〃A what？〃 said Rawdon； looking up from an ecarte
table。
〃A sheep…dog！〃 said young Lord Southdown。 〃My dear
Mrs。 Crawley； what a fancy！ Why not have a Danish
dog？ I know of one as big as a camel…leopard； by Jove。
It would almost pull your brougham。 Or a Persian
greyhound； eh？ （I propose； if you please）； or a little pug
that would go into one of Lord Steyne's snuff…boxes？
There's a man at Bayswater got one with such a nose that
you mightI mark the king and playthat you might
hang your hat on it。〃
〃I mark the trick；〃 Rawdon gravely said。 He attended
to his game commonly and didn't much meddle with
the conversation； except when it was about horses and
betting。
〃What CAN you want with a shepherd's dog？〃 the lively
little Southdown continued。
〃I mean a MORAL shepherd's dog；〃 said Becky； laughing
and looking up at Lord Steyne。
〃What the devil's that？〃 said his Lordship。
〃A dog to keep the wolves off me；〃 Rebecca continued。
〃A companion。〃
〃Dear little innocent lamb； you want one；〃 said the
marquis； and his jaw thrust out； and he began to grin
hideously； his little eyes leering towards Rebecca。
The great Lord of Steyne was standing by the fire
sipping coffee。 The fire crackled and blazed pleasantly
There was a score of candles sparkling round the mantel
piece； in all sorts of quaint sconces； of gilt and bronze and
porcelain。 They lighted up Rebecca's figure to admiration；
as she sat on a sofa covered with a pattern of gaudy
flowers。 She was in a pink dress that looked as fresh as
a rose； her dazzling white arms and shoulders were half…
covered with a thin hazy scarf through which they
sparkled； her hair hung in curls round her neck； one of her
little feet peeped out from the fresh crisp folds of the
silk： the prettiest little foot in the prettiest little sandal
in the finest silk stocking in the world。
The candles lighted up Lord Steyne's shining bald head；
which was fringed with red hair。 He had thick bushy
eyebrows； with little twinkling bloodshot eyes； surrounded
by a thousand wrinkles。 His jaw was underhung； and
when he laughed； two white buck…teeth protruded
themselves and glistened savagely in the midst of the grin。
He had been dining with royal personages； and wore
his garter and ribbon。 A short man was his Lordship；
broad…chested and bow…legged； but proud of the fineness
of his foot and ankle； and always caressing his garter…
knee。
〃And so the shepherd is not enough；〃 said he； 〃to
defend his lambkin？〃
〃The shepherd is too fond of playing at cards and going
to his clubs；〃 answered Becky； laughing。
〃 'Gad； what a debauched Corydon！〃 said my lord
〃what a mouth for a pipe！〃
〃I take your three to two；〃 here said Rawdon； at the
card…table。
〃Hark at Meliboeus；〃 snarled the noble marquis； 〃he's
pastorally occupied too： he's shearing a Southdown。
What an innocent mutton； hey？ Damme； what a snowy
fleece！〃
Rebecca's eyes shot out gleams of scornful humour。
〃My lord；〃 she said； 〃you are a knight of the Order。〃
He had the collar round his neck； indeeda gift of the
restored princes of Spain。
Lord Steyne in early life had been notorious for his
daring and his success at play。 He had sat up two days
and two nights with Mr。 Fox at hazard。 He had won
money of the most august personages of the realm： he
had won his marquisate； it was said； at the gaming…
table； but he did not like an allusion to those bygone
fredaines。 Rebecca saw the scowl gathering over his heavy
brow。
She rose up from her sofa and went and took his coffee
cup out of his hand with a little curtsey。 〃Yes；〃 she said；
〃I must get a watchdog。 But he won't bark at YOU。
And； going into the other drawing…room； she sat down to
the piano and began to sing little French songs in such a
charming； thrilling voice that the mollified nobleman
speedily followed her into that chamber； and might be seen
nodding his head and bowing time over her。
Rawdon and his friend meanwhile played ecarte until
they had enough。 The Colonel won； but； say that he won
ever so much and often； nights like these； which occurred
many times in the weekhis wife having all the talk and
all the admiration； and he sitting silent without the circle；
not comprehending a word of the jokes； the allusions； the
mystical language withinmust have been rather
wearisome to the ex…dragoon。
〃How is Mrs。 Crawley's husband？〃 Lord Steyne used
to say to him by way of a good day when they met； and
indeed that was now his avocation in life。 He was
Colonel Crawley no more。 He was Mrs。 Crawley's husband。
About the little Rawdon； if nothing has been said all
this while； it is because he is hidden upstairs in a garret
somewhere； or has crawled below into the kitchen for
companionship。 His mother scarcely ever took notice of
him。 He passed the days with his French bonne as long
as that domestic remained in Mr。 Crawley's family； and
when the Frenchwoman went away； the little fellow；
howling in the loneliness of the night； had compassion taken
on him by a housemaid； who took him out of his solitary
nursery into her bed in the garret hard by and comforted
him。
Rebecca； my Lord Steyne； and one or two more were
in the drawing…room taking tea after the opera； when this
shouting was heard overhead。 〃It's my cherub crying for
his nurse；〃 she said。 She did not offer to move to go and
see the child。 〃Don't agitate your feelings by going to look
for him；〃 said Lord Steyne sardonically。 〃Bah！〃 replied
the other； with a sort of blush； 〃he'll cry himself to sleep〃；
and they fell to talking about the opera。
Rawdon had stolen off though； to look after his son
and heir； and came back to the company when he found
that honest Dolly was consoling the child。 The Colonel's
dressing…room was in those upper regions。 He used to see
the boy there in private。 They had interviews together
every morning when he shaved； Rawdon minor sitting on a
box by his father's side and watching the operation with
never…ceasing pleasure。 He and the sire were great friends。
The father would bring him sweetmeats from the dessert
and hide them in a certain old epaulet box； where the
child went to seek them； and laughed with joy on
discovering the treasure； laughed； but not too loud： for mamma
was below asleep and must not be disturbed。 She did not
go to rest till very late and seldom rose till after noon。
Rawdon bought the boy plenty of picture…books and
crammed his nursery with toys。 Its walls were covered with
pictures pasted up by the father's own hand and purchased
by him for ready money。 When he was off duty with
Mrs。 Rawdon in the park； he would sit up here； passing
hours with the boy； who rode on his chest； who pulled his
great mustachios as if they were driving…reins； and spent
days with him in indefatigable gambols。 The room was
a low room； and once； when the child was not five years
old； his father； who was tossing him wildly up in his
arms； hit the poor little chap's skull so violently against
the ceiling that he almost dropped the child； so terrified
was he at the disaster。
Rawdon minor had made up his face for a tremendous
howlthe severity of the blow indeed authorized that
indulgence； but just as he was going to begin； the father
interposed。
〃For God's sake； Rawdy； don't wake Mamma；〃 he
cried。 And the child； looking in a very hard and piteous
way at his father； bit his lips； clenched his hands； and
didn't cry a bit。 Rawdon told that story at the clubs； at
the mess； to everybody in town。 〃By Gad； sir；〃 he
explained to the public in general； 〃what a good plucked one
that boy of mine iswhat a trump he is！ I half…sent his
head through the ceiling； by Gad； and he wouldn't cry for
fear of disturbing his mother。〃
Sometimesonce or twice in a weekthat lady visited
the upper regions in which the child lived。 She came like
a vivified figure out of the Magasin des Modesblandly
smiling in the most beautiful new clothes and little gloves
and boots。 Wonderful scarfs； laces； and jewels glittered
about her。 She had always a new bonnet on； and flowers
bloomed perpetually in it； or else magnificent curling
ostrich feathers； soft and snowy as camellias。 She nodded
twice or thrice patronizingly to the little boy； who looked
up from his dinner or from the pictures of soldiers he was
painting。 When she left the room； an odour of rose； or
some other magical fragrance； lingered about the nursery。
She was an unearthly being in his eyes； superior to his
fatherto all the world： to be worshipped and admired
at a distance。 To drive with that lady in the carriage was
an awful rite： he sat up in the back seat and did not dare
to speak： he gazed with all his eyes at the beautifully
dressed Princess opposite to him。 Gentlemen on splendid
prancing horses came up and smiled and talked with her。
How her eyes beamed upon all of them！ Her hand used
to quiver and wave gracefully as they passed。 When
he went out with her he had his new red dress on。 His old
brown holland was good enough when he stayed at home。
Sometimes； when she was away； and Dolly his maid was
making his bed； he came into his mother's room。 It was as
the abode of a fairy to hima mystic chamber of
splendour and delights。 There in the wardrobe hung those
wonderful robespink and blue and many…tinted。 There
was the jewel…case； silver…clasped； and the wondrous
bronze hand on the dressing…table； glistening all over
with a hundred rings。 There was the cheval…glass； that
miracle of art； in which he could just see his own
wondering head and the reflection of Dolly （queerly
distorted； and as if up in the ceiling）； plumping and patting
the pillows of the bed。 Oh； thou poor lonely little
benighted boy！ Mother is the name for God in the lips and
hearts of little children； and here was one who was
worshipping a stone！
Now Rawdon Crawley； rascal as the Colonel was； had
certain manly tendencies of affection in his heart and
could love a child and a woman still。 For Rawdon minor
he had a great secret tenderness then； which did not
escape Rebecca； though she did not talk about it to her
husband。 It did not annoy her： she was too good…
natured。 It only increased her scorn for him。 He felt
somehow ashamed of this paternal sof