TheillnessofthatoldladyhadbeentheoccupationandperhapsthesafeguardofAmelia。Whatdomenknowaboutwomen’smartyrdoms？Weshouldgomadhadwetoendurethehundredthpartofthosedailypainswhicharemeeklybornebymanywomen。Ceaselessslaverymeetingwithnoreward；constantgentlenessandkindnessmetbycrueltyasconstant；love，labour，patience，watchfulness，withoutevensomuchastheacknowledgementofagoodword；allthis，howmanyofthemhavetobearinquiet，andappearabroadwithcheerfulfacesasiftheyfeltnothing。Tenderslavesthattheyare，theymustneedsbehypocritesandweak。
FromherchairAmelia’smotherhadtakentoherbed，whichshehadneverleft，andfromwhichMrs。OsborneherselfwasneverabsentexceptwhensherantoseeGeorge。Theoldladygrudgedhereventhoserarevisits；
she，whohadbeenakind，smiling，good-naturedmotheronce，inthedaysofherprosperity，butwhompovertyandinfirmitieshadbrokendown。HerillnessorestrangementdidnotaffectAmelia。Theyratherenabledhertosupporttheothercalamityunderwhichshewassuffering，andfromthethoughtsofwhichshewaskeptbytheceaselesscallsoftheinvalid。Ameliaboreherharshnessquitegently；smoothedtheuneasypillow；wasalwaysreadywithasoftanswertothewatchful，querulousvoice；soothedthesuffererwithwordsofhope，suchasherpioussimpleheartcouldbestfeelandutter，andclosedtheeyesthathadoncelookedsotenderlyuponher。
Thenallhertimeandtendernessweredevotedtotheconsolationandcomfortofthebereavedoldfather，whowasstunnedbytheblowwhichhadbefallenhim，andstoodutterlyaloneintheworld。Hiswife，hishonour，hisfortune，everythinghelovedbesthadfallenawayfromhim。TherewasonlyAmeliatostandbyandsupportwithhergentlearmsthetottering，heart-brokenoldman。
Wearenotgoingtowritethehistory：itwouldbetoodrearyandstupid。IcanseeVanityFairyawningoveritd’avance。
OnedayastheyounggentlemenwereassembledinthestudyattheRev。Mr。Veal’s，andthedomesticchaplaintotheRightHonourabletheEarlofBareacreswasspoutingawayasusual，asmartcarriagedroveuptothedoordecoratedwiththestatueofAthene，andtwogentlemensteppedout。TheyoungMastersBanglesrushedtothewindowwithavaguenotionthattheirfathermighthavearrivedfromBombay。Thegreathulkingscholarofthree-and-twenty，whowascryingsecretlyoverapassageofEutropius，flattenedhisneglectednoseagainstthepanesandlookedatthedrag，asthelaquaisdeplacesprangfromtheboxandletoutthepersonsinthecarriage。
“It’safatoneandathinone。”Mr。Blucksaidasathunderingknockcametothedoor。
Everybodywasinterested，fromthedomesticchaplainhimself，whohopedhesawthefathersofsomefuturepupils，downtoMasterGeorgy，gladofanypretextforlayinghisbookdown。
Theboyintheshabbyliverywiththefadedcopperbuttons，whoalwaysthrusthimselfintothetightcoattoopenthedoor，cameintothestudyandsaid，“TwogentlemenwanttoseeMasterOsborne。”Theprofessorhadhadatriflingaltercationinthemorningwiththatyounggentleman，owingtoadifferenceabouttheintroductionofcrackersinschool-time；buthisfaceresumeditshabitualexpressionofblandcourtesyashesaid，“MasterOsborne，Igiveyoufullpermissiontogoandseeyourcarriagefriends——towhomIbegyoutoconveytherespectfulcomplimentsofmyselfandMrs。
Veal。”
Georgywentintothereception-roomandsawtwostrangers，whomhelookedatwithhisheadup，inhisusualhaughtymanner。Onewasfat，withmustachios，andtheotherwasleanandlong，inabluefrock-coat，withabrownfaceandagrizzledhead。
“MyGod，howlikeheis！”saidthelonggentlemanwithastart。”Canyouguesswhoweare，George？”
Theboy’sfaceflushedup，asitdidusuallywhenhewasmoved，andhiseyesbrightened。”Idon’tknowtheother。”hesaid，“butIshouldthinkyoumustbeMajorDobbin。”
Indeeditwasouroldfriend。Hisvoicetrembledwithpleasureashegreetedtheboy，andtakingboththeother’shandsinhisown，drewtheladtohim。
“Yourmotherhastalkedtoyouaboutme——hasshe？”hesaid。
“Thatshehas。”Georgyanswered，“hundredsandhundredsoftimes。”
CHAPTERLVII
EothenItwasoneofthemanycausesforpersonalpridewithwhicholdOsbornechosetorecreatehimselfthatSedley，hisancientrival，enemy，andbenefactor，wasinhislastdayssoutterlydefeatedandhumiliatedastobeforcedtoacceptpecuniaryobligationsatthehandsofthemanwhohadmostinjuredandinsultedhim。Thesuccessfulmanoftheworldcursedtheoldpauperandrelievedhimfromtimetotime。AshefurnishedGeorgewithmoneyforhismother，hegavetheboytounderstandbyhints，deliveredinhisbrutal，coarseway，thatGeorge’smaternalgrandfatherwasbutawretchedoldbankruptanddependant，andthatJohnSedleymightthankthemantowhomhealreadyowedeversomuchmoneyfortheaidwhichhisgenerositynowchosetoadminister。Georgecarriedthepompoussuppliestohismotherandtheshatteredoldwidowerwhomitwasnowthemainbusinessofherlifetotendandcomfort。Thelittlefellowpatronizedthefeebleanddisappointedoldman。
Itmayhaveshownawantof“properpride“inAmeliathatshechosetoacceptthesemoneybenefitsatthehandsofherfather’senemy。Butproperprideandthispoorladyhadneverhadmuchacquaintancetogether。
Adispositionnaturallysimpleanddemandingprotection；
alongcourseofpovertyandhumility，ofdailyprivations，andhardwords，ofkindofficesandnoreturns，hadbeenherloteversincewomanhoodalmost，orsinceherlucklessmarriagewithGeorgeOsborne。Youwhoseeyourbettersbearingupunderthisshameeveryday，meeklysufferingundertheslightsoffortune，gentleandunpitied，poor，andratherdespisedfortheirpoverty，doyoueverstepdownfromyourprosperityandwashthefeetofthesepoorweariedbeggars？Theverythoughtofthemisodiousandlow。”Theremustbeclasses——theremustberichandpoor。”Divessays，smackinghisclaretitiswellifheevensendsthebrokenmeatouttoLazarussittingunderthewindow。Verytrue；butthinkhowmysteriousandoftenunaccountableitis——thatlotteryoflifewhichgivestothismanthepurpleandfinelinenandsendstotheotherragsforgarmentsanddogsforcomforters。
SoImustownthat，withoutmuchrepining，onthecontrarywithsomethingakintogratitude，Ameliatookthecrumbsthatherfather-in-lawletdropnowandthen，andwiththemfedherownparent。Directlysheunderstoodittobeherduty，itwasthisyoungwoman’snatureladies，sheisbutthirtystill，andwechoosetocallherayoungwomanevenatthatageitwas，Isay，hernaturetosacrificeherselfandtoflingallthatshehadatthefeetofthebelovedobject。DuringwhatlongthanklessnightshadsheworkedoutherfingersforlittleGeorgywhilstathomewithher；whatbuffets，scorns，privations，povertieshadsheenduredforfatherandmother！Andinthemidstofallthesesolitaryresignationsandunseensacrifices，shedidnotrespectherselfanymorethantheworldrespectedher，butIbelievethoughtinherheartthatshewasapoor-spirited，despicablelittlecreature，whoseluckinlifewasonlytoogoodforhermerits。O
youpoorwomen！Oyoupoorsecretmartyrsandvictims，whoselifeisatorture，whoarestretchedonracksinyourbedrooms，andwholayyourheadsdownontheblockdailyatthedrawing-roomtable；everymanwhowatchesyourpains，orpeersintothosedarkplaceswherethetortureisadministeredtoyou，mustpityyou——and——andthankGodthathehasabeard。Irecollectseeing，yearsago，attheprisonsforidiotsandmadmenatBicetre，nearParis，apoorwretchbentdownunderthebondageofhisimprisonmentandhispersonalinfirmity，towhomoneofourpartygaveahalfpennyworthofsnuffinacornetor“screw“ofpaper。Thekindnesswastoomuchforthepoorepilepticcreature。Hecriedinananguishofdelightandgratitude：ifanybodygaveyouandmeathousandayear，orsavedourlives，wecouldnotbesoaffected。Andso，ifyouproperlytyrannizeoverawoman，youwillfindah’p’orthofkindnessactuponherandbringtearsintohereyes，asthoughyouwereanangelbenefitingher。
SomesuchboonsasthesewerethebestwhichFortuneallottedtopoorlittleAmelia。Herlife，begunnotunprosperously，hadcomedowntothis——toameanprisonandalong，ignoblebondage。LittleGeorgevisitedhercaptivitysometimesandconsoleditwithfeeblegleamsofencouragement。RussellSquarewastheboundaryofherprison：shemightwalkthitheroccasionally，butwasalwaysbacktosleepinhercellatnight；toperformcheerlessduties；towatchbythanklesssick-beds；tosuffertheharassmentandtyrannyofquerulousdisappointedoldage。Howmanythousandsofpeoplearethere，womenforthemostpart，whoaredoomedtoendurethislongslavery？——whoarehospitalnurseswithoutwages——sistersofCharity，ifyoulike，withouttheromanceandthesentimentofsacrifice——whostrive，fast，watch，andsuffer，unpitied，andfadeawayignoblyandunknown。
ThehiddenandawfulWisdomwhichapportionsthedestiniesofmankindispleasedsotohumiliateandcastdownthetender，good，andwise，andtosetuptheselfish，thefoolish，orthewicked。Oh，behumble，mybrother，inyourprosperity！Begentlewiththosewhoarelesslucky，ifnotmoredeserving。Think，whatrighthaveyoutobescornful，whosevirtueisadeficiencyoftemptation，whosesuccessmaybeachance，whoserankmaybeanancestor’saccident，whoseprosperityisverylikelyasatire。
TheyburiedAmelia’smotherinthechurchyardatBrompton，uponjustsucharainy，darkdayasAmeliarecollectedwhenfirstshehadbeentheretomarryGeorge。
Herlittleboysatbyhersideinpompousnewsables。
Sherememberedtheoldpew-womanandclerk。Herthoughtswereawayinothertimesastheparsonread。
ButthatsheheldGeorge’shandinherown，perhapsshewouldhavelikedtochangeplaceswith……Then，asusual，shefeltashamedofherselfishthoughtsandprayedinwardlytobestrengthenedtodoherduty。
Soshedeterminedwithallhermightandstrengthtotryandmakeheroldfatherhappy。Sheslaved，toiled，patched，andmended，sangandplayedbackgammon，readoutthenewspaper，cookeddishes，foroldSedley，walkedhimoutsedulouslyintoKensingtonGardensortheBromptonLanes，listenedtohisstorieswithuntiringsmilesandaffectionatehypocrisy，orsatmusingbyhissideandcommuningwithherownthoughtsandreminiscences，astheoldman，feebleandquerulous，sunnedhimselfonthegardenbenchesandprattledabouthiswrongsorhissorrows。Whatsad，unsatisfactorythoughtsthoseofthewidowwere！ThechildrenrunningupanddowntheslopesandbroadpathsinthegardensremindedherofGeorge，whowastakenfromher；thefirstGeorgewastakenfromher；herselfish，guiltylove，inbothinstances，hadbeenrebukedandbitterlychastised。Shestrovetothinkitwasrightthatsheshouldbesopunished。Shewassuchamiserablewickedsinner。Shewasquitealoneintheworld。
Iknowthattheaccountofthiskindofsolitaryimprisonmentisinsufferablytedious，unlessthereissomecheerfulorhumorousincidenttoenlivenit——atendergaoler，forinstance，orawaggishcommandantofthefortress，oramousetocomeoutandplayaboutLatude’sbeardandwhiskers，orasubterraneanpassageunderthecastle，dugbyTrenckwithhisnailsandatoothpick：thehistorianhasnosuchenliveningincidenttorelateinthenarrativeofAmelia’scaptivity。Fancyher，ifyouplease，duringthisperiod，verysad，butalwaysreadytosmilewhenspokento；inaverymean，poor，nottosayvulgarpositionoflife；singingsongs，makingpuddings，playingcards，mendingstockings，forheroldfather’sbenefit。So，nevermind，whethershebeaheroineorno；oryouandI，howeverold，scolding，andbankrupt——maywehaveinourlastdaysakindsoftshoulderonwhichtoleanandagentlehandtosootheourgoutyoldpillows。
OldSedleygrewveryfondofhisdaughterafterhiswife’sdeath，andAmeliahadherconsolationindoingherdutybytheoldman。
Butwearenotgoingtoleavethesetwopeoplelonginsuchalowandungenteelstationoflife。Betterdays，asfarasworldlyprosperitywent，wereinstoreforboth。
PerhapstheingeniousreaderhasguessedwhowasthestoutgentlemanwhocalleduponGeorgyathisschoolincompanywithouroldfriendMajorDobbin。ItwasanotheroldacquaintancereturnedtoEngland，andatatimewhenhispresencewaslikelytobeofgreatcomforttohisrelativesthere。
MajorDobbinhavingeasilysucceededingettingleavefromhisgood-naturedcommandanttoproceedtoMadras，andthenceprobablytoEurope，onurgentprivateaffairs，neverceasedtravellingnightanddayuntilhereachedhisjourney’send，andhaddirectedhismarchwithsuchceleritythathearrivedatMadrasinahighfever。HisservantswhoaccompaniedhimbroughthimtothehouseofthefriendwithwhomhehadresolvedtostayuntilhisdepartureforEuropeinastateofdelirium；