“MydearCaptainGeorge！”criedlittleRebeccainanecstasy。”Howgoodofyoutocome。TheGeneralandI
weremopingtogethertete-a-tete。General，thisismyCaptainGeorgeofwhomyouheardmetalk。”
“Indeed。”saidtheGeneral，withaverysmallbow；“ofwhatregimentisCaptainGeorge？”
Georgementionedthe——th：howhewishedhecouldhavesaiditwasacrackcavalrycorps。
“ComehomelatelyfromtheWestIndies，Ibelieve。
Notseenmuchserviceinthelatewar。Quarteredhere，CaptainGeorge？”——theGeneralwentonwithkillinghaughtiness。
“NotCaptainGeorge，youstupidman；CaptainOsborne。”
Rebeccasaid。TheGeneralallthewhilewaslookingsavagelyfromonetotheother。
“CaptainOsborne，indeed！AnyrelationtotheL——
Osbornes？”
“Webearthesamearms。”Georgesaid，asindeedwasthefact；Mr。OsbornehavingconsultedwithaheraldinLongAcre，andpickedtheL——armsoutofthepeerage，whenhesetuphiscarriagefifteenyearsbefore。TheGeneralmadenoreplytothisannouncement；buttookuphisopera-glass——thedouble-barrelledlorgnonwasnotinventedinthosedays——andpretendedtoexaminethehouse；butRebeccasawthathisdisengagedeyewasworkingroundinherdirection，andshootingoutbloodshotglancesatherandGeorge。
Sheredoubledincordiality。”HowisdearestAmelia？
ButIneedn’task：howprettyshelooks！Andwhoisthatnicegood-naturedlookingcreaturewithher——aflameofyours？O，youwickedmen！AndthereisMr。Sedleyeatingice，Ideclare：howheseemstoenjoyit！General，whyhavewenothadanyices？”
“ShallIgoandfetchyousome？”saidtheGeneral，burstingwithwrath。
“LetMEgo，Ientreatyou。”Georgesaid。
“No，IwillgotoAmelia’sbox。Dear，sweetgirl！Givemeyourarm，CaptainGeorge“；andsosaying，andwithanodtotheGeneral，shetrippedintothelobby。ShegaveGeorgethequeerest，knowingestlook，whentheyweretogether，alookwhichmighthavebeeninterpreted。”Don’tyouseethestateofaffairs，andwhatafoolI’mmakingofhim？”Buthedidnotperceiveit。Hewasthinkingofhisownplans，andlostinpompousadmirationofhisownirresistiblepowersofpleasing。
ThecursestowhichtheGeneralgavealowutterance，assoonasRebeccaandherconquerorhadquittedhim，weresodeep，thatIamsurenocompositorwouldventuretoprintthemweretheywrittendown。TheycamefromtheGeneral’sheart；andawonderfulthingitistothinkthatthehumanheartiscapableofgeneratingsuchproduce，andcanthrowout，asoccasiondemands，suchasupplyoflustandfury，rageandhatred。
Amelia’sgentleeyes，too，hadbeenfixedanxiouslyonthepair，whoseconducthadsochafedthejealousGeneral；
butwhenRebeccaenteredherbox，sheflewtoherfriendwithanaffectionaterapturewhichshoweditself，inspiteofthepublicityoftheplace；forsheembracedherdearestfriendinthepresenceofthewholehouse，atleastinfullviewoftheGeneral’sglass，nowbroughttobearupontheOsborneparty。Mrs。RawdonsalutedJos，too，withthekindliestgreeting：sheadmiredMrs。O’Dowd’slargeCairngormbroochandsuperbIrishdiamonds，andwouldn’tbelievethattheywerenotfromGolcondadirect。
Shebustled，shechattered，sheturnedandtwisted，andsmileduponone，andsmirkedonanother，allinfullviewofthejealousopera-glassopposite。Andwhenthetimefortheballetcameinwhichtherewasnodancerthatwentthroughhergrimacesorperformedhercomedyofactionbetter，sheskippedbacktoherownbox，leaningonCaptainDobbin’sarmthistime。No，shewouldnothaveGeorge’s：hemuststayandtalktohisdearest，best，littleAmelia。
“Whatahumbugthatwomanis！”honestoldDobbinmumbledtoGeorge，whenhecamebackfromRebecca’sbox，whitherhehadconductedherinperfectsilence，andwithacountenanceasglumasanundertaker’s。”Shewrithesandtwistsaboutlikeasnake。Allthetimeshewashere，didn’tyousee，George，howshewasactingattheGeneralovertheway？”
“Humbug——acting！Hangit，she’sthenicestlittlewomaninEngland。”Georgereplied，showinghiswhiteteeth，andgivinghisambrosialwhiskersatwirl。”Youain’tamanoftheworld，Dobbin。Dammy，lookathernow，she’stalkedoverTuftoinnotime。Lookhowhe’slaughing！Gad，whatashouldershehas！Emmy，whydidn’tyouhaveabouquet？Everybodyhasabouquet。”
“Faith，then，whydidn’tyouBOYone？”Mrs。O’Dowdsaid；andbothAmeliaandWilliamDobbinthankedherforthistimelyobservation。Butbeyondthisneitheroftheladiesrallied。Ameliawasoverpoweredbytheflashandthedazzleandthefashionabletalkofherworldlyrival。
EventheO’DowdwassilentandsubduedafterBecky’sbrilliantapparition，andscarcelysaidawordmoreaboutGlenmalonyalltheevening。
“Whendoyouintendtogiveupplay，George，asyouhavepromisedme，anytimethesehundredyears？”DobbinsaidtohisfriendafewdaysafterthenightattheOpera。”Whendoyouintendtogiveupsermonising？”
wastheother’sreply。”Whatthedeuce，man，areyoualarmedabout？Weplaylow；Iwonlastnight。Youdon’tsupposeCrawleycheats？Withfairplayitcomestoprettymuchthesamethingattheyear’send。”
“ButIdon’tthinkhecouldpayifhelost。”Dobbinsaid；andhisadvicemetwiththesuccesswhichadviceusuallycommands。OsborneandCrawleywererepeatedlytogethernow。GeneralTuftodinedabroadalmostconstantly。
GeorgewasalwayswelcomeintheapartmentsverycloseindeedtothoseoftheGeneralwhichtheaide-de-campandhiswifeoccupiedinthehotel。
Amelia’smannersweresuchwhensheandGeorgevisitedCrawleyandhiswifeatthesequarters，thattheyhadverynearlycometotheirfirstquarrel；thatis，Georgescoldedhiswifeviolentlyforherevidentunwillingnesstogo，andthehighandmightymannerinwhichshecomportedherselftowardsMrs。Crawley，heroldfriend；andAmeliadidnotsayonesinglewordinreply；butwithherhusband’seyeuponher，andRebeccascanningherasshefelt，was，ifpossible，morebashfulandawkwardonthesecondvisitwhichshepaidtoMrs。Rawdon，thanonherfirstcall。
Rebeccawasdoublyaffectionate，ofcourse，andwouldnottakenotice，intheleast，ofherfriend’scoolness。”I
thinkEmmyhasbecomeproudersinceherfather’snamewasinthe——sinceMr。Sedley’sMISFORTUNES。”Rebeccasaid，softeningthephrasecharitablyforGeorge’sear。
“Uponmyword，IthoughtwhenwewereatBrightonshewasdoingmethehonourtobejealousofme；andnowIsupposesheisscandalisedbecauseRawdon，andI，andtheGenerallivetogether。Why，mydearcreature，howcouldwe，withourmeans，liveatall，butforafriendtoshareexpenses？AnddoyousupposethatRawdonisnotbigenoughtotakecareofmyhonour？ButI’mverymuchobligedtoEmmy，very。”Mrs。Rawdonsaid。
“Pooh，jealousy！”answeredGeorge，“allwomenarejealous。”
“Andallmentoo。Weren’tyoujealousofGeneralTufto，andtheGeneralofyou，onthenightoftheOpera？
Why，hewasreadytoeatmeforgoingwithyoutovisitthatfoolishlittlewifeofyours；asifIcareapinforeitherofyou。”Crawley’swifesaid，withaperttossofherhead。”Willyoudinehere？ThedragondineswiththeCommander-in-Chief。Greatnewsisstirring。TheysaytheFrenchhavecrossedthefrontier。Weshallhaveaquietdinner。”
Georgeacceptedtheinvitation，althoughhiswifewasalittleailing。Theywerenownotquitesixweeksmarried。
Anotherwomanwaslaughingorsneeringatherexpense，andhenotangry。Hewasnotevenangrywithhimself，thisgood-naturedfellow。Itisashame，heownedtohimself；
buthangit，ifaprettywomanWILLthrowherselfinyourway，why，whatcanafellowdo，youknow？IAM
ratherfreeaboutwomen，hehadoftensaid，smilingandnoddingknowinglytoStubbleandSpooney，andothercomradesofthemess-table；andtheyratherrespectedhimthanotherwiseforthisprowess。Nexttoconqueringinwar，conqueringinlovehasbeenasourceofpride，timeoutofmind，amongstmeninVanityFair，orhowshouldschoolboysbragoftheiramours，orDonJuanbepopular？
SoMr。Osborne，havingafirmconvictioninhisownmindthathewasawoman-killeranddestinedtoconquer，didnotruncountertohisfate，butyieldedhimselfuptoitquitecomplacently。AndasEmmydidnotsaymuchorplaguehimwithherjealousy，butmerelybecameunhappyandpinedoveritmiserablyinsecret，hechosetofancythatshewasnotsuspiciousofwhatallhisacquaintancewereperfectlyaware——namely，thathewascarryingonadesperateflirtationwithMrs。Crawley。Herodewithherwhenevershewasfree。HepretendedregimentalbusinesstoAmeliabywhichfalsehoodshewasnotintheleastdeceived，andconsigninghiswifetosolitudeorherbrother’ssociety，passedhiseveningsintheCrawleys’company；losingmoneytothehusbandandflatteringhimselfthatthewifewasdyingofloveforhim。
Itisverylikelythatthisworthycoupleneverabsolutelyconspiredandagreedtogetherinsomanywords：theonetocajoletheyounggentleman，whilsttheotherwonhismoneyatcards：buttheyunderstoodeachotherperfectlywell，andRawdonletOsbornecomeandgowithentiregoodhumour。
GeorgewassooccupiedwithhisnewacquaintancesthatheandWilliamDobbinwerebynomeanssomuchtogetherasformerly。Georgeavoidedhiminpublicandintheregiment，and，aswesee，didnotlikethosesermonswhichhisseniorwasdisposedtoinflictuponhim。
IfsomepartsofhisconductmadeCaptainDobbinexceedinglygraveandcool；ofwhatusewasittotellGeorgethat，thoughhiswhiskerswerelarge，andhisownopinionofhisknowingnessgreat，hewasasgreenasaschoolboy？thatRawdonwasmakingavictimofhimashehaddoneofmanybefore，andassoonashehadusedhimwouldflinghimoffwithscorn？Hewouldnotlisten：andso，asDobbin，uponthosedayswhenhevisitedthe0sbornehouse，seldomhadtheadvantageofmeetinghisoldfriend，muchpainfulandunavailingtalkbetweenthemwasspared。OurfriendGeorgewasinthefullcareerofthepleasuresofVanityFair。
Thereneverwas，sincethedaysofDarius，suchabrillianttrainofcamp-followersashungroundtheDukeofWellington’sarmyintheLowCountries，in1815；andleditdancingandfeasting，asitwere，uptotheverybrinkofbattle。AcertainballwhichanobleDuchessgaveatBrusselsonthe15thofJuneintheabove-namedyearishistorical。AllBrusselshadbeeninastateofexcitementaboutit，andIhaveheardfromladieswhowereinthattownattheperiod，thatthetalkandinterestofpersonsoftheirownsexregardingtheballwasmuchgreatereventhaninrespectoftheenemyintheirfront。
Thestruggles，intrigues，andprayerstogetticketsweresuchasonlyEnglishladieswillemploy，inordertogainadmissiontothesocietyofthegreatoftheirownnation。
JosandMrs。O’Dowd，whowerepantingtobeasked，stroveinvaintoprocuretickets；butothersofourfriendsweremorelucky。Forinstance，throughtheinterestofmyLordBareacres，andasaset-offforthedinnerattherestaurateur’s，GeorgegotacardforCaptainandMrs。
Osborne；whichcircumstancegreatlyelatedhim。Dobbin，whowasafriendoftheGeneralcommandingthedivisioninwhichtheirregimentwas，camelaughingonedaytoMrs。Osborne，anddisplayedasimilarinvitation，whichmadeJosenvious，andGeorgewonderhowthedeuceheshouldbegettingintosociety。Mr。andMrs。