Becautiousthen，youngladies；bewaryhowyouengage。Beshyoflovingfrankly；nevertellallyoufeel，orabetterwaystill，feelverylittle。Seetheconsequencesofbeingprematurelyhonestandconfiding，andmistrustyourselvesandeverybody。GetyourselvesmarriedastheydoinFrance，wherethelawyersarethebridesmaidsandconfidantes。Atanyrate，neverhaveanyfeelingswhichmaymakeyouuncomfortable，ormakeanypromiseswhichyoucannotatanyrequiredmomentcommandandwithdraw。Thatisthewaytogeton，andberespected，andhaveavirtuouscharacterinVanityFair。
IfAmeliacouldhaveheardthecommentsregardingherwhichweremadeinthecirclefromwhichherfather’sruinhadjustdrivenher，shewouldhaveseenwhatherowncrimeswere，andhowentirelyhercharacterwasjeopardised。SuchcriminalimprudenceMrs。Smithneverknewof；suchhorridfamiliaritiesMrs。Brownhadalwayscondemned，andtheendmightbeawarningtoHER
daughters。”CaptainOsborne，ofcourse，couldnotmarryabankrupt’sdaughter。”theMissesDobbinsaid。”Itwasquiteenoughtohavebeenswindledbythefather。AsforthatlittleAmelia，herfollyhadreallypassedall——“
“Allwhat？”CaptainDobbinroaredout。”Haven’ttheybeenengagedeversincetheywerechildren？Wasn’titasgoodasamarriage？Dareanysoulonearthbreatheawordagainstthesweetest，thepurest，thetenderest，themostangelicalofyoungwomen？”
“La，William，don’tbesohighty-tightywithUS。We’renotmen。Wecan’tfightyou。”MissJanesaid。”We’vesaidnothingagainstMissSedley：butthatherconductthroughoutwasMOSTIMPRUDENT，nottocallitbyanyworsename；andthatherparentsarepeoplewhocertainlymerittheirmisfortunes。”
“Hadn’tyoubetter，nowthatMissSedleyisfree，proposeforheryourself，William？”MissAnnaskedsarcastically。”Itwouldbeamosteligiblefamilyconnection。He！he！”
“Imarryher！”Dobbinsaid，blushingverymuch，andtalkingquick。”Ifyouaresoready，youngladies，tochopandchange，doyousupposethatsheis？Laughandsneeratthatangel。Shecan’thearit；andshe’smiserableandunfortunate，anddeservestobelaughedat。Goonjoking，Ann。You’rethewitofthefamily，andtheothersliketohearit。”
“Imusttellyouagainwe’renotinabarrack，William。”
MissAnnremarked。
“Inabarrack，byJove——Iwishanybodyinabarrackwouldsaywhatyoudo。”criedoutthisuprousedBritishlion。”Ishouldliketohearamanbreatheawordagainsther，byJupiter。Butmendon’ttalkinthisway，Ann：it’sonlywomen，whogettogetherandhiss，andshriek，andcackle。There，getaway——don’tbegintocry。Ionlysaidyouwereacoupleofgeese。”WillDobbinsaid，perceivingMissAnn’spinkeyeswerebeginningtomoistenasusual。”Well，you’renotgeese，you’reswans——anythingyoulike，onlydo，doleaveMissSedleyalone。”
AnythinglikeWilliam’sinfatuationaboutthatsillylittleflirting，oglingthingwasneverknown，themammaandsistersagreedtogetherinthinking：andtheytrembledlest，herengagementbeingoffwithOsborne，sheshouldtakeupimmediatelyherotheradmirerandCaptain。
Inwhichforebodingstheseworthyyoungwomennodoubtjudgedaccordingtothebestoftheirexperience；orratherforasyettheyhadhadnoopportunitiesofmarryingorofjiltingaccordingtotheirownnotionsofrightandwrong。
“Itisamercy，Mamma，thattheregimentisorderedabroad。”thegirlssaid。”THISdanger，atanyrate，issparedourbrother。”
Such，indeed，wasthefact；andsoitisthattheFrenchEmperorcomesintoperformapartinthisdomesticcomedyofVanityFairwhichwearenowplaying，andwhichwouldneverhavebeenenactedwithouttheinterventionofthisaugustmutepersonage。ItwashethatruinedtheBourbonsandMr。JohnSedley。ItwashewhosearrivalinhiscapitalcalledupallFranceinarmstodefendhimthere；andallEuropetoousthim。
WhiletheFrenchnationandarmywereswearingfidelityroundtheeaglesintheChampdeMars，fourmightyEuropeanhostsweregettinginmotionforthegreatchasseal’aigle；andoneofthesewasaBritisharmy，ofwhichtwoheroesofours，CaptainDobbinandCaptainOsborne，formedaportion。
ThenewsofNapoleon’sescapeandlandingwasreceivedbythegallant——thwithafierydelightandenthusiasm，whicheverybodycanunderstandwhoknowsthatfamouscorps。Fromthecoloneltothesmallestdrummerintheregiment，allwerefilledwithhopeandambitionandpatrioticfury；andthankedtheFrenchEmperorasforapersonalkindnessincomingtodisturbthepeaceofEurope。Nowwasthetimethe——thhadsolongpantedfor，toshowtheircomradesinarmsthattheycouldfightaswellasthePeninsularveterans，andthatallthepluckandvalourofthe——thhadnotbeenkilledbytheWestIndiesandtheyellowfever。StubbleandSpooneylookedtogettheircompanieswithoutpurchase。
Beforetheendofthecampaignwhichsheresolvedtoshare，Mrs。MajorO’DowdhopedtowriteherselfMrs。ColonelO’Dowd，C。B。OurtwofriendsDobbinandOsbornewerequiteasmuchexcitedastherest：andeachinhisway——Mr。Dobbinveryquietly，Mr。
Osborneveryloudlyandenergetically——wasbentupondoinghisduty，andgaininghisshareofhonouranddistinction。
Theagitationthrillingthroughthecountryandarmyinconsequenceofthisnewswassogreat，thatprivatematterswerelittleheeded：andhenceprobablyGeorgeOsborne，justgazettedtohiscompany，busywithpreparationsforthemarch，whichmustcomeinevitably，andpantingforfurtherpromotion——wasnotsomuchaffectedbyotherincidentswhichwouldhaveinterestedhimatamorequietperiod。Hewasnot，itmustbeconfessed，verymuchcastdownbygoodoldMr。Sedley’scatastrophe。
Hetriedhisnewuniform，whichbecamehimveryhandsomely，onthedaywhenthefirstmeetingofthecreditorsoftheunfortunategentlemantookplace。
Hisfathertoldhimofthewicked，rascally，shamefulconductofthebankrupt，remindedhimofwhathehadsaidaboutAmelia，andthattheirconnectionwasbrokenoffforever；andgavehimthateveningagoodsumofmoneytopayforthenewclothesandepauletsinwhichhelookedsowell。Moneywasalwaysusefultothisfree-
handedyoungfellow，andhetookitwithoutmanywords。
ThebillswereupintheSedleyhouse，wherehehadpassedsomany，manyhappyhours。HecouldseethemashewalkedfromhomethatnighttotheOldSlaughters’，whereheputupwhenintownshiningwhiteinthemoon。Thatcomfortablehomewasshut，then，uponAmeliaandherparents：wherehadtheytakenrefuge？
Thethoughtoftheirruinaffectedhimnotalittle。Hewasverymelancholythatnightinthecoffee-roomattheSlaughters’；anddrankagooddeal，ashiscomradesremarkedthere。
Dobbincameinpresently，cautionedhimaboutthedrink，whichheonlytook，hesaid，becausehewasdeucedlow；butwhenhisfriendbegantoputtohimclumsyinquiries，andaskedhimfornewsinasignificantmanner，Osbornedeclinedenteringintoconversationwithhim，avowing，however，thathewasdevilishdisturbedandunhappy。
Threedaysafterwards，DobbinfoundOsborneinhisroomatthebarracks——hisheadonthetable，anumberofpapersabout，theyoungCaptainevidentlyinastateofgreatdespondency。”She——she’ssentmebacksomethingsIgaveher——somedamnedtrinkets。Lookhere！”
Therewasalittlepacketdirectedinthewell-knownhandtoCaptainGeorgeOsborne，andsomethingslyingabout——aring，asilverknifehehadbought，asaboy，forheratafair；agoldchain，andalocketwithhairinit。”It’sallover。”saidhe，withagroanofsickeningremorse。
“Look，Will，youmayreaditifyoulike。”
Therewasalittleletterofafewlines，towhichhepointed，whichsaid：
Mypapahasorderedmetoreturntoyouthesepresents，whichyoumadeinhappierdaystome；andI
amtowritetoyouforthelasttime。Ithink，IknowyoufeelasmuchasIdotheblowwhichhascomeuponus。
ItisIthatabsolveyoufromanengagementwhichisimpossibleinourpresentmisery。Iamsureyouhadnoshareinit，orinthecruelsuspicionsofMr。Osborne，whicharethehardestofallourgriefstobear。Farewell。
Farewell。IprayGodtostrengthenmetobearthisandothercalamities，andtoblessyoualways。A。
Ishalloftenplayuponthepiano——yourpiano。Itwaslikeyoutosendit。
Dobbinwasverysoft-hearted。Thesightofwomenandchildreninpainalwaysusedtomelthim。TheideaofAmeliabroken-heartedandlonelytorethatgood-
naturedsoulwithanguish。Andhebrokeoutintoanemotion，whichanybodywholikesmayconsiderunmanly。
HesworethatAmeliawasanangel，towhichOsbornesaidayewithallhisheart。He，too，hadbeenreviewingthehistoryoftheirlives——andhadseenherfromherchildhoodtoherpresentage，sosweet，soinnocent，socharminglysimple，andartlesslyfondandtender。
Whatapangitwastoloseallthat：tohavehaditandnotprizedit！Athousandhomelyscenesandrecollectionscrowdedonhim——inwhichhealwayssawhergoodandbeautiful。Andforhimself，heblushedwithremorseandshame，astheremembranceofhisownselfishnessandindifferencecontrastedwiththatperfectpurity。Forawhile，glory，war，everythingwasforgotten，andthepairoffriendstalkedaboutheronly。
“Wherearethey？”Osborneasked，afteralongtalk，andalongpause——and，intruth，withnolittleshameatthinkingthathehadtakennostepstofollowher。”Wherearethey？There’snoaddresstothenote。”
Dobbinknew。Hehadnotmerelysentthepiano；buthadwrittenanotetoMrs。Sedley，andaskedpermissiontocomeandseeher——andhehadseenher，andAmeliatoo，yesterday，beforehecamedowntoChatham；and，whatismore，hehadbroughtthatfarewellletterandpacketwhichhadsomovedthem。
Thegood-naturedfellowhadfoundMrs。Sedleyonlytoowillingtoreceivehim，andgreatlyagitatedbythearrivalofthepiano，which，assheconjectured，MUSThavecomefromGeorge，andwasasignalofamityonhispart。CaptainDobbindidnotcorrectthiserroroftheworthylady，butlistenedtoallherstoryofcomplaintsandmisfortuneswithgreatsympathy——condoledwithherlossesandprivations，andagreedinreprehendingthecruelconductofMr。Osbornetowardshisfirstbenefactor。
Whenshehadeasedheroverflowingbosomsomewhat，andpouredforthmanyofhersorrows，hehadthecouragetoaskactuallytoseeAmelia，whowasaboveinherroomasusual，andwhomhermotherledtremblingdownstairs。
Herappearancewassoghastly，andherlookofdespairsopathetic，thathonestWilliamDobbinwasfrightenedashebeheldit；andreadthemostfatalforebodingsinthatpalefixedface。Aftersittinginhiscompanyaminuteortwo，sheputthepacketintohishand，andsaid。”TakethistoCaptainOsborne，ifyouplease，and——andI
hopehe’squitewell——anditwasverykindofyoutocomeandseeus——andwelikeournewhouseverymuch。
AndI——IthinkI’llgoupstairs，Mamma，forI’mnotverystrong。”Andwiththis，andacurtseyandasmile，thepoorchildwentherway。Themother，assheledherup，castbacklooksofanguishtowardsDobbin。Thegoodfellowwantednosuchappeal。Helovedherhimselftoofondlyforthat。Inexpressiblegrief，andpity，andterrorpursuedhim，andhecameawayasifhewasacriminalafterseeingher。
WhenOsborneheardthathisfriendhadfoundher，hemadehotandanxiousinquiriesregardingthepoorchild。Howwasshe？Howdidshelook？Whatdidshesay？Hiscomradetookhishand，andlookedhimintheface。
“George，she’sdying。”WilliamDobbinsaid——andcouldspeaknomore。
TherewasabuxomIrishservant-girl，whoperformedallthedutiesofthelittlehousewheretheSedleyfamilyhadfoundrefuge：andthisgirlhadinvain，onmanypreviousdays，striventogiveAmeliaaidorconsolation。
Emmywasmuchtoosadtoanswer，oreventobeawareoftheattemptstheotherwasmakinginherfavour。
FourhoursafterthetalkbetweenDobbinandOsborne，thisservant-maidcameintoAmelia’sroom，whereshesateasusual，broodingsilentlyoverherletters——herlittletreasures。Thegirl，smiling，andlookingarchandhappy，mademanytrialstoattractpoorEmmy’sattention，who，however，tooknoheedofher。
“MissEmmy。”saidthegirl。
“I’mcoming。”Emmysaid，notlookinground。
“There’samessage。”themaidwenton。”There’ssomething——somebody——sure，here’sanewletterforyou——
don’tbereadingthemoldonesanymore。”Andshegaveheraletter，whichEmmytook，andread。
“Imustseeyou。”thelettersaid。”DearestEmmy——
dearestlove——dearestwife，cometome。”
Georgeandhermotherwereoutside，waitinguntilshehadreadtheletter。