SundayAftertheBattleThemansionofSirPittCrawley，inGreatGauntStreet，wasjustbeginningtodressitselffortheday，asRawdon，inhiseveningcostume，whichhehadnowworntwodays，passedbythescaredfemalewhowasscouringthestepsandenteredintohisbrother’sstudy。LadyJane，inhermorning-gown，wasupandabovestairsinthenurserysuperintendingthetoilettesofherchildrenandlisteningtothemorningprayerswhichthelittlecreaturesperformedatherknee。Everymorningsheandtheyperformedthisdutyprivately，andbeforethepublicceremonialatwhichSirPittpresidedandatwhichallthepeopleofthehouseholdwereexpectedtoassemble。
RawdonsatdowninthestudybeforetheBaronet’stable，setoutwiththeorderlybluebooksandtheletters，theneatlydocketedbillsandsymmetricalpamphlets，thelockedaccount-books，desks，anddispatchboxes，theBible，theQuarterlyReview，andtheCourtGuide，whichallstoodasifonparadeawaitingtheinspectionoftheirchief。
Abookoffamilysermons，oneofwhichSirPittwasinthehabitofadministeringtohisfamilyonSundaymornings，layreadyonthestudytable，andawaitinghisjudiciousselection。Andbythesermon-bookwastheObservernewspaper，dampandneatlyfolded，andforSirPitt’sownprivateuse。Hisgentlemanalonetooktheopportunityofperusingthenewspaperbeforehelaiditbyhismaster’sdesk。Beforehehadbroughtitintothestudythatmorning，hehadreadinthejournalaflamingaccountof“FestivitiesatGauntHouse。”withthenamesofallthedistinguishedpersonagesinvitedbythoMarquisofSteynetomeethisRoyalHighness。Havingmadecommentsuponthisentertainmenttothehousekeeperandhernieceastheyweretakingearlyteaandhotbutteredtoastintheformerlady’sapartment，andwonderedhowtheRawdingCrawleyscouldgiton，thevalethaddampedandfoldedthepaperoncemore，sothatitlookedquitefreshandinnocentagainstthearrivalofthemasterofthehouse。
PoorRawdontookupthepaperandbegantotryandreadituntilhisbrothershouldarrive。Buttheprintfellblankuponhiseyes，andhedidnotknowintheleastwhathewasreading。TheGovernmentnewsandappointmentswhichSirPittasapublicmanwasboundtoperuse，otherwisehewouldbynomeanspermittheintroductionofSundaypapersintohishousehold，thetheatricalcriticisms，thefightforahundredpoundsasidebetweentheBarkingButcherandtheTutburyPet，theGauntHousechronicleitself，whichcontainedamostcomplimentarythoughguardedaccountofthefamouscharadesofwhichMrs。Beckyhadbeentheheroine——allthesepassedasinahazebeforeRawdon，ashesatwaitingthearrivalofthechiefofthefamily。
Punctually，astheshrill-tonedbelloftheblackmarblestudyclockbegantochimenine，SirPittmadehisappearance，fresh，neat，smuglyshaved，withawaxycleanface，andstiffshirtcollar，hisscantyhaircombedandoiled，trimminghisnailsashedescendedthestairsmajestically，inastarchedcravatandagreyflanneldressing-gown——arealoldEnglishgentleman，inaword——
amodelofneatnessandeverypropriety。HestartedwhenhesawpoorRawdoninhisstudyintumbledclothes，withblood-shoteyes，andhishairoverhisface。Hethoughthisbrotherwasnotsober，andhadbeenoutallnightonsomeorgy。”Goodgracious，Rawdon。”hesaid，withablankface，“whatbringsyouhereatthistimeofthemorning？Whyain’tyouathome？”
“Home。”saidRawdonwithawildlaugh。”Don’tbefrightened，Pitt。I’mnotdrunk。Shutthedoor；Iwanttospeaktoyou。”
Pittclosedthedoorandcameuptothetable，wherehesatdownintheotherarm-chair——thatoneplacedforthereceptionofthesteward，agent，orconfidentialvisitorwhocametotransactbusinesswiththeBaronet——
andtrimmedhisnailsmorevehementlythanever。
“Pitt，it’salloverwithme。”theColonelsaidafterapause。”I’mdone。”
“Ialwayssaiditwouldcometothis。”theBaronetcriedpeevishly，andbeatingatunewithhisclean-
trimmednails。”Iwarnedyouathousandtimes。Ican’thelpyouanymore。Everyshillingofmymoneyistiedup。EventhehundredpoundsthatJanetookyoulastnightwerepromisedtomylawyerto-morrowmorning，andthewantofitwillputmetogreatinconvenience。
Idon’tmeantosaythatIwon’tassistyouultimately。
Butasforpayingyourcreditorsinfull，ImightaswellhopetopaytheNationalDebt。Itismadness，sheermadness，tothinkofsuchathing。Youmustcometoacompromise。It’sapainfulthingforthefamily，buteverybodydoesit。TherewasGeorgeKitely，LordRagland’sson，wentthroughtheCourtlastweek，andwaswhattheycallwhitewashed，Ibelieve。LordRaglandwouldnotpayashillingforhim，and——“
“It’snotmoneyIwant。”Rawdonbrokein。”I’mnotcometoyouaboutmyself。Nevermindwhathappenstome“
“Whatisthematter，then？”saidPitt，somewhatrelieved。
“It’stheboy。”saidRawdoninahuskyvoice。”IwantyoutopromisemethatyouwilltakechargeofhimwhenI’mgone。Thatdeargoodwifeofyourshasalwaysbeengoodtohim；andhe’sfonderofherthanheisofhis——Damnit。Lookhere，Pitt——youknowthatI
wastohavehadMissCrawley’smoney。Iwasn’tbroughtuplikeayoungerbrother，butwasalwaysencouragedtobeextravagantandkepidle。ButforthisImighthavebeenquiteadifferentman。Ididn’tdomydutywiththeregimentsobad。YouknowhowIwasthrownoveraboutthemoney，andwhogotit。”
“AfterthesacrificesIhavemade，andthemannerinwhichIhavestoodbyyou，Ithinkthissortofreproachisuseless。”SirPittsaid。”Yourmarriagewasyourowndoing，notmine。”
“That’sovernow。”saidRawdon。”That’sovernow。”
Andthewordswerewrenchedfromhimwithagroan，whichmadehisbrotherstart。
“GoodGod！isshedead？”SirPittsaidwithavoiceofgenuinealarmandcommiseration。
“IwishIwas。”Rawdonreplied。”Ifitwasn’tforlittleRawdonI’dhavecutmythroatthismorning——andthatdamnedvillain’stoo。”
SirPittinstantlyguessedthetruthandsurmisedthatLordSteynewasthepersonwhoselifeRawdonwishedtotake。TheColoneltoldhisseniorbriefly，andinbrokenaccents，thecircumstancesofthecase。”Itwasaregularplanbetweenthatscoundrelandher。”hesaid。”Thebailiffswereputuponme；IwastakenasIwasgoingoutofhishouse；whenIwrotetoherformoney，shesaidshewasillinbedandputmeofftoanotherday。
AndwhenIgothomeIfoundherindiamondsandsittingwiththatvillainalone。”HethenwentontodescribehurriedlythepersonalconflictwithLordSteyne。Toanaffairofthatnature，ofcourse，hesaid，therewasbutoneissue，andafterhisconferencewithhisbrother，hewasgoingawaytomakethenecessaryarrangementsforthemeetingwhichmustensue。”Andasitmayendfatallywithme。”Rawdonsaidwithabrokenvoice，“andastheboyhasnomother，ImustleavehimtoyouandJane，Pitt——onlyitwillbeacomforttomeifyouwillpromisemetobehisfriend。”
Theelderbrotherwasmuchaffected，andshookRawdon’shandwithacordialityseldomexhibitedbyhim。
Rawdonpassedhishandoverhisshaggyeyebrows。
“Thankyou，brother。”saidhe。”IknowIcantrustyourword。”
“Iwill，uponmyhonour。”theBaronetsaid。Andthus，andalmostmutely，thisbargainwasstruckbetweenthem。
ThenRawdontookoutofhispocketthelittlepocket-bookwhichhehaddiscoveredinBecky’sdesk，andfromwhichhedrewabundleofthenoteswhichitcontained。
“Here’ssixhundred。”hesaid——“youdidn’tknowIwassorich。IwantyoutogivethemoneytoBriggs，wholentittous——andwhowaskindtotheboy——andI’vealwaysfeltashamedofhavingtakenthepooroldwoman’smoney。Andhere’ssomemore——I’veonlykeptbackafewpounds——whichBeckymayaswellhave，togetonwith。”Ashespokehetookholdoftheothernotestogivetohisbrother，buthishandsshook，andhewassoagitatedthatthepocket-bookfellfromhim，andoutofitthethousand-poundnotewhichhadbeenthelastoftheunluckyBecky’swinnings。
Pittstoopedandpickedthemup，amazedatsomuchwealth。”Notthat。”Rawdonsaid。”Ihopetoputabulletintothemanwhomthatbelongsto。”Hehadthoughttohimself，itwouldbeafinerevengetowrapaballinthenoteandkillSteynewithit。
Afterthiscolloquythebrothersoncemoreshookhandsandparted。LadyJanehadheardoftheColonel’sarrival，andwaswaitingforherhusbandintheadjoiningdining-room，withfemaleinstinct，auguringevil。Thedoorofthedining-roomhappenedtobeleftopen，andtheladyofcoursewasissuingfromitasthetwobrotherspassedoutofthestudy。SheheldoutherhandtoRawdonandsaidshewasgladhewascometobreakfast，thoughshecouldperceive，byhishaggardunshornfaceandthedarklooksofherhusband，thattherewasverylittlequestionofbreakfastbetweenthem。Rawdonmutteredsomeexcusesaboutanengagement，squeezinghardthetimidlittlehandwhichhissister-in-lawreachedouttohim。Herimploringeyescouldreadnothingbutcalamityinhisface，buthewentawaywithoutanotherword。NordidSirPittvouchsafeheranyexplanation。
Thechildrencameuptosalutehim，andhekissedtheminhisusualfrigidmanner。Themothertookbothofthemclosetoherself，andheldahandofeachofthemastheykneltdowntoprayers，whichSirPittreadtothem，andtotheservantsintheirSundaysuitsorliveries，rangeduponchairsontheothersideofthehissingtea-urn。
Breakfastwassolatethatday，inconsequenceofthedelayswhichhadoccurred，thatthechurch-bellsbegantoringwhilsttheyweresittingovertheirmeal；andLadyJanewastooill，shesaid，togotochurch，thoughherthoughtshadbeenentirelyastrayduringtheperiodoffamilydevotion。
RawdonCrawleymeanwhilehurriedonfromGreatGauntStreet，andknockingatthegreatbronzeMedusa’sheadwhichstandsontheportalofGauntHouse，broughtoutthepurpleSilenusinaredandsilverwaistcoatwhoactsasporterofthatpalace。ThemanwasscaredalsobytheColonel’sdishevelledappearance，andbarredthewayasifafraidthattheotherwasgoingtoforceit。ButColonelCrawleyonlytookoutacardandenjoinedhimparticularlytosenditintoLordSteyne，andtomarktheaddresswrittenonit，andsaythatColonelCrawleywouldbealldayafteroneo’clockattheRegentClubinSt。James’sStreet——notathome。Thefatred-facedmanlookedafterhimwithastonishmentashestrodeaway；sodidthepeopleintheirSundayclotheswhowereoutsoearly；thecharity-boyswithshiningfaces，thegreengrocerlollingathisdoor，andthepublicanshuttinghisshuttersinthesunshine，againstservicecommenced。Thepeoplejokedatthecab-standabouthisappearance，ashetookacarriagethere，andtoldthedrivertodrivehimtoKnightsbridgeBarracks。
Allthebellswerejanglingandtollingashereachedthatplace。HemighthaveseenhisoldacquaintanceAmeliaonherwayfromBromptontoRussellSquare，hadhebeenlookingout。Troopsofschoolswereontheirmarchtochurch，theshinypavementandoutsidesofcoachesinthesuburbswerethrongedwithpeopleoutupontheirSundaypleasure；buttheColonelwasmuchtoobusytotakeanyheedofthesephenomena，and，arrivingatKnightsbridge，speedilymadehiswayuptotheroomofhisoldfriendandcomradeCaptainMacmurdo，whoCrawleyfound，tohissatisfaction，wasinbarracks。
CaptainMacmurdo，aveteranofficerandWaterlooman，greatlylikedbyhisregiment，inwhichwantofmoneyalonepreventedhimfromattainingthehighestranks，wasenjoyingtheforenooncalmlyinbed。Hehadbeenatafastsupper-party，giventhenightbeforebyCaptaintheHonourableGeorgeCinqbars，athishouseinBromptonSquare，toseveralyoungmenoftheregiment，andanumberofladiesofthecorpsdeballet，andoldMac，whowasathomewithpeopleofallagesandranks，andconsortedwithgenerals，dog-fanciers，opera-
dancers，bruisers，andeverykindofperson，inaword，wasrestinghimselfafterthenight’slabours，and，notbeingonduty，wasinbed。
Hisroomwashungroundwithboxing，sporting，anddancingpictures，presentedtohimbycomradesastheyretiredfromtheregiment，andmarriedandsettledintoquietlife。Andashewasnownearlyfiftyyearsofage，twenty-fourofwhichhehadpassedinthecorps，hehadasingularmuseum。HewasoneofthebestshotsinEngland，and，foraheavyman，oneofthebestriders；
indeed，heandCrawleyhadbeenrivalswhenthelatterwasintheArmy。Tobebrief，Mr。Macmurdowaslyinginbed，readinginBell’sLifeanaccountofthatveryfightbetweentheTutburyPetandtheBarkingButcher，whichhasbeenbeforementioned——avenerablebristlywarrior，withalittleclose-shavedgreyhead，withasilknightcap，aredfaceandnose，andagreatdyedmoustache。
WhenRawdontoldtheCaptainhewantedafriend，thelatterknewperfectlywellonwhatdutyoffriendshiphewascalledtoact，andindeedhadconductedscoresofaffairsforhisacquaintanceswiththegreatestprudenceandskill。HisRoyalHighnessthelatelamentedCommander-in-ChiefhadhadthegreatestregardforMacmurdoonthisaccount，andhewasthecommonrefugeofgentlemenintrouble。