and with a sudden impulse； flinging her arms round
Briggs； kissed her affectionately。 〃Dear； dear friend！〃 she
said； with a touch of such natural feeling； that Miss
Briggs of course at once began to melt； and even the
bathing…woman was mollified。
Rebecca found no difficulty in engaging Briggs in a long；
intimate； and delightful conversation。 Everything that had
passed since the morning of Becky's sudden departure
from Miss Crawley's house in Park Lane up to the present
day； and Mrs。 Bute's happy retreat； was discussed and
described by Briggs。 All Miss Crawley's symptoms； and
the particulars of her illness and medical treatment； were
narrated by the confidante with that fulness and
accuracy which women delight in。 About their complaints
and their doctors do ladies ever tire of talking to each
other？ Briggs did not on this occasion； nor did Rebecca
weary of listening。 She was thankful； truly thankful； that
the dear kind Briggs； that the faithful； the invaluable
Firkin； had been permitted to remain with their benefactress
through her illness。 Heaven bless her！ though she；
Rebecca； had seemed to act undutifully towards Miss
Crawley； yet was not her fault a natural and excusable one？
Could she help giving her hand to the man who had won
her heart？ Briggs； the sentimental； could only turn up
her eyes to heaven at this appeal； and heave a
sympathetic sigh； and think that she； too； had given
away her affections long years ago； and own that Rebecca
was no very great criminal。
〃Can I ever forget her who so befriended the friendless
orphan？ No； though she has cast me off；〃 the latter
said； 〃I shall never cease to love her； and I would devote
my life to her service。 As my own benefactress； as my
beloved Rawdon's adored relative； I love and admire Miss
Crawley； dear Miss Briggs； beyond any woman in the
world； and next to her I love all those who are faithful
to her。 I would never have treated Miss Crawley's
faithful friends as that odious designing Mrs。 Bute has
done。 Rawdon； who was all heart；〃 Rebecca continued；
〃although his outward manners might seem rough and
careless； had said a hundred times； with tears in his eyes；
that he blessed Heaven for sending his dearest Aunty two
such admirable nurses as her attached Firkin and her
admirable Miss Briggs。 Should the machinations of the
horrible Mrs。 Bute end； as she too much feared they would；
in banishing everybody that Miss Crawley loved from her
side； and leaving that poor lady a victim to those harpies
at the Rectory； Rebecca besought her （Miss Briggs） to
remember that her own home； humble as it was； was
always open to receive Briggs。 Dear friend；〃 she
exclaimed； in a transport of enthusiasm； 〃some hearts
can never forget benefits； all women are not Bute
Crawleys！ Though why should I complain of her；〃 Rebecca
added； 〃though I have been her tool and the victim to her
arts； do I not owe my dearest Rawdon to her？〃 And
Rebecca unfolded to Briggs all Mrs。 Bute's conduct at
Queen's Crawley； which； though unintelligible to her then；
was clearly enough explained by the events nownow
that the attachment had sprung up which Mrs。 Bute had
encouraged by a thousand artificesnow that two
innocent people had fallen into the snares which she had
laid for them； and loved and married and been ruined
through her schemes。
It was all very true。 Briggs saw the stratagems as
clearly as possible。 Mrs。 Bute had made the match
between Rawdon and Rebecca。 Yet； though the latter was a
perfectly innocent victim； Miss Briggs could not disguise
from her friend her fear that Miss Crawley's affections
were hopelessly estranged from Rebecca； and that the old
lady would never forgive her nephew for making so
imprudent a marriage。
On this point Rebecca had her own opinion； and
still kept up a good heart。 If Miss Crawley did not
forgive them at present； she might at least relent on a
future day。 Even now； there was only that puling； sickly
Pitt Crawley between Rawdon and a baronetcy； and should
anything happen to the former； all would be well。 At all
events； to have Mrs。 Bute's designs exposed； and herself
well abused； was a satisfaction； and might be advantageous
to Rawdon's interest； and Rebecca； after an hour's
chat with her recovered friend； left her with the most
tender demonstrations of regard； and quite assured that
the conversation they had had together would be
reported to Miss Crawley before many hours were over。
This interview ended； it became full time for Rebecca
to return to her inn； where all the party of the previous
day were assembled at a farewell breakfast。 Rebecca took
such a tender leave of Amelia as became two women who
loved each other as sisters； and having used her handkerchief
plentifully； and hung on her friend's neck as if they
were parting for ever； and waved the handkerchief
（which was quite dry； by the way） out of window； as the
carriage drove off； she came back to the breakfast table；
and ate some prawns with a good deal of appetite；
considering her emotion； and while she was munching these
delicacies； explained to Rawdon what had occurred in her
morning walk between herself and Briggs。 Her hopes
were very high： she made her husband share them。 She
generally succeeded in making her husband share all her
opinions； whether melancholy or cheerful。
〃You will now； if you please； my dear； sit down at the
writing…table and pen me a pretty little letter to Miss
Crawley； in which you'll say that you are a good boy；
and that sort of thing。〃 So Rawdon sate down； and wrote
off； 〃Brighton； Thursday；〃 and 〃My dear Aunt；〃 with
great rapidity： but there the gallant officer's imagination
failed him。 He mumbled the end of his pen； and looked
up in his wife's face。 She could not help laughing at his
rueful countenance； and marching up and down the room
with her hands behind her； the little woman began to
dictate a letter； which he took down。
〃Before quitting the country and commencing a campaign；
which very possibly may be fatal。〃
〃What？〃 said Rawdon； rather surprised； but took the
humour of the phrase； and presently wrote it down with
a grin。
〃Which very possibly may be fatal； I have come
hither〃
〃Why not say come here； Becky？ Come here's grammar；〃
the dragoon interposed。
〃I have come hither；〃 Rebecca insisted； with a stamp
of her foot； 〃to say farewell to my dearest and earliest
friend。 I beseech you before I go； not perhaps to
return； once more to let me press the hand from which
I have received nothing but kindnesses all my life。〃
〃Kindnesses all my life；〃 echoed Rawdon； scratching
down the words； and quite amazed at his own facility of
composition。
〃I ask nothing from you but that we should part not in
anger。 I have the pride of my family on some points；
though not on all。 I married a painter's daughter； and am
not ashamed of the union。〃
〃No； run me through the body if I am！〃 Rawdon ejaculated。
〃You old booby；〃 Rebecca said； pinching his ear and
looking over to see that he made no mistakes in spelling
〃beseech is not spelt with an a； and earliest is。〃 So he
altered these words； bowing to the superior knowledge of
his little Missis。
〃I thought that you were aware of the progress of my
attachment；〃 Rebecca continued： 〃I knew that Mrs。 Bute
Crawley confirmed and encouraged it。 But I make no
reproaches。 I married a poor woman； and am content to
abide by what I have done。 Leave your property； dear
Aunt； as you will。 I shall never complain of the way in
which you dispose of it。 I would have you believe that I
love you for yourself； and not for money's sake。 I want to
be reconciled to you ere I leave England。 Let me； let
me see you before I go。 A few weeks or months hence it
may be too late； and I cannot bear the notion of quitting
the country without a kind word of farewell from you。〃
〃She won't recognise my style in that；〃 said Becky。 〃I
made the sentences short and brisk on purpose。〃 And
this authentic missive was despatched under cover to Miss
Briggs。
Old Miss Crawley laughed when Briggs； with great
mystery； handed her over this candid and simple
statement。 〃We may read it now Mrs。 Bute is away；〃
she said。 〃Read it to me； Briggs。〃
When Briggs had read the epistle out； her patroness
laughed more。 〃Don't you see； you goose；〃 she said to
Briggs； who professed to be much touched by the honest
affection which pervaded the composition； 〃don't you
see that Rawdon never wrote a word of it。 He never
wrote to me without asking for money in his life； and all
his letters are full of bad spelling； and dashes； and bad
grammar。 It is that little serpent of a governess who rules
him。〃 They are all alike； Miss Crawley thought in her
heart。 They all want me dead； and are hankering for my
money。
〃I don't mind seeing Rawdon；〃 she added； after a
pause； and in a tone of perfect indifference。 〃I had just
as soon shake hands with him as not。 Provided there is
no scene； why shouldn't we meet？ I don't mind。 But
human patience has its limits； and mind； my dear； I
respectfully decline to receive Mrs。 RawdonI can't
support that quite〃and Miss Briggs was fain to be content
with this half…message of conciliation； and thought that
the best method of bringing the old lady and her nephew
together； was to warn Rawdon to be in waiting on the
Cliff； when Miss Crawley went out for her air in her
chair。
There they met。 I don't know whether Miss Crawley
had any private feeling of regard or emotion upon seeing
her old favourite； but she held out a couple of fingers
to him with as smiling and good…humoured an air； as if
they had met only the day before。 And as for Rawdon；
he turned as red as scarlet； and wrung off Briggs's hand；
so great was his rapture and his confusion at the meeting。
Perhaps it was interest that moved him： or perhaps
affection： perhaps he was touched by the change which
the illness of the last weeks had wrought in his aunt。
〃The old girl has always acted like a trump to me；〃 he
said to his wife； as he narrated the interview； 〃and I felt；
you know； rather queer； and that sort of thing。 I walked
by the side of the what…dy'e…call…'em； you know； and to
her own door； where Bowls came to help her in。 A