officers； looking at the prostrate Bacchanalian； and
askance at each other； exchanged the most frightful
sympathetic grins。 Even Sedley's valet； the most solemn
and correct of gentlemen； with the muteness and gravity of
an undertaker； could hardly keep his countenance in
order； as he looked at his unfortunate master。
〃Mr。 Sedley was uncommon wild last night； sir；〃 he
whispered in confidence to Osborne； as the latter mounted
the stair。 〃He wanted to fight the 'ackney…coachman； sir。
The Capting was obliged to bring him upstairs in his
harms like a babby。〃 A momentary smile flickered over
Mr。 Brush's features as he spoke； instantly； however； they
relapsed into their usual unfathomable calm； as he flung
open the drawing…room door； and announced 〃Mr。
Hosbin。〃
〃How are you； Sedley？〃 that young wag began； after
surveying his victim。 〃No bones broke？ There's a
hackney…coachman downstairs with a black eye； and a
tied…up head； vowing he'll have the law of you。〃
〃What do you meanlaw？〃 Sedley faintly asked。
〃For thrashing him last nightdidn't he； Dobbin？ You
hit out； sir； like Molyneux。 The watchman says he never
saw a fellow go down so straight。 Ask Dobbin。〃
〃You DID have a round with the coachman；〃 Captain
Dobbin said； 〃and showed plenty of fight too。〃
〃And that fellow with the white coat at Vauxhall！ How
Jos drove at him！ How the women screamed！ By Jove；
sir； it did my heart good to see you。 I thought you civilians
had no pluck； but I'll never get in your way when you
are in your cups； Jos。〃
〃I believe I'm very terrible； when I'm roused；〃
ejaculated Jos from the sofa； and made a grimace so
dreary and ludicrous； that the Captain's politeness could
restrain him no longer； and he and Osborne fired off a
ringing volley of laughter。
Osborne pursued his advantage pitilessly。 He thought
Jos a milksop。 He had been revolving in his mind the
marriage question pending between Jos and Rebecca； and
was not over well pleased that a member of a family into
which he； George Osborne； of the th； was going
to marry； should make a mesalliance with a little nobody
a little upstart governess。 〃You hit； you poor old
fellow！〃 said Osborne。 〃You terrible！ Why； man； you
couldn't standyou made everybody laugh in the
Gardens； though you were crying yourself。 You were
maudlin； Jos。 Don't you remember singing a song？〃
〃A what？〃 Jos asked。
〃A sentimental song； and calling Rosa； Rebecca； what's
her name； Amelia's little friendyour dearest diddle…
diddle…darling？〃 And this ruthless young fellow； seizing
hold of Dobbin's hand； acted over the scene； to the horror
of the original performer； and in spite of Dobbin's good…
natured entreaties to him to have mercy。
〃Why should I spare him？〃 Osborne said to his friend's
remonstrances； when they quitted the invalid； leaving him
under the hands of Doctor Gollop。 〃What the deuce right
has he to give himself his patronizing airs； and make fools
of us at Vauxhall？ Who's this little schoolgirl that is
ogling and making love to him？ Hang it； the family's
low enough already； without HER。 A governess is all very
well； but I'd rather have a lady for my sister…in…law。 I'm
a liberal man； but I've proper pride； and know my own
station： let her know hers。 And I'll take down that great
hectoring Nabob； and prevent him from being made a
greater fool than he is。 That's why I told him to look out；
lest she brought an action against him。〃
〃I suppose you know best；〃 Dobbin said； though rather
dubiously。 〃You always were a Tory； and your family's
one of the oldest in England。 But 〃
〃Come and see the girls； and make love to Miss Sharp
yourself；〃 the lieutenant here interrupted his friend； but
Captain Dobbin declined to join Osborne in his daily visit
to the young ladies in Russell Square。
As George walked down Southampton Row； from
Holborn； he laughed as he saw； at the Sedley Mansion；
in two different stories two heads on the look…out。
The fact is； Miss Amelia； in the drawing…room balcony；
was looking very eagerly towards the opposite side of the
Square； where Mr。 Osborne dwelt； on the watch for the
lieutenant himself； and Miss Sharp； from her little bed…
room on the second floor； was in observation until Mr。
Joseph's great form should heave in sight。
〃Sister Anne is on the watch…tower；〃 said he to Amelia；
〃but there's nobody coming〃； and laughing and enjoying
the joke hugely； he described in the most ludicrous terms
to Miss Sedley； the dismal condition of her brother。
〃I think it's very cruel of you to laugh； George；〃 she
said； looking particularly unhappy； but George only
laughed the more at her piteous and discomfited mien；
persisted in thinking the joke a most diverting one； and
when Miss Sharp came downstairs； bantered her with a
great deal of liveliness upon the effect of her charms on
the fat civilian。
〃O Miss Sharp！ if you could but see him this morning；〃
he said〃moaning in his flowered dressing…gown
writhing on his sofa； if you could but have seen him
lolling out his tongue to Gollop the apothecary。〃
〃See whom？〃 said Miss Sharp。
〃Whom？ O whom？ Captain Dobbin； of course； to whom
we were all so attentive； by the way； last night。〃
〃We were very unkind to him；〃 Emmy said； blushing
very much。 〃II quite forgot him。〃
〃Of course you did；〃 cried Osborne； still on the laugh。
〃One can't be ALWAYS thinking about Dobbin； you know；
Amelia。 Can one； Miss Sharp？〃
〃Except when he overset the glass of wine at dinner；〃
Miss Sharp said； with a haughty air and a toss of the
head； 〃I never gave the existence of Captain Dobbin one
single moment's consideration。〃
〃Very good； Miss Sharp； I'll tell him；〃 Osborne said；
and as he spoke Miss Sharp began to have a feeling of
distrust and hatred towards this young officer； which he
was quite unconscious of having inspired。 〃He is to make
fun of me； is he？〃 thought Rebecca。 〃Has he been
laughing about me to Joseph？ Has he frightened him？
Perhaps he won't come。〃A film passed over her eyes；
and her heart beat quite quick。
〃You're always joking；〃 said she； smiling as innocently
as she could。 〃Joke away； Mr。 George； there's nobody
to defend ME。〃 And George Osborne； as she walked away
and Amelia looked reprovingly at himfelt some little
manly compunction for having inflicted any unnecessary
unkindness upon this helpless creature。 〃My dearest
Amelia；〃 said he； 〃you are too goodtoo kind。 You
don't know the world。 I do。 And your little friend Miss
Sharp must learn her station。〃
〃Don't you think Jos will〃
〃Upon my word； my dear； I don't know。 He may； or
may not。 I'm not his master。 I only know he is a very
foolish vain fellow； and put my dear little girl into a very
painful and awkward position last night。 My dearest
diddle…diddle…darling！〃 He was off laughing again； and he
did it so drolly that Emmy laughed too。
All that day Jos never came。 But Amelia had no fear
about this； for the little schemer had actually sent away
the page； Mr。 Sambo's aide…de…camp； to Mr。 Joseph's
lodgings； to ask for some book he had promised； and how
he was； and the reply through Jos's man； Mr。 Brush； was；
that his master was ill in bed； and had just had the doctor
with him。 He must come to…morrow； she thought； but she
never had the courage to speak a word on the subject
to Rebecca； nor did that young woman herself allude
to it in any way during the whole evening after the night
at Vauxhall。
The next day； however； as the two young ladies sate on
the sofa； pretending to work； or to write letters； or to
read novels； Sambo came into the room with his usual
engaging grin； with a packet under his arm； and a note
on a tray。 〃Note from Mr。 Jos； Miss；〃 says Sambo。
How Amelia trembled as she opened it！
So it ran：
Dear Amelia；I send you the 〃Orphan of the Forest。〃
I was too ill to come yesterday。 I leave town to…day
for Cheltenham。 Pray excuse me； if you can； to the
amiable Miss Sharp； for my conduct at Vauxhall； and
entreat her to pardon and forget every word I may have
uttered when excited by that fatal supper。 As soon as
I have recovered； for my health is very much shaken； I
shall go to Scotland for some months； and am
Truly yours；
Jos Sedley
It was the death…warrant。 All was over。 Amelia did
not dare to look at Rebecca's pale face and burning eyes；
but she dropt the letter into her friend's lap； and got up；
and went upstairs to her room； and cried her little heart
out。
Blenkinsop； the housekeeper； there sought her presently
with consolation； on whose shoulder Amelia wept
confidentially； and relieved herself a good deal。 〃Don't take
on； Miss。 I didn't like to tell you。 But none of us in the
house have liked her except at fust。 I sor her with my
own eyes reading your Ma's letters。 Pinner says she's
always about your trinket…box and drawers； and
everybody's drawers； and she's sure she's put your white
ribbing into her box。〃
〃I gave it her； I gave it her；〃 Amelia said。
But this did not alter Mrs。 Blenkinsop's opinion of Miss
Sharp。 〃I don't trust them governesses； Pinner；〃 she
remarked to the maid。 〃They give themselves the hairs and
hupstarts of ladies； and their wages is no better than
you nor me。〃
It now became clear to every soul in the house； except
poor Amelia； that Rebecca should take her departure；
and high and low （always with the one exception） agreed
that that event should take place as speedily as possible。
Our good child ransacked all her drawers； cupboards；
reticules； and gimcrack boxespassed in review all her
gowns； fichus； tags； bobbins； laces； silk stockings； and
fallalsselecting this thing and that and the other； to
make a little heap for Rebecca。 And going to her Papa；
that generous British merchant； who had promised to
give her as many guineas as she was years oldshe
begged the old gentleman to give the money to dear
Rebecca； who must want it； while she lacked for nothing。
She even made George Osborne contribute； and
nothing loth （for he was as free…handed a young fellow
as any in the army）； he went to Bond Street； and bought
the best hat and spenser that money could buy。
〃That's George's present to you； Rebecca； dear；〃 said
Amelia； quite proud of the bandbox conveying these
gifts。 〃What a taste he has！ There'