IfweweretogiveafullaccountofherproceedingsduringacoupleofyearsthatfollowedaftertheCurzonStreetcatastrophe，theremightbesomereasonforpeopletosaythisbookwasimproper。Theactionsofveryvain，heartless，pleasure-seekingpeopleareveryoftenimproperasaremanyofyours，myfriendwiththegravefaceandspotlessreputation——butthatismerelybytheway；andwhatarethoseofawomanwithoutfaith——orlove——orcharacter？AndIaminclinedtothinkthattherewasaperiodinMrsBecky’slifewhenshewasseized，notbyremorse，butbyakindofdespair，andabsolutelyneglectedherpersonanddidnotevencareforherreputation。
Thisabattementanddegradationdidnottakeplaceallatonce；itwasbroughtaboutbydegrees，afterhercalamity，andaftermanystrugglestokeepup——asamanwhogoesoverboardhangsontoasparwhilstanyhopeisleft，andthenflingsitawayandgoesdown，whenhefindsthatstrugglingisinvain。
ShelingeredaboutLondonwhilstherhusbandwasmakingpreparationsforhisdeparturetohisseatofgovernment，anditisbelievedmademorethanoneattempttoseeherbrother-in-law，SirPittCrawley，andtoworkuponhisfeelings，whichshehadalmostenlistedinherfavour。AsSirPittandMr。WenhamwerewalkingdowntotheHouseofCommons，thelatterspiedMrs。Rawdoninablackveil，andlurkingnearthepalaceofthelegislature。ShesneakedawaywhenhereyesmetthoseofWenham，andindeedneversucceededinherdesignsupontheBaronet。
ProbablyLadyJaneinterposed。Ihaveheardthatshequiteastonishedherhusbandbythespiritwhichsheexhibitedinthisquarrel，andherdeterminationtodisownMrs。Becky。Ofherownmovement，sheinvitedRawdontocomeandstopinGauntStreetuntilhisdepartureforCoventryIsland，knowingthatwithhimforaguardMrs。
Beckywouldnottrytoforceherdoor；andshelookedcuriouslyatthesuperscriptionsofalltheletterswhicharrivedforSirPitt，lestheandhissister-in-lawshouldbecorresponding。NotbutthatRebeccacouldhavewrittenhadsheamind，butshedidnottrytoseeortowritetoPittathisownhouse，andafteroneortwoattemptsconsentedtohisdemandthatthecorrespondenceregardingherconjugaldifferencesshouldbecarriedonbylawyersonly。
ThefactwasthatPitt’smindhadbeenpoisonedagainsther。AshorttimeafterLordSteyne’saccidentWenhamhadbeenwiththeBaronetandgivenhimsuchabiographyofMrs。BeckyashadastonishedthememberforQueen’sCrawley。Hekneweverythingregardingher：
whoherfatherwas；inwhatyearhermotherdancedattheopera；whathadbeenherprevioushistory；andwhatherconductduringhermarriedlife——asIhavenodoubtthatthegreaterpartofthestorywasfalseanddictatedbyinterestedmalevolence，itshallnotberepeatedhere。ButBeckywasleftwithasadsadreputationintheesteemofacountrygentlemanandrelativewhohadbeenonceratherpartialtoher。
TherevenuesoftheGovernorofCoventryIslandarenotlarge。ApartofthemweresetasidebyhisExcellencyforthepaymentofcertainoutstandingdebtsandliabilities，thechargesincidentonhishighsituationrequiredconsiderableexpense；finally，itwasfoundthathecouldnotsparetohiswifemorethanthreehundredpoundsayear，whichheproposedtopaytoheronanundertakingthatshewouldnevertroublehim。
Otherwise，scandal，separation，Doctors’Commonswouldensue。ButitwasMr。Wenham’sbusiness，LordSteyne’sbusiness，Rawdon’s，everybody’s——togetheroutofthecountry，andhushupamostdisagreeableaffair。
Shewasprobablysomuchoccupiedinarrangingtheseaffairsofbusinesswithherhusband’slawyersthatsheforgottotakeanystepwhateveraboutherson，thelittleRawdon，anddidnotevenonceproposetogoandseehim。Thatyounggentlemanwasconsignedtotheentireguardianshipofhisauntanduncle，theformerofwhomhadalwayspossessedagreatshareofthechild’saffection。HismammawrotehimaneatletterfromBoulogne，whenshequittedEngland，inwhichsherequestedhimtomindhisbook，andsaidshewasgoingtotakeaContinentaltour，duringwhichshewouldhavethepleasureofwritingtohimagain。Butsheneverdidforayearafterwards，andnot，indeed，untilSirPitt’sonlyboy，alwayssickly，diedofhooping-coughandmeasles——thenRawdon’smammawrotethemostaffectionatecompositiontoherdarlingson，whowasmadeheirofQueen’sCrawleybythisaccident，anddrawnmorecloselythanevertothekindlady，whosetenderhearthadalreadyadoptedhim。RawdonCrawley，thengrownatall，finelad，blushedwhenhegottheletter。”Oh，AuntJane，youaremymother！”hesaid；“andnot——andnotthatone。”
ButhewrotebackakindandrespectfullettertoMrs。
Rebecca，thenlivingataboarding-houseatFlorence。
Butweareadvancingmatters。
OurdarlingBecky’sfirstflightwasnotveryfar。SheperchedupontheFrenchcoastatBoulogne，thatrefugeofsomuchexiledEnglishinnocence，andtherelivedinratheragenteel，widowedmanner，withafemmedechambreandacoupleofrooms，atanhotel。Shedinedatthetabled’hote，wherepeoplethoughtherverypleasant，andwheresheentertainedherneighboursbystoriesofherbrother，SirPitt，andhergreatLondonacquaintance，talkingthateasy，fashionableslip-slopwhichhassomucheffectuponcertainfolksofsmallbreeding。Shepassedwithmanyofthemforapersonofimportance；
shegavelittletea-partiesinherprivateroomandsharedintheinnocentamusementsoftheplaceinsea-bathing，andinjauntsinopencarriages，instrollsonthesands，andinvisitstotheplay。Mrs。Burjoice，theprinter’slady，whowasboardingwithherfamilyatthehotelforthesummer，andtowhomherBurjoicecameofaSaturdayandSunday，votedhercharming，untilthatlittlerogueofaBurjoicebegantopayhertoomuchattention。Buttherewasnothinginthestory，onlythatBeckywasalwaysaffable，easy，andgood-natured——andwithmenespecially。
Numbersofpeopleweregoingabroadasusualattheendoftheseason，andBeckyhadplentyofopportunitiesoffindingoutbythebehaviourofheracquaintancesofthegreatLondonworldtheopinionof“society“asregardedherconduct。OnedayitwasLadyPartletandherdaughterswhomBeckyconfrontedasshewaswalkingmodestlyonBoulognepier，thecliffsofAlbionshininginthedistanceacrossthedeepbluesea。LadyPartletmarshalledallherdaughtersroundherwithasweepofherparasolandretreatedfromthepier，dartingsavageglancesatpoorlittleBeckywhostoodalonethere。
Onanotherdaythepacketcamein。Ithadbeenblowingfresh，anditalwayssuitedBecky’shumourtoseethedrollwoe-begonefacesofthepeopleastheyemergedfromtheboat。LadySlingstonehappenedtobeonboardthisday。Herladyshiphadbeenexceedinglyillinhercarriage，andwasgreatlyexhaustedandscarcelyfittowalkuptheplankfromtheshiptothepier。ButallherenergiesralliedtheinstantshesawBeckysmilingroguishlyunderapinkbonnet，andgivingheraglanceofscornsuchaswouldhaveshrivelledupmostwomen，shewalkedintotheCustomHousequiteunsupported。Beckyonlylaughed：butIdon’tthinkshelikedit。Shefeltshewasalone，quitealone，andthefar-offshiningcliffsofEnglandwereimpassabletoher。
ThebehaviourofthemenhadundergonetooIdon’tknowwhatchange。Grinstoneshowedhisteethandlaughedinherfacewithafamiliaritythatwasnotpleasant。
LittleBobSuckling，whowascapinhandtoherthreemonthsbefore，andwouldwalkamileintheraintoseeforhercarriageinthelineatGauntHouse，wastalkingtoFitzoofoftheGuardsLordHeehaw’sson
onedayuponthejetty，asBeckytookherwalkthere。
LittleBobbynoddedtoheroverhisshoulder，withoutmovinghishat，andcontinuedhisconversationwiththeheirofHeehaw。TomRaikestriedtowalkintohersitting-roomattheinnwithacigarinhismouth，butsheclosedthedooruponhim，andwouldhavelockedit，onlythathisfingerswereinside。Shebegantofeelthatshewasverylonelyindeed。”IfHE’Dbeenhere。”shesaid。”thosecowardswouldneverhavedaredtoinsultme。”
Shethoughtabout“him“withgreatsadnessandperhapslonging——abouthishonest，stupid，constantkindnessandfidelity；hisnever-ceasingobedience；hisgoodhumour；hisbraveryandcourage。Verylikelyshecried，forshewasparticularlylively，andhadputonalittleextrarouge，whenshecamedowntodinner。
Sherougedregularlynow；and——andhermaidgotCognacforherbesidesthatwhichwaschargedinthehotelbill。
Perhapstheinsultsofthemenwerenot，however，sointolerabletoherasthesympathyofcertainwomen。
Mrs。CrackenburyandMrs。WashingtonWhitepassedthroughBoulogneontheirwaytoSwitzerland。~ThepartywereprotectedbyColonelHorner，youngBeaumoris，andofcourseoldCrackenbury，andMrs。White’slittlegirl。
THEYdidnotavoidher。Theygiggled，cackled，tattled，condoled，consoled，andpatronizedheruntiltheydroveheralmostwildwithrage。TobepatronizedbyTHEM！
shethought，astheywentawaysimperingafterkissingher。AndsheheardBeaumoris’slaughringingonthestairandknewquitewellhowtointerprethishilarity。
ItwasafterthisvisitthatBecky，whohadpaidherweeklybills，Beckywhohadmadeherselfagreeabletoeverybodyinthehouse，whosmiledatthelandlady，calledthewaiters“monsieur。”andpaidthechambermaidsinpolitenessandapologies，whatfarmorethancompensatedforalittleniggardlinessinpointofmoneyofwhichBeckyneverwasfree，thatBecky，wesay，receivedanoticetoquitfromthelandlord，whohadbeentoldbysomeonethatshewasquiteanunfitpersontohaveathishotel，whereEnglishladieswouldnotsitdownwithher。Andshewasforcedtoflyintolodgingsofwhichthedulnessandsolitudeweremostwearisometoher。
Stillsheheldup，inspiteoftheserebuffs，andtriedtomakeacharacterforherselfandconquerscandal。Shewenttochurchveryregularlyandsanglouderthananybodythere。Shetookupthecauseofthewidowsoftheshipwreckedfishermen，andgaveworkanddrawingsfortheQuashybooMission；shesubscribedtotheAssemblyandWOULDN’Twaltz。Inaword，shedideverythingthatwasrespectable，andthatiswhywedwelluponthispartofhercareerwithmorefondnessthanuponsubsequentpartsofherhistory，whicharenotsopleasant。
Shesawpeopleavoidingher，andstilllaboriouslysmileduponthem；younevercouldsupposefromhercountenancewhatpangsofhumiliationshemightbeenduringinwardly。
Herhistorywasafterallamystery。Partiesweredividedabouther。Somepeoplewhotookthetroubletobusythemselvesinthemattersaidthatshewasthecriminal，whilstothersvowedthatshewasasinnocentasalambandthatherodioushusbandwasinfault。
Shewonoveragoodmanybyburstingintotearsaboutherboyandexhibitingthemostfranticgriefwhenhisnamewasmentioned，orshesawanybodylikehim。ShegainedgoodMrs。Alderney’sheartinthatway，whowasrathertheQueenofBritishBoulogneandgavethemostdinnersandballsofalltheresidentsthere，byweepingwhenMasterAlderneycamefromDr。Swishtail’sacademytopasshisholidayswithhismother。”HeandherRawdonwereofthesameage，andsolike。”Beckysaidinavoicechokingwithagony；whereastherewasfiveyears’differencebetweentheboys’ages，andnomorelikenessbetweenthemthanbetweenmyrespectedreaderandhishumbleservant。Wenham，whenhewasgoingabroad，onhiswaytoKissingentojoinLordSteyne，enlightenedMrs。AlderneyonthispointandtoldherhowhewasmuchmoreabletodescribelittleRawdonthanhismamma，whonotoriouslyhatedhimandneversawhim；howhewasthirteenyearsold，whilelittleAlderneywasbutnine，fair，whiletheotherdarlingwasdark——inaword，causedtheladyinquestiontorepentofhergoodhumour。
WheneverBeckymadealittlecircleforherselfwithincredibletoilsandlabour，somebodycameandsweptitdownrudely，andshehadallherworktobeginoveragain。Itwasveryhard；veryhard；lonelyanddisheartening。
TherewasMrs。Newbright，whotookherupforsometime，attractedbythesweetnessofhersingingatchurchandbyherproperviewsuponserioussubjects，concerningwhichinformerdays，atQueen’sCrawley，Mrs。