Iamananchorite。Ho！ho！You’llbeaskedtodinnernextweek。Andgareauxfemmes，lookoutandholdyourown！Howthewomenwillbullyyou！”ThiswasaverylongspeechforamanoffewwordslikemyLordSteyne；
norwasitthefirstwhichheutteredforBecky’sbenefitonthatday。
Briggslookedupfromthework-tableatwhichshewasseatedinthefartherroomandgaveadeepsighassheheardthegreatMarquisspeaksolightlyofhersex。
“Ifyoudon’tturnoffthatabominablesheep-dog。”saidLordSteyne，withasavagelookoverhisshoulderather，“Iwillhaveherpoisoned。”
“Ialwaysgivemydogdinnerfrommyownplate。”
saidRebecca，laughingmischievously；andhavingenjoyedforsometimethediscomfitureofmylord，whohatedpoorBriggsforinterruptinghistete-a-tetewiththefairColonel’swife，Mrs。Rawdonatlengthhadpityuponheradmirer，andcallingtoBriggs，praisedthefinenessoftheweathertoherandbadehertotakeoutthechildforawalk。
“Ican’tsendheraway。”Beckysaidpresently，afterapause，andinaverysadvoice。Hereyesfilledwithtearsasshespoke，andsheturnedawayherhead。
“Youoweherherwages，Isuppose？”saidthePeer。
“Worsethanthat。”saidBecky，stillcastingdownhereyes；“Ihaveruinedher。”
“Ruinedher？Thenwhydon’tyouturnherout？”thegentlemanasked。
“Mendothat。”Beckyansweredbitterly。”Womenarenotsobadasyou。Lastyear，whenwewerereducedtoourlastguinea，shegaveuseverything。Sheshallneverleaveme，untilweareruinedutterlyourselves，whichdoesnotseemfaroff，oruntilIcanpayhertheutmostfarthing。”——
it，howmuchisit？”saidthePeerwithanoath。
AndBecky，reflectingonthelargenessofhismeans，mentionednotonlythesumwhichshehadborrowedfromMissBriggs，butoneofnearlydoubletheamount。
ThiscausedtheLordSteynetobreakoutinanotherbriefandenergeticexpressionofanger，atwhichRebeccahelddownherheadthemoreandcriedbitterly。”Icouldnothelpit。Itwasmyonlychance。Idarenottellmyhusband。HewouldkillmeifItoldhimwhatIhavedone。Ihavekeptitasecretfromeverybodybutyou——andyouforceditfromme。Ah，whatshallIdo，LordSteyne？forIamvery，veryunhappy！”
LordSteynemadenoreplyexceptbybeatingthedevil’stattooandbitinghisnails。Atlastheclappedhishatonhisheadandflungoutoftheroom。Rebeccadidnotrisefromherattitudeofmiseryuntilthedoorslammeduponhimandhiscarriagewhirledaway。Thensheroseupwiththequeerestexpressionofvictoriousmischiefglitteringinhergreeneyes。Sheburstoutlaughingonceortwicetoherself，asshesatatwork，andsittingdowntothepiano，sherattledawayatriumphantvoluntaryonthekeys，whichmadethepeoplepauseunderherwindowtolistentoherbrilliantmusic。
Thatnight，therecametwonotesfromGauntHouseforthelittlewoman，theonecontainingacardofinvitationfromLordandLadySteynetoadinneratGauntHousenextFriday，whiletheotherenclosedaslipofgraypaperbearingLordSteyne’ssignatureandtheaddressofMessrs。Jones，Brown，andRobinson，LombardStreet。
RawdonheardBeckylaughinginthenightonceortwice。ItwasonlyherdelightatgoingtoGauntHouseandfacingtheladiesthere，shesaid，whichamusedherso。Butthetruthwasthatshewasoccupiedwithagreatnumberofotherthoughts。ShouldshepayoffoldBriggsandgiveherherconge？ShouldsheastonishRagglesbysettlinghisaccount？Sheturnedoverallthesethoughtsonherpillow，andonthenextday，whenRawdonwentouttopayhismorningvisittotheClub，Mrs。Crawleyinamodestdresswithaveilonwhippedoffinahackney-coachtotheCity：andbeinglandedatMessrs。
JonesandRobinson’sbank，presentedadocumenttheretotheauthorityatthedesk，who，inreply，askedher“Howshewouldtakeit？”
Shegentlysaid“shewouldtakeahundredandfiftypoundsinsmallnotesandtheremainderinonenote“：
andpassingthroughSt。Paul’sChurchyardstoppedthereandboughtthehandsomestblacksilkgownforBriggswhichmoneycouldbuy；andwhich，withakissandthekindestspeeches，shepresentedtothesimpleoldspinster。
ThenshewalkedtoMr。Raggles，inquiredabouthischildrenaffectionately，andgavehimfiftypoundsonaccount。Thenshewenttothelivery-manfromwhomshejobbedhercarriagesandgratifiedhimwithasimilarsum。”AndIhopethiswillbealessontoyou，Spavin。”
shesaid，“andthatonthenextdrawing-roomdaymybrother，SirPitt，willnotbeinconveniencedbybeingobligedtotakefourofusinhiscarriagetowaituponHisMajesty，becausemyowncarriageisnotforthcoming。”
Itappearstherehadbeenadifferenceonthelastdrawing-roomday。HencethedegradationwhichtheColonelhadalmostsuffered，ofbeingobligedtoenterthepresenceofhisSovereigninahackcab。
Thesearrangementsconcluded，Beckypaidavisitupstairstothebefore-mentioneddesk，whichAmeliaSedleyhadgivenheryearsandyearsago，andwhichcontainedanumberofusefulandvaluablelittlethings——inwhichprivatemuseumsheplacedtheonenotewhichMessrs。JonesandRobinson’scashierhadgivenher。
InWhichWeEnjoyThreeCoursesandaDessertWhentheladiesofGauntHousewereatbreakfastthatmorning，LordSteynewhotookhischocolateinprivateandseldomdisturbedthefemalesofhishousehold，orsawthemexceptuponpublicdays，orwhentheycrossedeachotherinthehall，orwhenfromhispit-boxattheoperahesurveyedthemintheirboxonthegrandtierhislordship，wesay，appearedamongtheladiesandthechildrenwhowereassembledovertheteaandtoast，andabattleroyalensuedaproposofRebecca。
“MyLadySteyne。”hesaid，“IwanttoseethelistforyourdinneronFriday；andIwantyou，ifyouplease，towriteacardforColonelandMrs。Crawley。”
“Blanchewritesthem。”LadySteynesaidinaflutter。
“LadyGauntwritesthem。”
“Iwillnotwritetothatperson。”LadyGauntsaid，atallandstatelylady，wholookedupforaninstantandthendownagainaftershehadspoken。ItwasnotgoodtomeetLordSteyne’seyesforthosewhohadoffendedhim。
“Sendthechildrenoutoftheroom。Go！”saidhepullingatthebell-rope。Theurchins，alwaysfrightenedbeforehim，retired：theirmotherwouldhavefollowedtoo。”Notyou。”hesaid。”Youstop。”
“MyLadySteyne。”hesaid，“oncemorewillyouhavethegoodnesstogotothedeskandwritethatcardforyourdinneronFriday？”
“MyLord，Iwillnotbepresentatit。”LadyGauntsaid；“Iwillgohome。”
“Iwishyouwould，andstaythere。YouwillfindthebailiffsatBareacresverypleasantcompany，andI
shallbefreedfromlendingmoneytoyourrelationsandfromyourowndamnedtragedyairs。Whoareyoutogiveordershere？Youhavenomoney。You’vegotnobrains。Youwereheretohavechildren，andyouhavenothadany。Gaunt’stiredofyou，andGeorge’swifeistheonlypersoninthefamilywhodoesn’twishyouweredead。Gauntwouldmarryagainifyouwere。”
“IwishIwere。”herLadyshipansweredwithtearsandrageinhereyes。
“You，forsooth，mustgiveyourselfairsofvirtue，whilemywife，whoisanimmaculatesaint，aseverybodyknows，andneverdidwronginherlife，hasnoobjectiontomeetmyyoungfriendMrs。Crawley。MyLadySteyneknowsthatappearancesaresometimesagainstthebestofwomen；thatliesareoftentoldaboutthemostinnocentofthem。Pray，madam，shallItellyousomelittleanecdotesaboutmyLadyBareacres，yourmamma？”
“Youmaystrikemeifyoulike，sir，orhitanycruelblow。”LadyGauntsaid。ToseehiswifeanddaughtersufferingalwaysputhisLordshipintoagoodhumour。
“MysweetBlanche。”hesaid，“Iamagentleman，andneverlaymyhanduponawoman，saveinthewayofkindness。Ionlywishtocorrectlittlefaultsinyourcharacter。Youwomenaretooproud，andsadlylackhumility，asFatherMole，I’msure，wouldtellmyLadySteyneifhewerehere。Youmustn’tgiveyourselvesairs；
youmustbemeekandhumble，myblessings。ForallLadySteyneknows，thiscalumniated，simple，good-
humouredMrs。Crawleyisquiteinnocent——evenmoreinnocentthanherself。Herhusband’scharacterisnotgood，butitisasgoodasBareacres’，whohasplayedalittleandnotpaidagreatdeal，whocheatedyououtoftheonlylegacyyoueverhadandleftyouapauperonmyhands。AndMrs。Crawleyisnotverywell-born，butsheisnotworsethanFanny’sillustriousancestor，thefirstdelaJones。”
“ThemoneywhichIbroughtintothefamily，sir。”LadyGeorgecriedout——
“Youpurchasedacontingentreversionwithit。”theMarquissaiddarkly。”IfGauntdies，yourhusbandmaycometohishonours；yourlittleboysmayinheritthem，andwhoknowswhatbesides？Inthemeanwhile，ladies，beasproudandvirtuousasyoulikeabroad，butdon’tgiveMEanyairs。AsforMrs。Crawley’scharacter，I
shan’tdemeanmyselforthatmostspotlessandperfectlyirreproachableladybyevenhintingthatitrequiresadefence。Youwillbepleasedtoreceiveherwiththeutmostcordiality，asyouwillreceiveallpersonswhomIpresentinthishouse。Thishouse？”Hebrokeoutwithalaugh。”Whoisthemasterofit？andwhatisit？
ThisTempleofVirtuebelongstome。AndifIinviteallNewgateorallBedlamhere，by——theyshallbewelcome。”
Afterthisvigorousallocution，tooneofwhichsortLordSteynetreatedhis“Hareem“wheneversymptomsofinsubordinationappearedinhishousehold，thecrestfallenwomenhadnothingforitbuttoobey。LadyGauntwrotetheinvitationwhichhisLordshiprequired，andsheandhermother-in-lawdroveinperson，andwithbitterandhumiliatedhearts，toleavethecardsonMrs。
Rawdon，thereceptionofwhichcausedthatinnocentwomansomuchpleasure。
TherewerefamiliesinLondonwhowouldhavesacrificedayear’sincometoreceivesuchanhonouratthehandsofthosegreatladies。Mrs。FrederickBullock，forinstance，wouldhavegoneonherkneesfromMayFairtoLombardStreet，ifLadySteyneandLadyGaunthadbeenwaitingintheCitytoraiseherupandsay，“CometousnextFriday“——nottooneofthegreatcrushesandgrandballsofGauntHouse，whithereverybodywent，buttothesacred，unapproachable，mysterious，deliciousentertainments，tobeadmittedtooneofwhichwasaprivilege，andanhonour，andablessingindeed。
Severe，spotless，andbeautiful，LadyGauntheldtheveryhighestrankinVanityFair。ThedistinguishedcourtesywithwhichLordSteynetreatedhercharmedeverybodywhowitnessedhisbehaviour，causedtheseverestcriticstoadmithowperfectagentlemanhewas，andtoownthathisLordship’sheartatleastwasintherightplace。
TheladiesofGauntHousecalledLadyBareacresintotheiraid，inordertorepulsethecommonenemy。OneofLadyGaunt’scarriageswenttoHillStreetforherLadyship’smother，allwhoseequipageswereinthehandsofthebailiffs，whoseveryjewelsandwardrobe，itwassaid，hadbeenseizedbythoseinexorableIsraelites。