“Papa，Papa！”Emmycriedout，“herearenews！MybrotherisinEngland。Heiscometotakecareofyou。
HereisMajorDobbin。”
Mr。Sedleystartedup，shakingagreatdealandgatheringuphisthoughts。Thenhesteppedforwardandmadeanold-fashionedbowtotheMajor，whomhecalledMr。
Dobbin，andhopedhisworthyfather，SirWilliam，wasquitewell。HeproposedtocalluponSirWilliam，whohaddonehimthehonourofavisitashorttimeago。SirWilliamhadnotcalledupontheoldgentlemanforeightyears——itwasthatvisithewasthinkingofreturning。
“Heisverymuchshaken。”EmmywhisperedasDobbinwentupandcordiallyshookhandswiththeoldman。
AlthoughhehadsuchparticularbusinessinLondonthatevening，theMajorconsentedtoforegoituponMr。
Sedley’sinvitationtohimtocomehomeandpartakeoftea。Ameliaputherarmunderthatofheryoungfriendwiththeyellowshawlandheadedthepartyontheirreturnhomewards，sothatMr。SedleyfelltoDobbin’sshare。
TheoldmanwalkedveryslowlyandtoldanumberofancienthistoriesabouthimselfandhispoorBessy，hisformerprosperity，andhisbankruptcy。Histhoughts，asisusualwithfailingoldmen，werequiteinformertimes。
Thepresent，withtheexceptionoftheonecatastrophewhichhefelt，heknewlittleabout。TheMajorwasgladtolethimtalkon。Hiseyeswerefixeduponthefigureinfrontofhim——thedearlittlefigurealwayspresenttohisimaginationandinhisprayers，andvisitinghisdreamswakefulorslumbering。
Ameliawasveryhappy，smiling，andactiveallthatevening，performingherdutiesashostessofthelittleentertainmentwiththeutmostgraceandpropriety，asDobbinthought。Hiseyesfollowedheraboutastheysatinthetwilight。Howmanyatimehadhelongedforthatmomentandthoughtofherfarawayunderhotwindsandinwearymarches，gentleandhappy，kindlyministeringtothewantsofoldage，anddecoratingpovertywithsweetsubmission——ashesawhernow。Idonotsaythathistastewasthehighest，orthatitisthedutyofgreatintellectstobecontentwithabread-and-butterparadise，suchassufficedoursimpleoldfriend；buthisdesireswereofthissort，whetherforgoodorbad，and，withAmeliatohelphim，hewasasreadytodrinkasmanycupsofteaasDoctorJohnson。
Ameliaseeingthispropensity，laughinglyencourageditandlookedexceedinglyroguishassheadministeredtohimcupaftercup。ItistrueshedidnotknowthattheMajorhadhadnodinnerandthattheclothwaslaidforhimattheSlaughters’，andaplatelaidthereontomarkthatthetablewasretained，inthatveryboxinwhichtheMajorandGeorgehadsatmanyatimecarousing，whenshewasachildjustcomehomefromMissPinkerton’sschool。
ThefirstthingMrs。OsborneshowedtheMajorwasGeorgy’sminiature，forwhichsheranupstairsonherarrivalathome。Itwasnothalfhandsomeenoughofcoursefortheboy，butwasn’titnobleofhimtothinkofbringingittohismother？WhilstherpapawasawakeshedidnottalkmuchaboutGeorgy。TohearaboutMr。
OsborneandRussellSquarewasnotagreeabletotheoldman，whoverylikelywasunconsciousthathehadbeenlivingforsomemonthspastmainlyonthebountyofhisricherrival，andlosthistemperifallusionwasmadetotheother。
Dobbintoldhimall，andalittlemoreperhapsthanall，thathadhappenedonboardtheRamchunder，andexaggeratedJos’sbenevolentdispositionstowardshisfatherandresolutiontomakehimcomfortableinhisolddays。ThetruthisthatduringthevoyagetheMajorhadimpressedthisdutymoststronglyuponhisfellow-
passengerandextortedpromisesfromhimthathewouldtakechargeofhissisterandherchild。HesoothedJos’sirritationwithregardtothebillswhichtheoldgentlemanhaddrawnuponhim，gavealaughingaccountofhisownsufferingsonthesamescoreandofthefamousconsignmentofwinewithwhichtheoldmanhadfavouredhim，andbroughtMr。Jos，whowasbynomeansanill-
naturedpersonwhenwell-pleasedandmoderatelyflattered，toaverygoodstateoffeelingregardinghisrelativesinEurope。
AndinfineIamashamedtosaythattheMajorstretchedthetruthsofarastotelloldMr。SedleythatitwasmainlyadesiretoseehisparentwhichbroughtJosoncemoretoEurope。
AthisaccustomedhourMr。Sedleybegantodozeinhischair，andthenitwasAmelia’sopportunitytocommenceherconversation，whichshedidwithgreateagerness——itrelatedexclusivelytoGeorgy。Shedidnottalkatallaboutherownsufferingsatbreakingfromhim，forindeed，thisworthywoman，thoughshewashalf-killedbytheseparationfromthechild，yetthoughtitwasverywickedinhertorepineatlosinghim；buteverythingconcerninghim，hisvirtues，talents，andprospects，shepouredout。Shedescribedhisangelicbeauty；narratedahundredinstancesofhisgenerosityandgreatnessofmindwhilstlivingwithher；howaRoyalDuchesshadstoppedandadmiredhiminKensingtonGardens；howsplendidlyhewascaredfornow，andhowhehadagroomandapony；whatquicknessandclevernesshehad，andwhataprodigiouslywell-readanddelightfulpersontheReverendLawrenceVealwas，George’smaster。”HeknowsEVERYTHING。”Ameliasaid。”Hehasthemostdelightfulparties。Youwhoaresolearnedyourself，andhavereadsomuch，andaresocleverandaccomplished——don’tshakeyourheadandsayno——HE
alwaysusedtosayyouwere——youwillbecharmedwithMr。Veal’sparties。ThelastTuesdayineverymonth。HesaysthereisnoplaceinthebarorthesenatethatGeorgymaynotaspireto。Lookhere。”andshewenttothepiano-draweranddrewoutathemeofGeorgy’scomposition。Thisgreateffortofgenius，whichisstillinthepossessionofGeorge’smother，isasfollows：
OnSelfishness——Ofalltheviceswhichdegradethehumancharacter，Selfishnessisthemostodiousandcontemptible。AnundueloveofSelfleadstothemostmonstrouscrimesandoccasionsthegreatestmisfortunesbothinStatesandFamilies。Asaselfishmanwillimpoverishhisfamilyandoftenbringthemtoruin，soaselfishkingbringsruinonhispeopleandoftenplungesthemintowar。
Example：TheselfishnessofAchilles，asremarkedbythepoetHomer，occasionedathousandwoestotheGreeks——muriAchaioisalgeetheke——Hom。Il。A。2。
TheselfishnessofthelateNapoleonBonaparteoccasionedinnumerablewarsinEuropeandcausedhimtoperish，himself，inamiserableisland——thatofSaintHelenaintheAtlanticOcean。
Weseebytheseexamplesthatwearenottoconsultourowninterestandambition，butthatwearetoconsidertheinterestsofothersaswellasourown。
GeorgeS。OsborneAtheneHouse，24April，1827
“Thinkofhimwritingsuchahand，andquotingGreektoo，athisage。”thedelightedmothersaid。”Oh，William。”
sheadded，holdingoutherhandtotheMajor，“whatatreasureHeavenhasgivenmeinthatboy！Heisthecomfortofmylife——andheistheimageof——ofhimthat’sgone！”
“OughtItobeangrywithherforbeingfaithfultohim？”Williamthought。”OughtItobejealousofmyfriendinthegrave，orhurtthatsuchaheartasAmelia’scanloveonlyonceandforever？Oh，George，George，howlittleyouknewtheprizeyouhad，though。”ThissentimentpassedrapidlythroughWilliam’smindashewasholdingAmelia’shand，whilstthehandkerchiefwasveilinghereyes。
“Dearfriend。”shesaid，pressingthehandwhichheldhers，“howgood，howkindyoualwayshavebeentome！
See！Papaisstirring。YouwillgoandseeGeorgytomorrow，won’tyou？”
“Notto-morrow。”saidpooroldDobbin。”Ihavebusiness。”Hedidnotliketoownthathehadnotasyetbeentohisparents’andhisdearsisterAnne——aremissnessforwhichIamsureeverywell-regulatedpersonwillblametheMajor。Andpresentlyhetookhisleave，leavinghisaddressbehindhimforJos，againstthelatter’sarrival。Andsothefirstdaywasover，andhehadseenher。
WhenhegotbacktotheSlaughters’，theroastfowlwasofcoursecold，inwhichconditionheateitforsupper。Andknowingwhatearlyhourshisfamilykept，andthatitwouldbeneedlesstodisturbtheirslumbersatsolateanhour，itisonrecord，thatMajorDobbintreatedhimselftohalf-priceattheHaymarketTheatrethatevening，whereletushopeheenjoyedhimself。
TheOldPianoTheMajor’svisitleftoldJohnSedleyinagreatstateofagitationandexcitement。Hisdaughtercouldnotinducehimtosettledowntohiscustomaryoccupationsoramusementsthatnight。Hepassedtheeveningfumblingamongsthisboxesanddesks，untyinghispaperswithtremblinghands，andsortingandarrangingthemagainstJos’sarrival。Hehadtheminthegreatestorder——histapesandhisfiles，hisreceipts，andhisletterswithlawyersandcorrespondents；thedocumentsrelativetothewineprojectwhichfailedfromamostunaccountableaccident，aftercommencingwiththemostsplendidprospects，thecoalprojectwhichonlyawantofcapitalpreventedfrombecomingthemostsuccessfulschemeeverputbeforethepublic，thepatentsaw-millsandsawdustconsolidationproject，&c。，&c。Allnight，untilaverylatehour，hepassedinthepreparationofthesedocuments，tremblingaboutfromoneroomtoanother，withaquiveringcandleandshakyhands。Here’sthewinepapers，here’sthesawdust，here’sthecoals；here’smyletterstoCalcuttaandMadras，andrepliesfromMajorDobbin，C。B。，andMr。JosephSedleytothesame。”HeshallfindnoirregularityaboutME，Emmy。”theoldgentlemansaid。
Emmysmiled。”Idon’tthinkJoswillcareaboutseeingthosepapers，Papa。”shesaid。
“Youdon’tknowanythingaboutbusiness，mydear。”
answeredthesire，shakinghisheadwithanimportantair。AnditmustbeconfessedthatonthispointEmmywasveryignorant，andthatisapitysomepeoplearesoknowing。Allthesetwopennydocumentsarrangedonasidetable，oldSedleycoveredthemcarefullyoverwithacleanbandannahandkerchiefoneoutofMajorDobbin’slotandenjoinedthemaidandlandladyofthehouse，inthemostsolemnway，nottodisturbthosepapers，whichwerearrangedforthearrivalofMr。JosephSedleythenextmorning，“Mr。JosephSedleyoftheHonourableEastIndiaCompany’sBengalCivilService。”
Ameliafoundhimupveryearlythenextmorning，moreeager，morehectic，andmoreshakythanever。”I
didn’tsleepmuch，Emmy，mydear。”hesaid。”IwasthinkingofmypoorBessy。Iwishshewasalive，torideinJos’scarriageonceagain。Shekeptherownandbecameitverywell。”Andhiseyesfilledwithtears，whichtrickleddownhisfurrowedoldface。Ameliawipedthemaway，andsmilinglykissedhim，andtiedtheoldman’sneckclothinasmartbow，andputhisbroochintohisbestshirtfrill，inwhich，inhisSundaysuitofmourning，hesatfromsixo’clockinthemorningawaitingthearrivalofhisson。
However，whenthepostmanmadehisappearance，thelittlepartywereputoutofsuspensebythereceiptofaletterfromJostohissister，whoannouncedthathefeltalittlefatiguedafterhisvoyage，andshouldnotbeabletomoveonthatday，butthathewouldleaveSouthamptonearlythenextmorningandbewithhisfatherandmotheratevening。Amelia，asshereadoutthelettertoherfather，pausedoverthelatterword；herbrother，itwasclear，didnotknowwhathadhappenedinthefamily。
Norcouldhe，forthefactisthat，thoughtheMajorrightlysuspectedthathistravellingcompanionneverwouldbegotintomotioninsoshortaspaceastwenty-