Atlastadaycamewhenthenurse’soccupationwasover。Earlyonemorning，asPittCrawleywasathissteward’sandbailiff’sbooksinthestudy，aknockcametothedoor，andHesterpresentedherself，droppingacurtsey，andsaid。”Ifyouplease，SirPitt，SirPittdiedthismorning，SirPitt。Iwasa-makingofhistoast，SirPitt，forhisgruel，SirPitt，whichhetookeverymorningregularatsix，SirPitt，and——IthoughtIheardamoan-like，SirPitt——and——
and——and——“Shedroppedanothercurtsey。
WhatwasitthatmadePitt’spalefaceflushquitered？WasitbecausehewasSirPittatlast，withaseatinParliament，andperhapsfuturehonoursinprospect？
“I’llcleartheestatenowwiththereadymoney。”hethoughtandrapidlycalculateditsincumbrancesandtheimprovementswhichhewouldmake。Hewouldnotusehisaunt’smoneypreviouslylestSirPittshouldrecoverandhisoutlaybeinvain。
AlltheblindswerepulleddownattheHallandRectory：
thechurchbellwastolled，andthechancelhunginblack；andButeCrawleydidn’tgotoacoursingmeeting，butwentanddinedquietlyatFuddleston，wheretheytalkedabouthisdeceasedbrotherandyoungSirPittovertheirport。MissBetsy，whowasbythistimemarriedtoasaddleratMudbury，criedagooddeal。
Thefamilysurgeonrodeoverandpaidhisrespectfulcompliments，andinquiriesforthehealthoftheirladyships。ThedeathwastalkedaboutatMudburyandattheCrawleyArms，thelandlordwhereofhadbecomereconciledwiththeRectoroflate，whowasoccasionallyknowntostepintotheparlourandtasteMr。Horrocks’
mildbeer。
“ShallIwritetoyourbrother——orwillyou？”askedLadyJaneofherhusband，SirPitt。
“Iwillwrite，ofcourse。”SirPittsaid，“andinvitehimtothefuneral：itwillbebutbecoming。”
“And——and——Mrs。Rawdon。”saidLadyJanetimidly。
“Jane！”saidLadySouthdown，“howcanyouthinkofsuchathing？”
“Mrs。Rawdonmustofcoursebeasked。”saidSirPitt，resolutely。
“NotwhilstIaminthehouse！”saidLadySouthdown。
“YourLadyshipwillbepleasedtorecollectthatIamtheheadofthisfamily。”SirPittreplied。”Ifyouplease，LadyJane，youwillwritealettertoMrs。RawdonCrawley，requestingherpresenceuponthismelancholyoccasion。”
“Jane，Iforbidyoutoputpentopaper！”criedtheCountess。
“IbelieveIamtheheadofthisfamily。”SirPittrepeated；“andhowevermuchImayregretanycircumstancewhichmayleadtoyourLadyshipquittingthishouse，must，ifyouplease，continuetogovernitasIseefit。”
LadySouthdownroseupasmagnificentasMrs。SiddonsinLadyMacbethandorderedthathorsesmightbeputtohercarriage。Ifhersonanddaughterturnedheroutoftheirhouse，shewouldhidehersorrowssomewhereinlonelinessandprayfortheirconversiontobetterthoughts。
“Wedon’tturnyououtofourhouse，Mamma。”saidthetimidLadyJaneimploringly。
“YouinvitesuchcompanytoitasnoChristianladyshouldmeet，andIwillhavemyhorsesto-morrowmorning。”
“Havethegoodnesstowrite，Jane，undermydictation。”
saidSirPitt，risingandthrowinghimselfintoanattitudeofcommand，liketheportraitofaGentlemanintheExhibition，“andbegin。’Queen’sCrawley，September14，1822——Mydearbrother——’“
Hearingthesedecisiveandterriblewords，LadyMacbeth，whohadbeenwaitingforasignofweaknessorvacillationonthepartofherson-in-law，roseand，withascaredlook，leftthelibrary。LadyJanelookeduptoherhusbandasifshewouldfainfollowandsoothehermamma，butPittforbadehiswifetomove。
“Shewon’tgoaway。”hesaid。”ShehasletherhouseatBrightonandhasspentherlasthalf-year’sdividends。
ACountesslivingataninnisaruinedwoman。Ihavebeenwaitinglongforanopportunity——totakethis——thisdecisivestep，mylove；for，asyoumustperceive，itisimpossiblethatthereshouldbetwochiefsinafamily：
andnow，ifyouplease，wewillresumethedictation。’Mydearbrother，themelancholyintelligencewhichitismydutytoconveytomyfamilymusthavebeenlonganticipatedby，’“&c。
Inaword，Pitthavingcometohiskingdom，andhavingbygoodluck，ordesertrather，asheconsidered，assumedalmostallthefortunewhichhisotherrelativeshadexpected，wasdeterminedtotreathisfamilykindlyandrespectablyandmakeahouseofQueen’sCrawleyoncemore。Itpleasedhimtothinkthatheshouldbeitschief。Heproposedtousethevastinfluencethathiscommandingtalentsandpositionmustspeedilyacquireforhiminthecountytogethisbrotherplacedandhiscousinsdecentlyprovidedfor，andperhapshadalittlestingofrepentanceashethoughtthathewastheproprietorofallthattheyhadhopedfor。Inthecourseofthreeorfourdays’reignhisbearingwaschangedandhisplansquitefixed：hedeterminedtorulejustlyandhonestly，todeposeLadySouthdown，andtobeonthefriendliestpossibletermswithalltherelationsofhisblood。
SohedictatedalettertohisbrotherRawdon——asolemnandelaborateletter，containingtheprofoundestobservations，couchedinthelongestwords，andfillingwithwonderthesimplelittlesecretary，whowroteunderherhusband’sorder。”Whatanoratorthiswillbe。”thoughtshe，“whenheenterstheHouseofCommons“onwhichpoint，andonthetyrannyofLadySouthdown，Pitthadsometimesdroppedhintstohiswifeinbed；“howwiseandgood，andwhatageniusmyhusbandis！Ifanciedhimalittlecold；buthowgood，andwhatagenius！”
Thefactis，PittCrawleyhadgoteverywordoftheletterbyheartandhadstudiedit，withdiplomaticsecrecy，deeplyandperfectly，longbeforehethoughtfittocommunicateittohisastonishedwife。
Thisletter，withahugeblackborderandseal，wasaccordinglydespatchedbySirPittCrawleytohisbrothertheColonel，inLondon。RawdonCrawleywasbuthalf-pleasedatthereceiptofit。”What’stheuseofgoingdowntothatstupidplace？”thoughthe。”Ican’tstandbeingalonewithPittafterdinner，andhorsesthereandbackwillcostustwentypound。”
Hecarriedtheletter，ashedidalldifficulties，toBecky，upstairsinherbedroom——withherchocolate，whichhealwaysmadeandtooktoherofamorning。
Heputthetraywiththebreakfastandtheletteronthedressing-table，beforewhichBeckysatcombingheryellowhair。Shetookuptheblack-edgedmissive，andhavingreadit，shejumpedupfromthechair，crying“Hurray！”andwavingthenoteroundherhead。
“Hurray？”saidRawdon，wonderingatthelittlefigurecaperingaboutinastreamingflanneldressing-gown，withtawnylocksdishevelled。”He’snotleftusanything，Becky。IhadmysharewhenIcameofage。”
“You’llneverbeofage，yousillyoldman。”Beckyreplied。”RunoutnowtoMadamBrunoy’s，forImusthavesomemourning：andgetacrapeonyourhat，andablackwaistcoat——Idon’tthinkyou’vegotone；orderittobebroughthometo-morrow，sothatwemaybeabletostartonThursday。”
“Youdon’tmeantogo？”Rawdoninterposed。
“OfcourseImeantogo。ImeanthatLadyJaneshallpresentmeatCourtnextyear。ImeanthatyourbrothershallgiveyouaseatinParliament，youstupidoldcreature。ImeanthatLordSteyneshallhaveyourvoteandhis，mydear，oldsillyman；andthatyoushallbeanIrishSecretary，oraWestIndianGovernor：oraTreasurer，oraConsul，orsomesuchthing。”
“Postingwillcostadooceofalotofmoney。”grumbledRawdon。
“WemighttakeSouthdown’scarriage，whichoughttobepresentatthefuneral，asheisarelationofthefamily：but，no——Iintendthatweshallgobythecoach。
They’lllikeitbetter。Itseemsmorehumble——“
“Rawdygoes，ofcourse？”theColonelasked。
“Nosuchthing；whypayanextraplace？He’stoobigtotravelbodkinbetweenyouandme。Lethimstayhereinthenursery，andBriggscanmakehimablackfrock。Goyou，anddoasIbidyou。AndyouhadbesttellSparks，yourman，thatoldSirPittisdeadandthatyouwillcomeinforsomethingconsiderablewhentheaffairsarearranged。He’lltellthistoRaggles，whohasbeenpressingformoney，anditwillconsolepoorRaggles。”AndsoBeckybegansippingherchocolate。
WhenthefaithfulLordSteynearrivedintheevening，hefoundBeckyandhercompanion，whowasnootherthanourfriendBriggs，busycutting，ripping，snipping，andtearingallsortsofblackstuffsavailableforthemelancholyoccasion。
“MissBriggsandIareplungedingriefanddespondencyforthedeathofourPapa。”Rebeccasaid。”SirPittCrawleyisdead，mylord。Wehavebeentearingourhairallthemorning，andnowwearetearingupouroldclothes。”
“Oh，Rebecca，howcanyou——“wasallthatBriggscouldsayassheturneduphereyes。
“Oh，Rebecca，howcanyou——“echoedmyLord。”Sothatoldscoundrel’sdead，ishe？HemighthavebeenaPeerifhehadplayedhiscardsbetter。Mr。Pitthadverynearlymadehim；butherattedalwaysatthewrongtime。WhatanoldSilenusitwas！”
“ImighthavebeenSilenus’swidow。”saidRebecca。
“Don’tyouremember，MissBriggs，howyoupeepedinatthedoorandsawoldSirPittonhiskneestome？”
MissBriggs，ouroldfriend，blushedverymuchatthisreminiscence，andwasgladwhenLordSteyneorderedhertogodownstairsandmakehimacupoftea。
Briggswasthehouse-dogwhomRebeccahadprovidedasguardianofherinnocenceandreputation。MissCrawleyhadleftheralittleannuity。ShewouldhavebeencontenttoremainintheCrawleyfamilywithLadyJane，whowasgoodtoherandtoeverybody；butLadySouthdowndismissedpoorBriggsasquicklyasdecencypermitted；andMr。Pittwhothoughthimselfmuchinjuredbytheuncalled-forgenerosityofhisdeceasedrelativetowardsaladywhohadonlybeenMissCrawley’sfaithfulretainerascoreofyearsmadenoobjectiontothatexerciseofthedowager’sauthority。BowlsandFirkinlikewisereceivedtheirlegaciesandtheirdismissals，andmarriedandsetupalodging-house，accordingtothecustomoftheirkind。
Briggstriedtolivewithherrelationsinthecountry，butfoundthatattemptwasvainafterthebettersocietytowhichshehadbeenaccustomed。Briggs’sfriends，smalltradesmen，inacountrytown，quarrelledoverMissBriggs’sfortypoundsayearaseagerlyandmoreopenlythanMissCrawley’skinsfolkhadforthatlady’sinheritance。Briggs’sbrother，aradicalhatterandgrocer，calledhissisterapurse-proudaristocrat，becauseshewouldnotadvanceapartofhercapitaltostockhisshop；andshewouldhavedonesomostlikely，butthattheirsister，adissentingshoemaker’slady，atvariancewiththehatterandgrocer，whowenttoanotherchapel，showedhowtheirbrotherwasonthevergeofbankruptcy，andtookpossessionofBriggsforawhile。ThedissentingshoemakerwantedMissBriggstosendhissontocollegeandmakeagentlemanofhim。Betweenthemthetwofamiliesgotagreatportionofherprivatesavingsoutofher，andfinallyshefledtoLondonfollowedbytheanathemasofboth，anddeterminedtoseekforservitudeagainasinfinitelylessonerousthanliberty。Andadvertisinginthepapersthata“Gentlewomanofagreeablemanners，andaccustomedtothebestsociety，wasanxiousto。”&c。，shetookupherresidencewithMr。BowlsinHalfMoonStreet，andwaitedtheresultoftheadvertisement。
SoitwasthatshefellinwithRebecca。Mrs。Rawdon’sdashinglittlecarriageandponieswaswhirlingdownthestreetoneday，justasMissBriggs，fatigued，hadreachedMr。Bowls’sdoor，afterawearywalktotheTimesOfficeintheCitytoinsertheradvertisementforthesixthtime。Rebeccawasdriving，andatoncerecognizedthegentlewomanwithagreeablemanners，andbeingaperfectlygood-humouredwoman，aswehaveseen，andhavingaregardforBriggs，shepulleduptheponiesatthedoorsteps，gavethereinstothegroom，andjumpingout，hadholdofbothBriggs’shands，beforesheoftheagreeablemannershadrecoveredfromtheshockofseeinganoldfriend。
Briggscried，andBeckylaughedagreatdealandkissedthegentlewomanassoonastheygotintothepassage；andthenceintoMrs。Bowls’sfrontparlour，withtheredmoreencurtains，andtheroundlooking-glass，withthechainedeagleabove，gazinguponthebackoftheticketinthewindowwhichannounced“ApartmentstoLet。”
Briggstoldallherhistoryamidstthoseperfectlyuncalled-forsobsandejaculationsofwonderwithwhichwomenofhersoftnaturesaluteanoldacquaintance，orregardarencontreinthestreet；forthoughpeoplemeetotherpeopleeveryday，yetsometherearewhoinsistupondiscoveringmiracles；andwomen，eventhoughtheyhavedislikedeachother，begintocrywhentheymeet，deploringandrememberingthetimewhentheylastquarrelled。So，inaword，Briggstoldallherhistory，andBeckygaveanarrativeofherownlife，withherusualartlessnessandcandour。