Theoldmanclungtohisdaughterduringthissickness。Hewouldtakehisbrothsandmedicinesfromscarcelyanyotherhand。Totendhimbecamealmostthesolebusinessofherlife。Herbedwasplacedclosebythedoorwhichopenedintohischamber，andshewasaliveattheslightestnoiseordisturbancefromthecouchofthequerulousinvalid。Though，todohimjustice，helayawakemanyanhour，silentandwithoutstirring，unwillingtoawakenhiskindandvigilantnurse。
Helovedhisdaughterwithmorefondnessnow，perhaps，thaneverhehaddonesincethedaysofherchildhood。Inthedischargeofgentleofficesandkindfilialduties，thissimplecreatureshonemostespecially。”Shewalksintotheroomassilentlyasasunbeam。”Mr。
Dobbinthoughtashesawherpassinginandoutfromherfather’sroom，acheerfulsweetnesslightingupherfaceasshemovedtoandfro，gracefulandnoiseless。Whenwomenarebroodingovertheirchildren，orbusiedinasick-room，whohasnotseenintheirfacesthosesweetangelicbeamsofloveandpity？
Asecretfeudofsomeyears’standingwasthushealed，andwithatacitreconciliation。Intheselasthours，andtouchedbyherloveandgoodness，theoldmanforgotallhisgriefagainsther，andwrongswhichheandhiswifehadmanyalongnightdebated：howshehadgivenupeverythingforherboy；howshewascarelessofherparentsintheiroldageandmisfortune，andonlythoughtofthechild；howabsurdlyandfoolishly，impiouslyindeed，shetookonwhenGeorgewasremovedfromher。OldSedleyforgotthesechargesashewasmakinguphislastaccount，anddidjusticetothegentleanduncomplaininglittlemartyr。Onenightwhenshestoleintohisroom，shefoundhimawake，whenthebrokenoldmanmadehisconfession。”Oh，Emmy，I’vebeenthinkingwewereveryunkindandunjusttoyou。”
hesaidandputouthiscoldandfeeblehandtoher。Shekneltdownandprayedbyhisbedside，ashedidtoo，havingstillholdofherhand。Whenourturncomes，friend，maywehavesuchcompanyinourprayers！
Perhapsashewaslyingawakethen，hislifemayhavepassedbeforehim——hisearlyhopefulstruggles，hismanlysuccessesandprosperity，hisdownfallinhisdecliningyears，andhispresenthelplesscondition——nochanceofrevengeagainstFortune，whichhadhadthebetterofhim——neithernamenormoneytobequeath——aspent-out，bootlesslifeofdefeatanddisappointment，andtheendhere！Which，Iwonder，brotherreader，isthebetterlot，todieprosperousandfamous，orpooranddisappointed？Tohave，andtobeforcedtoyield；ortosinkoutoflife，havingplayedandlostthegame？Thatmustbeastrangefeeling，whenadayofourlifecomesandwesay，“To-morrow，successorfailurewon’tmattermuch，andthesunwillrise，andallthemyriadsofmankindgototheirworkortheirpleasureasusual，butIshallbeoutoftheturmoil。”
Sotherecameonemorningandsunrisewhenalltheworldgotupandsetaboutitsvariousworksandpleasures，withtheexceptionofoldJohnSedley，whowasnottofightwithfortune，ortohopeorschemeanymore，buttogoandtakeupaquietandutterlyunknownresidenceinachurchyardatBromptonbythesideofhisoldwife。
MajorDobbin，Jos，andGeorgyfollowedhisremainstothegrave，inablackclothcoach。JoscameonpurposefromtheStarandGarteratRichmond，whitherheretreatedafterthedeplorableevent。Hedidnotcaretoremaininthehouse，withthe——underthecircumstances，youunderstand。ButEmmystayedanddidherdutyasusual。Shewasboweddownbynoespecialgrief，andrathersolemnthansorrowful。Sheprayedthatherownendmightbeascalmandpainless，andthoughtwithtrustandreverenceofthewordswhichshehadheardfromherfatherduringhisillness，indicativeofhisfaith，hisresignation，andhisfuturehope。
Yes，Ithinkthatwillbethebetterendingofthetwo，afterall。Supposeyouareparticularlyrichandwell-to-
doandsayonthatlastday，“Iamveryrich；Iamtolerablywellknown；Ihavelivedallmylifeinthebestsociety，andthankHeaven，comeofamostrespectablefamily。IhaveservedmyKingandcountrywithhonour。
IwasinParliamentforseveralyears，where，Imaysay，myspeecheswerelistenedtoandprettywellreceived。
Idon’toweanymanashilling：onthecontrary，Ilentmyoldcollegefriend，JackLazarus，fiftypounds，forwhichmyexecutorswillnotpresshim。Ileavemydaughterswithtenthousandpoundsapiece——verygoodportionsforgirls；Ibequeathmyplateandfurniture，myhouseinBakerStreet，withahandsomejointure，tomywidowforherlife；andmylandedproperty，besidesmoneyinthefunds，andmycellarofwell-selectedwineinBakerStreet，tomyson。Ileavetwentypoundayeartomyvalet；andIdefyanymanafterIhavegonetofindanythingagainstmycharacter。”Orsuppose，ontheotherhand，yourswansingsquiteadifferentsortofdirgeandyousay。”Iamapoorblighted，disappointedoldfellow，andhavemadeanutterfailurethroughlife。Iwasnotendowedeitherwithbrainsorwithgoodfortune，andconfessthatIhavecommittedahundredmistakesandblunders。
Iowntohavingforgottenmydutymanyatime。Ican’tpaywhatIowe。OnmylastbedIlieutterlyhelplessandhumble，andIprayforgivenessformyweaknessandthrowmyself，withacontriteheart，atthefeetoftheDivineMercy。”Whichofthesetwospeeches，thinkyou，wouldbethebestorationforyourownfuneral？
OldSedleymadethelast；andinthathumbleframeofmind，andholdingbythehandofhisdaughter，lifeanddisappointmentandvanitysankawayfromunderhim。
“Yousee。”saidoldOsbornetoGeorge，“whatcomesofmerit，andindustry，andjudiciousspeculations，andthat。Lookatmeandmybanker’saccount。LookatyourpoorGrandfatherSedleyandhisfailure。AndyethewasabettermanthanIwas，thisdaytwentyyears——abetterman，Ishouldsay，bytenthousandpound。”
BeyondthesepeopleandMr。Clapp’sfamily，whocameoverfromBromptontopayavisitofcondolence，notasinglesoulaliveevercaredapennypieceaboutoldJohnSedley，orrememberedtheexistenceofsuchaperson。
WhenoldOsbornefirstheardfromhisfriendColonelBuckleraslittleGeorgyhadalreadyinformedushowdistinguishedanofficerMajorDobbinwas，heexhibitedagreatdealofscornfulincredulityandexpressedhissurprisehoweversuchafellerasthatshouldpossesseitherbrainsorreputation。ButheheardoftheMajor’sfamefromvariousmembersofhissociety。SirWilliamDobbinhadagreatopinionofhissonandnarratedmanystoriesillustrativeoftheMajor’slearning，valour，andestimationintheworld’sopinion。Finally，hisnameappearedinthelistsofoneortwogreatpartiesofthenobility，andthiscircumstancehadaprodigiouseffectupontheoldaristocratofRussellSquare。
TheMajor’sposition，asguardiantoGeorgy，whosepossessionhadbeencededtohisgrandfather，renderedsomemeetingsbetweenthetwogentlemeninevitable；
anditwasinoneofthesethatoldOsborne，akeenmanofbusiness，lookingintotheMajor’saccountswithhiswardandtheboy’smother，gotahint，whichstaggeredhimverymuch，andatoncepainedandpleasedhim，thatitwasoutofWilliamDobbin’sownpocketthatapartofthefundhadbeensupplieduponwhichthepoorwidowandthechildhadsubsisted。
Whenpresseduponthepoint，Dobbin，whocouldnottelllies，blushedandstammeredagooddealandfinallyconfessed。”Themarriage。”hesaidatwhichhisinterlocutor’sfacegrewdark“wasverymuchmydoing。I
thoughtmypoorfriendhadgonesofarthatretreatfromhisengagementwouldhavebeendishonourtohimanddeathtoMrs。Osborne，andIcoulddonoless，whenshewasleftwithoutresources，thangivewhatmoneyIcouldsparetomaintainher。”
“MajorD……”Mr。Osbornesaid，lookinghardathimandturningveryredtoo——“youdidmeagreatinjury；butgivemeleavetotellyou，sir，youareanhonestfeller。
There’smyhand，sir，thoughIlittlethoughtthatmyfleshandbloodwaslivingonyou——“andthepairshookhands，withgreatconfusiononMajorDobbin’spart，thusfoundoutinhisactofcharitablehypocrisy。
Hestrovetosoftentheoldmanandreconcilehimtowardshisson’smemory。”Hewassuchanoblefellow。”
hesaid，“thatallofuslovedhim，andwouldhavedoneanythingforhim。I，asayoungmaninthosedays，wasflatteredbeyondmeasurebyhispreferenceforme，andwasmorepleasedtobeseeninhiscompanythaninthatoftheCommander-in-Chief。Ineversawhisequalforpluckanddaringandallthequalitiesofasoldier“；
andDobbintoldtheoldfatherasmanystoriesashecouldrememberregardingthegallantryandachievementsofhisson。”AndGeorgyissolikehim。”theMajoradded。
“He’ssolikehimthathemakesmetremblesometimes。”
thegrandfathersaid。
OnoneortwoeveningstheMajorcametodinewithMr。OsborneitwasduringthetimeofthesicknessofMr。Sedley，andasthetwosattogetherintheeveningafterdinner，alltheirtalkwasaboutthedepartedhero。
Thefatherboastedabouthimaccordingtohiswont，glorifyinghimselfinrecountinghisson’sfeatsandgallantry，buthismoodwasatanyratebetterandmorecharitablethanthatinwhichhehadbeendisposeduntilnowtoregardthepoorfellow；andtheChristianheartofthekindMajorwaspleasedatthesesymptomsofreturningpeaceandgood-will。OnthesecondeveningoldOsbornecalledDobbinWilliam，justasheusedtodoatthetimewhenDobbinandGeorgewereboystogether，andthehonestgentlemanwaspleasedbythatmarkofreconciliation。
Onthenextdayatbreakfast，whenMissOsborne，withtheasperityofherageandcharacter，venturedtomakesomeremarkreflectingslightinglyupontheMajor’sappearanceorbehaviour——themasterofthehouseinterruptedher。”You’dhavebeengladenoughtogithimforyourself，MissO。Butthemgrapesaresour。Ha！ha！
MajorWilliamisafinefeller。”
“Thatheis，Grandpapa。”saidGeorgyapprovingly；
andgoingupclosetotheoldgentleman，hetookaholdofhislargegreywhiskers，andlaughedinhisfacegood-humouredly，andkissedhim。Andhetoldthestoryatnighttohismother，whofullyagreedwiththeboy。
“Indeedheis。”shesaid。”Yourdearfatheralwayssaidso。
Heisoneofthebestandmostuprightofmen。”Dobbinhappenedtodropinverysoonafterthisconversation，whichmadeAmeliablushperhaps，andtheyoungscapegraceincreasedtheconfusionbytellingDobbintheotherpartofthestory。”Isay，Dob。”hesaid，“there’ssuchanuncommonnicegirlwantstomarryyou。She’splentyoftin；shewearsafront；andshescoldstheservantsfrommorningtillnight。”“Whoisit？”askedDobbin。
“It’sAuntO……”theboyanswered。”Grandpapasaidso。AndIsay，Dob，howprimeitwouldbetohaveyouformyuncle。”OldSedley’squaveringvoicefromthenextroomatthismomentweaklycalledforAmelia，andthelaughingended。
ThatoldOsborne’smindwaschangingwasprettyclear。
HeaskedGeorgeabouthisunclesometimes，andlaughedattheboy’simitationofthewayinwhichJossaid“God-bless-my-soul“andgobbledhissoup。Thenhesaid。”It’snotrespectful，sir，ofyouyounkerstobeimitatingofyourrelations。MissO。，whenyougooutadrivingto-day，leavemycarduponMr。Sedley，doyouhear？
There’snoquarrelbetwigstmeandhimanyhow。”
Thecardwasreturned，andJosandtheMajorwereaskedtodinner——toadinnerthemostsplendidandstupidthatperhapseverMr。Osbornegave；everyinchofthefamilyplatewasexhibited，andthebestcompanywasasked。Mr。SedleytookdownMissO。todinner，andshewasverygracioustohim；whereasshehardlyspoketotheMajor，whosatapartfromher，andbythesideofMr。Osborne，verytimid。Jossaid，withgreatsolemnity，itwasthebestturtlesouphehadevertastedinhislife，andaskedMr。OsbornewherehegothisMadeira。
“ItissomeofSedley’swine。”whisperedthebutlertohismaster。”I’vehaditalongtime，andpaidagoodfigureforit，too。”Mr。Osbornesaidaloudtohisguest，andthenwhisperedtohisright-handneighbourhowhehadgotit“attheoldchap’ssale。”
MorethanonceheaskedtheMajorabout——aboutMrs。
GeorgeOsborne——athemeonwhichtheMajorcouldbeveryeloquentwhenhechose。HetoldMr。Osborneofhersufferings——ofherpassionateattachmenttoherhusband，whosememorysheworshippedstill——ofthetenderanddutifulmannerinwhichshehadsupportedherparents，andgivenupherboy，whenitseemedtoherherdutytodoso。”Youdon’tknowwhatsheendured，sir。”
saidhonestDobbinwithatremorinhisvoice，“andI
hopeandtrustyouwillbereconciledtoher。Ifshetookyoursonawayfromyou，shegaveherstoyou；
andhowevermuchyoulovedyourGeorge，dependonit，shelovedherstentimesmore。”