Peterwaradin； with his Princessa nobleman tightly
girthed； with a large military chest； on which the plaque
of his order shone magnificently； and wearing the red
collar of the Golden Fleece round his neck。 He was the
owner of countless flocks。 〃Look at his face。 I think he
must be descended from a sheep；〃 Becky whispered to
Lord Steyne。 Indeed； his Excellency's countenance； long；
solemn； and white； with the ornament round his neck；。
bore some resemblance to that of a venerable bell…wether。
There was Mr。 John Paul Jefferson Jones； titularly
attached to the American Embassy and correspondent
of the New York Demagogue； who； by way of making
himself agreeable to the company； asked Lady Steyne；
during a pause in the conversation at dinner； how his
dear friend； George Gaunt； liked the Brazils？ He and
George had been most intimate at Naples and had gone
up Vesuvius together。 Mr。 Jones wrote a full and
particular account of the dinner； which appeared duly in
the Demagogue。 He mentioned the names and titles of
all the guests； giving biographical sketches of the principal
people。 He described the persons of the ladies with
great eloquence； the service of the table； the size and
costume of the servants； enumerated the dishes and wines
served； the ornaments of the sideboard； and the probable
value of the plate。 Such a dinner he calculated could not
be dished up under fifteen or eighteen dollars per head。
And he was in the habit； until very lately； of sending
over proteges； with letters of recommendation to the
present Marquis of Steyne； encouraged to do so by the
intimate terms on which he had lived with his dear
friend； the late lord。 He was most indignant that a
young and insignificant aristocrat； the Earl of Southdown；
should have taken the pas of him in their procession to
the dining…room。 〃Just as I was stepping up to offer my
hand to a very pleasing and witty fashionable； the
brilliant and exclusive Mrs。 Rawdon Crawley；〃he wrote
〃the young patrician interposed between me and the
lady and whisked my Helen off without a word of apology。
I was fain to bring up the rear with the Colonel； the
lady's husband； a stout red…faced warrior who
distinguished himself at Waterloo； where he had better luck
than befell some of his brother redcoats at New Orleans。〃
The Colonel's countenance on coming into this polite
society wore as many blushes as the face of a boy of
sixteen assumes when he is confronted with his sister's
schoolfellows。 It has been told before that honest Rawdon
had not been much used at any period of his life to
ladies' company。 With the men at the Club or the mess
room； he was well enough； and could ride； bet； smoke；
or play at billiards with the boldest of them。 He had had
his time for female friendships too； but that was twenty
years ago； and the ladies were of the rank of those with
whom Young Marlow in the comedy is represented as
having been familiar before he became abashed in the
presence of Miss Hardcastle。 The times are such that
one scarcely dares to allude to that kind of company
which thousands of our young men in Vanity Fair are
frequenting every day； which nightly fills casinos and
dancing…rooms； which is known to exist as well as the
Ring in Hyde Park or the Congregation at St。 James's
but which the most squeamish if not the most moral
of societies is determined to ignore。 In a word； although
Colonel Crawley was now five…and…forty years of age；
it had not been his lot in life to meet with a half dozen
good women； besides his paragon of a wife。 All except
her and his kind sister Lady Jane； whose gentle nature
had tamed and won him； scared the worthy Colonel；
and on occasion of his first dinner at Gaunt House he
was not heard to make a single remark except to state
that the weather was very hot。 Indeed Becky would have
left him at home； but that virtue ordained that her
husband should be by her side to protect the timid and
fluttering little creature on her first appearance in polite
society。
On her first appearance Lord Steyne stepped forward；
taking her hand； and greeting her with great courtesy；
and presenting her to Lady Steyne； and their ladyships；
her daughters。 Their ladyships made three stately curtsies；
and the elder lady to be sure gave her hand to the
newcomer； but it was as cold and lifeless as marble。
Becky took it； however； with grateful humility； and
performing a reverence which would have done credit
to the best dancer…master； put herself at Lady Steyne's
feet； as it were； by saying that his Lordship had been
her father's earliest friend and patron； and that she；
Becky； had learned to honour and respect the Steyne
family from the days of her childhood。 The fact is that Lord
Steyne had once purchased a couple of pictures of the
late Sharp； and the affectionate orphan could never
forget her gratitude for that favour。
The Lady Bareacres then came under Becky's cognizance
to whom the Colonel's lady made also a most respectful
obeisance： it was returned with severe dignity by the
exalted person in question。
〃I had the pleasure of making your Ladyship's
acquaintance at Brussels； ten years ago；〃 Becky said in
the most winning manner。 〃I had the good fortune to
meet Lady Bareacres at the Duchess of Richmond's ball；
the night before the Battle of Waterloo。 And I recollect
your Ladyship； and my Lady Blanche； your daughter；
sitting in the carriage in the porte…cochere at the Inn；
waiting for horses。 I hope your Ladyship's diamonds are
safe。〃
Everybody's eyes looked into their neighbour's。 The
famous diamonds had undergone a famous seizure； it
appears； about which Becky； of course； knew nothing。
Rawdon Crawley retreated with Lord Southdown into a
window； where the latter was heard to laugh immoderately；
as Rawdon told him the story of Lady Bareacres
wanting horses and 〃knuckling down by Jove；〃 to Mrs。
Crawley。 〃I think I needn't be afraid of THAT woman；〃
Becky thought。 Indeed； Lady Bareacres exchanged
terrified and angry looks with her daughter and retreated
to a table； where she began to look at pictures with
great energy。
When the Potentate from the Danube made his appearance；
the conversation was carried on in the French language；
and the Lady Bareacres and the younger ladies
found； to their farther mortification； that Mrs。 Crawley
was much better acquainted with that tongue； and spoke
it with a much better accent than they。 Becky had met
other Hungarian magnates with the army in France in
1816…17。 She asked after her friends with great interest
The foreign personages thought that she was a lady of
great distinction； and the Prince and the Princess asked
severally of Lord Steyne and the Marchioness； whom
they conducted to dinner； who was that petite dame who
spoke so well？
Finally； the procession being formed in the order
described by the American diplomatist； they marched into
the apartment where the banquet was served； and which；
as I have promised the reader he shall enjoy it； he shall
have the liberty of ordering himself so as to suit his
fancy。
But it was when the ladies were alone that Becky
knew the tug of war would come。 And then indeed the
little woman found herself in such a situation as made
her acknowledge the correctness of Lord Steyne's
caution to her to beware of the society of ladies above her
own sphere。 As they say； the persons who hate Irishmen
most are Irishmen； so； assuredly； the greatest tyrants
over women are women。 When poor little Becky；
alone with the ladies； went up to the fire…place whither
the great ladies had repaired； the great ladies marched
away and took possession of a table of drawings。 When
Becky followed them to the table of drawings； they
dropped off one by one to the fire again。 She tried to
speak to one of the children （of whom she was
commonly fond in public places）； but Master George Gaunt
was called away by his mamma； and the stranger was
treated with such cruelty finally； that even Lady Steyne
herself pitied her and went up to speak to the friendless
little woman。
〃Lord Steyne；〃 said her Ladyship； as her wan cheeks
glowed with a blush； 〃says you sing and play very
beautifully； Mrs。 CrawleyI wish you would do me the
kindness to sing to me。〃
〃I will do anything that may give pleasure to my Lord
Steyne or to you；〃 said Rebecca； sincerely grateful； and
seating herself at the piano； began to sing。
She sang religious songs of Mozart； which had been
early favourites of Lady Steyne； and with such sweetness
and tenderness that the lady； lingering round the piano；
sat down by its side and listened until the tears rolled
down her eyes。 It is true that the opposition ladies at
the other end of the room kept up a loud and ceaseless
buzzing and talking； but the Lady Steyne did not hear
those rumours。 She was a child againand had
wandered back through a forty years' wilderness to her
convent garden。 The chapel organ had pealed the same tones；
the organist； the sister whom she loved best of the
community； had taught them to her in those early happy
days。 She was a girl once more； and the brief period of
her happiness bloomed out again for an hourshe
started when the jarring doors were flung open； and with
a loud laugh from Lord Steyne； the men of the party
entered full of gaiety。
He saw at a glance what had happened in his absence；
and was grateful to his wife for once。 He went
and spoke to her； and called her by her Christian name；
so as again to bring blushes to her pale face〃My wife
says you have been singing like an angel；〃 he said to
Becky。 Now there are angels of two kinds； and both sorts；
it is said； are charming in their way。
Whatever the previous portion of the evening had
been； the rest of that night was a great triumph for
Becky。 She sang her very best； and it was so good that
every one of the men came and crowded round the
piano。 The women； her enemies； were left quite alone。
And Mr。 Paul Jefferson Jones thought he had made a
conquest of Lady Gaunt by going up to her Ladyship
and praising her delightful friend's first…rate singing。
CHAPTER L
Contains a Vulgar Incident
The Muse； whoever she be； who presides over this
Comic History must now descend