IfIdeserther，sir，doyousupposesheforgetsme？”
“Iain’tgoingtohaveanyofthisdamsentimentalnonsenseandhumbughere，sir。”thefathercriedout。”Thereshallbenobeggar-marriagesinmyfamily。Ifyouchoosetoflingawayeightthousandayear，whichyoumayhavefortheasking，youmaydoit：butbyJoveyoutakeyourpackandwalkoutofthishouse，sir。WillyoudoasItellyou，onceforall，sir，orwillyounot？”
“Marrythatmulattowoman？”Georgesaid，pullinguphisshirt-collars。”Idon’tlikethecolour，sir。AsktheblackthatsweepsoppositeFleetMarket，sir。I’mnotgoingtomarryaHottentotVenus。”
Mr。Osbornepulledfranticallyatthecordbywhichhewasaccustomedtosummonthebutlerwhenhewantedwine——andalmostblackintheface，orderedthatfunctionarytocallacoachforCaptainOsborne。
“I’vedoneit。”saidGeorge，comingintotheSlaughters’
anhourafterwards，lookingverypale。
“What，myboy？”saysDobbin。
Georgetoldwhathadpassedbetweenhisfatherandhimself。
“I’llmarryherto-morrow。”hesaidwithanoath。”I
lovehermoreeveryday，Dobbin。”
AMarriageandPartofaHoneymoonEnemiesthemostobstinateandcourageouscan’tholdoutagainststarvation；sotheelderOsbornefelthimselfprettyeasyabouthisadversaryintheencounterwehavejustdescribed；andassoonasGeorge’ssuppliesfellshort，confidentlyexpectedhisunconditionalsubmission。
Itwasunlucky，tobesure，thattheladshouldhavesecuredastockofprovisionsontheverydaywhenthefirstencountertookplace；butthisreliefwasonlytemporary，oldOsbornethought，andwouldbutdelayGeorge’ssurrender。Nocommunicationpassedbetweenfatherandsonforsomedays。Theformerwassulkyatthissilence，butnotdisquieted；for，ashesaid，heknewwherehecouldputthescrewuponGeorge，andonlywaitedtheresultofthatoperation。Hetoldthesisterstheupshotofthedisputebetweenthem，butorderedthemtotakenonoticeofthematter，andwelcomeGeorgeonhisreturnasifnothinghadhappened。Hiscoverwaslaidasusualeveryday，andperhapstheoldgentlemanratheranxiouslyexpectedhim；buthenevercame。SomeoneinquiredattheSlaughters’regardinghim，whereitwassaidthatheandhisfriendCaptainDobbinhadlefttown。
Onegusty，rawdayattheendofApril——therainwhippingthepavementofthatancientstreetwheretheoldSlaughters’Coffee-housewasoncesituated——GeorgeOsbornecameintothecoffee-room，lookingveryhaggardandpale；althoughdressedrathersmartlyinabluecoatandbrassbuttons，andaneatbuffwaistcoatofthefashionofthosedays。HerewashisfriendCaptainDobbin，inblueandbrasstoo，havingabandonedthemilitaryfrockandFrench-greytrousers，whichweretheusualcoveringsofhislankyperson。
Dobbinhadbeeninthecoffee-roomforanhourormore。Hehadtriedallthepapers，butcouldnotreadthem。Hehadlookedattheclockmanyscoresoftimes；
andatthestreet，wheretherainwaspatteringdown，andthepeopleastheyclinkedbyinpattens，leftlongreflectionsontheshiningstone：hetattooedatthetable：
hebithisnailsmostcompletely，andnearlytothequickhewasaccustomedtoornamenthisgreatbighandsinthisway：hebalancedthetea-spoondexterouslyonthemilkjug：upsetit，&c。，&c。；andinfactshowedthosesignsofdisquietude，andpractisedthosedesperateattemptsatamusement，whichmenareaccustomedtoemploywhenveryanxious，andexpectant，andperturbedinmind。
Someofhiscomrades，gentlemenwhousedtheroom，jokedhimaboutthesplendourofhiscostumeandhisagitationofmanner。Oneaskedhimifhewasgoingtobemarried？Dobbinlaughed，andsaidhewouldsendhisacquaintanceMajorWagstaffoftheEngineersapieceofcakewhenthateventtookplace。AtlengthCaptainOsbornemadehisappearance，verysmartlydressed，butverypaleandagitatedaswehavesaid。Hewipedhispalefacewithalargeyellowbandannapocket-handkerchiefthatwasprodigiouslyscented。HeshookhandswithDobbin，lookedattheclock，andtoldJohn，thewaiter，tobringhimsomecuracao。Ofthiscordialheswallowedoffacoupleofglasseswithnervouseagerness。
Hisfriendaskedwithsomeinterestabouthishealth。
“Couldn’tgetawinkofsleeptilldaylight，Dob。”saidhe。”Infernalheadacheandfever。Gotupatnine，andwentdowntotheHummumsforabath。Isay，Dob，IfeeljustasIdidonthemorningIwentoutwithRocketatQuebec。”
“SodoI。”Williamresponded。”Iwasadeuceddealmorenervousthanyouwerethatmorning。Youmadeafamousbreakfast，Iremember。Eatsomethingnow。”
“You’reagoodoldfellow，Will。I’lldrinkyourhealth，oldboy，andfarewellto——“
“No，no；twoglassesareenough。”Dobbininterruptedhim。”Here，takeawaytheliqueurs，John。Havesomecayenne-pepperwithyourfowl。Makehastethough，foritistimewewerethere。”
Itwasabouthalfanhourfromtwelvewhenthisbriefmeetingandcolloquytookplacebetweenthetwocaptains。Acoach，intowhichCaptainOsborne’sservantputhismaster’sdeskanddressing-case，hadbeeninwaitingforsometime；andintothisthetwogentlemenhurriedunderanumbrella，andthevaletmountedonthebox，cursingtherainandthedampnessofthecoachmanwhowassteamingbesidehim。”Weshallfindabettertrapthanthisatthechurch-door。”sayshe；“that’sacomfort。”Andthecarriagedroveon，takingtheroaddownPiccadilly，whereApsleyHouseandSt。George’sHospitalworeredjacketsstill；wheretherewereoil-
lamps；whereAchilleswasnotyetborn；northePimlicoarchraised；northehideousequestrianmonsterwhichpervadesitandtheneighbourhood；andsotheydrovedownbyBromptontoacertainchapelneartheFulhamRoadthere。
Achariotwasinwaitingwithfourhorses；likewiseacoachofthekindcalledglasscoaches。Onlyaveryfewidlerswerecollectedonaccountofthedismalrain。
“Hangit！”saidGeorge，“Isaidonlyapair。”
“Mymasterwouldhavefour。”saidMr。JosephSedley’sservant，whowasinwaiting；andheandMr。Osborne’smanagreedastheyfollowedGeorgeandWilliamintothechurch，thatitwasa“reg’larshabbyturnhout；andwithscarcesomuchasabreakfastoraweddingfaviour。”
“Hereyouare。”saidouroldfriend，JosSedley，comingforward。”You’refiveminuteslate，George，myboy。
Whataday，eh？Demmy，it’slikethecommencementoftherainyseasoninBengal。Butyou’llfindmycarriageiswatertight。Comealong，mymotherandEmmyareinthevestry。”
JosSedleywassplendid。Hewasfatterthanever。Hisshirtcollarswerehigher；hisfacewasredder；hisshirt-
frillflauntedgorgeouslyoutofhisvariegatedwaistcoat。
Varnishedbootswerenotinventedasyet；buttheHessiansonhisbeautifullegsshoneso，thattheymusthavebeentheidenticalpairinwhichthegentlemanintheoldpictureusedtoshavehimself；andonhislightgreencoattherebloomedafineweddingfavour，likeagreatwhitespreadingmagnolia。
Inaword，Georgehadthrownthegreatcast。Hewasgoingtobemarried。Hencehispallorandnervousness——
hissleeplessnightandagitationinthemorning。Ihaveheardpeoplewhohavegonethroughthesamethingowntothesameemotion。Afterthreeorfourceremonies，yougetaccustomedtoit，nodoubt；butthefirstdip，everybodyallows，isawful。
ThebridewasdressedinabrownsilkpelisseasCaptainDobbinhassinceinformedme，andworeastrawbonnetwithapinkribbon；overthebonnetshehadaveilofwhiteChantillylace，agiftfromMr。JosephSedley，herbrother。CaptainDobbinhimselfhadaskedleavetopresentherwithagoldchainandwatch，whichshesportedonthisoccasion；andhermothergaveherherdiamondbrooch——almosttheonlytrinketwhichwaslefttotheoldlady。Astheservicewenton，Mrs。Sedleysatandwhimperedagreatdealinapew，consoledbytheIrishmaid-servantandMrs。Clappfromthelodgings。
OldSedleywouldnotbepresent。Josactedforhisfather，givingawaythebride，whilstCaptainDobbinsteppedupasgroomsmantohisfriendGeorge。
Therewasnobodyinthechurchbesidestheofficiatingpersonsandthesmallmarriagepartyandtheirattendants。
Thetwovaletssataloofsuperciliously。Theraincamerattlingdownonthewindows。Intheintervalsoftheserviceyouheardit，andthesobbingofoldMrs。
Sedleyinthepew。Theparson’stonesechoedsadlythroughtheemptywalls。Osborne’s“Iwill“wassoundedinverydeepbass。Emmy’sresponsecameflutteringuptoherlipsfromherheart，butwasscarcelyheardbyanybodyexceptCaptainDobbin。
Whentheservicewascompleted，JosSedleycameforwardandkissedhissister，thebride，forthefirsttimeformanymonths——George’slookofgloomhadgone，andheseemedquiteproudandradiant。”It’syourturn，William。”sayshe，puttinghishandfondlyuponDobbin’sshoulder；andDobbinwentupandtouchedAmeliaonthecheek。
Thentheywentintothevestryandsignedtheregister。
“Godblessyou，OldDobbin。”Georgesaid，graspinghimbythehand，withsomethingverylikemoistureglisteninginhiseyes。Williamrepliedonlybynoddinghishead。
Hisheartwastoofulltosaymuch。
“Writedirectly，andcomedownassoonasyoucan，youknow。”Osbornesaid。AfterMrs。Sedleyhadtakenanhystericaladieuofherdaughter，thepairwentofftothecarriage。”Getoutoftheway，youlittledevils。”Georgecriedtoasmallcrowdofdampurchins，thatwerehangingaboutthechapel-door。Theraindroveintothebrideandbridegroom’sfacesastheypassedtothechariot。
Thepostilions’favoursdraggledontheirdrippingjackets。
Thefewchildrenmadeadismalcheer，asthecarriage，splashingmud，droveaway。
WilliamDobbinstoodinthechurch-porch，lookingatit，aqueerfigure。Thesmallcrewofspectatorsjeeredhim。
Hewasnotthinkingaboutthemortheirlaughter。
“Comehomeandhavesometiffin，Dobbin。”avoicecriedbehindhim；asapudgyhandwaslaidonhisshoulder，andthehonestfellow’sreveriewasinterrupted。ButtheCaptainhadnohearttogoa-feastingwithJosSedley。
HeputtheweepingoldladyandherattendantsintothecarriagealongwithJos，andleftthemwithoutanyfartherwordspassing。Thiscarriage，too，droveaway，andtheurchinsgaveanothersarcasticalcheer。
“Here，youlittlebeggars。”Dobbinsaid，givingsomesixpencesamongstthem，andthenwentoffbyhimselfthroughtherain。Itwasallover。Theyweremarried，andhappy，heprayedGod。Neversincehewasaboyhadhefeltsomiserableandsolonely。Helongedwithaheart-
sickyearningforthefirstfewdaystobeover，thathemightseeheragain。
Sometendaysaftertheaboveceremony，threeyoungmenofouracquaintancewereenjoyingthatbeautifulprospectofbowwindowsontheonesideandblueseaontheother，whichBrightonaffordstothetraveller。
Sometimesitistowardstheocean——smilingwithcountlessdimples，speckledwithwhitesails，withahundredbathing-machineskissingtheskirtofhisbluegarment——
thattheLondonerlooksenraptured：sometimes，onthecontrary，aloverofhumannatureratherthanofprospectsofanykind，itistowardsthebowwindowsthatheturns，andthatswarmofhumanlifewhichtheyexhibit。Fromoneissuethenotesofapiano，whichayoungladyinringletspractisessixhoursdaily，tothedelightofthefellow-lodgers：atanother，lovelyPolly，thenurse-
maid，maybeseendandlingMasterOmniuminherarms：
whilstJacob，hispapa，isbeheldeatingprawns，anddevouringtheTimesforbreakfast，atthewindowbelow。
YonderaretheMissesLeery，whoarelookingoutfortheyoungofficersoftheHeavies，whoareprettysuretobepacingthecliff；oragainitisaCityman，withanauticalturn，andatelescope，thesizeofasix-pounder，whohashisinstrumentpointedseawards，soastocommandeverypleasure-boat，herring-boat，orbathing-machinethatcomesto，orquits，theshore，&c。，&c。ButhaveweanyleisureforadescriptionofBrighton？——forBrighton，acleanNapleswithgenteellazzaroni——forBrighton，thatalwayslooksbrisk，gay，andgaudy，likeaharlequin’sjacket——forBrighton，whichusedtobesevenhoursdistantfromLondonatthetimeofourstory；whichisnowonlyahundredminutesoff；andwhichmayapproachwhoknowshowmuchnearer，unlessJoinvillecomesanduntimelybombardsit？