themarinersgoacrossthestagestaggering，asiftheshipwasinseveremotion。TheStewardtheHonourableG。
Ringwoodpassesreelingby，holdingsixbasins。HeputsonerapidlybyLordSqueams——LadySqueams，givingapinchtoherdog，whichbeginstohowlpiteously，putsherpocket-handkerchieftoherface，andrushesawayasforthecabin。Themusicrisesuptothewildestpitchofstormyexcitement，andthethirdsyllableisconcluded。
Therewasalittleballet，“LeRossignol。”inwhichMontessuandNobletusedtobefamousinthosedays，andwhichMr。WaggtransferredtotheEnglishstageasanopera，puttinghisverse，ofwhichhewasaskilfulwriter，totheprettyairsoftheballet。ItwasdressedinoldFrenchcostume，andlittleLordSouthdownnowappearedadmirablyattiredinthedisguiseofanoldwomanhobblingaboutthestagewithafaultlesscrookedstick。
Trillsofmelodywereheardbehindthescenes，andgurglingfromasweetpasteboardcottagecoveredwithrosesandtrelliswork。”Philomele，Philomele。”criestheoldwoman，andPhilomelecomesout。
Moreapplause——itisMrs。RawdonCrawleyinpowderandpatches，themostravissantelittleMarquiseintheworld。
Shecomesinlaughing，humming，andfrisksaboutthestagewithalltheinnocenceoftheatricalyouth——shemakesacurtsey。Mammasays“Why，child，youarealwayslaughingandsinging。”andawayshegoes，with——
THEROSEUPONMYBALCONY
TheroseuponmybalconythemorningairperfumingWasleaflessallthewintertimeandpiningforthespring；
Youaskmewhyherbreathissweetandwhyhercheekisblooming，Itisbecausethesunisoutandbirdsbegintosing。
Thenightingale，whosemelodyisthroughthegreenwoodringing，Wassilentwhentheboughswerebareandwindswereblowingkeen：
Andif，Mamma，youaskofmethereasonofhissinging，Itisbecausethesunisoutandalltheleavesaregreen。
Thuseachperformshispart，Mamma，thebirdshavefoundtheirvoices，Theblowingroseaflush，Mamma，herbonnycheektodye；
Andthere’ssunshineinmyheart，Mamma，whichwakensandrejoices，AndsoIsingandblush，Mamma，andthat’sthereasonwhy。
Duringtheintervalsofthestanzasofthisditty，thegood-naturedpersonageaddressedasMammabythesinger，andwhoselargewhiskersappearedunderhercap，seemedveryanxioustoexhibithermaternalaffectionbyembracingtheinnocentcreaturewhoperformedthedaughter’spart。Everycaresswasreceivedwithloudacclamationsoflaughterbythesympathizingaudience。
Atitsconclusionwhilethemusicwasperformingasymphonyasifeversomanybirdswerewarblingthewholehousewasunanimousforanencore：andapplauseandbouquetswithoutendwereshoweredupontheNightingaleoftheevening。LordSteyne’svoiceofapplausewasloudestofall。Becky，thenightingale，tooktheflowerswhichhethrewtoherandpressedthemtoherheartwiththeairofaconsummatecomedian。LordSteynewasfranticwithdelight。Hisguests’enthusiasmharmonizedwithhisown。Wherewasthebeautifulblack-eyedHouriwhoseappearanceinthefirstcharadehadcausedsuchdelight？ShewastwiceashandsomeasBecky，butthebrilliancyofthelatterhadquiteeclipsedher。Allvoiceswereforher。Stephens，Caradori，RonzideBegnis，peoplecomparedhertooneortheother，andagreedwithgoodreason，verylikely，thathadshebeenanactressnoneonthestagecouldhavesurpassedher。
Shehadreachedherculmination：hervoicerosetrillingandbrightoverthestormofapplause，andsoaredashighandjoyfulashertriumph。Therewasaballafterthedramaticentertainments，andeverybodypressedroundBeckyasthegreatpointofattractionoftheevening。TheRoyalPersonagedeclaredwithanoaththatshewasperfection，andengagedheragainandagaininconversation。LittleBecky’ssoulswelledwithprideanddelightatthesehonours；shesawfortune，fame，fashionbeforeher。LordSteynewasherslave，followedhereverywhere，andscarcelyspoketoanyoneintheroombeside，andpaidherthemostmarkedcomplimentsandattention。ShestillappearedinherMarquisecostumeanddancedaminuetwithMonsieurdeTruffigny，MonsieurLeDucdelaJabotiere’sattache；andtheDuke，whohadallthetraditionsoftheancientcourt，pronouncedthatMadameCrawleywasworthytohavebeenapupilofVestris，ortohavefiguredatVersailles。
Onlyafeelingofdignity，thegout，andthestrongestsenseofdutyandpersonalsacrificepreventedhisExcellencyfromdancingwithherhimself，andhedeclaredinpublicthataladywhocouldtalkanddancelikeMrs。
RawdonwasfittobeambassadressatanycourtinEurope。HewasonlyconsoledwhenheheardthatshewashalfaFrenchwomanbybirth。”Nonebutacompatriot。”hisExcellencydeclared，“couldhaveperformedthatmajesticdanceinsuchaway。”
ThenshefiguredinawaltzwithMonsieurdeKlingenspohr，thePrinceofPeterwaradin’scousinandattache。ThedelightedPrince，havinglessretenuethanhisFrenchdiplomaticcolleague，insistedupontakingaturnwiththecharmingcreature，andtwirledroundtheball-roomwithher，scatteringthediamondsoutofhisboot-tasselsandhussarjacketuntilhisHighnesswasfairlyoutofbreath。PapooshPashahimselfwouldhavelikedtodancewithherifthatamusementhadbeenthecustomofhiscountry。ThecompanymadeacircleroundherandapplaudedaswildlyasifshehadbeenaNobletoraTaglioni。Everybodywasinecstacy；andBeckytoo，youmaybesure。ShepassedbyLadyStunningtonwithalookofscorn。ShepatronizedLadyGauntandherastonishedandmortifiedsister-in-law——sheecrasedallrivalcharmers。AsforpoorMrs。Winkworth，andherlonghairandgreateyes，whichhadmadesuchaneffectatthecommencementoftheevening——wherewasshenow？Nowhereintherace。Shemighttearherlonghairandcryhergreateyesout，buttherewasnotapersontoheedortodeplorethediscomfiture。
Thegreatesttriumphofallwasatsuppertime。ShewasplacedatthegrandexclusivetablewithhisRoyalHighnesstheexaltedpersonagebeforementioned，andtherestofthegreatguests。Shewasservedongoldplate。Shemighthavehadpearlsmeltedintoherchampagneifsheliked——anotherCleopatra——andthepotentateofPeterwaradinwouldhavegivenhalfthebrilliantsoffhisjacketforakindglancefromthosedazzlingeyes。
Jabotierewrotehomeabouthertohisgovernment。Theladiesattheothertables，whosuppedoffmeresilverandmarkedLordSteyne’sconstantattentiontoher，voweditwasamonstrousinfatuation，agrossinsulttoladiesofrank。Ifsarcasmcouldhavekilled，LadyStunningtonwouldhaveslainheronthespot。
RawdonCrawleywasscaredatthesetriumphs。Theyseemedtoseparatehiswifefartherthaneverfromhimsomehow。Hethoughtwithafeelingverylikepainhowimmeasurablyshewashissuperior。
Whenthehourofdeparturecame，acrowdofyoungmenfollowedhertohercarriage，forwhichthepeoplewithoutbawled，thecrybeingcaughtupbythelink-menwhowerestationedoutsidethetallgatesofGauntHouse，congratulatingeachpersonwhoissuedfromthegateandhopinghisLordshiphadenjoyedthisnobleparty。
Mrs。RawdonCrawley’scarriage，cominguptothegateafterdueshouting，rattledintotheilluminatedcourt-yardanddroveuptothecoveredway。Rawdonputhiswifeintothecarriage，whichdroveoff。Mr。
Wenhamhadproposedtohimtowalkhome，andofferedtheColoneltherefreshmentofacigar。
Theylightedtheircigarsbythelampofoneofthemanylink-boysoutside，andRawdonwalkedonwithhisfriendWenham。Twopersonsseparatedfromthecrowdandfollowedthetwogentlemen；andwhentheyhadwalkeddownGauntSquareafewscoreofpaces，oneofthemencameupand，touchingRawdonontheshoulder，said，“Begyourpardon，Colonel，Ivishtospeaktoyoumostparticular。”Thisgentleman’sacquaintancegavealoudwhistleasthelatterspoke，atwhichsignalacabcameclatteringupfromthosestationedatthegateofGauntHouse——andtheaide-de-campranroundandplacedhimselfinfrontofColonelCrawley。
Thatgallantofficeratonceknewwhathadbefallenhim。Hewasinthehandsofthebailiffs。Hestartedback，fallingagainstthemanwhohadfirsttouchedhim。
“We’rethreeonus——it’snousebolting。”themanbehindsaid。
“It’syou，Moss，isit？”saidtheColonel，whoappearedtoknowhisinterlocutor。”Howmuchisit？”
“Onlyasmallthing。”whisperedMr。Moss，ofCursitorStreet，ChanceryLane，andassistantofficertotheSheriffofMiddlesex——“Onehundredandsixty-six，sixandeight-
pence，atthesuitofMr。Nathan。”
“Lendmeahundred，Wenham，forGod’ssake。”poorRawdonsaid——“I’vegotseventyathome。”
“I’venotgottenpoundsintheworld。”saidpoorMr。
Wenham——“Goodnight，mydearfellow。”
“Goodnight。”saidRawdonruefully。AndWenhamwalkedaway——andRawdonCrawleyfinishedhiscigarasthecabdroveunderTempleBar。
CHAPTERLII
InWhichLordSteyneShowsHimselfinaMostAmiableLightWhenLordSteynewasbenevolentlydisposed，hedidnothingbyhalves，andhiskindnesstowardstheCrawleyfamilydidthegreatesthonourtohisbenevolentdiscrimination。Hislordshipextendedhisgood-willtolittleRawdon：hepointedouttotheboy’sparentsthenecessityofsendinghimtoapublicschool，thathewasofanagenowwhenemulation，thefirstprinciplesoftheLatinlanguage，pugilisticexercises，andthesocietyofhisfellow-boyswouldbeofthegreatestbenefittotheboy。Hisfatherobjectedthathewasnotrichenoughtosendthechildtoagoodpublicschool；hismotherthatBriggswasacapitalmistressforhim，andhadbroughthimonasindeedwasthefactfamouslyinEnglish，theLatinrudiments，andingenerallearning：butalltheseobjectionsdisappearedbeforethegenerousperseveranceoftheMarquisofSteyne。HislordshipwasoneofthegovernorsofthatfamousoldcollegiateinstitutioncalledtheWhitefriars。IthadbeenaCistercianConventinolddays，whentheSmithfield，whichiscontiguoustoit，wasatournamentground。Obstinatehereticsusedtobebroughtthitherconvenientforburninghardby。HenryVIII，theDefenderoftheFaith，seizeduponthemonasteryanditspossessionsandhangedandtorturedsomeofthemonkswhocouldnotaccommodatethemselvestothepaceofhisreform。Finally，agreatmerchantboughtthehouseandlandadjoining，inwhich，andwiththehelpofotherwealthyendowmentsoflandandmoney，heestablishedafamousfoundationhospitalforoldmenandchildren。Anexternschoolgrewroundtheoldalmostmonasticfoundation，whichsubsistsstillwithitsmiddle-agecostumeandusages——andallCistercianspraythatitmaylongflourish。
Ofthisfamoushouse，someofthegreatestnoblemen，prelates，anddignitariesinEnglandaregovernors：andastheboysareverycomfortablylodged，fed，andeducated，andsubsequentlyinductedtogoodscholarshipsattheUniversityandlivingsintheChurch，manylittlegentlemenaredevotedtotheecclesiasticalprofessionfromtheirtenderestyears，andthereisconsiderableemulationtoprocurenominationsforthefoundation。Itwasoriginallyintendedforthesonsofpooranddeservingclericsandlaics，butmanyofthenoblegovernorsoftheInstitution，withanenlargedandrathercapriciousbenevolence，selectedallsortsofobjectsfortheirbounty。
Togetaneducationfornothing，andafuturelivelihoodandprofessionassured，wassoexcellentaschemethatsomeoftherichestpeopledidnotdisdainit；andnotonlygreatmen’srelations，butgreatmenthemselves，senttheirsonstoprofitbythechance——RightRev。prelatessenttheirownkinsmenorthesonsoftheirclergy，while，ontheotherhand，somegreatnoblemendidnotdisdaintopatronizethechildrenoftheirconfidentialservants——
sothataladenteringthisestablishmenthadeveryvarietyofyouthfulsocietywherewithtomingle。
RawdonCrawley，thoughtheonlybookwhichhestudiedwastheRacingCalendar，andthoughhischiefrecollectionsofpolitelearningwereconnectedwiththefloggingswhichhereceivedatEtoninhisearlyyouth，hadthatdecentandhonestreverenceforclassicallearningwhichallEnglishgentlemenfeel，andwasgladtothinkthathissonwastohaveaprovisionforlife，perhaps，andacertainopportunityofbecomingascholar。Andalthoughhisboywashischiefsolaceandcompanion，andendearedtohimbyathousandsmallties，aboutwhichhedidnotcaretospeaktohiswife，whohadallalongshowntheutmostindifferencetotheirson，yetRawdonagreedatoncetopartwithhimandtogiveuphisowngreatestcomfortandbenefitforthesakeofthewelfareofthelittlelad。Hedidnotknowhowfondhewasofthechilduntilitbecamenecessarytolethimgoaway。
Whenhewasgone，hefeltmoresadanddowncastthanhecaredtoown——farsadderthantheboyhimself，whowashappyenoughtoenteranewcareerandfindcompanionsofhisownage。BeckyburstoutlaughingonceortwicewhentheColonel，inhisclumsy，incoherentway，triedtoexpresshissentimentalsorrowsattheboy’sdeparture。Thepoorfellowfeltthathisdearestpleasureandclosestfriendwastakenfromhim。Helookedoftenandwistfullyatthelittlevacantbedinhisdressing-room，wherethechildusedtosleep。Hemissedhimsadlyofmorningsandtriedinvaintowalkintheparkwithouthim。HedidnotknowhowsolitaryhewasuntillittleRawdonwasgone。Helikedthepeoplewhowerefondofhim，andwouldgoandsitforlonghourswithhisgood-naturedsisterLadyJane，andtalktoheraboutthevirtues，andgoodlooks，andhundredgoodqualitiesofthechild。