Vanity Fair

een Si

f wonder at the theatre, whither the good-natured lady took her. One day, Amelia had a headache, and could not go upon some party of pleasure to which the two young people were invited: nothing could induce her friend to go without her. "What! you who have

vour. She interested Mrs. Blenkinsop by evincing the deepest sympathy in the raspberry-jam preserving, which operation was then going on in the Housekeeper's room; she persisted in calling Sambo "Sir," and "Mr. Sambo," to the

becca suddenly came upon one which caused her to burst into tears and lea

natured girl came back without her companion, rather affected too. "You know, her father was

unted them." "It was called mounting, Mamma. Rebecca remembers the drawing, and her father

is all heart," s

tay with us another

, only fairer. She's married now to Lance, the Artillery Surge

lling that; but persuade Mamma to write to Sir Something Crawley for leave

ood-natured Mrs. Sedley's extended hand and kissing it respectfully. "How ki

n instant departure. "Gracious

at horrid pepper-dish at dinner, the first day I eve

ow you so well

o be good to you, my

Joe, quite gravely. "Perhaps there was NOT

the c

by the ridicule of the circumstance, and exploding in

" said Rebecca, as they went down again to dinner. "I didn't

ca, I wouldn't hurt

k quite frightened, and looked first for one instant in his face, and then down at the carpet-rods; and I am not prepared to

ear girl has no dear Mamma to settle matters with the young man, she must do it for herself. And oh, what a mercy it is that these women do not exercise their powers oftener! We can't resist them, if they do. Let them show ever so little inclination, and men go down on their knees at once: old or ugly,

nder, half jocular, did Miss Sharp make to him about the dishes at dinner; for by this time she was on a footing of considerable familiarity with t

promise made last Easter holidays-"When I was a girl at school," said she, laughing-a promise that he,

her hands; but she recollected herself, and

not the nig

to-mo

pa and I dine out,

er husband, "and that a woman of your years and size

ave someone with the

which speech even Mr. Sambo at the sideboard burst out laughi

ater in his face, Miss Sharp, or carry him upstairs: the dear creatur

, sir, I'm d---!

ion, the old joker stopped his laughter, and said, holding out his hand to his son, "It's all fair on the Stock Exchange, Jos-and,

re the bottle was emptied, of which as an invalid he took tw

s will be sure to leave Emmy in the crowd, he will be so taken up wit

y young ladies of seventeen know how to blush, and as Miss Rebecca Sharp never blushed in her life-at least not since she was eight years old, and when she was caught stealing jam out of a cupboard by her godmother. "Amelia had better

ears ago,"

chintz of a rich and fantastic India pattern, and double with calico of a tender rose-colour; in the interior of which species of marquee was a featherbed, on which were two pillows, on which were

, Mr. Sedley," said she, "t

I've no patience with Jos and his dandified modesty. It is out-Josephing Joseph, my dear, and all the while the boy is only thinking of himself, and what a fine fellow he is. I doubt, Ma'am, we shall have some trouble with him yet. Here is Emmy's little friend making love to him as hard as sh

e little artful creature," said

The girl's a white face at any rate. I don't

mantic music of the nose; and save when the church bells tolled the hour and the watchman called

han maternal jealousy, yet she could not bring herself to suppose that the little, humble, grateful, gentle governess would dare to look up to such a magnificent personage as the Collector of

rman Balls at Highbury Barn, there came on such a thunder-storm as only happens on Vauxhall nights, and as obliged the young people, perforce, to remain at home. Mr. Osborne did not seem in the least disappointed at this occurrence. He and Joseph Sedley drank a fitting quantity of port-wine, tete-a-tete, in the dining-room, during the drinking of which Sedley told

th gold whistle and bells; from his youth upwards he was "tipped" regularly by the old gentleman at Christmas: and on going back to school, he remembered perfectly well being thrashed by Joseph Sedley, when

our Hessian boots, and how Miss-hem!-how Amelia rescued me from a beating, by fall

cumstance perfectly well, but vowe

and giving me half a guinea and a pat on the head? I always had an idea that you were at least sev

chool and give you the money!" exclaime

of his boots too. Boys never forget

egs prodigiously, and always wore this ornamental chaussure, was extremely pl

represented in buckskins, and holding one of the injured boots in one hand; by the other he shall have hold of my shirt-frill. Amelia shall be kneeling n

gone." And she dropped her voice, and looked so sad and piteous, that everyb

tay longer, dear Re

y to that natural infirmity of tears which, we have said, was one of the defects of this silly little thing. George Osborne looked at the two young women wit

I should perhaps be telling an untruth, for the fact is that these two young people had been bred up by their parents for this very purpose, and their banns had, as it were, been read in their respective families any time these ten years. They went off to the piano, which was situated, as pianos usually are, in the back drawing-room; and as it was rath

ly secrets," said Miss Sharp.

Joseph, "I believe the affair is settle

world," said Rebecca. "Happy the man who wins

between Mr. Sedley and the young lady; for the conversation, as may be judged from the foregoing specimen, was not especially witty or eloquent; it seldom is in private societies, or anywhere except in very high-flown and ingenious novels. As there was music

r in which they kept themselves cool in the hot weather, with punkahs, tatties, and other contrivances; and he was very witty regarding the number of Scotchmen whom Lord Minto, the Governor-General, patronised; and then he described a tiger-hunt; and the manner in which the mahout of his elephant had been pulled off his seat by one of the infuriated animals. How del

when the accident in question occurred, and when he was half killed-not by the tiger, but by the fright. And as he talked on, he grew quite bold, and actuall

e of the most eloquent speeches possible, and had begun-"O Miss Sharp, how-" when some song which was performed in the other room

r's eloquence?" whispered Mr. Osborne to Ame

Rebecca, and discovered a million of virtues and amiable qualities in her which she had not perceived when they were at Chiswick together. For the affection of young ladies is of as rapid growth as Jack's bean-stalk, and reaches up to the sky in a night. It is no blame to them that after marriage this Se

it now appeared proper to Miss Amelia to ask her friend to sing. "You would not have listened to m

orne, "that, right or wrong, I consider Miss

o keep his opinion), and exerted herself to the utmost, and, indeed, to the wonder of Amelia, who had never known her perform so well. She sang a French song, which Joseph did not understand in the least, and which George confessed he did not understand, and then a number of those simple ballads which were the fashion forty years ago, and in which British tars, our Ki

the songs, to which Sambo, after he had brought the tea, the delighted cook, and e

, the last of the concert,

lter'd sure, The cottage hearth was bright and warm-An orphan boy the lattice pass'd, And, as he

turn and rest, And gentle faces welcomed him. The dawn is up-the guest is gone, The cottage

ge and Miss Sedley had remained, according to the former's proposal, in the farther room, Joseph Sedley's bachelorhood would have been at an end, and this work would never have been written. But at the close of the ditty, Rebecca quitted the piano, and giving her hand to Amelia, walked away into the front drawing-room twilight; and, at this moment, Mr. Sambo made his appearance with a tray, containing sandwiches, jellies, and

ever interfered with the appetite or the slumber of Mr. Joseph Sedley; but he thought to himself how delightful it would be to hear such songs as those after Cutcherry-what a distinguee girl she was-how she could speak French better than the Governor-General's lady herse

t Chiswick Mall), and Rebecca was employed upon her yesterday's work. As Joe's buggy drove up, and while, after his usual thundering knock and pompous bustle at the door, the ex-Collector of Boggley Wollah laboured up stairs to the drawing-room, knowing glances were telegraphed between Osborne and Miss Sedley, and the pair, smiling archly, looked at Rebecca, who actually b

monster had actually had the gallantry to purchase in Covent Garden Market that morning-they were not as big as the haystacks which ladies carry about with t

os!" crie

if he were so minded. (And I think for a kiss from such a dear creatur

som, and cast up her eyes to the ceiling, in an ecstasy of admiration. Perhaps she just looked first int

flowers at Boggley Wollah, Sed

a, my dear, I bought a pine-apple at the same time, which I gave to Sambo. Let's have it for tiffin; very cool

away, perhaps to superintend the slicing of the pine-apple; but Jos was left alone with Rebecca, who had resum

sang last night, dear Miss Sharp," said the Collec

heart, Mr. Joseph; all th

s, upon my honour. Gollop, my doctor, came in at eleven (for I'm a sad invalid, you

ture! Do let me h

. Will you help me, Mr. Sedley?" And before he had time to ask how, Mr. Joseph Sedley, of the East India Company's service, was actually seated tete-a-tete with a young lady,

air, when they entered to announce that tiffin was ready. The skein

d Rebecca's hand; and Sedley, too, had communed with his soul,