drove in state to a fine hotel in Cavendish- when he had taken wine enough, he went square, where a suite of splendid rooms, off to half-price at the play, to see Mr. Kean and a table magnificently furnished with perform in Shylock. Captain Osborne was plate and surrounded by a half-dozen of a great lover of the drama, and had himblack and silent waiters, was ready to re- self performed high-comedy characters with ceive the young gentleman and his bride. great distinction in several garrison theatriGeorge did the honors of the place with a cal entertainments. Jos slept on till long princely air to Jos and Dobbin; and Amelia, after dark, when he woke up with a start for the first time, and with exceeding shy- at the motions of his servant, who was reness and timidity, presided at what George moving and emptying the decanters on the called her own table. table; and the hackney-coach stand was again put into requisition for a carriage to convey this stout hero to his lodgings and bed.

George's valet was looking on in a very supercilious manner at Mr. Clapp in his Dobbin walked home to his old quarters shirt-sleeves, watering his rose-bushes. He at the Slaughter's, thinking, very likely, that took off his hat, however, with much conit would be delightful to be in that hackney- descension to Mr. Sedley, who asked news coach, along with Mrs. Osborne. George about his son-in-law, and about Jos's carwas evidently of quite a different taste; for riage, and whether his horses had been down

to Brighton, and about that infernal traitor | had occupied before her marriage, and in that Bonaparty, and the war; until the Irish very chair in which she had passed so many maid-servant came with a plate and a bottle bitter hours. She sank back in its arms as of wine, from which the old gentleman in- if it were an old friend; and fell to thinking sisted upon helping the valet. He gave him over the past week, and the life beyond it. a half-guinea too, which the servant pocketed Already to be looking sadly and vaguely back with a mixture of wonder and contempt.—always to be pining for something which, "To the health of your master and mistress, Trotter," Mr. Sedley said, "and here's something to drink your health when you get home, Trotter."

when obtained, brought doubt and sadness rather than pleasure: here was the lot of our poor little creature, and harmless lost wanderer in the great struggling crowds of Vanity Fair.

Here she sate, and recalled to herself fondly that image of George to which she had knelt before marriage. Did she own to herself how different the real man was from that

There were but nine days past since Amelia had left that little cottage and home-and yet how far off the time seemed since she had bidden it farewell. What a gulf lay between her and that past life. She could look back to it from her present standing-superb young hero whom she had worshipplace, and contemplate, almost as another being, the young unmarried girl absorbed in her love, having no eyes but for one special object, receiving parental affection if not ungratefully, at least indifferently, and as if it were her due-her whole heart and thoughts bent on the accomplishment of one desire, The review of those days, so lately gone yet so far away, touched her with shame; and the aspect of the kind mother filled her with tender remorse. Was the prize gained

ed? It requires many, many years-and a man inust be very bad indeed; before a woman's pride and vanity will let her own to such a confession. Then Rebecca's twinkling green eyes and baleful smile lighted upon her, and filled her with dismay. And so she sate for a while indulging in her usual mood of selfish brooding, in that very listless melancholy attitude in which the honest maid-servant had found her, on the day when she brought up the letter in which George

the heaven of life-and the winner still doubt-renewed his offer of marriage. ful and unsatisfied? As his hero and hero- She looked at the little white bed, which ine pass the matrimonial barrier, the novelist generally drops the curtain, as if the drama were over then: the doubts and struggles of life ended as if, once landed in the marriage country, all were green and pleasant there: and wife and husband had nothing but to link each other's arms together, and wander gently downward toward old age in happy and perfect fruition. But our little Amelia was just on the bank of her new country, and was already looking anxiously back toward the sad, friendly figures waving farewell to her across the stream, from the other distant shore.

had been hers a few days before, and thought she would like to sleep in it that night, and wake, as formerly, with her mother smiling over her in the morning. Then she thought with terror of the great funereal damask pavilion in the vast and dingy state bed-room, which was awaiting her at the grand hotel in Cavendish-square. Dear, little white bed! how many a long night had she wept on its pillow! How she had despaired and hoped to die there; and now were not all her wishes accomplished, and the lover of whom she had despaired her own forever? Kind mother! In honor of the young bride's arrival, her how patiently and tenderly she had watched mother thought it necessary to prepare I round that bed! She went and knelt down don't know what festive entertainment, and by the bed-side; and there this wounded after the first ebullition of talk, took leave of and timorous, but gentle and loving soul, Mrs. George Osborne for a while, and dived sought for consolation, where as yet, it down to the lower regions of the house to a must be owned, our little girl had but selsort of kitchen-parlor (occupied by Mr. and dom looked for it. Love had been her Mrs. Clapp, and in the evening, when her faith hitherto; and the sad, bleeding, disdishes were washed and her curl-papers re-appointed heart, began to feel the want of moved, by Miss Flannigan the Irish servant), another consoler. there to take measures for the preparing of a magnificent ornamented tea. All people have their ways of expressing kindness, and it seemed to Mrs. Sedley that a muffin and a quantity of orange marmalade spread out in a little cut-glass saucer would be peculiarly agreeable refreshments to Amelia in her most interesting situation.

While these delicacies were being transacted below, Amelia, leaving the drawing, room, walked up stairs and found herself, she scarce knew how, in the little room she

Have we a right to repeat or to overhear her prayers? These, brother, are secrets, and out of the domain of Vanity Fair, in which our story lies.

But this may be said, that when the tea was finally announced, our young lady came down stairs a great deal more cheerful; that she did not despond, or deplore her fate, or think about George's coldness, or Rebecca's eyes, as she had been wont to do of late. She went down stairs, and kissed her father and mother, and talked to the

old gentleman, and made him more merry gle. Margate packets were sailing every than he had been for many a day. She day, filled with men of fashion and ladies sate down at the piano which Dobbin had of note, on their way to Brussels and Ghent. bought for her, and sang over all her father's People were going not so much to a war as favorite old songs. She pronounced the tea to a fashionable tour. The newspapers to be excellent, and praised the exquisite laughed the wretched upstart and swindler taste in which the marmalade was arranged to scorn. Such a Corsican wretch as that in the saucers. And in determining to make withstand the armies of Europe and the every body else happy, she found herself genius of the immortal Wellington! Ameso; and was sound asleep in the great fune- lia held him in utter contempt; for it needs real pavilion, and only woke up with a smile not to be said that this soft and gentle when George arrived from the theater. creature took her opinions from those people who surrounded her, such fidelity being much too humble-minded to think for itself. Well, in a word, she and her mother performed a great day's shopping, and she acquitted herself with considerable liveliness and credit on this her first appearance in the genteel world of London.

For the next day, George had more important business" to transact than that which took him to see Mr. Kean in Shylock. Immediately on his arrival in London he had written off to his father's solicitors, signifying his royal pleasure that an interview should take place between them on the morrow. His hotel losses at billiards and cards to Captain Crawley had almost drained the young man's purse, which wanted replenishing before he set out on his travels, and he had no resource but to infringe upon the two thousand pounds which the attorneys were commissioned to pay over to him. He had a perfect belief in his own mind that his father would relent before very long. How could any parent be obdurate for a length of time against such a paragon as he was? If his mere past and personal merits did not succeed in mollifying the father, George determined that he would distinguish himself so prodigiously in the ensuing campaign that the old gentleman must give in to him. And if not? Bah! the world was before him. His luck might change at cards, and there was a deal of spending in two thousand pounds.

George meanwhile, with his hat on one side, his elbows squared, and his swaggering martial air, made for Bedford-row, and stalked into the attorney's offices as if he was lord of every pale-faced clerk who was scribbling there. He ordered somebody to inform Mr. Higgs that Captain Osborne was waiting, in a fierce and patronizing way, as if the pékin of an attorney, who had thrice his brains, fifty times his money, and a thousand times his experience, was a wretched underling who should instantly leave all his business in life to attend on the captain's pleasure. He did not see the sneer of contempt which passed all round the room, from the first clerk to the articled gents, from the articled gents to the ragged writers and white-faced runners, in clothes too tight for them, as he sate there tapping his boot with his cane, and thinking what a parcel of miserable poor devils these were. The miserable poor devils knew all about his affairs. They talked about them over their pints of beer at their public-house clubs to other clerks of a night. Ye Gods, what do not attorneys and attorneys' clerks know in London! Nothing is hidden from their inquisition, and their familiars mutely rule our city.

So he sent off Amelia once more in a carriage to her mamma, with strict orders and carte blanche to the two ladies to purchase every thing requisite for a lady of Mrs. George Osborne's fashion, who was going on a foreign tour. They had but one day to complete the outfit, and it may be imagined that their business therefore occupied them pretty fully. In a carriage once more, bustling about from milliner to linendraper, es- Perhaps George expected, when he encorted back to the carriage by obsequious tered Mr. Higgs's apartment, to find that shopmen or polite owners, Mrs. Sedley was gentleman commissioned to give him some herself again almost, and sincerely happy message of compromise or conciliation from for the first time since their misfortunes. his father; perhaps his haughty and cold Nor was Mrs. Amelia at all above the demeanor was adopted as a sign of his spirit pleasure of shopping, and bargaining, and and resolution; but if so, his fierceness was seeing and buying pretty things. (Would any man, the most philosophic, give twopence for a woman who was?) She gave herself a little treat, obedient to her husband's orders, and purchased a quantity of lady's gear, showing a great deal of taste and elegant discernment, as all the shop

folks said.

met by a chilling coolness and indifference on the attorney's part, that rendered swaggering absurd. He pretended to be writing at a paper, when the captain entered.

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Mr.

Pray, sit down, sir," said he, "and I will attend to your little affair in a moment. Poe, get the release papers, if you please;" and then he fell to writing again.

And about the war that was ensuing, Mrs. Poe having produced those papers, his Osborne was not much alarmed; Bonaparty chief calculated the amount of two thousand was to be crushed almost without a strug-pounds stock at the rate of the day; and

asked Captain Osborne whether he would take the sum in a check upon the bankers, or whether he should direct the latter to purchase stock to that amount. "One of the late Mrs. Osborne's trustees is out of town," he said indifferently, "but my client wishes to meet your wishes, and have done with the business as quick as possible."

nance of Captain Dobbin, who had been pacing the street for an hour past in expectation of his friends' arrival. The captain, with shells on his frock-coat, and a crimson sash and saber, presented a military appearance, which made Jos quite proud to be able to claim such an acquaintance, and the stout civilian hailed him with a cordiality very different from the reception which Jos vouchsafed to his friends in Brighton and Bond-street.

"Give me a check, sir," said the captain very surlily. "Damn the shillings and halfpence, sir," he added, as the lawyer was making out the amount of the draft; and, Along with the captain was Ensign Stubflattering himself that by this stroke of mag-ble; who, as the barouche neared the inn, nanimity he had put the old quiz to the blush, he stalked out of his office with the paper in his pocket.

He's going it pretty fast," said the clerk. "He's only married a week, and I saw him and some other military chaps handing Mrs. Highflyer to her carriage after the play." And then another case was called, and Mr. George Osborne thenceforth dismissed from these worthy gentlemen's memory.

burst out with an exclamation of " By Jove! what a pretty girl!" highly applauding Osborne's choice. Indeed, Amelia dressed in her wedding-pelisse and pink ribbons, with a flush in her face, occasioned by rapid travel through the open air, looked so fresh and pretty, as fully to justify the ensign's compliment. Dobbin liked him for making it. As he stepped forward to help the lady out of the carriage, Stubble saw what a pretty little hand she gave him, and what a sweet pretty little foot came tripping down the step. He blushed profusely, and made the very best bow of which he was capable; to which Amelia, seeing the number of the -th regiment embroidered on the ensign's cap, replied with a blushing smile, and a courtesy on her part; which finished the young ensign on the spot. Dobbin took most kindly to Mr. Stubble from that day, and encouraged him to talk about Amelia in their private walks, and at each other's quarters. It became the fashion indeed among all the honest young fellows of the

The draft was upon our friends Hulker and Bullock of Lombard-street, to whose house, still thinking he was doing business, George bent his way, and from whom he received his money. Frederick Bullock, Esq., whose yellow face was over a ledger, at which sat a demure clerk, happened to be in the banking-room when George entered. His yellow face turned to a more deadly-th to adore and admire Mrs. Osborne. color when he saw the captain, and he slunk back guiltily into the inmost parlor. George was too busy gloating over the money (for he had never had such a sum before), to mark the countenance or flight of the cadaverous suitor of his sister.

Fred. Bullock told old Osborne of his son's appearance and conduct. "He came in as bold as brass," said Frederick. "He has drawn out every shilling. How long will a few hundred pounds last such a chap as that?" Osborne swore with a great oath that he little cared when or how soon he spent it. Fred. dined every day in Russellsquare now. But altogether, George was highly pleased with his day's business. All his own baggage and outfit was put into a state of speedy preparation, and he paid Amelia's purchases with checks on his agents, and with the splendor of a lord.

CHAPTER XXVII.

IN WHICH AMELIA JOINS HER REGIMENT.

WHEN Jos's fine carriage drove up to the inn door at Chatham, the first face which Amelia recognized was the friendly counte

Her simple, artless behavior, and modest kindness of demeanor, won all their unsophisticated hearts; all which simplicity and sweetness are quite impossible to describe in print. But who has not beheld these among women, and recognized the presence of all sorts of qualities in them, even though they say no more to you than that they are engaged to dance the next quadrille, or that it is very hot weather? George, always the champion of his regiment, rose immensely in the opinion of the youth of the corps, by his gallantry in marrying this portionless young creature, and by his choice of such a pretty, kind partner.

In the sitting-room which was awaiting the travelers, Amelia, to her surprise, found a letter addressed to Mrs. Captain Osborne. It was a triangular billet, on pink paper, and sealed with a dove and an olive branch, and a profusion of light-blue sealing wax, and it was written in a very large, though undecided female hand.

to a small friendly party. "You must go," | Walcheren ague never shook it. He walkGeorge said. "You will make acquaint- ed up to a battery with just as much indifance with the regiment there. O'Dowd ference as to a dinner-table; had dined on goes in command of the regiment, and Peggy horse-flesh and turtle with equal relish and goes in command of O'Dowd." appetite; and had an old mother, Mrs. O'Dowd of Dowdstown, indeed, whom he had never disobeyed but when he ran away and enlisted, and when he persisted in marrying that odious Peggy Malony.

But they had not been for many minutes in the enjoyment of Mrs. O'Dowd's letter, when the door was flung open, and a stout jolly lady, in a riding-habit, followed by a couple of officers of Ours, entered the room. "Sure, I couldn't stop till tay-time. Present me, Garge, my dear fellow, to your lady. Madam, I'm delighted to see ye; and to present to you me husband, Meejor O'Dowd;" and with this, the jolly lady in the riding-habit grasped Amelia's hand very warmly, and the latter knew at once that the lady was before her whom her husband had so often laughed at. "You've often heard of me from that husband of yours," said the lady with great vivacity.

Peggy was one of five sisters, and eleven children of the noble house of Glenmalony; but her husband, though her own cousin, was of the mother's side, and so had not the inestimable advantage of being allied to the Maloneys, whom she believed to be the most famous family in the world. Having tried nine seasons at Dublin, and two at Bath and Cheltenham, and not finding a partner for life, Miss Maloney ordered her cousin Mick to marry her when she was about thirty-three years of age; and the honest fellow obeying, carried her off to the West Indies to preside over the ladies of the

"You've often heard of her," echoed her husband, the major. Amelia answered, smiling, that she certh regiment, into which he had just extainly had.

"And small good he's told you of me," Mrs. O'Dowd replied; adding that "George was a wicked divvle."

That I'll go bail for," said the major, trying to look knowing, at which George laughed; and Mrs. O'Dowd, with a tap of her whip, told the major to be “quite ;" and then requested to be presented in form to Mrs. Captain Osborne.

jor.

'Faith, you're right," interposed the ma

"Otherwise called Peggy, lady of Major Michael O'Dowd of our regiment, and daughter of Fitzjurld Ber'sford de Burgo Malony of Glenmalony, County Kildare."

"And Muryan-squeer, Doblin," said the lady with calm superiority.

"And Muryan-square, sure enough," the major whispered.

"'Twas there ye coorted me, meejor, dear," the lady said; and the major assented to this as to every other proposition which was made generally in company.

changed.

Before Mrs. O'Dowd was half an hour in Amelia's (or indeed in any body else's) company, this amiable lady told all her birth and pedigree to her new friend. My dear," said she, good-naturedly, "it was my inten tion that Garge should be a brother of my own, and my sister Glorvina would have suited him entirely. But as bygones are bygones, and he was engaged to yourself, why, I'm determined to take you as a sister instead, and to look upon you as such, and to love you as one of the family. Faith, you've got such a nice good-natured face and way widg you, that I'm sure we'll agree; and that you'll be an addition to our family any way."

'Deed and she will," said O'Dowd with an approving air, and Amelia felt herself not a little amused and grateful to be thus suddenly introduced to so large a party of relations.

"We're all good fellows here," the major's lady continued. "There's not a regiment in the service where you'll find a more united society nor a more agreeable mess-room. There's no quarreling, bickering, slandthering, nor small talk among us. We all love each other."

"Especially Mrs. Magenis," said George, laughing.

Major O'Dowd, who had served his sovereign in every quarter of the world, and had paid for every step in his profession by some more than equivalent act of daring and "Mrs. Captain Magenis and me has made gallantry, was the most modest, silent, sheep-up, though her treatment of me would bring faced and meek of little men, and as obedient me gray hairs with sorrow to the grave." to his wife as if he had been her tay-boy. "And you with such a beautiful front of At the mess-table he sate silently, and drank black, Peggy my dear," the major cried. a great deal. When full of liquor, he reeled silently home. When he spoke it was to agree with every body on every conceivable point; and he passed through life in perfect ease and good humor. The hottest suns of India never heated his temper; and the

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Hould your tongue, Mick, you booby. Them husbands are always in the way, Mrs. Osborne, my dear; and as for my Mick, I often tell him he should never open his mouth but to give the word of command, or to put meat and drink into it. I'll tell you