Atlastthedaycame，thecarriagedroveup，thelittlehumblepacketscontainingtokensofloveandremembrancewerereadyanddisposedinthehalllongsince——Georgewasinhisnewsuit，forwhichthetailorhadcomepreviouslytomeasurehim。Hehadsprungupwiththesunandputonthenewclothes，hismotherhearinghimfromtheroomcloseby，inwhichshehadbeenlying，inspeechlessgriefandwatching。Daysbeforeshehadbeenmakingpreparationsfortheend，purchasinglittlestoresfortheboy’suse，markinghisbooksandlinen，talkingwithhimandpreparinghimforthechange——fondlyfancyingthatheneededpreparation。
Sothathehadchange，whatcaredhe？Hewaslongingforit。Byathousandeagerdeclarationsastowhathewoulddo，whenhewenttolivewithhisgrandfather，hehadshownthepoorwidowhowlittletheideaofpartinghadcasthimdown。”Hewouldcomeandseehismammaoftenonthepony。”hesaid。”Hewouldcomeandfetchherinthecarriage；theywoulddriveinthepark，andsheshouldhaveeverythingshewanted。”
Thepoormotherwasfaintocontentherselfwiththeseselfishdemonstrationsofattachment，andtriedtoconvinceherselfhowsincerelyhersonlovedher。Hemustloveher。Allchildrenwereso：alittleanxiousfornovelty，and——no，notselfish，butself-willed。Herchildmusthavehisenjoymentsandambitionintheworld。Sheherself，byherownselfishnessandimprudentloveforhimhaddeniedhimhisjustrightsandpleasureshitherto。
Iknowfewthingsmoreaffectingthanthattimorousdebasementandself-humiliationofawoman。Howsheownsthatitissheandnotthemanwhoisguilty；howshetakesallthefaultsonherside；howshecourtsinamannerpunishmentforthewrongswhichshehasnotcommittedandpersistsinshieldingtherealculprit！Itisthosewhoinjurewomenwhogetthemostkindnessfromthem——theyareborntimidandtyrantsandmaltreatthosewhoarehumblestbeforethem。
SopoorAmeliahadbeengettingreadyinsilentmiseryforherson’sdeparture，andhadpassedmanyandmanyalongsolitaryhourinmakingpreparationsfortheend。
Georgestoodbyhismother，watchingherarrangementswithouttheleastconcern。Tearshadfallenintohisboxes；
passageshadbeenscoredinhisfavouritebooks；oldtoys，relics，treasureshadbeenhoardedawayforhim，andpackedwithstrangeneatnessandcare——andofallthesethingstheboytooknonote。Thechildgoesawaysmilingasthemotherbreaksherheart。Byheavensitispitiful，thebootlessloveofwomenforchildreninVanityFair。
Afewdaysarepast，andthegreateventofAmelia’slifeisconsummated。Noangelhasintervened。Thechildissacrificedandoffereduptofate，andthewidowisquitealone。
Theboycomestoseeheroften，tobesure。Heridesonaponywithacoachmanbehindhim，tothedelightofhisoldgrandfather，Sedley，whowalksproudlydownthelanebyhisside。Sheseeshim，butheisnotherboyanymore。Why，heridestoseetheboysatthelittleschool，too，andtoshowoffbeforethemhisnewwealthandsplendour。Intwodayshehasadoptedaslightlyimperiousairandpatronizingmanner。Hewasborntocommand，hismotherthinks，ashisfatherwasbeforehim。
Itisfineweathernow。Ofeveningsonthedayswhenhedoesnotcome，shetakesalongwalkintoLondon——yes，asfarasRussellSquare，andrestsonthestonebytherailingofthegardenoppositeMr。Osborne’shouse。
Itissopleasantandcool。Shecanlookupandseethedrawing-roomwindowsilluminated，and，ataboutnineo’clock，thechamberintheupperstorywhereGeorgysleeps。Sheknows——hehastoldher。Shepraysthereasthelightgoesout，prayswithanhumbleheart，andwalkshomeshrinkingandsilent。Sheisverytiredwhenshecomeshome。Perhapsshewillsleepthebetterforthatlongwearywalk，andshemaydreamaboutGeorgy。
OneSundayshehappenedtobewalkinginRussellSquare，atsomedistancefromMr。Osborne’shouseshecouldseeitfromadistancethoughwhenallthebellsofSabbathwereringing，andGeorgeandhisauntcameouttogotochurch；alittlesweepaskedforcharity，andthefootman，whocarriedthebooks，triedtodrivehimaway；butGeorgystoppedandgavehimmoney。MayGod’sblessingbeontheboy！Emmyranroundthesquareand，cominguptothesweep，gavehimhermitetoo。
AllthebellsofSabbathwereringing，andshefollowedthemuntilshecametotheFoundlingChurch，intowhichshewent。Thereshesatinaplacewhenceshecouldseetheheadoftheboyunderhisfather’stombstone。
Manyhundredfreshchildren’svoicesroseupthereandsanghymnstotheFatherBeneficent，andlittleGeorge’ssoulthrilledwithdelightattheburstofgloriouspsalmody。Hismothercouldnotseehimforawhile，throughthemistthatdimmedhereyes。
CHAPTERLI
InWhichaCharadeIsActedWhichMayorMayNotPuzzletheReaderAfterBecky’sappearanceatmyLordSteyne’sprivateandselectparties，theclaimsofthatestimablewomanasregardsfashionweresettled，andsomeoftheverygreatestandtallestdoorsinthemetropoliswerespeedilyopenedtoher——doorssogreatandtallthatthebelovedreaderandwriterhereofmayhopeinvaintoenteratthem。Dearbrethren，letustremblebeforethoseaugustportals。Ifancythemguardedbygroomsofthechamberwithflamingsilverforkswithwhichtheyprongallthosewhohavenottherightoftheentree。
Theysaythehonestnewspaper-fellowwhositsinthehallandtakesdownthenamesofthegreatoneswhoareadmittedtothefeastsdiesafteralittletime。Hecan’tsurvivetheglareoffashionlong。Itscorcheshimup，asthepresenceofJupiterinfulldresswastedthatpoorimprudentSemele——agiddymothofacreaturewhoruinedherselfbyventuringoutofhernaturalatmosphere。
HermythoughttobetakentoheartamongsttheTyburnians，theBelgravians——herstory，andperhapsBecky’stoo。Ah，ladies！——asktheReverendMr。ThuriferifBelgraviaisnotasoundingbrassandTyburniaatinklingcymbal。Thesearevanities。Eventhesewillpassaway。Andsomedayorotherbutitwillbeafterourtime，thankgoodnessHydeParkGardenswillbenobetterknownthanthecelebratedhorticulturaloutskirtsofBabylon，andBelgraveSquarewillbeasdesolateasBakerStreet，orTadmorinthewilderness。
Ladies，areyouawarethatthegreatPittlivedinBakerStreet？WhatwouldnotyourgrandmothershavegiventobeaskedtoLadyHester’spartiesinthatnowdecayedmansion？Ihavedinedinit——moiquivousparle，Ipeopledthechamberwithghostsofthemightydead。
Aswesatsoberlydrinkingclarettherewithmenofto-day，thespiritsofthedepartedcameinandtooktheirplacesroundthedarksomeboard。Thepilotwhoweatheredthestormtossedoffgreatbumpersofspiritualport；theshadeofDundasdidnotleavetheghostofaheeltap。Addingtonsatbowingandsmirkinginaghastlymanner，andwouldnotbebehindhandwhenthenoiselessbottlewentround；Scott，fromunderbushyeyebrows，winkedattheapparitionofabeeswing；Wilberforce’seyeswentuptotheceiling，sothathedidnotseemtoknowhowhisglasswentupfulltohismouthandcamedownempty；uptotheceilingwhichwasaboveusonlyyesterday，andwhichthegreatofthepastdayshavealllookedat。Theyletthehouseasafurnishedlodgingnow。Yes，LadyHesteroncelivedinBakerStreet，andliesasleepinthewilderness。Eothensawherthere——
notinBakerStreet，butintheothersolitude。
Itisallvanitytobesure，butwhowillnotowntolikingalittleofit？Ishouldliketoknowwhatwell-
constitutedmind，merelybecauseitistransitory，dislikesroastbeef？Thatisavanity，butmayeverymanwhoreadsthishaveawholesomeportionofitthroughlife，Ibeg：aye，thoughmyreaderswerefivehundredthousand。Sitdown，gentlemen，andfallto，withagoodheartyappetite；thefat，thelean，thegravy，thehorse-radishasyoulikeit——don’tspareit。Anotherglassofwine，Jones，myboy——alittlebitoftheSundayside。Yes，letuseatourfillofthevainthingandbethankfultherefor。
AndletusmakethebestofBecky’saristocraticpleasureslikewise——forthesetoo，likeallothermortaldelights，werebuttransitory。
TheupshotofhervisittoLordSteynewasthatHisHighnessthePrinceofPeterwaradintookoccasiontorenewhisacquaintancewithColonelCrawley，whentheymetonthenextdayattheClub，andtocomplimentMrs。CrawleyintheRingofHydeParkwithaprofoundsaluteofthehat。SheandherhusbandwereinvitedimmediatelytooneofthePrince’ssmallpartiesatLevantHouse，thenoccupiedbyHisHighnessduringthetemporaryabsencefromEnglandofitsnobleproprietor。Shesangafterdinnertoaverylittlecomite。
TheMarquisofSteynewaspresent，paternallysuperintendingtheprogressofhispupil。
AtLevantHouseBeckymetoneofthefinestgentlemenandgreatestministersthatEuropehasproduced——
theDucdelaJabotiere，thenAmbassadorfromtheMostChristianKing，andsubsequentlyMinistertothatmonarch。IdeclareIswellwithprideastheseaugustnamesaretranscribedbymypen，andIthinkinwhatbrilliantcompanymydearBeckyismoving。ShebecameaconstantguestattheFrenchEmbassy，wherenopartywasconsideredtobecompletewithoutthepresenceofthecharmingMadameRavdonnCravley。
MessieursdeTruffignyofthePerigordfamilyandChampignac，bothattachesoftheEmbassy，werestraightwaysmittenbythecharmsofthefairColonel’swife，andbothdeclared，accordingtothewontoftheirnationforwhoeveryetmetaFrenchman，comeoutofEngland，thathasnotlefthalfadozenfamiliesmiserable，andbroughtawayasmanyheartsinhispocket-book？，both，Isay，declaredthattheywereaumieuxwiththecharmingMadameRavdonn。
ButIdoubtthecorrectnessoftheassertion。Champignacwasveryfondofecarte，andmademanypartieswiththeColonelofevenings，whileBeckywassingingtoLordSteyneintheotherroom；andasforTruffigny，itisawell-knownfactthathedarednotgototheTravellers’，whereheowedmoneytothewaiters，andifhehadnothadtheEmbassyasadining-place，theworthyyounggentlemanmusthavestarved。Idoubt，Isay，thatBeckywouldhaveselectedeitheroftheseyoungmenasapersononwhomshewouldbestowherspecialregard。Theyranofhermessages，purchasedherglovesandflowers，wentindebtforopera-boxesforher，andmadethemselvesamiableinathousandways。AndtheytalkedEnglishwithadorablesimplicity，andtotheconstantamusementofBeckyandmyLordSteyne，shewouldmimiconeorothertohisface，andcomplimenthimonhisadvanceintheEnglishlanguagewithagravitywhichneverfailedtotickletheMarquis，hersardonicoldpatron。
TruffignygaveBriggsashawlbywayofwinningoverBecky’sconfidante，andaskedhertotakechargeofaletterwhichthesimplespinsterhandedoverinpublictothepersontowhomitwasaddressed，andthecompositionofwhichamusedeverybodywhoreaditgreatly。
LordSteynereadit，everybodybuthonestRawdon，towhomitwasnotnecessarytotelleverythingthatpassedinthelittlehouseinMayFair。
Here，beforelong，Beckyreceivednotonly“thebest“
foreignersasthephraseisinournobleandadmirablesocietyslang，butsomeofthebestEnglishpeopletoo。
Idon’tmeanthemostvirtuous，orindeedtheleastvirtuous，orthecleverest，orthestupidest，ortherichest，orthebestborn，but“thebest。”——inaword，peopleaboutwhomthereisnoquestion——suchasthegreatLadyFitz-
Willis，thatPatronSaintofAlmack’s，thegreatLadySlowbore，thegreatLadyGrizzelMacbethshewasLadyG。Glowry，daughterofLordGreyofGlowry，andthelike。WhentheCountessofFitz-WillisherLadyshipisoftheKingstreetfamily，seeDebrettandBurketakesupaperson，heorsheissafe。Thereisnoquestionaboutthemanymore。NotthatmyLadyFitz-
Willisisanybetterthananybodyelse，being，onthecontrary，afadedperson，fifty-sevenyearsofage，andneitherhandsome，norwealthy，norentertaining；butitisagreedonallsidesthatsheisofthe“bestpeople。”
Thosewhogotoherareofthebest：andfromanoldgrudgeprobablytoLadySteyneforwhosecoronetherladyship，thentheyouthfulGeorginaFrederica，daughterofthePrinceofWales’sfavourite，theEarlofPortansherry，hadoncetried，thisgreatandfamousleaderofthefashionchosetoacknowledgeMrs。RawdonCrawley；madeheramostmarkedcurtseyattheassemblyoverwhichshepresided；andnotonlyencouragedherson，St。KittshislordshipgothisplacethroughLordSteyne’sinterest，tofrequentMrs。Crawley’shouse，butaskedhertoherownmansionandspoketohertwiceinthemostpublicandcondescendingmannerduringdinner。TheimportantfactwasknownalloverLondonthatnight。PeoplewhohadbeencryingfieaboutMrs。