a pin and a couple of florins before her。 As the croupier
called out the colour and number； she pricked on the
card with great care and regularity； and only ventured her
money on the colours after the red or black had come
up a certain number of times。 It was strange to look at
her。
But in spite of her care and assiduity she guessed
wrong and the last two florins followed each other under
the croupier's rake； as he cried out with his inexorable
voice the winning colour and number。 She gave a sigh； a
shrug with her shoulders； which were already too much
out of her gown； and dashing the pin through the card
on to the table； sat thrumming it for a while。 Then she
looked round her and saw Georgy's honest face staring
at the scene。 The little scamp！ What business had he
to be there？
When she saw the boy； at whose face she looked hard
through her shining eyes and mask； she said； 〃Monsieur
n'est pas joueur？〃
〃Non； Madame；〃 said the boy； but she must have
known； from his accent； of what country he was； for she
answered him with a slight foreign tone。 〃You have
nevare playedwill you do me a littl' favor？〃
〃What is it？〃 said Georgy； blushing again。 Mr。 Kirsch
was at work for his part at the rouge et noir and did not
see his young master。
〃Play this for me； if you please； put it on any number；
any number。〃 And she took from her bosom a purse； and
out of it a gold piece； the only coin there； and she put it
into George's hand。 The boy laughed and did as he was
bid。
The number came up sure enough。 There is a power
that arranges that； they say； for beginners。
〃Thank you；〃 said she； pulling the money towards her；
〃thank you。 What is your name？〃
〃My name's Osborne；〃 said Georgy； and was fingering
in his own pockets for dollars； and just about to make a
trial； when the Major； in his uniform； and Jos； en Marquis；
from the Court ball； made their appearance。 Other
people； finding the entertainment stupid and preferring the
fun at the Stadthaus； had quitted the Palace ball earlier；
but it is probable the Major and Jos had gone home and
found the boy's absence； for the former instantly went
up to him and； taking him by the shoulder； pulled him
briskly back from the place of temptation。 Then； looking
round the room； he saw Kirsch employed as we have
said； and going up to him； asked how he dared to bring
Mr。 George to such a place。
〃Laissez…moi tranquille；〃 said Mr。 Kirsch； very much
excited by play and wine。 〃ll faut s'amuser； parbleu。
Je ne suis pas au service de Monsieur。〃
Seeing his condition the Major did not choose to argue
with the man； but contented himself with drawing away
George and asking Jos if he would come away。 He was
standing close by the lady in the mask； who was playing
with pretty good luck now； and looking on much
interested at the game。
〃Hadn't you better come； Jos；〃 the Major said； 〃with
George and me？〃
〃I'll stop and go home with that rascal； Kirsch；〃 Jos
said； and for the same reason of modesty； which he
thought ought to be preserved before the boy； Dobbin
did not care to remonstrate with Jos； but left him and
walked home with Georgy。
〃Did you play？〃 asked the Major when they were out
and on their way home。
The boy said 〃No。〃
〃Give me your word of honour as a gentleman that you
never will。〃
〃Why？〃 said the boy； 〃it seems very good fun。〃 And； in
a very eloquent and impressive manner； the Major showed
him why he shouldn't； and would have enforced his
precepts by the example of Georgy's own father； had he
liked to say anything that should reflect on the other's
memory。 When he had housed him； he went to bed and
saw his light； in the little room outside of Amelia's；
presently disappear。 Amelia's followed half an hour
afterwards。 I don't know what made the Major note it
so accurately。
Jos； however； remained behind over the play…table； he
was no gambler； but not averse to the little excitement
of the sport now and then； and he had some Napoleons
chinking in the embroidered pockets of his court
waistcoat。 He put down one over the fair shoulder of the
little gambler before him； and they won。 She made a little
movement to make room for him by her side； and
just took the skirt of her gown from a vacant chair there。
〃Come and give me good luck；〃 she said； still in a
foreign accent； quite different from that frank and
perfectly English 〃Thank you；〃 with which she had saluted
Georgy's coup in her favour。 The portly gentleman；
looking round to see that nobody of rank observed him；
sat down； he muttered〃Ah； really； well now； God bless
my soul。 I'm very fortunate； I'm sure to give you good
fortune；〃 and other words of compliment and confusion。
〃Do you play much？〃 the foreign mask said。
〃I put a Nap or two down；〃 said Jos with a superb air；
flinging down a gold piece。
〃Yes； ay nap after dinner；〃 said the mask archly。 But
Jos looking frightened； she continued； in her pretty
French accent； 〃You do not play to win。 No more do I。
I play to forget； but I cannot。 I cannot forget old times；
monsieur。 Your little nephew is the image of his father；
and youyou are not changedbut yes； you are。
Everybody changes； everybody forgets； nobody has
any heart。〃
〃Good God； who is it？〃 asked Jos in a flutter。
〃Can't you guess； Joseph Sedley？〃 said the little
woman in a sad voice； and undoing her mask； she
looked at him。 〃You have forgotten me。〃
〃Good heavens！ Mrs。 Crawley！〃 gasped out Jos。
〃Rebecca；〃 said the other； putting her hand on his；
but she followed the game still； all the time she was
looking at him。
〃I am stopping at the Elephant；〃 she continued。 〃Ask
for Madame de Raudon。 I saw my dear Amelia to…day；
how pretty she looked； and how happy！ So do you！
Everybody but me； who am wretched； Joseph Sedley。〃
And she put her money over from the red to the black；
as if by a chance movement of her hand； and while she
was wiping her eyes with a pocket…handkerchief fringed
with torn lace。
The red came up again； and she lost the whole of that
stake。~ 〃Come away；〃 she said。 〃Come with me a little
we are old friends； are we not； dear Mr。 Sedley？〃
And Mr。 Kirsch having lost all his money by this
time； followed his master out into the moonlight； where
the illuminations were winking out and the transparency
over our mission was scarcely visible。
CHAPTER LXIV
A Vagabond Chapter
We must pass over a part of Mrs。 Rebecca Crawley's
biography with that lightness and delicacy which the
world demandsthe moral world； that has； perhaps； no
particular objection to vice； but an insuperable repugnance
to hearing vice called by its proper name。 There
are things we do and know perfectly well in Vanity Fair；
though we never speak of them： as the Ahrimanians
worship the devil； but don't mention him： and a polite
public will no more bear to read an authentic description
of vice than a truly refined English or American female
will permit the word breeches to be pronounced in her
chaste hearing。 And yet； madam； both are walking the
world before our faces every day； without much shocking
us。 If you were to blush every time they went by； what
complexions you would have！ It is only when their
naughty names are called out that your modesty has any
occasion to show alarm or sense of outrage； and it has
been the wish of the present writer； all through this story；
deferentially to submit to the fashion at present prevailing；
and only to hint at the existence of wickedness in a
light； easy； and agreeable manner； so that nobody's fine
feelings may be offended。 I defy any one to say that
our Becky； who has certainly some vices； has not been
presented to the public in a perfectly genteel and
inoffensive manner。 In describing this Siren； singing and
smiling； coaxing and cajoling； the author； with modest pride；
asks his readers all round； has he once forgotten the
laws of politeness； and showed the monster's hideous tail
above water？ No！ Those who like may peep down under
waves that are pretty transparent and see it writhing and
twirling； diabolically hideous and slimy； flapping amongst
bones； or curling round corpses； but above the waterline；
I ask； has not everything been proper； agreeable；
and decorous； and has any the most squeamish immoralist
in Vanity Fair a right to cry fie？ When； however； the Siren
disappears and dives below； down among the dead men；
the water of course grows turbid over her； and it is labour
lost to look into it ever so curiously。 They look pretty
enough when they sit upon a rock； twanging their harps
and combing their hair； and sing； and beckon to you to
come and hold the looking…glass； but when they sink
into their native element； depend on it； those mermaids
are about no good； and we had best not examine the
fiendish marine cannibals； revelling and feasting on their
wretched pickled victims。 And so； when Becky is out of
the way； be sure that she is not particularly well
employed； and that the less that is said about her doings
is in fact the better。
If we were to give a full account of her proceedings
during a couple of years that followed after the Curzon
Street catastrophe； there might be some reason for
people to say this book was improper。 The actions of very
vain； heartless； pleasure…seeking people are very often
improper （as are many of yours； my friend with the
grave face and spotless reputationbut that is merely
by the way）； and what are those of a woman without
faithor loveor character？ And I am inclined to think
that there was a period in Mrs Becky's life when
she was seized； not by remorse； but by a kind of despair；
and absolutely neglected her person and did not even
care for her reputation。
This abattement and degradation did not take place
all at once； it was brought about by degrees； after her
calamity； and after many struggles to keep upas a
man who goes overboard hangs on to a spar whilst any
hope is left； and then flings it away and goes down； when
he finds that struggling is in vain。
She lingered about London whilst her husband was
making preparations for his departure to his seat of
government； and it is believed made more than one
attempt to see her brother…in…law； Sir Pitt Crawley； and to
work upon his feelings； which s