S。Whydon’tyouspeak，John？ShallIsayTuesdayfortnight？
Whydon’tyouanswer？GoodGod，John，whathashappened？”
JohnSedleysprangupoutofhischairtomeethiswife，whorantohim。Heseizedherinhisarms，andsaidwithahastyvoice，“We’reruined，Mary。We’vegottheworldtobeginoveragain，dear。It’sbestthatyoushouldknowall，andatonce。”Ashespoke，hetrembledineverylimb，andalmostfell。Hethoughtthenewswouldhaveoverpoweredhiswife——hiswife，towhomhehadneversaidahardword。Butitwashethatwasthemostmoved，suddenastheshockwastoher。Whenhesankbackintohisseat，itwasthewifethattooktheofficeofconsoler。Shetookhistremblinghand，andkissedit，andputitroundherneck：shecalledhimherJohn——herdearJohn——heroldman——herkindoldman；shepouredoutahundredwordsofincoherentloveandtenderness；herfaithfulvoiceandsimplecaresseswroughtthissadheartuptoaninexpressibledelightandanguish，andcheeredandsolacedhisover-burdenedsoul。
Onlyonceinthecourseofthelongnightastheysatetogether，andpoorSedleyopenedhispent-upsoul，andtoldthestoryofhislossesandembarrassments——thetreasonofsomeofhisoldestfriends，themanlykindnessofsome，fromwhomhenevercouldhaveexpectedit——inageneralconfession——onlyoncedidthefaithfulwifegivewaytoemotion。
“MyGod，myGod，itwillbreakEmmy’sheart。”shesaid。
Thefatherhadforgottenthepoorgirl。Shewaslying，awakeandunhappy，overhead。Inthemidstoffriends，home，andkindparents，shewasalone。Tohowmanypeoplecananyonetellall？Whowillbeopenwherethereisnosympathy，orhascalltospeaktothosewhonevercanunderstand？OurgentleAmeliawasthussolitary。Shehadnoconfidante，sotospeak，eversinceshehadanythingtoconfide。Shecouldnottelltheoldmotherherdoubtsandcares；thewould-besistersseemedeverydaymorestrangetoher。Andshehadmisgivingsandfearswhichshedarednotacknowledgetoherself，thoughshewasalwayssecretlybroodingoverthem。
HerhearttriedtopersistinassertingthatGeorgeOsbornewasworthyandfaithfultoher，thoughsheknewotherwise。Howmanyathinghadshesaid，andgotnoechofromhim。Howmanysuspicionsofselfishnessandindifferencehadshetoencounterandobstinatelyovercome。Towhomcouldthepoorlittlemartyrtellthesedailystrugglesandtortures？Herherohimselfonlyhalfunderstoodher。Shedidnotdaretoownthatthemanshelovedwasherinferior；ortofeelthatshehadgivenherheartawaytoosoon。Givenonce，thepurebashfulmaidenwastoomodest，tootender，tootrustful，tooweak，toomuchwomantorecallit。WeareTurkswiththeaffectionsofourwomen；andhavemadethemsubscribetoourdoctrinetoo。Welettheirbodiesgoabroadliberallyenough，withsmilesandringletsandpinkbonnetstodisguisetheminsteadofveilsandyakmaks。Buttheirsoulsmustbeseenbyonlyoneman，andtheyobeynotunwillingly，andconsenttoremainathomeasourslaves——ministeringtousanddoingdrudgeryforus。
Soimprisonedandtorturedwasthisgentlelittleheart，wheninthemonthofMarch，AnnoDomini1815，NapoleonlandedatCannes，andLouisXVIIIfled，andallEuropewasinalarm，andthefundsfell，andoldJohnSedleywasruined。
Wearenotgoingtofollowtheworthyoldstockbrokerthroughthoselastpangsandagoniesofruinthroughwhichhepassedbeforehiscommercialdemisebefell。
TheydeclaredhimattheStockExchange；hewasabsentfromhishouseofbusiness：hisbillswereprotested：
hisactofbankruptcyformal。ThehouseandfurnitureofRussellSquarewereseizedandsoldup，andheandhisfamilywerethrustaway，aswehaveseen，tohidetheirheadswheretheymight。
JohnSedleyhadnotthehearttoreviewthedomesticestablishmentwhohaveappearednowandanoninourpagesandofwhomhewasnowforcedbypovertytotakeleave。Thewagesofthoseworthypeopleweredischargedwiththatpunctualitywhichmenfrequentlyshowwhoonlyoweingreatsums——theyweresorrytoleavegoodplaces——buttheydidnotbreaktheirheartsatpartingfromtheiradoredmasterandmistress。Amelia’smaidwasprofuseincondolences，butwentoffquiteresignedtobetterherselfinagenteelerquarterofthetown。BlackSambo，withtheinfatuationofhisprofession，determinedonsettingupapublic-house。HonestoldMrs。Blenkinsopindeed，whohadseenthebirthofJosandAmelia，andthewooingofJohnSedleyandhiswife，wasforstayingbythemwithoutwages，havingamassedaconsiderablesumintheirservice：andsheaccompaniedthefallenpeopleintotheirnewandhumbleplaceofrefuge，whereshetendedthemandgrumbledagainstthemforawhile。
OfallSedley’sopponentsinhisdebateswithhiscreditorswhichnowensued，andharassedthefeelingsofthehumiliatedoldgentlemansoseverely，thatinsixweeksheoldenedmorethanhehaddoneforfifteenyearsbefore——
themostdeterminedandobstinateseemedtobeJohnOsborne，hisoldfriendandneighbour——JohnOsborne，whomhehadsetupinlife——whowasunderahundredobligationstohim——andwhosesonwastomarrySedley’sdaughter。AnyoneofthesecircumstanceswouldaccountforthebitternessofOsborne’sopposition。
Whenonemanhasbeenunderveryremarkableobligationstoanother，withwhomhesubsequentlyquarrels，acommonsenseofdecency，asitwere，makesoftheformeramuchsevererenemythanamerestrangerwouldbe。Toaccountforyourownhard-heartednessandingratitudeinsuchacase，youareboundtoprovetheotherparty’scrime。Itisnotthatyouareselfish，brutal，andangryatthefailureofaspeculation——no，no——itisthatyourpartnerhasledyouintoitbythebasesttreacheryandwiththemostsinistermotives。Fromameresenseofconsistency，apersecutorisboundtoshowthatthefallenmanisavillain——otherwisehe，thepersecutor，isawretchhimself。
Andasageneralrule，whichmaymakeallcreditorswhoareinclinedtobesevereprettycomfortableintheirminds，nomenembarrassedarealtogetherhonest，verylikely。Theyconcealsomething；theyexaggeratechancesofgoodluck；hideawaytherealstateofaffairs；saythatthingsareflourishingwhentheyarehopeless，keepasmilingfaceadrearysmileitisuponthevergeofbankruptcy——arereadytolayholdofanypretextfordelayorofanymoney，soastostaveofftheinevitableruinafewdayslonger。”Downwithsuchdishonesty。”
saysthecreditorintriumph，andrevileshissinkingenemy。”Youfool，whydoyoucatchatastraw？”calmgoodsensesaystothemanthatisdrowning。”Youvillain，whydoyoushrinkfromplungingintotheirretrievableGazette？”saysprosperitytothepoordevilbattlinginthatblackgulf。Whohasnotremarkedthereadinesswithwhichtheclosestoffriendsandhonestestofmensuspectandaccuseeachotherofcheatingwhentheyfalloutonmoneymatters？Everybodydoesit。Everybodyisright，Isuppose，andtheworldisarogue。
ThenOsbornehadtheintolerablesenseofformerbenefitstogoadandirritatehim：thesearealwaysacauseofhostilityaggravated。Finally，hehadtobreakoffthematchbetweenSedley’sdaughterandhisson；andasithadgoneveryfarindeed，andasthepoorgirl’shappinessandperhapscharacterwerecompromised，itwasnecessarytoshowthestrongestreasonsfortherupture，andforJohnOsbornetoproveJohnSedleytobeaverybadcharacterindeed。
Atthemeetingsofcreditors，then，hecomportedhimselfwithasavagenessandscorntowardsSedley，whichalmostsucceededinbreakingtheheartofthatruinedbankruptman。OnGeorge’sintercoursewithAmeliaheputaninstantveto——menacingtheyouthwithmaledictionsifhebrokehiscommands，andvilipendingthepoorinnocentgirlasthebasestandmostartfulofvixens。
Oneofthegreatconditionsofangerandhatredis，thatyoumusttellandbelieveliesagainstthehatedobject，inorder，aswesaid，tobeconsistent。
Whenthegreatcrashcame——theannouncementofruin，andthedeparturefromRussellSquare，andthedeclarationthatallwasoverbetweenherandGeorge——alloverbetweenherandlove，herandhappiness，herandfaithintheworld——abrutalletterfromJohnOsbornetoldherinafewcurtlinesthatherfather’sconducthadbeenofsuchanaturethatallengagementsbetweenthefamilieswereatanend——whenthefinalawardcame，itdidnotshockhersomuchasherparents，ashermotherratherexpectedforJohnSedleyhimselfwasentirelyprostrateintheruinsofhisownaffairsandshatteredhonour。Ameliatookthenewsverypalelyandcalmly。
Itwasonlytheconfirmationofthedarkpresageswhichhadlonggonebefore。Itwasthemerereadingofthesentence——ofthecrimeshehadlongagobeenguilty——thecrimeoflovingwrongly，tooviolently，againstreason。
Shetoldnomoreofherthoughtsnowthanshehadbefore。Sheseemedscarcelymoreunhappynowwhenconvincedallhopewasover，thanbeforewhenshefeltbutdarednotconfessthatitwasgone。Soshechangedfromthelargehousetothesmallonewithoutanymarkordifference；remainedinherlittleroomforthemostpart；
pinedsilently；anddiedawaydaybyday。Idonotmeantosaythatallfemalesareso。MydearMissBullock，I
donotthinkyourheartwouldbreakinthisway。Youareastrong-mindedyoungwomanwithproperprinciples。
Idonotventuretosaythatminewould；ithassuffered，and，itmustbeconfessed，survived。Buttherearesomesoulsthusgentlyconstituted，thusfrail，anddelicate，andtender。
WheneveroldJohnSedleythoughtoftheaffairbetweenGeorgeandAmelia，oralludedtoit，itwaswithbitternessalmostasgreatasMr。Osbornehimselfhadshown。HecursedOsborneandhisfamilyasheartless，wicked，andungrateful。Nopoweronearth，heswore，wouldinducehimtomarryhisdaughtertothesonofsuchavillain，andheorderedEmmytobanishGeorgefromhermind，andtoreturnallthepresentsandletterswhichshehadeverhadfromhim。
Shepromisedacquiescence，andtriedtoobey。Sheputupthetwoorthreetrinkets：and，asfortheletters，shedrewthemoutoftheplace。whereshekeptthem；andreadthemover——asifshedidnotknowthembyheartalready：butshecouldnotpartwiththem。Thateffortwastoomuchforher；sheplacedthembackinherbosomagain——asyouhaveseenawomannurseachildthatisdead。YoungAmeliafeltthatshewoulddieorlosehersensesoutright，iftornawayfromthislastconsolation。
Howsheusedtoblushandlightenupwhenthoseletterscame！Howsheusedtotripawaywithabeatingheart，sothatshemightreadunseen！Iftheywerecold，yethowperverselythisfondlittlesoulinterpretedthemintowarmth。Iftheywereshortorselfish，whatexcusesshefoundforthewriter！
Itwasoverthesefewworthlesspapersthatshebroodedandbrooded。Shelivedinherpastlife——everyletterseemedtorecallsomecircumstanceofit。Howwellsherememberedthemall！Hislooksandtones，hisdress，whathesaidandhow——theserelicsandremembrancesofdeadaffectionwereallthatwereleftherintheworld。
Andthebusinessofherlife，was——towatchthecorpseofLove。
Todeathshelookedwithinexpressiblelonging。Then，shethought，Ishallalwaysbeabletofollowhim。IamnotpraisingherconductorsettingherupasamodelforMissBullocktoimitate。MissB。knowshowtoregulateherfeelingsbetterthanthispoorlittlecreature。MissB。
wouldneverhavecommittedherselfasthatimprudentAmeliahaddone；pledgedherloveirretrievably；
confessedherheartaway，andgotbacknothing——onlyabrittlepromisewhichwassnaptandworthlessinamoment。Alongengagementisapartnershipwhichonepartyisfreetokeeportobreak，butwhichinvolvesallthecapitaloftheother。
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！”