howpatientlyandtenderlyshehadwatchedroundthatbed！Shewentandkneltdownbythebedside；andtherethiswoundedandtimorous，butgentleandlovingsoul，soughtforconsolation，whereasyet，itmustbeowned，ourlittlegirlhadbutseldomlookedforit。Lovehadbeenherfaithhitherto；andthesad，bleedingdisappointedheartbegantofeelthewantofanotherconsoler。
Havewearighttorepeatortooverhearherprayers？
These，brother，aresecrets，andoutofthedomainofVanityFair，inwhichourstorylies。
Butthismaybesaid，thatwhentheteawasfinallyannounced，ouryoungladycamedownstairsagreatdealmorecheerful；thatshedidnotdespond，ordeploreherfate，orthinkaboutGeorge’scoldness，orRebecca’seyes，asshehadbeenwonttodooflate。Shewentdownstairs，andkissedherfatherandmother，andtalkedtotheoldgentleman，andmadehimmoremerrythanhehadbeenformanyaday。ShesatedownatthepianowhichDobbinhadboughtforher，andsangoverallherfather’sfavouriteoldsongs。Shepronouncedtheteatobeexcellent，andpraisedtheexquisitetasteinwhichthemarmaladewasarrangedinthesaucers。Andindeterminingtomakeeverybodyelsehappy，shefoundherselfso；andwassoundasleepinthegreatfunerealpavilion，andonlywokeupwithasmilewhenGeorgearrivedfromthetheatre。
Forthenextday，Georgehadmoreimportant“business“
totransactthanthatwhichtookhimtoseeMr。
KeaninShylock。ImmediatelyonhisarrivalinLondonhehadwrittenofftohisfather’ssolicitors，signifyinghisroyalpleasurethataninterviewshouldtakeplacebetweenthemonthemorrow。Hishotelbill，lossesatbilliardsandcardstoCaptainCrawleyhadalmostdrainedtheyoungman’spurse，whichwantedreplenishingbeforehesetoutonhistravels，andhehadnoresourcebuttoinfringeuponthetwothousandpoundswhichtheattorneyswerecommissionedtopayovertohim。Hehadaperfectbeliefinhisownmindthathisfatherwouldrelentbeforeverylong。Howcouldanyparentbeobdurateforalengthoftimeagainstsuchaparagonashewas？Ifhismerepastandpersonalmeritsdidnotsucceedinmollifyinghisfather，Georgedeterminedthathewoulddistinguishhimselfsoprodigiouslyintheensuingcampaignthattheoldgentlemanmustgiveintohim。Andifnot？Bah！theworldwasbeforehim。Hisluckmightchangeatcards，andtherewasadealofspendingintwothousandpounds。
SohesentoffAmeliaoncemoreinacarriagetohermamma，withstrictordersandcarteblanchetothetwoladiestopurchaseeverythingrequisiteforaladyofMrs。
GeorgeOsborne’sfashion，whowasgoingonaforeigntour。Theyhadbutonedaytocompletetheoutfit，anditmaybeimaginedthattheirbusinessthereforeoccupiedthemprettyfully。Inacarriageoncemore，bustlingaboutfrommillinertolinen-draper，escortedbacktothecarriagebyobsequiousshopmenorpoliteowners，Mrs。
Sedleywasherselfagainalmost，andsincerelyhappyforthefirsttimesincetheirmisfortunes。NorwasMrs。
Ameliaatallabovethepleasureofshopping，andbargaining，andseeingandbuyingprettythings。Wouldanyman，themostphilosophic，givetwopenceforawomanwhowas？Shegaveherselfalittletreat，obedienttoherhusband’sorders，andpurchasedaquantityoflady’sgear，showingagreatdealoftasteandelegantdiscernment，asalltheshopfolkssaid。
Andaboutthewarthatwasensuing，Mrs。Osbornewasnotmuchalarmed；Bonapartywastobecrushedalmostwithoutastruggle。Margatepacketsweresailingeveryday，filledwithmenoffashionandladiesofnote，ontheirwaytoBrusselsandGhent。Peopleweregoingnotsomuchtoawarastoafashionabletour。Thenewspaperslaughedthewretchedupstartandswindlertoscorn。SuchaCorsicanwretchasthatwithstandthearmiesofEuropeandthegeniusoftheimmortalWellington！Ameliaheldhiminuttercontempt；foritneedsnottobesaidthatthissoftandgentlecreaturetookheropinionsfromthosepeoplewhosurroundedher，suchfidelitybeingmuchtoohumble-mindedtothinkforitself。
Well，inaword，sheandhermotherperformedagreatday’sshopping，andsheacquittedherselfwithconsiderablelivelinessandcreditonthisherfirstappearanceinthegenteelworldofLondon。
Georgemeanwhile，withhishatononeside，hiselbowssquared，andhisswaggeringmartialair，madeforBedfordRow，andstalkedintotheattorney’sofficesasifhewaslordofeverypale-facedclerkwhowasscribblingthere。HeorderedsomebodytoinformMr。HiggsthatCaptainOsbornewaswaiting，inafierceandpatronizingway，asifthepekinofanattorney，whohadthricehisbrains，fiftytimeshismoney，andathousandtimeshisexperience，wasawretchedunderlingwhoshouldinstantlyleaveallhisbusinessinlifetoattendontheCaptain’spleasure。Hedidnotseethesneerofcontemptwhichpassedallroundtheroom，fromthefirstclerktothearticledgents，fromthearticledgentstotheraggedwritersandwhite-facedrunners，inclothestootightforthem，ashesatetheretappinghisbootwithhiscane，andthinkingwhataparcelofmiserablepoordevilsthesewere。Themiserablepoordevilsknewallabouthisaffairs。Theytalkedaboutthemovertheirpintsofbeerattheirpublic-houseclubstootherclerksofanight。
Yegods，whatdonotattorneysandattorneys’clerksknowinLondon！Nothingishiddenfromtheirinquisition，andtheirfamiliesmutelyruleourcity。
PerhapsGeorgeexpected，whenheenteredMr。Higgs’sapartment，tofindthatgentlemancommissionedtogivehimsomemessageofcompromiseorconciliationfromhisfather；perhapshishaughtyandcolddemeanourwasadoptedasasignofhisspiritandresolution：butifso，hisfiercenesswasmetbyachillingcoolnessandindifferenceontheattorney’spart，thatrenderedswaggeringabsurd。Hepretendedtobewritingatapaper，whentheCaptainentered。”Pray，sitdown，sir。”saidhe。”andIwillattendtoyourlittleaffairinamoment。Mr。
Poe，getthereleasepapers，ifyouplease“；andthenhefelltowritingagain。
Poehavingproducedthosepapers，hischiefcalculatedtheamountoftwothousandpoundsstockattherateoftheday；andaskedCaptainOsbornewhetherhewouldtakethesuminachequeuponthebankers，orwhetherheshoulddirectthelattertopurchasestocktothatamount。”OneofthelateMrs。Osborne’strusteesisoutoftown。”hesaidindifferently，“butmyclientwishestomeetyourwishes，andhavedonewiththebusinessasquickaspossible。”
“Givemeacheque，sir。”saidtheCaptainverysurlily。
“Damntheshillingsandhalfpence，sir。”headded，asthelawyerwasmakingouttheamountofthedraft；and，flatteringhimselfthatbythisstrokeofmagnanimityhehadputtheoldquiztotheblush，hestalkedoutoftheofficewiththepaperinhispocket。
“Thatchapwillbeingaolintwoyears。”Mr。HiggssaidtoMr。Poe。
“Won’tO。comeround，sir，don’tyouthink？”
“Won’tthemonumentcomeround。”Mr。Higgsreplied。
“He’sgoingitprettyfast。”saidtheclerk。”He’sonlymarriedaweek，andIsawhimandsomeothermilitarychapshandingMrs。Highflyertohercarriageaftertheplay。”Andthenanothercasewascalled，andMr。GeorgeOsbornethenceforthdismissedfromtheseworthygentlemen’smemory。
ThedraftwasuponourfriendsHulkerandBullockofLombardStreet，towhosehouse，stillthinkinghewasdoingbusiness，Georgebenthisway，andfromwhomhereceivedhismoney。FrederickBullock，Esq。，whoseyellowfacewasoveraledger，atwhichsateademureclerk，happenedtobeinthebanking-roomwhenGeorgeentered。
HisyellowfaceturnedtoamoredeadlycolourwhenhesawtheCaptain，andheslunkbackguiltilyintotheinmostparlour。Georgewastoobusygloatingoverthemoneyforhehadneverhadsuchasumbefore，tomarkthecountenanceorflightofthecadaveroussuitorofhissister。
FredBullocktoldoldOsborneofhisson’sappearanceandconduct。”Hecameinasboldasbrass。”saidFrederick。”Hehasdrawnouteveryshilling。Howlongwillafewhundredpoundslastsuchachapasthat？”
Osbornesworewithagreatoaththathelittlecaredwhenorhowsoonhespentit。FreddinedeverydayinRussellSquarenow。Butaltogether，Georgewashighlypleasedwithhisday’sbusiness。Allhisownbaggageandoutfitwasputintoastateofspeedypreparation，andhepaidAmelia’spurchaseswithchequesonhisagents，andwiththesplendourofalord。
InWhichAmeliaJoinsHerRegimentWhenJos’sfinecarriagedroveuptotheinndooratChatham，thefirstfacewhichAmeliarecognizedwasthefriendlycountenanceofCaptainDobbin，whohadbeenpacingthestreetforanhourpastinexpectationofhisfriends’arrival。TheCaptain，withshellsonhisfrockcoat，andacrimsonsashandsabre，presentedamilitaryappearance，whichmadeJosquiteproudtobeabletoclaimsuchanacquaintance，andthestoutcivilianhailedhimwithacordialityverydifferentfromthereceptionwhichJosvouchsafedtohisfriendinBrightonandBondStreet。
AlongwiththeCaptainwasEnsignStubble；who，asthebarouchenearedtheinn，burstoutwithanexclamationof“ByJove！whataprettygirl“；highlyapplaudingOsborne’schoice。Indeed，Ameliadressedinherwedding-
pelisseandpinkribbons，withaflushinherface，occasionedbyrapidtravelthroughtheopenair，lookedsofreshandpretty，asfullytojustifytheEnsign’scompliment。
Dobbinlikedhimformakingit。Ashesteppedforwardtohelptheladyoutofthecarriage，Stubblesawwhataprettylittlehandshegavehim，andwhatasweetprettylittlefootcametrippingdownthestep。Heblushedprofusely，andmadetheverybestbowofwhichhewascapable；towhichAmelia，seeingthenumberofthetheregimentembroideredontheEnsign’scap，repliedwithablushingsmile，andacurtseyonherpart；whichfinishedtheyoungEnsignonthespot。DobbintookmostkindlytoMr。Stubblefromthatday，andencouragedhimtotalkaboutAmeliaintheirprivatewalks，andateachother’squarters。Itbecamethefashion，indeed，amongallthehonestyoungfellowsofthe——thtoadoreandadmireMrs。Osborne。Hersimpleartlessbehaviour，andmodestkindnessofdemeanour，wonalltheirunsophisticatedhearts；allwhichsimplicityandsweetnessarequiteimpossibletodescribeinprint。Butwhohasnotbeheldtheseamongwomen，andrecognisedthepresenceofallsortsofqualitiesinthem，eventhoughtheysaynomoretoyouthanthattheyareengagedtodancethenextquadrille，orthatitisveryhotweather？George，alwaysthechampionofhisregiment，roseimmenselyintheopinionoftheyouthofthecorps，byhisgallantryinmarryingthisportionlessyoungcreature，andbyhischoiceofsuchaprettykindpartner。
Inthesitting-roomwhichwasawaitingthetravellers，Amelia，tohersurprise，foundaletteraddressedtoMrs。
CaptainOsborne。Itwasatriangularbillet，onpinkpaper，andsealedwithadoveandanolivebranch，andaprofusionoflightbluesealingwax，anditwaswritteninaverylarge，thoughundecidedfemalehand。
“It’sPeggyO’Dowd’sfist。”saidGeorge，laughing。”I
knowitbythekissesontheseal。”Andinfact，itwasanotefromMrs。MajorO’Dowd，requestingthepleasureofMrs。Osborne’scompanythatveryeveningtoasmallfriendlyparty。”Youmustgo。”Georgesaid。”Youwillmakeacquaintancewiththeregimentthere。O’Dowdgoesincommandoftheregiment，andPeggygoesincommandButtheyhadnotbeenformanyminutesintheenjoymentofMrs。O’Dowd’sletter，whenthedoorwasflungopen，andastoutjollylady，inariding-habit，followedbyacoupleofofficersofOurs，enteredtheroom。
“Sure，Icouldn’tstoptilltay-time。Presentme，Garge，mydearfellow，toyourlady。Madam，I’mdeloightedtoseeye；andtopresenttoyoumehusband，MeejorO’Dowd“；andwiththis，thejollyladyintheriding-habitgraspedAmelia’shandverywarmly，andthelatterknewatoncethattheladywasbeforeherwhomherhusbandhadsooftenlaughedat。”You’veoftenheardofmefromthathusbandofyours。”saidthelady，withgreatvivacity。
“You’veoftenheardofher。”echoedherhusband，theMajor。
Ameliaanswered，smiling，“thatshehad。”
“Andsmallgoodhe’stoldyouofme。”Mrs。O’Dowdreplied；addingthat“Georgewasawickeddivvle。”
“ThatI’llgobailfor。”saidtheMajor，tryingtolookknowing，atwhichGeorgelaughed；andMrs。O’Dowd，withatapofherwhip，toldtheMajortobequiet；andthenrequestedtobepresentedinformtoMrs。CaptainOsborne。
“This，mydear。”saidGeorgewithgreatgravity，“ismyverygood，kind，andexcellentfriend，AuraliaMargaretta，otherwisecalledPeggy。”
“Faith，you’reright。”interposedtheMajor。