Shewasinhighspiritsandgoodhumour，andtrippedacrossthemarket-placeverybriskly。ShewantedtoseeJosthatinstant。TheMajorlaughedattheimpetuousaffectionMrs。Ameliaexhibited；for，intruth，itwasnotveryoftenthatshewantedherbrother“thatinstant。”
Theyfoundthecivilianinhissaloononthefirst-floor；
hehadbeenpacingtheroom，andbitinghisnails，andlookingoverthemarket-placetowardstheElephantahundredtimesatleastduringthepasthourwhilstEmmywasclosetedwithherfriendinthegarretandtheMajorwasbeatingthetattooonthesloppytablesofthepublicroombelow，andhewas，onhissidetoo，veryanxioustoseeMrs。Osborne。
“Well？”saidhe。
“Thepoordearcreature，howshehassuffered！”
Emmysaid。
“Godblessmysoul，yes。”Jossaid，wagginghishead，sothathischeeksquiveredlikejellies。
“ShemayhavePayne’sroom，whocangoupstairs。”
Emmycontinued。PaynewasastaidEnglishmaidandpersonalattendantuponMrs。Osborne，towhomthecourier，asindutybound，paidcourt，andwhomGeorgyusedto“lark“dreadfullywithaccountsofGermanrobbersandghosts。Shepassedhertimechieflyingrumbling，inorderingabouthermistress，andinstatingherintentiontoreturnthenextmorningtohernativevillageofClapham。”ShemayhavePayne’sroom。”Emmysaid。
“Why，youdon’tmeantosayyouaregoingtohavethatwomanintothehouse？”bouncedouttheMajor，jumpingup。
“Ofcourseweare。”saidAmeliainthemostinnocentwayintheworld。”Don’tbeangryandbreakthefurniture，MajorDobbin。Ofcoursewearegoingtohaveherhere。”
“Ofcourse，mydear。”Jossaid。
“Thepoorcreature，afterallhersufferings。”Emmycontinued；“herhorridbankerbrokenandrunaway；herhusband——wickedwretch——havingdesertedherandtakenherchildawayfromher“hereshedoubledhertwolittlefistsandheldtheminamostmenacingattitudebeforeher，sothattheMajorwascharmedtoseesuchadauntlessvirago“thepoordearthing！quitealoneandabsolutelyforcedtogivelessonsinsingingtogetherbread——andnothaveherhere！”
“Takelessons，mydearMrs。George。”criedtheMajor。”butdon’thaveherinthehouse。Iimploreyoudon’t。”
“Pooh。”saidJos。
“Youwhoarealwaysgoodandkind——alwaysusedtobeatanyrate——I’mastonishedatyou，MajorWilliam。”
Ameliacried。”Why，whatisthemomenttohelpherbutwhensheissomiserable？Nowisthetimetobeofservicetoher。TheoldestfriendIeverhad，andnot——“
“Shewasnotalwaysyourfriend，Amelia。”theMajorsaid，forhewasquiteangry。ThisallusionwastoomuchforEmmy，who，lookingtheMajoralmostfiercelyintheface，said，“Forshame，MajorDobbin！”andafterhavingfiredthisshot，shewalkedoutoftheroomwithamostmajesticairandshutherowndoorbrisklyonherselfandheroutrageddignity。
“ToalludetoTHAT！”shesaid，whenthedoorwasclosed。”Oh，itwascruelofhimtoremindmeofit。”andshelookedupatGeorge’spicture，whichhungthereasusual，withtheportraitoftheboyunderneath。”Itwascruelofhim。IfIhadforgivenit，oughthetohavespoken？No。AnditisfromhisownlipsthatIknowhowwickedandgroundlessmyjealousywas；andthatyouwerepure——oh，yes，youwerepure，mysaintinheaven！”
Shepacedtheroom，tremblingandindignant。Shewentandleanedonthechestofdrawersoverwhichthepicturehung，andgazedandgazedatit。Itseyesseemedtolookdownonherwithareproachthatdeepenedasshelooked。
Theearlydear，dearmemoriesofthatbriefprimeofloverushedbackuponher。Thewoundwhichyearshadscarcelycicatrizedbledafresh，andoh，howbitterly！Shecouldnotbearthereproachesofthehusbandtherebeforeher。Itcouldn’tbe。Never，never。
PoorDobbin；pooroldWilliam！Thatunluckywordhadundonetheworkofmanyayear——thelonglaboriousedificeofalifeofloveandconstancy——raisedtoouponwhatsecretandhiddenfoundations，whereinlayburiedpassions，uncountedstruggles，unknownsacrifices——alittlewordwasspoken，anddownfellthefairpalaceofhope——oneword，andawayflewthebirdwhichhehadbeentryingallhislifetolure！
William，thoughhesawbyAmelia’slooksthatagreatcrisishadcome，neverthelesscontinuedtoimploreSedley，inthemostenergeticterms，tobewareofRebecca；andheeagerly，almostfrantically，adjuredJosnottoreceiveher。HebesoughtMr。Sedleytoinquireatleastregardingher；toldhimhowhehadheardthatshewasinthecompanyofgamblersandpeopleofillrepute；pointedoutwhatevilshehaddoneinformerdays，howsheandCrawleyhadmisledpoorGeorgeintoruin，howshewasnowpartedfromherhusband，byherownconfession，and，perhaps，forgoodreason。Whatadangerouscompanionshewouldbeforhissister，whoknewnothingoftheaffairsoftheworld！WilliamimploredJos，withalltheeloquencewhichhecouldbringtobear，andagreatdealmoreenergythanthisquietgentlemanwasordinarilyinthehabitofshowing，tokeepRebeccaoutofhishousehold。
Hadhebeenlessviolent，ormoredexterous，hemighthavesucceededinhissupplicationstoJos；butthecivilianwasnotalittlejealousoftheairsofsuperioritywhichtheMajorconstantlyexhibitedtowardshim，ashefanciedindeed，hehadimpartedhisopinionstoMr。
Kirsch，thecourier，whosebillsMajorDobbincheckedonthisjourney，andwhosidedwithhismaster，andhebeganablusteringspeechabouthiscompetencytodefendhisownhonour，hisdesirenottohavehisaffairsmeddledwith，hisintention，infine，torebelagainsttheMajor，whenthecolloquy——ratheralongandstormyone——wasputanendtointhesimplestwaypossible，namely，bythearrivalofMrs。Becky，withaporterfromtheElephantHotelinchargeofherverymeagrebaggage。
Shegreetedherhostwithaffectionaterespectandmadeashrinking，butamicablesalutationtoMajorDobbin，who，asherinstinctassuredheratonce，washerenemy，andhadbeenspeakingagainsther；andthebustleandclatterconsequentuponherarrivalbroughtAmeliaoutofherroom。Emmywentupandembracedherguestwiththegreatestwarmth，andtooknonoticeoftheMajor，excepttoflinghimanangrylook——themostunjustandscornfulglancethathadperhapseverappearedinthatpoorlittlewoman’sfacesinceshewasborn。Butshehadprivatereasonsofherown，andwasbentuponbeingangrywithhim。AndDobbin，indignantattheinjustice，notatthedefeat，wentoff，makingherabowquiteashaughtyasthekillingcurtseywithwhichthelittlewomanchosetobidhimfarewell。
Hebeinggone，EmmywasparticularlylivelyandaffectionatetoRebecca，andbustledabouttheapartmentsandinstalledherguestinherroomwithaneagernessandactivityseldomexhibitedbyourplacidlittlefriend。Butwhenanactofinjusticeistobedone，especiallybyweakpeople，itisbestthatitshouldbedonequickly，andEmmythoughtshewasdisplayingagreatdealoffirmnessandproperfeelingandvenerationforthelateCaptainOsborneinherpresentbehaviour。
Georgycameinfromthefetesfordinner-timeandfoundfourcoverslaidasusual；butoneoftheplaceswasoccupiedbyalady，insteadofbyMajorDobbin。
“Hullo！where’sDob？”theyounggentlemanaskedwithhisusualsimplicityoflanguage。”MajorDobbinisdiningout，Isuppose。”hismothersaid，and，drawingtheboytoher，kissedhimagreatdeal，andputhishairoffhisforehead，andintroducedhimtoMrs。Crawley。”Thisismyboy，Rebecca。”Mrs。Osbornesaid——asmuchastosay——cantheworldproduceanythinglikethat？Beckylookedathimwithraptureandpressedhishandfondly。
“Dearboy！”shesaid——“heisjustlikemy——“Emotionchokedherfurtherutterance，butAmeliaunderstood，aswellasifshehadspoken，thatBeckywasthinkingofherownblessedchild。However，thecompanyofherfriendconsoledMrs。Crawley，andsheateaverygooddinner。
Duringtherepast，shehadoccasiontospeakseveraltimes，whenGeorgyeyedherandlistenedtoher。AtthedesertEmmywasgoneouttosuperintendfurtherdomesticarrangements；JoswasinhisgreatchairdozingoverGalignani；Georgyandthenewarrivalsatclosetoeachother——hehadcontinuedtolookatherknowinglymorethanonce，andatlasthelaiddownthenutcrackers。
“Isay。”saidGeorgy。
“Whatdoyousay？”Beckysaid，laughing。
“You’retheladyIsawinthemaskattheRougeetNoir。”
“Hush！youlittleslycreature。”Beckysaid，takinguphishandandkissingit。”Yourunclewastheretoo，andMammamustn’tknow。”
“Oh，no——notbynomeans。”answeredthelittlefellow。
“Youseewearequitegoodfriendsalready。”BeckysaidtoEmmy，whonowre-entered；anditmustbeownedthatMrs。Osbornehadintroducedamostjudiciousandamiablecompanionintoherhouse。
William，inastateofgreatindignation，thoughstillunawareofallthetreasonthatwasinstoreforhim，walkedaboutthetownwildlyuntilhefellupontheSecretaryofLegation，Tapeworm，whoinvitedhimtodinner。Astheywerediscussingthatmeal，hetookoccasiontoasktheSecretarywhetherheknewanythingaboutacertainMrs。RawdonCrawley，whohad，hebelieved，madesomenoiseinLondon；andthenTapeworm，whoofcourseknewalltheLondongossip，andwasbesidesarelativeofLadyGaunt，pouredoutintotheastonishedMajor’searssuchahistoryaboutBeckyandherhusbandasastonishedthequerist，andsuppliedallthepointsofthisnarrative，foritwasatthatverytableyearsagothatthepresentwriterhadthepleasureofhearingthetale。Tufto，Steyne，theCrawleys，andtheirhistory——
everythingconnectedwithBeckyandherpreviouslifepassedundertherecordofthebitterdiplomatist。Hekneweverythingandagreatdealbesides，aboutalltheworld——inaword，hemadethemostastoundingrevelationstothesimple-heartedMajor。WhenDobbinsaidthatMrs。
OsborneandMr。Sedleyhadtakenherintotheirhouse，TapewormburstintoapealoflaughterwhichshockedtheMajor，andaskediftheyhadnotbettersendintotheprisonandtakeinoneortwoofthegentlemeninshavedheadsandyellowjacketswhosweptthestreetsofPumpernickel，chainedinpairs，toboardandlodge，andactastutortothatlittlescapegraceGeorgy。
ThisinformationastonishedandhorrifiedtheMajornotalittle。IthadbeenagreedinthemorningbeforemeetingwithRebeccathatAmeliashouldgototheCourtballthatnight。Therewouldbetheplacewhereheshouldtellher。TheMajorwenthome，anddressedhimselfinhisuniform，andrepairedtoCourt，inhopestoseeMrs。
Osborne。Shenevercame。WhenhereturnedtohislodgingsallthelightsintheSedleytenementwereputout。Hecouldnotseehertillthemorning。Idon’tknowwhatsortofanight’sresthehadwiththisfrightfulsecretinbedwithhim。
Attheearliestconvenienthourinthemorninghesenthisservantacrossthewaywithanote，sayingthathewishedveryparticularlytospeakwithher。AmessagecamebacktosaythatMrs。Osbornewasexceedinglyunwellandwaskeepingherroom。
She，too，hadbeenawakeallthatnight。Shehadbeenthinkingofathingwhichhadagitatedhermindahundredtimesbefore。Ahundredtimesonthepointofyielding，shehadshrunkbackfromasacrificewhichshefeltwastoomuchforher。Shecouldn’t，inspiteofhisloveandconstancyandherownacknowledgedregard，respect，andgratitude。Whatarebenefits，whatisconstancy，ormerit？Onecurlofagirl’sringlet，onehairofawhisker，willturnthescaleagainstthemallinaminute。
TheydidnotweighwithEmmymorethanwithotherwomen。Shehadtriedthem；wantedtomakethempass；
couldnot；andthepitilesslittlewomanhadfoundapretext，anddeterminedtobefree。
Whenatlength，intheafternoon，theMajorgainedadmissiontoAmelia，insteadofthecordialandaffectionategreeting，towhichhehadbeenaccustomednowformanyalongday，hereceivedthesalutationofacurtsey，andofalittleglovedhand，retractedthemomentafteritwasaccordedtohim。
Rebecca，too，wasintheroom，andadvancedtomeethimwithasmileandanextendedhand。Dobbindrewbackratherconfusedly，“I——Ibegyourpardon，m’am。”
hesaid；“butIamboundtotellyouthatitisnotasyourfriendthatIamcomeherenow。”
“Pooh！damn；don’tletushavethissortofthing！”
Joscriedout，alarmed，andanxioustogetridofascene。
“IwonderwhatMajorDobbinhastosayagainstRebecca？”Ameliasaidinalow，clearvoicewithaslightquiverinit，andaverydeterminedlookabouttheeyes。