much； nor extraordinarily handsome。 But wherever she
went she touched and charmed every one of the male
sex； as invariably as she awakened the scorn and
incredulity of her own sisterhood。 I think it was her
weakness which was her principal charma kind of sweet
submission and softness； which seemed to appeal to
each man she met for his sympathy and protection。 We
have seen how in the regiment； though she spoke but to
few of George's comrades there； all the swords of the
young fellows at the mess…table would have leapt from
their scabbards to fight round her； and so it was in
the little narrow lodging…house and circle at Fulham； she
interested and pleased everybody。 If she had been Mrs。
Mango herself； of the great house of Mango； Plantain；
and Co。； Crutched Friars； and the magnificent proprietress
of the Pineries； Fulham； who gave summer dejeuners
frequented by Dukes and Earls； and drove about
the parish with magnificent yellow liveries and bay horses；
such as the royal stables at Kensington themselves could
not turn outI say had she been Mrs。 Mango herself； or
her son's wife； Lady Mary Mango （daughter of the
Earl of Castlemouldy； who condescended to marry the
head of the firm）； the tradesmen of the neighbourhood
could not pay her more honour than they invariably
showed to the gentle young widow； when she passed by
their doors； or made her humble purchases at their shops。
Thus it was not only Mr。 Pestler； the medical man； but
Mr。 Linton the young assistant； who doctored the servant
maids and small tradesmen； and might be seen any day
reading the Times in the surgery； who openly declared
himself the slave of Mrs。 Osborne。 He was a personable
young gentleman； more welcome at Mrs。 Sedley's lodgings
than his principal； and if anything went wrong with
Georgy； he would drop in twice or thrice in the day to
see the little chap； and without so much as the thought
of a fee。 He would abstract lozenges； tamarinds； and
other produce from the surgery…drawers for little
Georgy's benefit； and compounded draughts and mixtures
for him of miraculous sweetness； so that it was quite a
pleasure to the child to be ailing。 He and Pestler； his
chief； sat up two whole nights by the boy in that
momentous and awful week when Georgy had the measles； and
when you would have thought； from the mother's terror；
that there had never been measles in the world before。
Would they have done as much for other people？ Did
they sit up for the folks at the Pineries； when Ralph
Plantagenet； and Gwendoline； and Guinever Mango had the
same juvenile complaint？ Did they sit up for little Mary
Clapp； the landlord's daughter； who actually caught the
disease of little Georgy？ Truth compels one to say； no。
They slept quite undisturbed； at least as far as she was
concernedpronounced hers to be a slight case； which
would almost cure itself； sent her in a draught or two；
and threw in bark when the child rallied； with perfect
indifference； and just for form's sake。
Again； there was the little French chevalier opposite；
who gave lessons in his native tongue at various schools
in the neighbourhood； aud who might be heard in his
apartment of nights playing tremulous old gavottes and
minuets on a wheezy old fiddle。 Whenever this powdered
and courteous old man； who never missed a Sunday at the
convent chapel at Hammersmith； and who was in all
respects； thoughts； conduct； and bearing utterly unlike the
bearded savages of his nation； who curse perfidious
Albion； and scowl at you from over their cigars； in the
Quadrant arcades at the present daywhenever the
old Chevalier de Talonrouge spoke of Mistress Osborne；
he would first finish his pinch of snuff； flick away the
remaining particles of dust with a graceful wave of his
hand； gather up his fingers again into a bunch； and；
bringing them up to his mouth； blow them open with a kiss；
exclaiming； Ah！ la divine creature！ He vowed and
protested that when Amelia walked in the Brompton Lanes
flowers grew in profusion under her feet。 He called little
Georgy Cupid； and asked him news of Venus； his mamma；
and told the astonished Betty Flanagan that she was
one of the Graces； and the favourite attendant of the
Reine des Amours。
Instances might be multiplied of this easily gained and
unconscious popularity。 Did not Mr。 Binny； the mild
and genteel curate of the district chapel； which the family
attended； call assiduously upon the widow； dandle the
little boy on his knee； and offer to teach him Latin； to the
anger of the elderly virgin； his sister； who kept house
for him？ 〃There is nothing in her； Beilby；〃 the latter
lady would say。 〃When she comes to tea here she does
not speak a word during the whole evening。 She is but a
poor lackadaisical creature； and it is my belief has no
heart at all。 It is only her pretty face which all you
gentlemen admire so。 Miss Grits； who has five thousand
pounds； and expectations besides； has twice as much
character； and is a thousand times more agreeable to my
taste； and if she were good…looking I know that you would
think her perfection。〃
Very likely Miss Binny was right to a great extent。 It
IS the pretty face which creates sympathy in the hearts of
men； those wicked rogues。 A woman may possess the
wisdom and chastity of Minerva； and we give no heed to
her； if she has a plain face。 What folly will not a pair of
bright eyes make pardonable？ What dulness may not
red lips and sweet accents render pleasant？ And so； with
their usual sense of justice； ladies argue that because a
woman is handsome； therefore she is a fool。 O ladies；
ladies！ there are some of you who are neither handsome
nor wise。
These are but trivial incidents to recount in the life of
our heroine。 Her tale does not deal in wonders； as the
gentle reader has already no doubt perceived； and if a
journal had been kept of her proceedings during the
seven years after the birth of her son； there would be
found few incidents more remarkable in it than that of
the measles； recorded in the foregoing page。 Yes； one
day； and greatly to her wonder； the Reverend Mr。 Binny；
just mentioned； asked her to change her name of Osborne
for his own； when； with deep blushes and tears in her
eyes and voice； she thanked him for his regard for her；
expressed gratitude for his attentions to her and to her
poor little boy； but said that she never； never could
think of any butbut the husband whom she had lost。
On the twenty…fifth of April； and the eighteenth of
June； the days of marriage and widowhood； she kept her
room entirely； consecrating them （and we do not know
how many hours of solitary night…thought； her little boy
sleeping in his crib by her bedside） to the memory of that
departed friend。 During the day she was more active。
She had to teach George to read and to write and a little
to draw。 She read books； in order that she might tell
him stories from them。 As his eyes opened and his mind
expanded under the influence of the outward nature
round about him； she taught the child； to the best of
her humble power； to acknowledge the Maker of all； and
every night and every morning he and she（in that
awful and touching communion which I think must bring
a thrill to the heart of every man who witnesses or who
remembers it）the mother and the little boyprayed
to Our Father together； the mother pleading with all her
gentle heart； the child lisping after her as she spoke。 And
each time they prayed to God to bless dear Papa； as
if he were alive and in the room with them。
To wash and dress this young gentlemanto take him
for a run of the mornings； before breakfast； and the
retreat of grandpapa for 〃business〃to make for him the
most wonderful and ingenious dresses； for which end the
thrifty widow cut up and altered every available little bit
of finery which she possessed out of her wardrobe during
her marriagefor Mrs。 Osborne herself （greatly to her
mother's vexation； who preferred fine clothes； especially
since her misfortunes） always wore a black gown and a
straw bonnet with a black ribbonoccupied her many
hours of the day。 Others she had to spare； at the service
of her mother and her old father。 She had taken the pains
to learn； and used to play cribbage with this gentleman
on the nights when he did not go to his club。 She sang
for him when he was so minded； and it was a good
sign； for he invariably fell into a comfortable sleep during
the music。 She wrote out his numerous memorials；
letters； prospectuses； and projects。 It was in her
handwriting that most of the old gentleman's former
acquaintances were informed that he had become an agent for
the Black Diamond and Anti…Cinder Coal Company and
could supply his friends and the public with the best coals
at s。 per chaldron。 All he did was to sign the circulars
with his flourish and signature； and direct them in a
shaky； clerklike hand。 One of these papers was sent to
Major Dobbin； Regt。； care of Messrs。 Cox and Greenwood；
but the Major being in Madras at the time； had no
particular call for coals。 He knew； though； the hand
which had written the prospectus。 Good God！ what
would he not have given to hold it in his own！ A second
prospectus came out； informing the Major that J。 Sedley
and Company； having established agencies at Oporto；
Bordeaux； and St。 Mary's； were enabled to offer to their
friends and the public generally the finest and most
celebrated growths of ports； sherries； and claret wines at
reasonable prices and under extraordinary advantages。
Acting upon this hint； Dobbin furiously canvassed the
governor； the commander…in…chief； the judges； the
regiments； and everybody whom he knew in the Presidency；
and sent home to Sedley and Co。 orders for wine which
perfectly astonished Mr。 Sedley and Mr。 Clapp； who was
the Co。 in the business。 But no more orders came after
that first burst of good fortune； on which poor old Sedley
was about to build a house in the City； a regiment of
clerks； a dock to himself； and correspondents all over
the world。 The old gentleman's former taste in wine had
gone： the curses of the mess…room assailed Major Dobbin
for the vile drinks he had been the means of introducing
there； and he bought back a gre