natured。 It only increased her scorn for him。 He felt
somehow ashamed of this paternal softness and hid it
from his wifeonly indulging in it when alone with the
boy。
He used to take him out of mornings when they would
go to the stables together and to the park。 Little Lord
Southdown； the best…natured of men； who would make
you a present of the hat from his head； and whose main
occupation in life was to buy knick…knacks that he might
give them away afterwards； bought the little chap a
pony not much bigger than a large rat； the donor said；
and on this little black Shetland pygmy young Rawdon's
great father was pleased to mount the boy； and to walk
by his side in the park。 It pleased him to see his old
quarters； and his old fellow…guardsmen at Knightsbridge：
he had begun to think of his bachelorhood with
something like regret。 The old troopers were glad to recognize
their ancient officer and dandle the little colonel。
Colonel Crawley found dining at mess and with his
brother…officers very pleasant。 〃Hang it； I ain't clever
enough for herI know it。 She won't miss me；〃 he used to
say： and he was right； his wife did not miss him。
Rebecca was fond of her husband。 She was always
perfectly good…humoured and kind to him。 She did not
even show her scorn much for him； perhaps she liked
him the better for being a fool。 He was her upper servant
and maitre d'hotel。 He went on her errands； obeyed
her orders without question； drove in the carriage in the
ring with her without repining； took her to the opera…box；
solaced himself at his club during the performance； and
came punctually back to fetch her when due。 He would
have liked her to be a little fonder of the boy； but even
to that he reconciled himself。 〃Hang it； you know she's so
clever；〃 he said； 〃and I'm not literary and that； you
know。〃 For； as we have said before； it requires no great
wisdom to be able to win at cards and billiards； and
Rawdon made no pretensions to any other sort of skill。
When the companion came； his domestic duties became
very light。 His wife encouraged him to dine
abroad： she would let him off duty at the opera。 〃Don't
stay and stupefy yourself at home to…night； my dear；〃
she would say。 〃Some men are coming who will only bore
you。 I would not ask them； but you know it's for your
good； and now I have a sheep…dog； I need not be afraid
to be alone。〃
〃A sheep…doga companion！ Becky Sharp with a
companion！ Isn't it good fun？〃 thought Mrs。 Crawley to
herself。 The notion tickled hugely her sense of humour。
One Sunday morning； as Rawdon Crawley； his little
son； and the pony were taking their accustomed walk in
the park； they passed by an old acquaintance of the
Colonel's； Corporal Clink； of the regiment； who was in
conversation with a friend； an old gentleman； who held
a boy in his arms about the age of little Rawdon。 This
other youngster had seized hold of the Waterloo medal
which the Corporal wore； and was examining it with
delight。
〃Good morning； your Honour；〃 said Clink； in reply to
the 〃How do； Clink？〃 of the Colonel。 〃This ere young
gentleman is about the little Colonel's age； sir；〃
continued the corporal。
〃His father was a Waterloo man； too；〃 said the old
gentleman； who carried the boy。 〃Wasn't he； Georgy？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Georgy。 He and the little chap on the pony
were looking at each other with all their mightsolemnly
scanning each other as children do。
〃In a line regiment；〃 Clink said with a patronizing air。
〃He was a Captain in the th regiment；〃 said the old
gentleman rather pompously。 〃Captain George Osborne；
sirperhaps you knew him。 He died the death of a
hero； sir； fighting against the Corsican tyrant。〃
Colonel Crawley blushed quite red。 〃I knew him very
well； sir；〃 he said； 〃and his wife； his dear little wife；
sirhow is she？〃
〃She is my daughter； sir；〃 said the old gentleman；
putting down the boy and taking out a card with great
solemnity； which he handed to the Colonel。 On it
written
〃Mr。 Sedley； Sole Agent for the Black Diamond and
Anti…Cinder Coal Association； Bunker's Wharf； Thames
Street； and Anna…Maria Cottages； Fulham Road West。〃
Little Georgy went up and looked at the Shetland
pony。
〃Should you like to have a ride？〃 said Rawdon minor
from the saddle。
〃Yes；〃 said Georgy。 The Colonel； who had been
looking at him with some interest； took up the child
and put him on the pony behind Rawdon minor。
〃Take hold of him； Georgy；〃 he said〃take my little
boy round the waisthis name is Rawdon。〃 And both the
children began to laugh。
〃You won't see a prettier pair I think； THIS summer's
day； sir；〃 said the good…natured Corporal； and the
Colonel； the Corporal； and old Mr。 Sedley with his umbrella；
walked by the side of the children。
CHAPTER XXXVIII
A Family in a Very Small Way
We must suppose little George Osborne has ridden from
Knightsbridge towards Fulham； and will stop and make
inquiries at that village regarding some friends whom we
have left there。 How is Mrs。 Amelia after the storm of
Waterloo？ Is she living and thriving？ What has come of
Major Dobbin； whose cab was always hankering about
her premises？ And is there any news of the Collector
of Boggley Wollah？ The facts concerning the latter are
briefly these：
Our worthy fat friend Joseph Sedley returned to India
not long after his escape from Brussels。 Either his
furlough was up； or he dreaded to meet any witnesses of his
Waterloo flight。 However it might be； he went back to his
duties in Bengal very soon after Napoleon had taken
up his residence at St。 Helena； where Jos saw the ex…
Emperor。 To hear Mr。 Sedley talk on board ship you
would have supposed that it was not the first time he and
the Corsican had met； and that the civilian had bearded
the French General at Mount St。 John。 He had a
thousand anecdotes about the famous battles； he knew the
position of every regiment and the loss which each
had incurred。 He did not deny that he had been
concerned in those victoriesthat he had been with the
army and carried despatches for the Duke of Wellington。
And he described what the Duke did and said on
every conceivable moment of the day of Waterloo； with
such an accurate knowledge of his Grace's sentiments
and proceedings that it was clear he must have been by
the conqueror's side throughout the day； though； as a
non…combatant； his name was not mentioned in the
public documents relative to the battle。 Perhaps he actually
worked himself up to believe that he had been engaged
with the army； certain it is that he made a prodigious
sensation for some time at Calcutta； and was called
Waterloo Sedley during the whole of his subsequent stay in
Bengal。
The bills which Jos had given for the purchase of those
unlucky horses were paid without question by him and
his agents。 He never was heard to allude to the bargain；
and nobody knows for a certainty what became
of the horses； or how he got rid of them； or of Isidor； his
Belgian servant； who sold a grey horse； very like the one
which Jos rode； at Valenciennes sometime during the
autumn of 1815。
Jos's London agents had orders to pay one hundred
and twenty pounds yearly to his parents at Fulham。 It
was the chief support of the old couple； for Mr。 Sedley's
speculations in life subsequent to his bankruptcy did not
by any means retrieve the broken old gentleman's
fortune。 He tried to be a wine…merchant； a coal…merchant；
a commission lottery agent； &c。； &c。 He sent round
prospectuses to his friends whenever he took a new trade；
and ordered a new brass plate for the door； and talked
pompously about making his fortune still。 But Fortune
never came back to the feeble and stricken old man。 One
by one his friends dropped off； and were weary of
buying dear coals and bad wine from him； and there
was only his wife in all the world who fancied； when he
tottered off to the City of a morning； that he was still
doing any business there。 At evening he crawled slowly
back； and he used to go of nights to a little club at a
tavern； where he disposed of the finances of the nation。
It was wonderful to hear him talk about millions； and
agios； and discounts； and what Rothschild was
doing； and Baring Brothers。 He talked of such vast sums
that the gentlemen of the club （the apothecary； the
undertaker； the great carpenter and builder； the parish clerk；
who was allowed to come stealthily； and Mr。 Clapp； our
old acquaintance；） respected the old gentleman。 〃I was
better off once； sir；〃 he did not fail to tell everybody who
〃used the room。〃 〃My son； sir； is at this minute chief
magistrate of Ramgunge in the Presidency of Bengal； and
touching his four thousand rupees per mensem。 My
daughter might be a Colonel's lady if she liked。 I might
draw upon my son； the first magistrate； sir； for two
thousand pounds to…morrow； and Alexander would cash my
bill； down sir； down on the counter； sir。 But the Sedleys
were always a proud family。〃 You and I； my dear
reader； may drop into this condition one day： for have
not many of our friends attained it？ Our luck may fail：
our powers forsake us： our place on the boards be taken
by better and younger mimesthe chance of life roll
away and leave us shattered and stranded。 Then men
will walk across the road when they meet youor； worse
still； hold you out a couple of fingers and patronize you
in a pitying waythen you will know； as soon as your
back is turned； that your friend begins with a 〃Poor
devil； what imprudences he has committed； what chances
that chap has thrown away！〃 Well； wella carriage and
three thousand a year is not the summit of the reward
nor the end of God's judgment of men。 If quacks prosper
as often as they go to the wallif zanies succeed and
knaves arrive at fortune； and； vice versa； sharing ill
luck and prosperity for all the world like the ablest and
most honest amongst usI say； brother； the gifts and
pleasures of Vanity Fair cannot be held of any great
account； and that it is probable 。 。 。 but we are
wandering out of the domain of the story。
Had Mrs。 Sedley been a woman of energy； she would
have exerted it after her husband's ruin and； occupying
a large house； would have taken in boarders。 The broken
Sedley would hav