great solemnity, and there imparted to him the affecting history with which he had just been made acquainted, without, however, mentioning the play business of the night before. And the two gentlemen were laying their heads together, and consulting as to the best means of being useful to Mrs. Becky, while she was finishing her interrupted déjeûner à la fourchette. from me;" and she put her hand to her heart with a passionate gesture of despair, burying her face for a moment on the bed. The brandy bottle inside clinked against the plate which held the cold sausage. Both were moved, no doubt, by the exhibition of so much grief. Max and Fritz were at the door listening with wonder to Mrs. Becky's sobs and cries. Jos, too, was a good deal frightened and affected at seeing his old flame in this condition. And she began, forthwith, to tell her story-a tale so neat, simple, and artless, that it was quite evident from hearing her, that if ever there was a white-robed augel escaped from heav- is very easy of descent. Let us skip over en to be subject to the infernal machinations the interval in the history of her downward and villainy of fiends here below-that spot- progress. She was not worse now than less being that miserable, unsullied martyr, she had been in the days of her prosperity, was present on the bed before Jos-on the only a little down on her luck. bed, sitting on the brandy-bottle. They had a very long, amicable, and confidential talk there; in the course of which, Jos Sedley was somehow made aware (but in a manner that did not in the least scare or offend him) that Becky's heart had first learned to beat at his enchanting presence: that George Osborne had certainly paid an unjustifiable court to her, which might account for Amelia's jealousy, and their little rupture; but that Becky never gave the least encouragement to the unfortunate of ficer, and that she had never ceased to think about Jos from the very first day she had seen him, though, of course, her duties as a married woman were paramount duties which she had always preserved, and would, to her dying day, or until the proverbially bad climate in which Colonel Crawley was living, should release her from a yoke which his cruelty had rendered odious to her. How was it that she had come to that little town? How was it that she had no friends and was wandering about alone? Little boys at school are taught in their earliest Latin book, that the path of Avernus As for Mrs. Amelia she was a woman of such a soft and foolish disposition, that when she heard of any body unhappy, her heart straightway melted toward the sufferer; and as she had never thought or done any thing mortally guilty herself, she had not that abhorrence for wickedness which distinguishes moralists much more knowing. If she spoiled every body who came near her with kindness and compliments-if she begged pardon of all her servants for troubling them to answer the bell-if she apologized to a shop-boy who showed her a piece of silk, or made a courtesy to a street-sweeper, with a complimentary remark upon the elegant state of his crossing-and she was almost capable of every one of these follies—the notion that an old acquaintance was miserable was sure to soften her heart; nor would she hear of any body's being deservedly unhappy. A world under such legislation as hers, would Jos went away convinced that she was the not be a very orderly place of abode; but most virtuous, as she was one of the most there are not many women, at least not of fascinating of women, and revolving in his the rulers who are of her sort. This lady, mind all sorts of benevolent schemes for her I believe, would have abolished all jails, welfare. Her persecutions ought to be end-punishments, handcuffs, whippings, poverty, ed: she ought to return to the society of sickness, hunger, in the world; and was which she was an ornament. He would such a mean-spirited creature, that-we see what ought to be done. She must quit are obliged to confess it-she could even that place, and take a quiet lodging. Amelia forget a mortal injury. must come and see her, and befriend her. He would go and settle about it, and consult with the major. She wept tears of heartfelt gratitude as she parted from him, and pressed his hand as the gallant stout gentleman stooped down to kiss hers. So Becky bowed Jos out of her little garret with as much grace as if it was a palace of which she did the honors; and that heavy gentleman having disappeared down the stairs, Hans and Fritz came out of their hole, pipe in mouth, and she amused herself by mimicking Jos to them as she munched her cold bread and sausage and took draughts of her favorite brandy and water. Jos walked over to Dobbin's lodgings with When the major heard from Jos of the sentimental adventure which had just befallen the latter, he was not, it must be confessed, nearly as much interested as the gentleman from Bengal. On the contrary, his excitement was quite the reverse from a pleasurable one; he made use of a brief but improper expression regarding a poor woman in distress, saying, in fact "the little minx, has she come to light again?" He never had had the slightest liking for her, but on the contrary, had heartily mistrusted her from the very first moment when her green eyes had looked at, and turned away from, his own. fully. "Who knows what sort of life she has been leading; and what business has she here abroad and alone? Don't tell me about persecutors and enemies; an honest woman always has friends, and never is separated from her family. Why has she left her husband? He may have been disreputable and wicked, as you say. He always I remember the confounded blackleg, and the way in which he used to cheat and hoodwink poor George. Wasn't there a scandal about their separation? I think I heard something," cried out Major Dobbin, who did not care much about gossip; and whom Jos tried in vain to convince that Mrs. Becky was in all respects a most injured and virtuous female. was. 66 "She hasn't a friend in the world," Jos went on, not undexterously; "and she said she thought she might trust in you. She's so miserable, Emmy. She has been almost mad with grief. Her story quite affected me 'pon my word and honor it did-never was such a cruel persecution borne so angelically, I may say. Her family has been most cruel to her." : 46 Poor creature!" Amelia said. "And if she can get no friend, she says she thinks she'll die," Jos proceeded, in a low, tremulous voice. "God bless my soul! do you know that she tried to kill herself? She carries laudanum with her-1 saw the bottle in her room-such a miserable little room—at a third-rate house, the Elephant, up in the roof at the top of all. I went there." This did not seem to affect Emmy. She even smiled a little. Perhaps she figured Jos to herself panting up the stair. Very well? by Gad. sir, she's the finest lady I ever met in my life," bounced out the major, "I say at once, let us go and ask her if this woman ought to be visited or not-I will be content with her verdict." Now this odious, artful rogue of a major was thinking in his own mind that he was "She's beside herself with grief," he resure of his case. Emmy, he remembered, sumed. "The agonies that woman has enwas at one time cruelly and deservedly dured are quite frightful to hear of. She had jealous of Rebecca, never mentioned her a little boy, of the same age as Georgy." name but with a shrinking and terror-a Yes, yes, I think I remember," Emmy jealous woman never forgives, thought Dob- remarked. "Wel! ?" bin and so the pair went across the street "The most beautiful child ever seen," Jos to Mrs. George's house, where she was said, who was very fat, and easily moved, contentedly warbling at a music-lesson with and had been touched by the story Becky Madame Strumpff. told; "a perfect angel, who adored his mother. The ruffians tore him shrieking out of her arms, and have never allowed him to see her.” When that lady took her leave, Jos opened the business with his usual pomp of words. "Amelia, my dear," said he, "I have just had the most extraordinary-yes -God bless my soul! the most extraordinary adventure—an old friend—yes, a most interesting old friend of yours, and I may say in old times, has just arrived here, and I should like you to see her." "Her!" said Amelia, who is it? Major Dobbin, if you please not to break my scissors." The major was twirling them round by the little chain from which they sometimes hung to their lady's waist, and was thereby endangering his own eye. "It is a woman whom I dislike very much," said the major doggedly; "and whom you have no cause to love." "It is Rebecca, I'm sure it is Rebecca," Amelia said blushing, and being very much agitated. You are right; you always are," Dobbin answered. Brussels, Waterloo, old, old times, griefs, pangs, remembrances, rushed ་་ "Dear Joseph," Emmy cried out, starting up at once, “let us go and see her this minute." And she ran into her adjoining bed-chamber, tied on her bonnet in a flutter, came out with her shawl on her arm, and ordered Dobbin to follow. He went and put her shawl-it was a white Cashmere, consigned to the major himself from India-over her shoulders. He saw there was nothing for it but to obey; and she put her hand into his arm, and they went away. "It is number 92, up four pair of stairs," Jos said, perhaps not very willing to ascend the steps again; but he placed himself in the window of his drawing-room, which commands the place on which the Elephant stands, and saw the pair marching through the market. It was as well that Becky saw them too from her garret; for she and the two stu 66 dents were chattering and laughing there; | My agonies," Becky continued, “were they had been joking about the appearance terrible (I hope she won't sit down on the of Becky's grandpapa-whose arrival and bottle) when they took him away from me; departure they had witnessed--but she had I thought I should die; but I fortunately time to dismiss them, and have her little had a brain fever, during which my doctor room clear before the landlord of the Ele- gave me up, and—and I recovered, and—and phant, who knew that Mrs. Osborne was a here I am poor and friendless." great favorite at the Serene Court, and respected her accordingly, led the way up the stairs to the roof-story, encouraging Miladi and the Herr major as they achieved the ascent. "Gracious lady, gracious lady!" said the landlord, knocking at Becky's door; he had called her madame the day before, and was by no means courteous to her. "Who is it?" Becky said, putting out her head, and she gave a little scream. There stood Emmy in a tremble, and Dobbin, the tall major, with his cane. He stood still watching, and very much. interested at the scene; but Emmy sprang forward with open arms toward Rebecca, and forgave her at that moment, and embraced her and kissed her with all her heart. Ah, poor wretch, when was your lip pressed before by such pure kisses? CHAPTER LXVI. AMANTIUM IRE. FRANKNESS and kindness such as Amelia's were likely to touch even such a hardened little reprobate as Becky. She returned Emmy's caresses and kind speeches with something very like gratitude, and an emotion that, if it was not lasting, for a moment was almost genuine. That was a lucky stroke of hers about the child "torn from her arms shrieking." It was by that harrowing misfortune that Becky had won her friend back, and it was one of the very first points, we may be certain, upon which our poor simple little Emmy began to talk to her new-found acquaintance. How old is he?" Emmy asked. "Eleven," said Becky. "Eleven!" cried the other. Why, he was born the same year with Georgy, who is-" "I know, I know," Becky cried out, who had in fact quite forgotten all about little Rawdon's age. "Grief has made me forget so many things, dearest Amelia. I am very much changed: half wild sometimes. He was eleven when they took him away from me. Bless his sweet face; I have never seen it again." "Was he fair or dark?" went on that absurd little Emmy. "Show me his hair." Becky almost laughed at her simplicity. "Not to-day, love-some other time, when my trunks arrive from Leipzig, whence I came to this place-and a little drawing of him, which I made in happy days." "Poor Becky, poor Becky!" said Emmy. "How thankful, how thankful I ought to be!" (though I doubt whether that practice of piety inculcated upon us by our womankind in early youth, namely, to be thankful because we are better off than somebody else, be a very rational religious exercise); and then she began to think as usual, how her son was the handsomest, the best, and the cleverest boy in the whole world. "You will see my Georgy," was the best thing Emmy could think of to console Becky. If any thing could make her comfortable that would. And so the two women continued talking for an hour or more, during which, Becky had the opportunity of giving her new friend a full and complete version of her private history. She showed how her marriage And so they took your darling child with Rawdon Crawley had always been from you," our simpleton cried out. Oh, viewed by the family with feelings of the Rebecca, my poor, dear, suffering friend, I utmost hostility: how her sister-in-law (an know what it is to lose a boy, and to feel for artful woman) had poisoned her husband's those who have lost one. But please Heav-mind against her; how he had formed odien, yours will be restored to you, as merciful, merciful Providence has brought me back mine." 46 ous connections, which had estranged his affections from her; how she had borne every thing-poverty, neglect, coldness from the being whom she most loved-and all for the sake of her child; how, finally, and by the most flagrant outrage, she had been driven into demanding a separation from her husband, when the wretch did not scruple to ask that she should sacrifice her own fair fame so that he might procure advancement through the means of a very great and pow The child, my child? Oh, yes, my agonies were frightful," Becky owned, not perhaps without a twinge of conscience. It jarred upon her, to be obliged to commence instantly to tell lies in reply to so much confidence and simplicity. But that is the misfortune of beginning with this kind of forgery. When one fib becomes due, as it were, you must forge another to take up the old accept-erful but unprincipled man--the Marquis of ances, and so the stock of your lies in circulation inevitably multiplies, and the danger of detection increases every day. Steyne, indeed. The atrocious monster! This part of her eventful history Becky gave with the utmost feminine delicacy, and the most indignant virtue. Forced to fly drinking-bouts at the neighboring Univerher husband's roof by this insult, the coward sity of Schoppenhausen, from which rehad pursued his revenge, by taking her child nowned seat of learning they had just come from her. And thus Becky said she was a in the Eilwagen, with Becky, as it appearwanderer, poor, unprotected, friendless, and ed, by their side, and in order to be present wretched. at the bridal fêtes at Pumpernickel. We must take the tickets for her concert," Fritz said. "Hast thou any money, Max ?" Emmy received this story, which was told "The little Engländerinn seems to be en at some length, as those persons who are bays de gonnoissance," said Max, who knew acquainted with her character may imagine the French language, to Fritz, his comrade. that she would. She quivered with indig-"After the fat grandfather went away, there nation at the account of the conduct of the came a pretty little compatriot. I heard miserable Rawdon and the unprincipled them chattering and whimpering together in Steyne. Her eyes made notes of admira- the little woman's chamber." tion for every one of the sentences in which Becky described the persecutions of her aristocratic relatives, and the falling away of her husband. (Becky did not abuse him. She spoke rather in sorrow than in anger. She had loved him only too fondly: and was he not the father of her boy?) And as for the separation-scene from the child, while Becky was reciting it, Emmy retired altogether behind her pocket handkerchief, so that the consummate little tragedian must have been charmed to see the effect which her performance produced on her audience. Bah," said the other, "the concert is a concert in nubibus. Hans said that she advertised one at Leipzic: and the Burschen took many tickets. But she went off without singing. She said in the coach yesterday that her pianist had fallen ill at Dresden. She can not sing, it is my belief: her voice is as cracked as thine, O thou beer-soaking Renowner!" "It is cracked; I heard her trying out of her window a schrecklich English ballad, called De Rose upon de Balgony.'' 66 No, sively having buried their blond whiskers in the mawkish draught, curled them and swaggered off into the fair. While the ladies were carrying on their conversation, Amelia's constant escort, the major, who, of course, did not wish to in- Saufen und singen go not together," obterrupt their conference, and finding himself served Fritz with the red nose, who evidentrather tired of creaking about the narrow ly preferred the former amusement. stair passage of which the roof brushed the thou shalt take none of her tickets. She nap from his hat, descended to the ground-won money at the trente and quarante last floor of the house and into the great room night. I saw her: she made a little Encommon to all the frequenters of the Ele-glish boy play for her. We will spend thy phant, out of which the stair led. This money there or at the theater, or we will apartment is always in a fume of smoke, and treat her to French wine or Cognac in the liberally sprinkled with beer. On a dirty Aurelius Garden, but the tickets we will not table stand scores of corresponding brass buy. What sayest thou? Yet, another candlesticks with tallow candles for the lodg-mug of beer?" and one and another succesers, whose keys hang up in rows over the candles. Emmy had passed blushing through the room anon, where all sorts of people were collected: Tyrolese glove-sellers and The major, who had seen the key of number Danubian linen-merchants, with their packs; 90 put up on its hook, and had heard the constudents recruiting themselves with butter-versation of the two young university bloods, brods and meat; idlers, playing cards or was not at a loss to understand that their dominoes on the sloppy, beery tables; tum- talk related to Becky. The little devil blers refreshing during the cessation of their is at her old tricks," he thought, and he performances; in a word, all the fumum and smiled as he recalled old days, when he had strepitus of a German inn in fair time. The witnessed the desperate flirtation with Jos, waiter brought the major a mug of beer, as and the ludicrous end of that adventure. a matter of course; and he took out a cigar, He and George had often laughed over it and amused himself with that pernicious subsequently, and until a few weeks after vegetable and a newspaper until his charge George's marriage, when he seemed to be should come down to claim him. caught in the little Circe's toils too, and had an understanding with her which his comrade might have suspected, but preferred to Max and Fritz came presently down stairs, their caps on one side, their spurs jingling, their pipes splendid with coats-of-ignore. arms and full-blown tassels; and they hung up the key of No. 90 on the board, and called for the ration of butterbrod and beer. The pair sate down by the major, and fell into a conversation of which he could not help hearing somewhat. It was mainly about "Fuchs" and " Philister," and duels and William was too much hurt or ashamed to ask to fathom that disgraceful mystery, although once, and evidently with remorse on his mind, George had alluded to it. It was on the morning of Waterlco as the young men stood together in front of the line, surveying the black masses of Frenchmen who crowned the opposite heights, and dred times, at least, during the past hour, as the rain was coming down, "I have been the first floor; he had been pacing the room, mixing in a foolish intrigue with a woman," and biting his nails, and looking over the George said. "I am glad we were marched market-place toward the Elephant a hunaway. If I drop, I hope Emmy will never know of that business. I wish to God it had never been begun!" And William was pleased to think, and had more than once soothed poor George's widow with the narrative, that Osborne, after quitting his wife, and after the action Quatre Bras, on the first day, spoke gravely and affectionately to his comrade of his father and his wife. On these facts, too, William had insisted very strongly in his conversations with the elder Osborne and had thus been the means of reconciling the old gentleman to his son's memory, just at the close of the elder man's life. And so this devil is still going on with her intrigues," thought William. "I wish she were a hundred miles from here. She brings mischief wherever she goos." And he was pursuing these forebodings and this uncomfortable train of thought, with his head between his hands, and the " Pumpernickel Gazette" of last week unread under his nose, when somebody tapped his shoulder with a parasol, and he looked up and saw Mrs. Amelia. This woman had a way of tyrannizing over Major Dobbin (for the weakest of all people will domineer over somebody), and she ordered him about, and patted him, and made him fetch and carry just as if he was a great Newfoundland dog. He liked, so to speak, to jump into the water if she said High Dobbin!" and to trot behind her with her reticule in his mouth. This history has been written to very little purpose if the reader has not perceived that the major was a spooney. Why did you not wait for me, sir, to escort me down stairs?" she said, giving a little toss of her head, and a most sarcastic courtesy. "The poor dear creature, how she has suffered!" Emmy said. "God bless my soul, yes," Jos said, wagging his head, so that his cheeks quivered like jellies. 66 She may have Payne's room, who can go up-stairs," Emmy continued. Payne was a staid, English maid, and personal attendant upon Mrs. Sedley, to whom the courier, as in duty bound, paid court, and whom Georgy used to "lark," dreadfully, with accounts of German robbers and ghosts. She passed her time chiefly in grumbling, in ordering about her mistress, and in stating her intention to return the next morning to her native village of Clapham. 66 She may have Payne's room," Emmy said. "Why, you don't mean to say you are going to have that woman into the house?" bounced out the major, jumping up. "Of course we are," said Amelia, in the most innocent way in the world. "Don't be angry, and break the furniture, Major Dobbin. Of course we are going to have her here." "Of course, my dear," Jos said. "The poor creature, after all her sufferings," Emmy continued: "her horrid banker broken and run away: her husband-wicked wretch-having deserted her, and taken her child away from her (here she doubled her two little fists, and held them in a most menacing attitude before her, so that the major was charmed to see such a dauntless virago), the poor, dear thing! quite alone, and absolutely forced to give lessons in singing to get her bread-and not have her here!" “Take lessons, my dear Mrs. Georgo,” cried the major, "but don't have her in the house. I implore you don't. Pooh," said Jos. "I couldn't stand up in the passage," he answered, with a comical deprecatory look, and delighted to give her his arm, and to take her out of the horrid, smoky place; he would have walked off without even so much as remembering the waiter, had not the young fellow run after him, and stopped him on the threshold of the Elephant to make him pay for the beer which he had not consumed. Emmy laughed: she called him a naughty man. who wanted to run away in debt; and, in fact, made some jokes suitable to the occasion and the small-beer. She was in high spirits and good humor, and tripped I ever had, and not—” across the market place very briskly. She wanted to see Jos that instant The major laughed at the impetuous affection Mrs. Amelia exhibited; for, in truth, it was not very often that she wanted her brother "that instant." They found the civilian in his saloon on "You who are always good and kind: always used to be at any rate: I'm astonished at you, Major William," Amelia cried. " Why, what is the moment to help her but when she is so miserable? Now is the time to be of service to her. The oldest friend She was not always your friend, Amelia," the major said, for he was quite angry. This allusion was too much for Emmy, who, looking the major most fiercely in the face, said. "For shame, Major Dobbin !” and after having fired this shot, she walked out of the room with a most majestic air, and shut her |