the signal； nor did the servants at first understand it。
〃Take that plate away；〃 at last he said； getting up with
an oathand with this pushing his chair back； he walked
into his own room。
Behind Mr。 Osborne's dining…room was the usual
apartment which went in his house by the name of the
study； and was sacred to the master of the house。 Hither
Mr。 Osborne would retire of a Sunday forenoon when
not minded to go to church； and here pass the morning
in his crimson leather chair； reading the paper。 A couple
of glazed book…cases were here； containing standard
works in stout gilt bindings。 The 〃Annual Register；〃 the
〃Gentleman's Magazine；〃 〃Blair's Sermons；〃 and 〃Hume
and Smollett。〃 From year's end to year's end he never
took one of these volumes from the shelf； but there was
no member of the family that would dare for his life to
touch one of the books； except upon those rare Sunday
evenings when there was no dinner…party； and when the
great scarlet Bible and Prayer…book were taken out from
the corner where they stood beside his copy of the Peerage；
and the servants being rung up to the dining parlour；
Osborne read the evening service to his family in a
loud grating pompous voice。 No member of the household；
child； or domestic； ever entered that room without
a certain terror。 Here he checked the housekeeper's accounts；
and overhauled the butler's cellar…book。 Hence he
could command； across the clean gravel court…yard； the
back entrance of the stables with which one of his bells
communicated； and into this yard the coachman issued
from his premises as into a dock； and Osborne swore at
him from the study window。 Four times a year Miss
Wirt entered this apartment to get her salary； and his
daughters to receive their quarterly allowance。 George
as a boy had been horsewhipped in this room many
times； his mother sitting sick on the stair listening to the
cuts of the whip。 The boy was scarcely ever known to
cry under the punishment； the poor woman used to
fondle and kiss him secretly； and give him money to
soothe him when he came out。
There was a picture of the family over the mantelpiece；
removed thither from the front room after Mrs。 Osborne's
deathGeorge was on a pony； the elder sister
holding him up a bunch of flowers； the younger led by
her mother's hand； all with red cheeks and large red
mouths； simpering on each other in the approved family…
portrait manner。 The mother lay underground now； long
since forgottenthe sisters and brother had a hundred
different interests of their own； and； familiar still； were
utterly estranged from each other。 Some few score of
years afterwards； when all the parties represented are
grown old； what bitter satire there is in those flaunting
childish family…portraits； with their farce of sentiment and
smiling lies； and innocence so self…conscious and self…
satisfied。 Osborne's own state portrait； with that of his
great silver inkstand and arm…chair； had taken the place
of honour in the dining…room； vacated by the family…
piece。
To this study old Osborne retired then； greatly to the
relief of the small party whom he left。 When the
servants had withdrawn； they began to talk for a while
volubly but very low； then they went upstairs quietly；
Mr。 Bullock accompanying them stealthily on his creaking
shoes。 He had no heart to sit alone drinking wine；
and so close to the terrible old gentleman in the study
hard at hand。
An hour at least after dark； the butler； not having
received any summons； ventured to tap at his door and
take him in wax candles and tea。 The master of the
house sate in his chair； pretending to read the paper；
and when the servant； placing the lights and refreshment
on the table by him； retired； Mr。 Osborne got up and
locked the door after him。 This time there was no mistaking
the matter； all the household knew that some great
catastrophe was going to happen which was likely direly
to affect Master George。
In the large shining mahogany escritoire Mr。 Osborne
had a drawer especially devoted to his son's affairs and
papers。 Here he kept all the documents relating to him
ever since he had been a boy： here were his prize copy…
books and drawing…books； all bearing George's hand；
and that of the master： here were his first letters in large
round…hand sending his love to papa and mamma； and
conveying his petitions for a cake。 His dear godpapa
Sedley was more than once mentioned in them。 Curses
quivered on old Osborne's livid lips； and horrid hatred
and disappointment writhed in his heart； as looking
through some of these papers he came on that name。
They were all marked and docketed； and tied with red tape。
It wasFrom Georgy； requesting 5s。； April 23； 18；
answered； April 25〃or 〃Georgy about a pony； October
13〃and so forth。 In another packet were 〃Dr。 S。's accounts〃
〃G。's tailor's bills and outfits； drafts on me by
G。 Osborne； jun。；〃 &c。his letters from the West Indies
his agent's letters； and the newspapers containing his
commissions： here was a whip he had when a boy； and in
a paper a locket containing his hair； which his mother
used to wear。
Turning one over after another； and musing over these
memorials； the unhappy man passed many hours。 His
dearest vanities； ambitious hopes； had all been here。 What
pride he had in his boy！ He was the handsomest child
ever seen。 Everybody said he was like a nobleman's
son。 A royal princess had remarked him； and kissed
him； and asked his name in Kew Gardens。 What City
man could show such another？ Could a prince have been
better cared for？ Anything that money could buy had
been his son's。 He used to go down on speech…days with
four horses and new liveries； and scatter new shillings
among the boys at the school where George was： when
he went with George to the depot of his regiment； before
the boy embarked for Canada； he gave the officers
such a dinner as the Duke of York might have sat down
to。 Had he ever refused a bill when George drew one？
There they werepaid without a word。 Many a general
in the army couldn't ride the horses he had！ He had the
child before his eyes； on a hundred different days when
he remembered George after dinner； when he used
to come in as bold as a lord and drink off his glass by
his father's side； at the head of the tableon the pony
at Brighton； when he cleared the hedge and kept up with
the huntsmanon the day when he was presented to
the Prince Regent at the levee； when all Saint James's
couldn't produce a finer young fellow。 And this； this was
the end of all！to marry a bankrupt and fly in the face
of duty and fortune！ What humiliation and fury： what
pangs of sickening rage； balked ambition and love； what
wounds of outraged vanity； tenderness even； had this
old worldling now to suffer under！
Having examined these papers； and pondered over this
one and the other； in that bitterest of all helpless woe；
with which miserable men think of happy past times
George's father took the whole of the documents out of
the drawer in which he had kept them so long； and locked
them into a writing…box； which he tied； and sealed with
his seal。 Then he opened the book…case； and took down
the great red Bible we have spoken of a pompous
book； seldom looked at； and shining all over with gold。
There was a frontispiece to the volume； representing
Abraham sacrificing Isaac。 Here； according to custom；
Osborne had recorded on the fly…leaf； and in his large
clerk…like hand； the dates of his marriage and his wife's
death； and the births and Christian names of his children。
Jane came first； then George Sedley Osborne； then Maria
Frances； and the days of the christening of each。 Taking
a pen； he carefully obliterated George's names from
the page； and when the leaf was quite dry； restored the
volume to the place from which he had moved it。 Then
he took a document out of another drawer； where his
own private papers were kept； and having read it； crumpled
it up and lighted it at one of the candles； and saw it
burn entirely away in the grate。 It was his will； which
being burned； he sate down and wrote off a letter； and
rang for his servant； whom he charged to deliver it in the
morning。 It was morning already： as he went up to bed；
the whole house was alight with the sunshine； and the
birds were singing among the fresh green leaves in
Russell Square。
Anxious to keep all Mr。 Osborne's family and dependants
in good humour； and to make as many friends as
possible for George in his hour of adversity； William Dobbin；
who knew the effect which good dinners and good
wines have upon the soul of man； wrote off immediately
on his return to his inn the most hospitable of invitations
to Thomas Chopper； Esquire； begging that gentleman to
dine with him at the Slaughters' next day。 The note
reached Mr。 Chopper before he left the City； and the
instant reply was； that 〃Mr。 Chopper presents his
respectful compliments； and will have the honour and
pleasure of waiting on Captain D。〃 The invitation and the
rough draft of the answer were shown to Mrs。 Chopper
and her daughters on his return to Somers' Town that
evening； and they talked about military gents and West
End men with great exultation as the family sate and
partook of tea。 When the girls had gone to rest； Mr。 and
Mrs。 C。 discoursed upon the strange events which were
occurring in the governor's family。 Never had the clerk
seen his principal so moved。 When he went in to Mr。
Osborne； after Captain Dobbin's departure； Mr。 Chopper
found his chief black in the face； and all but in a fit：
some dreadful quarrel； he was certain； had occurred
between Mr。 O。 and the young Captain。 Chopper had been
instructed to make out an account of all sums paid to
Captain Osborne within the last three years。 〃And a
precious lot of money he has had too；〃 the chief clerk said；
and respected his old and young master the more； for
the liberal way in which the guineas had been flung about。
The dispute was something about Miss Sedley。 Mrs。
Chopper vowed and declared she pitied that poor young
lady to lose such a handsome young fellow as the Capting。
As the daughter of an unlucky speculator； who had paid a
very shabby dividend； Mr。 Chopper had no grea