BetweenHampshireandLondonSirPittCrawleyhaddonemorethanrepairfencesandrestoredilapidatedlodgesontheQueen’sCrawleyestate。
Likeawisemanhehadsettoworktorebuildtheinjuredpopularityofhishouseandstopupthegapsandruinsinwhichhisnamehadbeenleftbyhisdisreputableandthriftlessoldpredecessor。Hewaselectedfortheboroughspeedilyafterhisfather’sdemise；amagistrate，amemberofparliament，acountymagnateandrepresentativeofanancientfamily，hemadeithisdutytoshowhimselfbeforetheHampshirepublic，subscribedhandsomelytothecountycharities，calledassiduouslyuponallthecountyfolk，andlaidhimselfoutinawordtotakethatpositioninHampshire，andintheEmpireafterwards，towhichhethoughthisprodigioustalentsjustlyentitledhim。LadyJanewasinstructedtobefriendlywiththeFuddlestones，andtheWapshots，andtheotherfamousbaronets，theirneighbours。TheircarriagesmightfrequentlybeseenintheQueen’sCrawleyavenuenow；
theydinedprettyfrequentlyattheHallwherethecookerywassogoodthatitwasclearLadyJaneveryseldomhadahandinit，andinreturnPittandhiswifemostenergeticallydinedoutinallsortsofweatherandatallsortsofdistances。ForthoughPittdidnotcareforjoviality，beingafrigidmanofpoorhearthandappetite，yetheconsideredthattobehospitableandcondescendingwasquiteincumbenton-hisstation，andeverytimethathegotaheadachefromtoolonganafter-dinnersitting，hefeltthathewasamartyrtoduty。Hetalkedaboutcrops，corn-laws，politics，withthebestcountrygentlemen。
Hewhohadbeenformerlyinclinedtobeasadfree-thinkeronthesepointsenteredintopoachingandgamepreservingwithardour。Hedidn’thunt；hewasn’tahuntingman；hewasamanofbooksandpeacefulhabits；buthethoughtthatthebreedofhorsesmustbekeptupinthecountry，andthatthebreedoffoxesmustthereforebelookedto，andforhispart，ifhisfriend，SirHuddlestoneFuddlestone，likedtodrawhiscountryandmeetasofoldtheF。houndsusedtodoatQueen’sCrawley，heshouldbehappytoseehimthere，andthegentlemenoftheFuddlestonehunt。AndtoLadySouthdown’sdismaytoohebecamemoreorthodoxinhistendencieseveryday；gaveuppreachinginpublicandattendingmeeting-houses；wentstoutlytochurch；calledontheBishopandalltheClergyatWinchester；andmadenoobjectionwhentheVenerableArchdeaconTrumperaskedforagameofwhist。WhatpangsmusthavebeenthoseofLadySouthdown，andwhatanuttercastawayshemusthavethoughtherson-in-lawforpermittingsuchagodlessdiversion！Andwhen，onthereturnofthefamilyfromanoratorioatWinchester，theBaronetannouncedtotheyoungladiesthatheshouldnextyearveryprobablytakethemtothe“countyballs。”theyworshippedhimforhiskindness。LadyJanewasonlytooobedient，andperhapsgladherselftogo。TheDowagerwroteoffthedirestdescriptionsofherdaughter’sworldlybehaviourtotheauthoressoftheWasherwomanofFinchleyCommonattheCape；andherhouseinBrightonbeingaboutthistimeunoccupied，returnedtothatwatering-place，herabsencebeingnotverymuchdeploredbyherchildren。
Wemaysuppose，too，thatRebecca，onpayingasecondvisittoQueen’sCrawley，didnotfeelparticularlygrievedattheabsenceoftheladyofthemedicinechest；thoughshewroteaChristmaslettertoherLadyship，inwhichsherespectfullyrecalledherselftoLadySouthdown’srecollection，spokewithgratitudeofthedelightwhichherLadyship’sconversationhadgivenherontheformervisit，dilatedonthekindnesswithwhichherLadyshiphadtreatedherinsickness，anddeclaredthateverythingatQueen’sCrawleyremindedherofherabsentfriend。
AgreatpartofthealtereddemeanourandpopularityofSirPittCrawleymighthavebeentracedtothecounselsofthatastutelittleladyofCurzonStreet。”YouremainaBaronet——youconsenttobeamerecountrygentleman。”
shesaidtohim，whilehehadbeenherguestinLondon。
“No，SirPittCrawley，Iknowyoubetter。Iknowyourtalentsandyourambition。Youfancyyouhidethemboth，butyoucanconcealneitherfromme。IshowedLordSteyneyourpamphletonmalt。Hewasfamiliarwithit，andsaiditwasintheopinionofthewholeCabinetthemostmasterlythingthathadappearedonthesubject。
TheMinistryhasitseyeuponyou，andIknowwhatyouwant。YouwanttodistinguishyourselfinParliament；
everyonesaysyouarethefinestspeakerinEnglandforyourspeechesatOxfordarestillremembered。YouwanttobeMemberfortheCounty，where，withyourownvoteandyourboroughatyourback，youcancommandanything。AndyouwanttobeBaronCrawleyofQueen’sCrawley，andwillbebeforeyoudie。Isawitall。Icouldreadyourheart，SirPitt。IfIhadahusbandwhopossessedyourintellectashedoesyourname，IsometimesthinkIshouldnotbeunworthyofhim——but——butIamyourkinswomannow。”sheaddedwithalaugh。”Poorlittlepenniless，Ihavegotalittleinterest——andwhoknows，perhapsthemousemaybeabletoaidthelion。”
PittCrawleywasamazedandenrapturedwithherspeech。”Howthatwomancomprehendsme！”hesaid。
“InevercouldgetJanetoreadthreepagesofthemaltpamphlet。ShehasnoideathatIhavecommandingtalentsorsecretambition。SotheyremembermyspeakingatOxford，dothey？Therascals！NowthatIrepresentmyboroughandmaysitforthecounty，theybegintorecollectme！Why，LordSteynecutmeattheleveelastyear；theyarebeginningtofindoutthatPittCrawleyissomeoneatlast。Yes，themanwasalwaysthesamewhomthesepeopleneglected：itwasonlytheopportunitythatwaswanting，andIwillshowthemnowthatIcanspeakandactaswellaswrite。Achillesdidnotdeclarehimselfuntiltheygavehimthesword。Iholditnow，andtheworldshallyethearofPittCrawley。”
Thereforeitwasthatthisroguishdiplomatisthasgrownsohospitable；thathewassociviltooratoriosandhospitals；sokindtoDeansandChapters；sogenerousingivingandacceptingdinners；souncommonlygracioustofarmersonmarket-days；andsomuchinterestedaboutcountybusiness；andthattheChristmasattheHallwasthegayestwhichhadbeenknownthereformanyalongday。
OnChristmasDayagreatfamilygatheringtookplace。
AlltheCrawleysfromtheRectorycametodine。RebeccawasasfrankandfondofMrs。Buteasiftheotherhadneverbeenherenemy；shewasaffectionatelyinterestedinthedeargirls，andsurprisedattheprogresswhichtheyhadmadeinmusicsincehertime，andinsisteduponencoringoneoftheduetsoutofthegreatsong-bookswhichJim，grumbling，hadbeenforcedtobringunderhisarmfromtheRectory。Mrs。Bute，perforce，wasobligedtoadoptadecentdemeanourtowardsthelittleadventuress——ofcoursebeingfreetodiscoursewithherdaughtersafterwardsabouttheabsurdrespectwithwhichSirPitttreatedhissister-in-law。ButJim，whohadsatnexttoheratdinner，declaredshewasatrump，andoneandalloftheRector’sfamilyagreedthatthelittleRawdonwasafineboy。Theyrespectedapossiblebaronetintheboy，betweenwhomandthetitletherewasonlythelittlesicklypalePittBinkie。
Thechildrenwereverygoodfriends。PittBinkiewastoolittleadogforsuchabigdogasRawdontoplaywith；andMatildabeingonlyagirl，ofcoursenotfitcompanionforayounggentlemanwhowasneareightyearsold，andgoingintojacketsverysoon。Hetookthecommandofthissmallpartyatonce——thelittlegirlandthelittleboyfollowinghimaboutwithgreatreverenceatsuchtimesashecondescendedtosportwiththem。Hishappinessandpleasureinthecountrywereextreme。Thekitchengardenpleasedhimhugely，theflowersmoderately，butthepigeonsandthepoultry，andthestableswhenhewasallowedtovisitthem，weredelightfulobjectstohim。HeresistedbeingkissedbytheMissesCrawley，butheallowedLadyJanesometimestoembracehim，anditwasbyhersidethathelikedtositwhen，thesignaltoretiretothedrawing-roombeinggiven，theladiesleftthegentlementotheirclaret——byhersideratherthanbyhismother。ForRebecca，seeingthattendernesswasthefashion，calledRawdontoheroneeveningandstoopeddownandkissedhiminthepresenceofalltheladies。
Helookedherfullinthefaceaftertheoperation，tremblingandturningveryred，ashiswontwaswhenmoved。”Youneverkissmeathome，Mamma。”hesaid，atwhichtherewasageneralsilenceandconsternationandabynomeanspleasantlookinBecky’seyes。
Rawdonwasfondofhissister-in-law，forherregardforhisson。LadyJaneandBeckydidnotgetonquitesowellatthisvisitasonoccasionoftheformerone，whentheColonel’swifewasbentuponpleasing。Thosetwospeechesofthechildstruckratherachill。PerhapsSirPittwasrathertooattentivetoher。
ButRawdon，asbecamehisageandsize，wasfonderofthesocietyofthementhanofthewomen，andneverweariedofaccompanyinghissiretothestables，whithertheColonelretiredtosmokehiscigar——Jim，theRector’sson，sometimesjoininghiscousininthatandotheramusements。
HeandtheBaronet’skeeperwereveryclosefriends，theirmutualtastefor“dawgs“bringingthemmuchtogether。Ononeday，Mr。James，theColonel，andHorn，thekeeper，wentandshotpheasants，takinglittleRawdonwiththem。Onanothermostblissfulmorning，thesefourgentlemenpartookoftheamusementofrat-huntinginabarn，thanwhichsportRawdonasyethadneverseenanythingmorenoble。Theystoppeduptheendsofcertaindrainsinthebarn，intotheotheropeningsofwhichferretswereinserted，andthenstoodsilentlyaloof，withupliftedstakesintheirhands，andananxiouslittleterrierMr。James’scelebrated“dawg“Forceps，indeedscarcelybreathingfromexcitement，listeningmotionlessonthreelegs，tothefaintsqueakingoftheratsbelow。Desperatelyboldatlast，thepersecutedanimalsboltedabove-ground——theterrieraccountedforone，thekeeperforanother；Rawdon，fromflurryandexcitement，missedhisrat，butontheotherhandhehalf-murderedaferret。
ButthegreatestdayofallwasthatonwhichSirHuddlestoneFuddlestone’shoundsmetuponthelawnatQueen’sCrawley。
ThatwasafamoussightforlittleRawdon。Athalf-pastten，TomMoody，SirHuddlestoneFuddlestone’shuntsman，wasseentrottinguptheavenue，followedbythenoblepackofhoundsinacompactbody——therearbeingbroughtupbythetwowhipscladinstainedscarletfrocks——lighthard-featuredladsonwell-bredleanhorses，possessingmarvellousdexterityincastingthepointsoftheirlongheavywhipsatthethinnestpartofanydog’sskinwhodarestostragglefromthemainbody，ortotaketheslightestnotice，orevensomuchaswink，attheharesandrabbitsstartingundertheirnoses。
NextcomesboyJack，TomMoody’sson，whoweighsfivestone，measureseight-and-fortyinches，andwillneverbeanybigger。Heisperchedonalargeraw-bonedhunter，half-coveredbyacapacioussaddle。ThisanimalisSirHuddlestoneFuddlestone’sfavouritehorsetheNob。
Otherhorses，riddenbyothersmallboys，arrivefromtimetotime，awaitingtheirmasters，whowillcomecanteringonanon。
TomMoodyridesuptothedooroftheHall，whereheiswelcomedbythebutler，whooffershimdrink，whichhedeclines。Heandhispackthendrawoffintoashelteredcornerofthelawn，wherethedogsrollonthegrass，andplayorgrowlangrilyatoneanother，everandanonbreakingoutintofuriousfightspeedilytobequelledbyTom’svoice，unmatchedatrating，orthesnakythongsofthewhips。
Manyyounggentlemencanteruponthoroughbredhacks，spatter-dashedtotheknee，andenterthehousetodrinkcherry-brandyandpaytheirrespectstotheladies，or，moremodestandsportsmanlike，divestthemselvesoftheirmud-boots，exchangetheirhacksfortheirhunters，andwarmtheirbloodbyapreliminarygalloproundthelawn。ThentheycollectroundthepackinthecornerandtalkwithTomMoodyofpastsport，andthemeritsofSnivellerandDiamond，andofthestateofthecountryandofthewretchedbreedoffoxes。
SirHuddlestonepresentlyappearsmountedonaclevercobandridesuptotheHall，whereheentersanddoesthecivilthingbytheladies，afterwhich，beingamanoffewwords，heproceedstobusiness。Thehoundsaredrawnuptothehall-door，andlittleRawdondescendsamongstthem，excitedyethalf-alarmedbythecaresseswhichtheybestowuponhim，atthethumpshereceivesfromtheirwavingtails，andattheircaninebickerings，scarcelyrestrainedbyTomMoody’stongueandlash。
Meanwhile，SirHuddlestonehashoistedhimselfunwieldilyontheNob：“Let’strySowster’sSpinney，Tom。”
saystheBaronet，“FarmerMangletellsmetherearetwofoxesinit。”Tomblowshishornandtrotsoff，followedbythepack，bythewhips，bytheyounggentsfromWinchester，bythefarmersoftheneighbourhood，bythelabourersoftheparishonfoot，withwhomthedayisagreatholiday，SirHuddlestonebringinguptherearwithColonelCrawley，andthewholecortegedisappearsdowntheavenue。
TheReverendButeCrawleywhohasbeentoomodesttoappearatthepublicmeetbeforehisnephew’swindows，whomTomMoodyremembersfortyyearsbackaslenderdivineridingthewildesthorses，jumpingthewidestbrooks，andlarkingoverthenewestgatesinthecountry——hisReverence，wesay，happenstotrotoutfromtheRectoryLaneonhispowerfulblackhorsejustasSirHuddlestonepasses；hejoinstheworthyBaronet。Houndsandhorsemendisappear，andlittleRawdonremainsonthedoorsteps，wonderingandhappy。
Duringtheprogressofthismemorableholiday，littleRawdon，ifhehadgotnospeciallikingforhisuncle，alwaysawfulandcoldandlockedupinhisstudy，plungedinjustice-businessandsurroundedbybailiffsandfarmers——hasgainedthegoodgracesofhismarriedandmaidenaunts，ofthetwolittlefolksoftheHall，andofJimoftheRectory，whomSirPittisencouragingtopayhisaddressestooneoftheyoungladies，withanunderstandingdoubtlessthatheshallbepresentedtothelivingwhenitshallbevacatedbyhisfox-huntingoldsire。Jimhasgivenupthatsporthimselfandconfineshimselftoalittleharmlessduck-orsnipe-shooting，oralittlequiettriflingwiththeratsduringtheChristmasholidays，afterwhichhewillreturntotheUniversityandtryandnotbeplucked，oncemore。Hehasalreadyeschewedgreencoats，redneckcloths，andotherworldlyornaments，andispreparinghimselfforachangeinhiscondition。InthischeapandthriftywaySirPitttriestopayoffhisdebttohisfamily。