SoBecky，whohadarrivedinthediligencefromFlorence，andwaslodgedataninninaverymodestway，gotacardforPrincePolonia’sentertainment，andhermaiddressedherwithunusualcare，andshewenttothisfineballleaningonthearmofMajorLoder，withwhomshehappenedtobetravellingatthetime——thesamemanwhoshotPrinceRavoliatNaplesthenextyear，andwascanedbySirJohnBuckskinforcarryingfourkingsinhishatbesidesthosewhichheusedinplayingatecarte——andthispairwentintotheroomstogether，andBeckysawanumberofoldfaceswhichsherememberedinhappierdays，whenshewasnotinnocent，butnotfoundout。MajorLoderknewagreatnumberofforeigners，keen-lookingwhiskeredmenwithdirtystripedribbonsintheirbuttonholes，andaverysmalldisplayoflinen；buthisowncountrymen，itmightberemarked，eschewedtheMajor。Becky，too，knewsomeladieshereandthere——Frenchwidows，dubiousItaliancountesses，whosehusbandshadtreatedthemill——faugh——whatshallwesay，wewhohavemovedamongsomeofthefinestcompanyofVanityFair，ofthisrefuseandsedimentofrascals？Ifweplay，letitbewithcleancards，andnotwiththisdirtypack。Buteverymanwhohasformedoneoftheinnumerablearmyoftravellershasseenthesemaraudingirregularshangingon，likeNymandPistol，tothemainforce，wearingtheking’scoloursandboastingofhiscommission，butpillagingforthemselves，andoccasionallygibbetedbytheroadside。
Well，shewashangingonthearmofMajorLoder，andtheywentthroughtheroomstogether，anddrankagreatquantityofchampagneatthebuffet，wherethepeople，andespeciallytheMajor’sirregularcorps，struggledfuriouslyforrefreshments，ofwhichwhenthepairhadhadenough，theypushedonuntiltheyreachedtheDuchess’sownpinkvelvetsaloon，attheendofthesuiteofapartmentswherethestatueoftheVenusis，andthegreatVenicelooking-glasses，framedinsilver，andwheretheprincelyfamilywereentertainingtheirmostdistinguishedguestsataroundtableatsupper。ItwasjustsuchalittleselectbanquetasthatofwhichBeckyrecollectedthatshehadpartakenatLordSteyne’s——andtherehesatatPolonia’stable，andshesawhim。
Thescarcutbythediamondonhiswhite，bald，shiningforeheadmadeaburningredmark；hisredwhiskersweredyedofapurplehue，whichmadehispalefacelookstillpaler。Heworehiscollarandorders，hisblueribbonandgarter。HewasagreaterPrincethananythere，thoughtherewasareigningDukeandaRoyalHighness，withtheirprincesses，andnearhisLordshipwasseatedthebeautifulCountessofBelladonna，needeGlandier，whosehusbandtheCountPaolodellaBelladonna，sowellknownforhisbrilliantentomologicalcollections，hadbeenlongabsentonamissiontotheEmperorofMorocco。
WhenBeckybeheldthatfamiliarandillustriousface，howvulgarallofasuddendidMajorLoderappeartoher，andhowthatodiousCaptainRookdidsmelloftobacco！Inoneinstantshereassumedherfine-ladyshipandtriedtolookandfeelasifshewereinMayFaironcemore。”Thatwomanlooksstupidandill-humoured。”
shethought；“Iamsureshecan’tamusehim。No，hemustbeboredbyher——heneverwasbyme。”Ahundredsuchtouchinghopes，fears，andmemoriespalpitatedinherlittleheart，asshelookedwithherbrightesteyestherougewhichsheworeuptohereyelidsmadethemtwinkletowardsthegreatnobleman。OfaStarandGarternightLordSteyneusedalsotoputonhisgrandestmannerandtolookandspeaklikeagreatprince，ashewas。
Beckyadmiredhimsmilingsumptuously，easy，lofty，andstately。Ah，bonDieu，whatapleasantcompanionhewas，whatabrilliantwit，whatarichfundoftalk，whatagrandmanner！——andshehadexchangedthisforMajorLoder，reekingofcigarsandbrandy-and-water，andCaptainRookwithhishorsejockeyjokesandprize-ringslang，andtheirlike。”Iwonderwhetherhewillknowme。”shethought。LordSteynewastalkingandlaughingwithagreatandillustriousladyathisside，whenhelookedupandsawBecky。
Shewasalloverinaflutterastheireyesmet，andsheputontheverybestsmileshecouldmuster，anddroppedhimalittle，timid，imploringcurtsey。Hestaredaghastatherforaminute，asMacbethmightonbeholdingBanquo’ssuddenappearanceathisball-supper，andremainedlookingatherwithopenmouth，whenthathorridMajorLoderpulledheraway。
“Comeawayintothesupper-room，Mrs。R……”wasthatgentleman’sremark：“seeingthesenobsgrubbingawayhasmademepeckishtoo。Let’sgoandtrytheoldgovernor’schampagne。”BeckythoughttheMajorhadhadagreatdealtoomuchalready。
ThedayaftershewenttowalkonthePincianHill——
theHydeParkoftheRomanidlers——possiblyinhopestohaveanothersightofLordSteyne。Butshemetanotheracquaintancethere：itwasMr。Fiche，hislordship’sconfidentialman，whocameupnoddingtoherratherfamiliarlyandputtingafingertohishat。”IknewthatMadamewashere。”hesaid；“Ifollowedherfromherhotel。IhavesomeadvicetogiveMadame。”
“FromtheMarquisofSteyne？”Beckyasked，resumingasmuchofherdignityasshecouldmuster，andnotalittleagitatedbyhopeandexpectation。
“No。”saidthevalet；“itisfromme。Romeisveryunwholesome。”
“Notatthisseason，MonsieurFiche——nottillafterEaster。”
“ItellMadameitisunwholesomenow。Thereisalwaysmalariaforsomepeople。Thatcursedmarshwindkillsmanyatallseasons。Look，MadameCrawley，youwerealwaysbonenfant，andIhaveaninterestinyou，paroled’honneur。Bewarned。GoawayfromRome，Itellyou——
oryouwillbeillanddie。”
Beckylaughed，thoughinrageandfury。”What！
assassinatepoorlittleme？”shesaid。”Howromantic！Doesmylordcarrybravosforcouriers，andstilettosinthefourgons？Bah！Iwillstay，ifbuttoplaguehim。IhavethosewhowilldefendmewhilstIamhere。”
ItwasMonsieurFiche’sturntolaughnow。”Defendyou。”hesaid，“andwho？TheMajor，theCaptain，anyoneofthosegamblingmenwhomMadameseeswouldtakeherlifeforahundredlouis。WeknowthingsaboutMajorLoderheisnomoreaMajorthanIammyLordtheMarquiswhichwouldsendhimtothegalleysorworse。Weknoweverythingandhavefriendseverywhere。
WeknowwhomyousawatParis，andwhatrelationsyoufoundthere。Yes，Madamemaystare，butwedo。HowwasitthatnoministerontheContinentwouldreceiveMadame？Shehasoffendedsomebody：whoneverforgives——whoserageredoubledwhenhesawyou。Hewaslikeamadmanlastnightwhenhecamehome。MadamedeBelladonnamadehimasceneaboutyouandfiredoffinoneofherfuries。”
“Oh，itwasMadamedeBelladonna，wasit？”Beckysaid，relievedalittle，fortheinformationshehadjustgothadscaredher。
“No——shedoesnotmatter——sheisalwaysjealous。I
tellyouitwasMonseigneur。Youdidwrongtoshowyourselftohim。Andifyoustayhereyouwillrepentit。Markmywords。Go。Hereismylord’scarriage“——andseizingBecky’sarm，herusheddownanalleyofthegardenasLordSteyne’sbarouche，blazingwithheraldicdevices，camewhirlingalongtheavenue，bornebythealmostpricelesshorses，andbearingMadamedeBelladonnalollingonthecushions，dark，sulky，andblooming，aKingCharlesinherlap，awhiteparasolswayingoverherhead，andoldSteynestretchedathersidewithalividfaceandghastlyeyes。Hate，oranger，ordesirecausedthemtobrightennowandthenstill，butordinarily，theygavenolight，andseemedtiredoflookingoutonaworldofwhichalmostallthepleasureandallthebestbeautyhadpalledupontheworn-outwickedoldman。
“Monseigneurhasneverrecoveredtheshockofthatnight，never。”MonsieurFichewhisperedtoMrs。Crawleyasthecarriageflashedby，andshepeepedoutatitfrombehindtheshrubsthathidher。”Thatwasaconsolationatanyrate。”Beckythought。
WhethermylordreallyhadmurderousintentionstowardsMrs。BeckyasMonsieurFichesaidsinceMonseigneur’sdeathhehasreturnedtohisnativecountry，wherehelivesmuchrespected，andhaspurchasedfromhisPrincethetitleofBaronFicci，andthefactotumobjectedtohavetodowithassassination；orwhetherhesimplyhadacommissiontofrightenMrs。CrawleyoutofacitywherehisLordshipproposedtopassthewinter，andthesightofherwouldbeeminentlydisagreeabletothegreatnobleman，isapointwhichhasneverbeenascertained：butthethreathaditseffectuponthelittlewoman，andshesoughtnomoretointrudeherselfuponthepresenceofheroldpatron。
Everybodyknowsthemelancholyendofthatnobleman，whichbefellatNaplestwomonthsaftertheFrenchRevolutionof1830；whentheMostHonourableGeorgeGustavus，MarquisofSteyne，EarlofGauntandofGauntCastle，inthePeerageofIreland，ViscountHellborough，BaronPitchleyandGrillsby，aKnightoftheMostNobleOrderoftheGarter，oftheGoldenFleeceofSpain，oftheRussianOrderofSaintNicholasoftheFirstClass，oftheTurkishOrderoftheCrescent，FirstLordofthePowderClosetandGroomoftheBackStairs，ColoneloftheGauntorRegent’sOwnRegimentofMilitia，aTrusteeoftheBritishMuseum，anElderBrotheroftheTrinityHouse，aGovernoroftheWhiteFriars，andD。C。L——
diedafteraseriesoffitsbroughton，asthepaperssaid，bytheshockoccasionedtohislordship’ssensibilitiesbythedownfalloftheancientFrenchmonarchy。
Aneloquentcatalogueappearedinaweeklyprint，describinghisvirtues，hismagnificence，histalents，andhisgoodactions。Hissensibility，hisattachmenttotheillustriousHouseofBourbon，withwhichheclaimedanalliance，weresuchthathecouldnotsurvivethemisfortunesofhisaugustkinsmen。HisbodywasburiedatNaples，andhisheart——thatheartwhichalwaysbeatwitheverygenerousandnobleemotionwasbroughtbacktoCastleGauntinasilverurn。”Inhim。”Mr。Waggsaid。”thepoorandtheFineArtshavelostabeneficentpatron，societyoneofitsmostbrilliantornaments，andEnglandoneofherloftiestpatriotsandstatesmen。”&c。，&c。
Hiswillwasagooddealdisputed，andanattemptwasmadetoforcefromMadamedeBelladonnathecelebratedjewelcalledthe“Jew’s-eye“diamond，whichhislordshipalwaysworeonhisforefinger，andwhichitwassaidthatsheremovedfromitafterhislamenteddemise。
Buthisconfidentialfriendandattendant，MonsieurFicheprovedthattheringhadbeenpresentedtothesaidMadamedeBelladonnatwodaysbeforetheMarquis’sdeath，aswerethebank-notes，jewels，NeapolitanandFrenchbonds，&c。，foundinhislordship’ssecretaireandclaimedbyhisheirsfromthatinjuredwoman。
FullofBusinessandPleasureThedayafterthemeetingattheplay-table，Joshadhimselfarrayedwithunusualcareandsplendour，andwithoutthinkingitnecessarytosayawordtoanymemberofhisfamilyregardingtheoccurrencesofthepreviousnight，oraskingfortheircompanyinhiswalk，hesalliedforthatanearlyhour，andwaspresentlyseenmakinginquiriesatthedooroftheElephantHotel。Inconsequenceofthefetesthehousewasfullofcompany，thetablesinthestreetwerealreadysurroundedbypersonssmokinganddrinkingthenationalsmall-beer，thepublicroomswereinacloudofsmoke，andMr。Joshaving，inhispompousway，andwithhisclumsyGerman，madeinquiriesforthepersonofwhomhewasinsearch，wasdirectedtotheverytopofthehouse，abovethefirst-floorroomswheresometravellingpedlarshadlived，andwereexhibitingtheirjewelleryandbrocades；abovethesecond-
floorapartmentsoccupiedbytheetatmajorofthegamblingfirm；abovethethird-floorrooms，tenantedbythebandofrenownedBohemianvaultersandtumblers；andsoontothelittlecabinsoftheroof，where，amongstudents，bagmen，smalltradesmen，andcountry-folkscomeinforthefestival，Beckyhadfoundalittlenest——asdirtyalittlerefugeaseverbeautylayhidin。
Beckylikedthelife。Shewasathomewitheverybodyintheplace，pedlars，punters，tumblers，studentsandall。
Shewasofawild，rovingnature，inheritedfromfatherandmother，whowerebothBohemians，bytasteandcircumstance；ifalordwasnotby，shewouldtalktohiscourierwiththegreatestpleasure；thedin，thestir，thedrink，thesmoke，thetattleoftheHebrewpedlars，thesolemn，braggartwaysofthepoortumblers，thesournoistalkofthegambling-tableofficials，thesongsandswaggerofthestudents，andthegeneralbuzzandhumoftheplacehadpleasedandtickledthelittlewoman，evenwhenherluckwasdownandshehadnotwherewithaltopayherbill。HowpleasantwasallthebustletohernowthatherpursewasfullofthemoneywhichlittleGeorgyhadwonforherthenightbefore！
AsJoscamecreakingandpuffingupthefinalstairs，andwasspeechlesswhenhegottothelanding，andbegantowipehisfaceandthentolookforNo。92，theroomwherehewasdirectedtoseekforthepersonhewanted，thedooroftheoppositechamber，No。90，wasopen，andastudent，injack-bootsandadirtyschlafrock，waslyingonthebedsmokingalongpipe；whilstanotherstudentinlongyellowhairandabraidedcoat，exceedingsmartanddirtytoo，wasactuallyonhiskneesatNo。92，bawlingthroughthekeyholesupplicationstothepersonwithin。
“Goaway。”saidawell-knownvoice，whichmadeJosthrill，“Iexpectsomebody；Iexpectmygrandpapa。Hemustn’tseeyouthere。”
“AngelEnglanderinn！”bellowedthekneelingstudentwiththewhity-brownringletsandthelargefinger-ring。”dotakecompassionuponus。Makeanappointment。
DinewithmeandFritzattheinninthepark。Wewillhaveroastpheasantsandporter，plum-puddingandFrenchwine。Weshalldieifyoudon’t。”
“Thatwewill。”saidtheyoungnoblemanonthebed；
andthiscolloquyJosoverheard，thoughhedidnotcomprehendit，forthereasonthathehadneverstudiedthelanguageinwhichitwascarriedon。
“Newmerokattervangdooze，sivousplait。”Jossaidinhisgrandestmanner，whenhewasabletospeak。
“Quaterfangtooce！”saidthestudent，startingup，andhebouncedintohisownroom，wherehelockedthedoor，andwhereJosheardhimlaughingwithhiscomradeonthebed。