orders in his button； stared at the newcomer with a sulky
scowl； as much as to say； who the devil are you？
〃My dear Captain George！〃 cried little Rebecca in an
ecstasy。 〃How good of you to come。 The General and I
were moping together tete…a…tete。 General； this is my
Captain George of whom you heard me talk。〃
〃Indeed；〃 said the General； with a very small bow； 〃of
what regiment is Captain George？〃
George mentioned the th： how he wished he could
have said it was a crack cavalry corps。
〃Come home lately from the West Indies； I believe。
Not seen much service in the late war。 Quartered here；
Captain George？〃the General went on with killing
haughtiness。
〃Not Captain George； you stupid man； Captain Osborne；〃
Rebecca said。 The General all the while was looking
savagely from one to the other。
〃Captain Osborne； indeed！ Any relation to the L
Osbornes？〃
〃We bear the same arms；〃 George said； as indeed was
the fact； Mr。 Osborne having consulted with a herald in
Long Acre； and picked the L arms out of the peerage；
when he set up his carriage fifteen years before。 The
General made no reply to this announcement； but took
up his opera…glassthe double…barrelled lorgnon was not
invented in those daysand pretended to examine the
house； but Rebecca saw that his disengaged eye was
working round in her direction； and shooting out
bloodshot glances at her and George。
She redoubled in cordiality。 〃How is dearest Amelia？
But I needn't ask： how pretty she looks！ And who is that
nice good…natured looking creature with hera flame of
yours？ O； you wicked men！ And there is Mr。 Sedley
eating ice； I declare： how he seems to enjoy it！ General； why
have we not had any ices？〃
〃Shall I go and fetch you some？〃 said the General；
bursting with wrath。
〃Let ME go； I entreat you；〃 George said。
〃No； I will go to Amelia's box。 Dear； sweet girl！ Give
me your arm； Captain George〃； and so saying； and with a
nod to the General； she tripped into the lobby。 She gave
George the queerest； knowingest look； when they were
together； a look which might have been interpreted；
〃Don't you see the state of affairs； and what a fool I'm
making of him？〃 But he did not perceive it。 He was
thinking of his own plans； and lost in pompous admiration
of his own irresistible powers of pleasing。
The curses to which the General gave a low utterance；
as soon as Rebecca and her conqueror had quitted him；
were so deep； that I am sure no compositor would
venture to print them were they written down。 They came
from the General's heart； and a wonderful thing it is to
think that the human heart is capable of generating such
produce； and can throw out； as occasion demands； such
a supply of lust and fury； rage and hatred。
Amelia's gentle eyes； too； had been fixed anxiously on
the pair； whose conduct had so chafed the jealous General；
but when Rebecca entered her box； she flew to her
friend with an affectionate rapture which showed itself； in
spite of the publicity of the place； for she embraced her
dearest friend in the presence of the whole house； at least
in full view of the General's glass； now brought to bear
upon the Osborne party。 Mrs。 Rawdon saluted Jos； too；
with the kindliest greeting： she admired Mrs。 O'Dowd's
large Cairngorm brooch and superb Irish diamonds； and
wouldn't believe that they were not from Golconda direct。
She bustled； she chattered； she turned and twisted；
and smiled upon one； and smirked on another； all in full
view of the jealous opera…glass opposite。 And when the
time for the ballet came （in which there was no dancer
that went through her grimaces or performed her comedy
of action better）； she skipped back to her own box； leaning
on Captain Dobbin's arm this time。 No； she would
not have George's： he must stay and talk to his dearest；
best； little Amelia。
〃What a humbug that woman is！〃 honest old Dobbin
mumbled to George； when he came back from Rebecca's
box； whither he had conducted her in perfect silence； and
with a countenance as glum as an undertaker's。 〃She
writhes and twists about like a snake。 All the time she
was here； didn't you see； George； how she was acting at
the General over the way？〃
〃Humbugacting！ Hang it； she's the nicest little
woman in England；〃 George replied； showing his white
teeth； and giving his ambrosial whiskers a twirl。 〃You
ain't a man of the world； Dobbin。 Dammy； look at her
now； she's talked over Tufto in no time。 Look how he's
laughing！ Gad； what a shoulder she has！ Emmy； why
didn't you have a bouquet？ Everybody has a bouquet。〃
〃Faith； then； why didn't you BOY one？〃 Mrs。 O'Dowd
said； and both Amelia and William Dobbin thanked her
for this timely observation。 But beyond this neither of
the ladies rallied。 Amelia was overpowered by the flash
and the dazzle and the fashionable talk of her worldly rival。
Even the O'Dowd was silent and subdued after Becky's
brilliant apparition； and scarcely said a word more about
Glenmalony all the evening。
〃When do you intend to give up play； George； as you
have promised me； any time these hundred years？〃 Dobbin
said to his friend a few days after the night at the
Opera。 〃When do you intend to give up sermonising？〃
was the other's reply。 〃What the deuce； man； are you
alarmed about？ We play low； I won last night。 You
don't suppose Crawley cheats？ With fair play it comes
to pretty much the same thing at the year's end。〃
〃But I don't think he could pay if he lost；〃 Dobbin
said； and his advice met with the success which advice
usually commands。 Osborne and Crawley were repeatedly
together now。 General Tufto dined abroad almost constantly。
George was always welcome in the apartments
（very close indeed to those of the General） which the
aide…de…camp and his wife occupied in the hotel。
Amelia's manners were such when she and George visited
Crawley and his wife at these quarters； that they had
very nearly come to their first quarrel； that is； George
scolded his wife violently for her evident unwillingness to
go； and the high and mighty manner in which she comported
herself towards Mrs。 Crawley； her old friend； and
Amelia did not say one single word in reply； but with her
husband's eye upon her； and Rebecca scanning her as she
felt； was； if possible； more bashful and awkward on the
second visit which she paid to Mrs。 Rawdon； than on her
first call。
Rebecca was doubly affectionate； of course； and would
not take notice； in the least； of her friend's coolness。 〃I
think Emmy has become prouder since her father's name
was in thesince Mr。 Sedley's MISFORTUNES；〃 Rebecca
said； softening the phrase charitably for George's ear。
〃Upon my word； I thought when we were at Brighton
she was doing me the honour to be jealous of me； and
now I suppose she is scandalised because Rawdon； and I；
and the General live together。 Why； my dear creature；
how could we； with our means； live at all； but for a friend
to share expenses？ And do you suppose that Rawdon is
not big enough to take care of my honour？ But I'm very
much obliged to Emmy； very；〃 Mrs。 Rawdon said。
〃Pooh； jealousy！〃 answered George； 〃all women are
jealous。〃
〃And all men too。 Weren't you jealous of General
Tufto； and the General of you； on the night of the Opera？
Why； he was ready to eat me for going with you to visit
that foolish little wife of yours； as if I care a pin for
either of you；〃 Crawley's wife said； with a pert toss of
her head。 〃Will you dine here？ The dragon dines with the
Commander…in…Chief。 Great news is stirring。 They say
the French have crossed the frontier。 We shall have a
quiet dinner。〃
George accepted the invitation； although his wife was a
little ailing。 They were now not quite six weeks married。
Another woman was laughing or sneering at her expense；
and he not angry。 He was not even angry with himself；
this good…natured fellow。 It is a shame； he owned to himself；
but hang it； if a pretty woman WILL throw herself in
your way； why； what can a fellow do； you know？ I AM
rather free about women； he had often said； smiling and
nodding knowingly to Stubble and Spooney； and other
comrades of the mess…table； and they rather respected
him than otherwise for this prowess。 Next to conquering
in war； conquering in love has been a source of pride；
time out of mind； amongst men in Vanity Fair； or how
should schoolboys brag of their amours； or Don Juan be
popular？
So Mr。 Osborne； having a firm conviction in his own
mind that he was a woman…killer and destined to conquer；
did not run counter to his fate； but yielded himself
up to it quite complacently。 And as Emmy did not say
much or plague him with her jealousy； but merely became
unhappy and pined over it miserably in secret； he chose
to fancy that she was not suspicious of what all his
acquaintance were perfectly awarenamely； that he was
carrying on a desperate flirtation with Mrs。 Crawley。 He
rode with her whenever she was free。 He pretended
regimental business to Amelia （by which falsehood she was
not in the least deceived）； and consigning his wife to
solitude or her brother's society； passed his evenings in
the Crawleys' company； losing money to the husband and
flattering himself that the wife was dying of love for him。
It is very likely that this worthy couple never absolutely
conspired and agreed together in so many words： the one
to cajole the young gentleman； whilst the other won his
money at cards： but they understood each other perfectly
well； and Rawdon let Osborne come and go with entire
good humour。
George was so occupied with his new acquaintances
that he and William Dobbin were by no means so much
together as formerly。 George avoided him in public and
in the regiment； and； as we see； did not like those
sermons which his senior was disposed to inflict upon him。
If some parts of his conduct made Captain Dobbin
exceedingly grave and cool； of what use was it to tell George
that； though his whiskers were large； and his own
opinion of his knowingness great； he was as green as a
schoolboy？ that Rawdon was making a victim of him as he had
done of many before； and as soon as he had used him
would fling him off with scorn？ He would not listen： and
so； as Dobbin； upon those days when he visited t