。”
MissCrawleyremarked。
“Nawtabit。”answeredSirPitt，withacoolnessandgood-humourwhichsetMissCrawleyalmostmadwithbewilderment。Thatanoldgentlemanofstationshouldfallonhiskneestoapennilessgoverness，andburstoutlaughingbecausesherefusedtomarryhim——thatapennilessgovernessshouldrefuseaBaronetwithfourthousandayear——theseweremysterieswhichMissCrawleycouldnevercomprehend。ItsurpassedanycomplicationsofintrigueinherfavouritePigaultleBrun。
“I’mgladyouthinkitgoodsport，brother。”shecontinued，gropingwildlythroughthisamazement。
“Vamous。”saidSirPitt。”Who’dha’thoughtit！whataslylittledevil！whatalittlefoxitwaws！”hemutteredtohimself，chucklingwithpleasure。
“Who’dhavethoughtwhat？”criesMissCrawley，stampingwithherfoot。”Pray，MissSharp，areyouwaitingforthePrinceRegent’sdivorce，thatyoudon’tthinkourfamilygoodenoughforyou？”
“Myattitude。”Rebeccasaid，“whenyoucamein，ma’am，didnotlookasifIdespisedsuchanhonourasthisgood——thisnoblemanhasdeignedtoofferme。DoyouthinkIhavenoheart？Haveyoualllovedme，andbeensokindtothepoororphan——deserted——girl，andamItofeelnothing？Omyfriends！Omybenefactors！
maynotmylove，mylife，myduty，trytorepaytheconfidenceyouhaveshownme？Doyougrudgemeevengratitude，MissCrawley？Itistoomuch——myheartistoofull“；andshesankdowninachairsopathetically，thatmostoftheaudiencepresentwereperfectlymeltedwithhersadness。
“Whetheryoumarrymeornot，you’reagoodlittlegirl，Becky，andI’myourvriend，mind。”saidSirPitt，andputtingonhiscrape-boundhat，hewalkedaway——greatlytoRebecca’srelief；foritwasevidentthathersecretwasunrevealedtoMissCrawley，andshehadtheadvantageofabriefreprieve。
Puttingherhandkerchieftohereyes，andnoddingawayhonestBriggs，whowouldhavefollowedherupstairs，shewentuptoherapartment；whileBriggsandMissCrawley，inahighstateofexcitement，remainedtodiscussthestrangeevent，andFirkin，notlessmoved，diveddownintothekitchenregions，andtalkedofitwithallthemaleandfemalecompanythere。AndsoimpressedwasMrs。Firkinwiththenews，thatshethoughtpropertowriteoffbythatverynight’spost，“withherhumbledutytoMrs。ButeCrawleyandthefamilyattheRectory，andSirPitthasbeenandproposedfortomarryMissSharp，whereinshehasrefusedhim，tothewonderofall。”
Thetwoladiesinthedining-roomwhereworthyMissBriggswasdelightedtobeadmittedoncemoretoconfidentialconversationwithherpatronesswonderedtotheirhearts’contentatSirPitt’soffer，andRebecca’srefusal；Briggsveryacutelysuggestingthattheremusthavebeensomeobstacleintheshapeofapreviousattachment，otherwisenoyoungwomaninhersenseswouldeverhaverefusedsoadvantageousaproposal。
“Youwouldhaveacceptedityourself，wouldn’tyou，Briggs？”MissCrawleysaid，kindly。
“WoulditnotbeaprivilegetobeMissCrawley’ssister？”Briggsreplied，withmeekevasion。