Thusanalmostreconciliationwasbroughtaboutbetweenthebrothers。WhenRebeccacametotownPittandhiswifewerenotinLondon。ManyatimeshedrovebytheolddoorinParkLanetoseewhethertheyhadtakenpossessionofMissCrawley’shousethere。Butthenewfamilydidnotmakeitsappearance；itwasonlythroughRagglesthatsheheardoftheirmovements——howMissCrawley’sdomesticshadbeendismissedwithdecentgratuities，andhowMr。PitthadonlyoncemadehisappearanceinLondon，whenhestoppedforafewdaysatthehouse，didbusinesswithhislawyersthere，andsoldoffallMissCrawley’sFrenchnovelstoabookselleroutofBondStreet。Beckyhadreasonsofherownwhichcausedhertolongforthearrivalofhernewrelation。
“WhenLadyJanecomes。”thoughtshe，“sheshallbemysponsorinLondonsociety；andasforthewomen！bah！
thewomenwillaskmewhentheyfindthemenwanttoseeme。”
Anarticleasnecessarytoaladyinthispositionasherbroughamorherbouquetishercompanion。Ihavealwaysadmiredthewayinwhichthetendercreatures，whocannotexistwithoutsympathy，hireanexceedinglyplainfriendoftheirownsexfromwhomtheyarealmostinseparable。Thesightofthatinevitablewomaninherfadedgownseatedbehindherdearfriendintheopera-
box，oroccupyingthebackseatofthebarouche，isalwaysawholesomeandmoralonetome，asjollyareminderasthatoftheDeath’s-headwhichfiguredintherepastsofEgyptianbon-vivants，astrangesardonicmemorialofVanityFair。What？evenbattered，brazen，beautiful，conscienceless，heartless，Mrs。Firebrace，whosefatherdiedofhershame：evenlovely，daringMrs。
Mantrap，whowillrideatanyfencewhichanymaninEnglandwilltake，andwhodriveshergreysinthepark，whilehermotherkeepsahuckster’sstallinBathstill——eventhosewhoaresobold，onemightfancytheycouldfaceanythingdarenotfacetheworldwithoutafemalefriend。Theymusthavesomebodytoclingto，theaffectionatecreatures！Andyouwillhardlyseetheminanypublicplacewithoutashabbycompanioninadyedsilk，sittingsomewhereintheshadeclosebehindthem。
“Rawdon。”saidBecky，verylateonenight，asapartyofgentlemenwereseatedroundhercracklingdrawing-
roomfireforthemencametoherhousetofinishthenight；andshehadiceandcoffeeforthem，thebestinLondon：“Imusthaveasheep-dog。”
“Awhat？”saidRawdon，lookingupfromanecartetable。
“Asheep-dog！”saidyoungLordSouthdown。”MydearMrs。Crawley，whatafancy！WhynothaveaDanishdog？Iknowofoneasbigasacamel-leopard，byJove。
Itwouldalmostpullyourbrougham。OraPersiangreyhound，eh？Ipropose，ifyouplease；oralittlepugthatwouldgointooneofLordSteyne’ssnuff-boxes？
There’samanatBayswatergotonewithsuchanosethatyoumight——Imarkthekingandplay——thatyoumighthangyourhatonit。”
“Imarkthetrick。”Rawdongravelysaid。Heattendedtohisgamecommonlyanddidn’tmuchmeddlewiththeconversation，exceptwhenitwasabouthorsesandbetting。
“WhatCANyouwantwithashepherd’sdog？”thelivelylittleSouthdowncontinued。
“ImeanaMORALshepherd’sdog。”saidBecky，laughingandlookingupatLordSteyne。
“Whatthedevil’sthat？”saidhisLordship。
“Adogtokeepthewolvesoffme。”Rebeccacontinued。
“Acompanion。”
“Dearlittleinnocentlamb，youwantone。”saidthemarquis；andhisjawthrustout，andhebegantogrinhideously，hislittleeyesleeringtowardsRebecca。
ThegreatLordofSteynewasstandingbythefiresippingcoffee。ThefirecrackledandblazedpleasantlyTherewasascoreofcandlessparklingroundthemantelpiece，inallsortsofquaintsconces，ofgiltandbronzeandporcelain。TheylightedupRebecca’sfiguretoadmiration，asshesatonasofacoveredwithapatternofgaudyflowers。Shewasinapinkdressthatlookedasfreshasarose；herdazzlingwhitearmsandshoulderswerehalf-
coveredwithathinhazyscarfthroughwhichtheysparkled；herhairhungincurlsroundherneck；oneofherlittlefeetpeepedoutfromthefreshcrispfoldsofthesilk：theprettiestlittlefootintheprettiestlittlesandalinthefinestsilkstockingintheworld。
ThecandleslightedupLordSteyne’sshiningbaldhead，whichwasfringedwithredhair。Hehadthickbushyeyebrows，withlittletwinklingbloodshoteyes，surroundedbyathousandwrinkles。Hisjawwasunderhung，andwhenhelaughed，twowhitebuck-teethprotrudedthemselvesandglistenedsavagelyinthemidstofthegrin。
Hehadbeendiningwithroyalpersonages，andworehisgarterandribbon。AshortmanwashisLordship，broad-chestedandbow-legged，butproudofthefinenessofhisfootandankle，andalwayscaressinghisgarter-
knee。
“Andsotheshepherdisnotenough。”saidhe，“todefendhislambkin？”
“Theshepherdistoofondofplayingatcardsandgoingtohisclubs。”answeredBecky，laughing。
“’Gad，whatadebauchedCorydon！”saidmylord——
“whatamouthforapipe！”
“Itakeyourthreetotwo。”heresaidRawdon，atthecard-table。
“HarkatMeliboeus。”snarledthenoblemarquis；“he’spastorallyoccupiedtoo：he’sshearingaSouthdown。
Whataninnocentmutton，hey？Damme，whatasnowyfleece！”
Rebecca’seyesshotoutgleamsofscornfulhumour。
“Mylord。”shesaid，“youareaknightoftheOrder。”
Hehadthecollarroundhisneck，indeed——agiftoftherestoredprincesofSpain。
LordSteyneinearlylifehadbeennotoriousforhisdaringandhissuccessatplay。HehadsatuptwodaysandtwonightswithMr。Foxathazard。Hehadwonmoneyofthemostaugustpersonagesoftherealm：hehadwonhismarquisate，itwassaid，atthegaming-
table；buthedidnotlikeanallusiontothosebygonefredaines。Rebeccasawthescowlgatheringoverhisheavybrow。
Sheroseupfromhersofaandwentandtookhiscoffeecupoutofhishandwithalittlecurtsey。”Yes。”shesaid。”Imustgetawatchdog。Buthewon’tbarkatYOU。
And，goingintotheotherdrawing-room，shesatdowntothepianoandbegantosinglittleFrenchsongsinsuchacharming，thrillingvoicethatthemollifiednoblemanspeedilyfollowedherintothatchamber，andmightbeseennoddinghisheadandbowingtimeoverher。
Rawdonandhisfriendmeanwhileplayedecarteuntiltheyhadenough。TheColonelwon；but，saythathewoneversomuchandoften，nightslikethese，whichoccurredmanytimesintheweek——hiswifehavingallthetalkandalltheadmiration，andhesittingsilentwithoutthecircle，notcomprehendingawordofthejokes，theallusions，themysticallanguagewithin——musthavebeenratherwearisometotheex-dragoon。
“HowisMrs。Crawley’shusband？”LordSteyneusedtosaytohimbywayofagooddaywhentheymet；andindeedthatwasnowhisavocationinlife。HewasColonelCrawleynomore。HewasMrs。Crawley’shusband。
AboutthelittleRawdon，ifnothinghasbeensaidallthiswhile，itisbecauseheishiddenupstairsinagarretsomewhere，orhascrawledbelowintothekitchenforcompanionship。Hismotherscarcelyevertooknoticeofhim。HepassedthedayswithhisFrenchbonneaslongasthatdomesticremainedinMr。Crawley’sfamily，andwhentheFrenchwomanwentaway，thelittlefellow，howlinginthelonelinessofthenight，hadcompassiontakenonhimbyahousemaid，whotookhimoutofhissolitarynurseryintoherbedinthegarrethardbyandcomfortedhim。
Rebecca，myLordSteyne，andoneortwomorewereinthedrawing-roomtakingteaaftertheopera，whenthisshoutingwasheardoverhead。”It’smycherubcryingforhisnurse。”shesaid。Shedidnotoffertomovetogoandseethechild。”Don’tagitateyourfeelingsbygoingtolookforhim。”saidLordSteynesardonically。”Bah！”repliedtheother，withasortofblush，“he’llcryhimselftosleep“；
andtheyfelltotalkingabouttheopera。
Rawdonhadstolenoffthough，tolookafterhissonandheir；andcamebacktothecompanywhenhefoundthathonestDollywasconsolingthechild。TheColonel’sdressing-roomwasinthoseupperregions。Heusedtoseetheboythereinprivate。Theyhadinterviewstogethereverymorningwhenheshaved；Rawdonminorsittingonaboxbyhisfather’ssideandwatchingtheoperationwithnever-ceasingpleasure。Heandthesireweregreatfriends。
Thefatherwouldbringhimsweetmeatsfromthedessertandhidetheminacertainoldepauletbox，wherethechildwenttoseekthem，andlaughedwithjoyondiscoveringthetreasure；laughed，butnottooloud：formammawasbelowasleepandmustnotbedisturbed。Shedidnotgotoresttillverylateandseldomrosetillafternoon。
Rawdonboughttheboyplentyofpicture-booksandcrammedhisnurserywithtoys。Itswallswerecoveredwithpicturespastedupbythefather’sownhandandpurchasedbyhimforreadymoney。WhenhewasoffdutywithMrs。Rawdoninthepark，hewouldsituphere，passinghourswiththeboy；whorodeonhischest，whopulledhisgreatmustachiosasiftheyweredriving-reins，andspentdayswithhiminindefatigablegambols。Theroomwasalowroom，andonce，whenthechildwasnotfiveyearsold，hisfather，whowastossinghimwildlyupinhisarms，hitthepoorlittlechap’sskullsoviolentlyagainsttheceilingthathealmostdroppedthechild，soterrifiedwasheatthedisaster。
Rawdonminorhadmadeuphisfaceforatremendoushowl——theseverityoftheblowindeedauthorizedthatindulgence；butjustashewasgoingtobegin，thefatherinterposed。
“ForGod’ssake，Rawdy，don’twakeMamma。”hecried。Andthechild，lookinginaveryhardandpiteouswayathisfather，bithislips，clenchedhishands，anddidn’tcryabit。Rawdontoldthatstoryattheclubs，atthemess，toeverybodyintown。”ByGad，sir。”heexplainedtothepublicingeneral，“whatagoodpluckedonethatboyofmineis——whatatrumpheis！Ihalf-senthisheadthroughtheceiling，byGad，andhewouldn’tcryforfearofdisturbinghismother。”
Sometimes——onceortwiceinaweek——thatladyvisitedtheupperregionsinwhichthechildlived。ShecamelikeavivifiedfigureoutoftheMagasindesModes——blandlysmilinginthemostbeautifulnewclothesandlittleglovesandboots。Wonderfulscarfs，laces，andjewelsglitteredabouther。Shehadalwaysanewbonneton，andflowersbloomedperpetuallyinit，orelsemagnificentcurlingostrichfeathers，softandsnowyascamellias。Shenoddedtwiceorthricepatronizinglytothelittleboy，wholookedupfromhisdinnerorfromthepicturesofsoldiershewaspainting。Whenshelefttheroom，anodourofrose，orsomeothermagicalfragrance，lingeredaboutthenursery。
Shewasanunearthlybeinginhiseyes，superiortohisfather——toalltheworld：tobeworshippedandadmiredatadistance。Todrivewiththatladyinthecarriagewasanawfulrite：hesatupinthebackseatanddidnotdaretospeak：hegazedwithallhiseyesatthebeautifullydressedPrincessoppositetohim。Gentlemenonsplendidprancinghorsescameupandsmiledandtalkedwithher。
Howhereyesbeameduponallofthem！Herhandusedtoquiverandwavegracefullyastheypassed。Whenhewentoutwithherhehadhisnewreddresson。Hisoldbrownhollandwasgoodenoughwhenhestayedathome。
Sometimes，whenshewasaway，andDollyhismaidwasmakinghisbed，hecameintohismother’sroom。Itwasastheabodeofafairytohim——amysticchamberofsplendouranddelights。Thereinthewardrobehungthosewonderfulrobes——pinkandblueandmany-tinted。Therewasthejewel-case，silver-clasped，andthewondrousbronzehandonthedressing-table，glisteningalloverwithahundredrings。Therewasthecheval-glass，thatmiracleofart，inwhichhecouldjustseehisownwonderingheadandthereflectionofDollyqueerlydistorted，andasifupintheceiling，plumpingandpattingthepillowsofthebed。Oh，thoupoorlonelylittlebenightedboy！MotheristhenameforGodinthelipsandheartsoflittlechildren；andherewasonewhowasworshippingastone！
NowRawdonCrawley，rascalastheColonelwas，hadcertainmanlytendenciesofaffectioninhisheartandcouldloveachildandawomanstill。ForRawdonminorhehadagreatsecrettendernessthen，whichdidnotescapeRebecca，thoughshedidnottalkaboutittoherhusband。Itdidnotannoyher：shewastoogood-
natured。Itonlyincreasedherscornforhim。Hefeltsomehowashamedofthispaternalsoftnessandhiditfromhiswife——onlyindulginginitwhenalonewiththeboy。