envoy； the Count de Springbock…Hohenlaufen； with his
head shaved and dressed as a Capuchin friar。 It was not
a masked ball； as some folks wanted to persuade you。 It
was something queer； people whispered。 His grandfather
was so。 It was in the family。
His wife and family returned to this country and took
up their abode at Gaunt House。 Lord George gave up
his post on the European continent； and was gazetted to
Brazil。 But people knew better； he never returned from
that Brazil expeditionnever died therenever lived
therenever was there at all。 He was nowhere； he was
gone out altogether。 〃Brazil；〃 said one gossip to another；
with a grin〃Brazil is St。 John's Wood。 Rio de Janeiro
is a cottage surrounded by four walls； and George Gaunt
is accredited to a keeper； who has invested him with the
order of the Strait…Waistcoat。〃 These are the kinds of
epitaphs which men pass over one another in Vanity
Fair。
Twice or thrice in a week； in the earliest morning； the
poor mother went for her sins and saw the poor invalid。
Sometimes he laughed at her （and his laughter was more
pitiful than to hear him cry）； sometimes she found the
brilliant dandy diplomatist of the Congress of Vienna
dragging about a child's toy； or nursing the keeper's
baby's doll。 Sometimes he knew her and Father Mole；
her director and companion； oftener he forgot her； as he
had done wife； children； love； ambition； vanity。 But he
remembered his dinner…hour； and used to cry if his
wine…and…water was not strong enough。
It was the mysterious taint of the blood； the poor
mother had brought it from her own ancient race。 The
evil had broken out once or twice in the father's family；
long before Lady Steyne's sins had begun； or her fasts
and tears and penances had been offered in their
expiation。 The pride of the race was struck down as the
first…born of Pharaoh。 The dark mark of fate and doom was
on the thresholdthe tall old threshold surmounted by
coronets and caned heraldry。
The absent lord's children meanwhile prattled and
grew on quite unconscious that the doom was over them
too。 First they talked of their father and devised plans
against his return。 Then the name of the living dead man
was less frequently in their mouththen not mentioned
at all。 But the stricken old grandmother trembled to think
that these too were the inheritors of their father's shame
as well as of his honours； and watched sickening for the
day when the awful ancestral curse should come down
on them。
This dark presentiment also haunted Lord Steyne。 He
tried to lay the horrid bedside ghost in Red Seas of wine
and jollity； and lost sight of it sometimes in the crowd
and rout of his pleasures。 But it always came back to
him when alone； and seemed to grow more threatening
with years。 〃I have taken your son；〃 it said； 〃why not
you？ I may shut you up in a prison some day like your
son George。 I may tap you on the head to…morrow； and
away go pleasure and honours； feasts and beauty； friends；
flatterers； French cooks； fine horses and housesin
exchange for a prison； a keeper； and a straw mattress like
George Gaunt's。〃 And then my lord would defy the ghost
which threatened him； for he knew of a remedy by which
he could baulk his enemy。
So there was splendour and wealth； but no great
happiness perchance； behind the tall caned portals of Gaunt
House with its smoky coronets and ciphers。 The feasts
there were of the grandest in London； but there was not
overmuch content therewith； except among the guests
who sat at my lord's table。 Had he not been so great a
Prince very few possibly would have visited him； but in
Vanity Fair the sins of very great personages are looked
at indulgently。 〃Nous regardons a deux fois〃 （as the
French lady said） before we condemn a person of my
lord's undoubted quality。 Some notorious carpers and
squeamish moralists might be sulky with Lord Steyne；
but they were glad enough to come when he asked them。
〃Lord Steyne is really too bad；〃 Lady Slingstone said；
〃but everybody goes； and of course I shall see that my
girls come to no harm。〃 〃His lordship is a man to whom
I owe much； everything in life；〃 said the Right Reverend
Doctor Trail； thinking that the Archbishop was rather
shaky； and Mrs。 Trail and the young ladies would as
soon have missed going to church as to one of his
lordship's parties。 〃His morals are bad；〃 said little Lord
Southdown to his sister； who meekly expostulated；
having heard terrific legends from her mamma with respect
to the doings at Gaunt House； 〃but hang it； he's got the
best dry Sillery in Europe！〃 And as for Sir Pitt Crawley；
Bart。Sir Pitt that pattern of decorum； Sir Pitt who
had led off at missionary meetingshe never for one
moment thought of not going too。 〃Where you see such
persons as the Bishop of Ealing and the Countess of
Slingstone； you may be pretty sure； Jane；〃 the Baronet
would say； 〃that we cannot be wrong。 The great rank
and station of Lord Steyne put him in a position to
command people in our station in life。 The Lord Lieutenant
of a County； my dear； is a respectable man。 Besides；
George Gaunt and I were intimate in early life； he was
my junior when we were attaches at Pumpernickel
together。〃
In a word everybody went to wait upon this great man
everybody who was asked； as you the reader （do not
say nay） or I the writer hereof would go if we had an
invitation。
CHAPTER XLVIII
In Which the Reader Is Introduced to the Very
Best of Company
At last Becky's kindness and attention to the chief of
her husband's family were destined to meet with an
exceeding great reward； a reward which； though certainly
somewhat unsubstantial； the little woman coveted with
greater eagerness than more positive benefits。 If she did
not wish to lead a virtuous life； at least she desired to
enjoy a character for virtue； and we know that no lady
in the genteel world can possess this desideratum； until
she has put on a train and feathers and has been
presented to her Sovereign at Court。 From that august
interview they come out stamped as honest women。 The
Lord Chamberlain gives them a certificate of virtue。 And
as dubious goods or letters are passed through an oven
at quarantine； sprinkled with aromatic vinegar； and then
pronounced clean； many a lady； whose reputation would
be doubtful otherwise and liable to give infection； passes
through the wholesome ordeal of the Royal presence and
issues from it free from all taint。
It might be very well for my Lady Bareacres； my
Lady Tufto； Mrs。 Bute Crawley in the country； and other
ladies who had come into contact with Mrs。 Rawdon
Crawley to cry fie at the idea of the odious little
adventuress making her curtsey before the Sovereign； and
to declare that； if dear good Queen Charlotte had been
alive； she never would have admitted such an extremely
ill…regulated personage into her chaste drawing…room。 But
when we consider that it was the First Gentleman in
Europe in whose high presence Mrs。 Rawdon passed her
examination； and as it were； took her degree in reputation；
it surely must be flat disloyalty to doubt any more
about her virtue。 I； for my part； look back with love and
awe to that Great Character in history。 Ah； what a high
and noble appreciation of Gentlewomanhood there must
have been in Vanity Fair； when that revered and august
being was invested； by the universal acclaim of the
refined and educated portion of this empire； with the title
of Premier Gentilhomme of his Kingdom。 Do you
remember； dear M； oh friend of my youth； how one
blissful night five…and…twenty years since； the 〃Hypocrite〃
being acted； Elliston being manager； Dowton and Liston
performers； two boys had leave from their loyal masters
to go out from Slaughter…House School where they were
educated and to appear on Drury Lane stage； amongst a
crowd which assembled there to greet the king。 THE
KING？ There he was。 Beefeaters were before the
august box； the Marquis of Steyne （Lord of the Powder
Closet） and other great officers of state were behind the
chair on which he sat； HE satflorid of face； portly of
person； covered with orders； and in a rich curling head of
hairhow we sang God save him！ How the house rocked
and shouted with that magnificent music。 How they
cheered； and cried； and waved handkerchiefs。 Ladies
wept； mothers clasped their children； some fainted with
emotion。 People were suffocated in the pit； shrieks and
groans rising up amidst the writhing and shouting mass
there of his people who were； and indeed showed them…
selves almost to be； ready to die for him。 Yes； we saw
him。 Fate cannot deprive us of THAT。 Others have seen
Napoleon。 Some few still exist who have beheld Frederick
the Great； Doctor Johnson； Marie Antoinette； &c。be it
our reasonable boast to our children； that we saw George
the Good； the Magnificent； the Great。
Well； there came a happy day in Mrs。 Rawdon Crawley's
existence when this angel was admitted into the
paradise of a Court which she coveted； her sister…in…law
acting as her godmother。 On the appointed day； Sir Pitt
and his lady； in their great family carriage （just newly
built； and ready for the Baronet's assumption of the
office of High Sheriff of his county）； drove up to the little
house in Curzon Street； to the edification of Raggles； who
was watching from his greengrocer's shop； and saw fine
plumes within； and enormous bunches of flowers in the
breasts of the new livery…coats of the footmen。
Sir Pitt； in a glittering uniform； descended and went
into Curzon Street； his sword between his legs。 Little
Rawdon stood with his face against the parlour window…
panes； smiling and nodding with all his might to his aunt
in the carriage within； and presently Sir Pitt issued forth
from the house again； leading forth a lady with grand
feathers； covered in a white shawl； and holding up
daintily a train of magnificent brocade。 She stepped into the
vehicle as if she were a princess and accustomed all her
life to go to Court； smiling graciously on the footman at
the door and on Sir Pitt； who followed her into the
carriage。
Then Rawdon followed in his old Guards' uniform；
which had grown woefully shabby； and was much too
tight。 He was to have