of the service had ordered his regiment； whilst so many
of his gallant comrades were reaping glory in the Peninsula。
He had arrived with a knock so very timid and quiet
that it was inaudible to the ladies upstairs： otherwise； you
may be sure Miss Amelia would never have been so bold
as to come singing into the room。 As it was； the sweet
fresh little voice went right into the Captain's heart； and
nestled there。 When she held out her hand for him to
shake； before he enveloped it in his own； he paused； and
thought〃Well； is it possibleare you the little maid I
remember in the pink frock； such a short time agothe
night I upset the punch…bowl； just after I was gazetted？
Are you the little girl that George Osborne said should
marry him？ What a blooming young creature you seem；
and what a prize the rogue has got！〃 All this he thought；
before he took Amelia's hand into his own； and as he let
his cocked hat fall。
His history since he left school； until the very moment
when we have the pleasure of meeting him again； although
not fully narrated； has yet； I think； been indicated
sufficiently for an ingenious reader by the conversation
in the last page。 Dobbin； the despised grocer； was Alderman
DobbinAlderman Dobbin was Colonel of the City Light
Horse； then burning with military ardour to resist the
French Invasion。 Colonel Dobbin's corps； in which old
Mr。 Osborne himself was but an indifferent corporal； had
been reviewed by the Sovereign and the Duke of York；
and the colonel and alderman had been knighted。 His
son had entered the army： and young Osborne followed
presently in the same regiment。 They had served in the
West Indies and in Canada。 Their regiment had just come
home； and the attachment of Dobbin to George Osborne
was as warm and generous now as it had been when the
two were schoolboys。
So these worthy people sat down to dinner presently。
They talked about war and glory； and Boney and Lord
Wellington； and the last Gazette。 In those famous days
every gazette had a victory in it； and the two gallant young
men longed to see their own names in the glorious list；
and cursed their unlucky fate to belong to a regiment
which had been away from the chances of honour。 Miss
Sharp kindled with this exciting talk； but Miss Sedley
trembled and grew quite faint as she heard it。 Mr。 Jos
told several of his tiger…hunting stories； finished the one
about Miss Cutler and Lance the surgeon； helped
Rebecca to everything on the table； and himself gobbled
and drank a great deal。
He sprang to open the door for the ladies； when they
retired； with the most killing graceand coming back to
the table； filled himself bumper after bumper of claret；
which he swallowed with nervous rapidity。
〃He's priming himself；〃 Osborne whispered to Dobbin；
and at length the hour and the carriage arrived
for Vauxhall。
CHAPTER VI
Vauxhall
I know that the tune I am piping is a very mild
one （although there are some terrific chapters
coming presently）； and must beg the good…natured
reader to remember that we are only discoursing
at present about a stockbroker's family in Russell
Square； who are taking walks； or luncheon； or dinner；
or talking and making love as people do in common life；
and without a single passionate and wonderful
incident to mark the progress of their loves。 The
argument stands thusOsborne； in love with Amelia；
has asked an old friend to dinner and to VauxhallJos
Sedley is in love with Rebecca。 Will he marry her？
That is the great subject now in hand。
We might have treated this subject in the genteel； or in
the romantic； or in the facetious manner。 Suppose we had
laid the scene in Grosvenor Square； with the very same
adventureswould not some people have listened？
Suppose we had shown how Lord Joseph Sedley fell in love；
and the Marquis of Osborne became attached to Lady
Amelia； with the full consent of the Duke； her noble
father： or instead of the supremely genteel； suppose we
had resorted to the entirely low； and described what was
going on in Mr。 Sedley's kitchenhow black Sambo was
in love with the cook （as indeed he was）； and how he
fought a battle with the coachman in her behalf； how the
knife…boy was caught stealing a cold shoulder of mutton；
and Miss Sedley's new femme de chambre refused to go
to bed without a wax candle； such incidents might be
made to provoke much delightful laughter； and be
supposed to represent scenes of 〃life。〃 Or if； on the contrary；
we had taken a fancy for the terrible； and made the lover
of the new femme de chambre a professional burglar； who
bursts into the house with his band； slaughters black
Sambo at the feet of his master； and carries off Amelia in
her night…dress； not to be let loose again till the third
volume； we should easily have constructed a tale of
thrilling interest； through the fiery chapters of which the
reader should hurry； panting。 But my readers must hope
for no such romance； only a homely story； and must be
content with a chapter about Vauxhall； which is so short
that it scarce deserves to be called a chapter at all。 And
yet it is a chapter； and a very important one too。 Are not
there little chapters in everybody's life； that seem to be
nothing； and yet affect all the rest of the history？
Let us then step into the coach with the Russell Square
party； and be off to the Gardens。 There is barely room
between Jos and Miss Sharp； who are on the front seat。 Mr。
Osborne sitting bodkin opposite； between Captain Dobbin
and Amelia。
Every soul in the coach agreed that on that night Jos
would propose to make Rebecca Sharp Mrs。 Sedley。 The
parents at home had acquiesced in the arrangement；
though； between ourselves； old Mr。 Sedley had a feeling
very much akin to contempt for his son。 He said he was
vain； selfish； lazy； and effeminate。 He could not endure his
airs as a man of fashion； and laughed heartily at his
pompous braggadocio stories。 〃I shall leave the fellow half
my property；〃 he said； 〃and he will have； besides； plenty
of his own； but as I am perfectly sure that if you； and I；
and his sister were to die to…morrow； he would say 'Good
Gad！' and eat his dinner just as well as usual； I am not
going to make myself anxious about him。 Let him marry
whom he likes。 It's no affair of mine。〃
Amelia； on the other hand； as became a young woman
of her prudence and temperament； was quite enthusiastic
for the match。 Once or twice Jos had been on the point
of saying something very important to her； to which she
was most willing to lend an ear； but the fat fellow could
not be brought to unbosom himself of his great secret；
and very much to his sister's disappointment he only rid
himself of a large sigh and turned away。
This mystery served to keep Amelia's gentle bosom in a
perpetual flutter of excitement。 If she did not speak with
Rebecca on the tender subject； she compensated herself
with long and intimate conversations with Mrs。 Blenkinsop；
the housekeeper； who dropped some hints to the
lady's…maid； who may have cursorily mentioned the matter
to the cook； who carried the news； I have no doubt； to all
the tradesmen； so that Mr。 Jos's marriage was now talked
of by a very considerable number of persons in the
Russell Square world。
It was； of course； Mrs。 Sedley's opinion that her son
would demean himself by a marriage with an artist's
daughter。 〃But； lor'； Ma'am；〃 ejaculated Mrs。 Blenkinsop；
〃we was only grocers when we married Mr。 S。； who
was a stock…broker's clerk； and we hadn't five hundred
pounds among us； and we're rich enough now。〃 And
Amelia was entirely of this opinion； to which； gradually；
the good…natured Mrs。 Sedley was brought。
Mr。 Sedley was neutral。 〃Let Jos marry whom he likes；〃
he said； 〃it's no affair of mine。 This girl has no fortune；
no more had Mrs。 Sedley。 She seems good…humoured and
clever； and will keep him in order； perhaps。 Better she；
my dear； than a black Mrs。 Sedley； and a dozen of
mahogany grandchildren。〃
So that everything seemed to smile upon Rebecca's
fortunes。 She took Jos's arm； as a matter of course； on going
to dinner； she had sate by him on the box of his open
carriage （a most tremendous 〃buck〃 he was； as he sat
there； serene； in state； driving his greys）； and though
nobody said a word on the subject of the marriage；
everybody seemed to understand it。 All she wanted was
the proposal； and ah！ how Rebecca now felt the want of a
mother！a dear； tender mother； who would have managed
the business in ten minutes； and； in the course of a little
delicate confidential conversation； would have extracted
the interesting avowal from the bashful lips of the young
man！
Such was the state of affairs as the carriage crossed
Westminster bridge。
The party was landed at the Royal Gardens in due time。
As the majestic Jos stepped out of the creaking vehicle
the crowd gave a cheer for the fat gentleman； who blushed
and looked very big and mighty； as he walked away with
Rebecca under his arm。 George； of course； took charge of
Amelia。 She looked as happy as a rose…tree in sunshine。
〃I say； Dobbin；〃 says George； 〃just look to the shawls
and things； there's a good fellow。〃 And so while he paired
off with Miss Sedley； and Jos squeezed through the gate
into the gardens with Rebecca at his side； honest Dobbin
contented himself by giving an arm to the shawls； and by
paying at the door for the whole party。
He walked very modestly behind them。 He was not
willing to spoil sport。 About Rebecca and Jos he did not
care a fig。 But he thought Amelia worthy even of the
brilliant George Osborne； and as he saw that good…looking
couple threading the walks to the girl's delight and
wonder； he watched her artless happiness with a sort of
fatherly pleasure。 Perhaps he felt that he would have liked
to have something on his own arm besides a shawl （the
people laughed at seeing the gawky young officer carrying
this female burthen）； but William Dobbin was very little
addicted to selfish calculation at all； and so long as his
friend was enjoying himself； how should he be discontented？
And the truth is； that of all the delights of the
Gardens； of the hundred thousand extra lamps； which
were always lighted； the fiddlers in cocked hats；