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here。 This child was her being。 Her existence was a
maternal caress。 She enveloped the feeble and unconscious
creature with love and worship。 It was her life
which the baby drank in from her bosom。 Of nights； and
when alone； she had stealthy and intense raptures of
motherly love； such as God's marvellous care has awarded
to the female instinctjoys how far higher and lower
than reasonblind beautiful devotions which only women's
hearts know。 It was William Dobbin's task to muse
upon these movements of Amelia's； and to watch her
heart； and if his love made him divine almost all the feelings
which agitated it； alas！ he could see with a fatal
perspicuity that there was no place there for him。 And
so； gently； he bore his fate； knowing it； and content to
bear it。
I suppose Amelia's father and mother saw through the
intentions of the Major； and were not ill…disposed to
encourage him； for Dobbin visited their house daily； and
stayed for hours with them； or with Amelia； or with the
honest landlord； Mr。 Clapp； and his family。 He brought；
on one pretext or another； presents to everybody； and
almost every day； and went； with the landlord's little girl；
who was rather a favourite with Amelia； by the name of
Major Sugarplums。 It was this little child who commonly
acted as mistress of the ceremonies to introduce him
to Mrs。 Osborne。 She laughed one day when Major Sugarplums'
cab drove up to Fulham； and he descended from
it； bringing out a wooden horse； a drum； a trumpet； and
other warlike toys； for little Georgy； who was scarcely
six months old； and for whom the articles in question were
entirely premature。
The child was asleep。 〃Hush；〃 said Amelia； annoyed；
perhaps； at the creaking of the Major's boots； and she
held out her hand； smiling because William could not
take it until he had rid himself of his cargo of toys。 〃Go
downstairs； little Mary；〃 said he presently to the child；
〃I want to speak to Mrs。 Osborne。〃 She looked up rather
astonished； and laid down the infant on its bed。
〃I am come to say good…bye； Amelia；〃 said he； taking
her slender little white hand gently。
〃Good…bye？ and where are you going？〃 she said； with
a smile。
〃Send the letters to the agents；〃 he said； 〃they will
forward them； for you will write to me； won't you？ I
shall be away a long time。〃
〃I'll write to you about Georgy；〃 she said。 〃Dear' William；
how good you have been to him and to me。 Look at
him。 Isn't he like an angel？〃
The little pink hands of the child closed mechanically
round the honest soldier's finger； and Amelia looked up
in his face with bright maternal pleasure。 The cruellest
looks could not have wounded him more than that glance
of hopeless kindness。 He bent over the child and mother。
He could not speak for a moment。 And it was only with
all his strength that he could force himself to say a God
bless you。 〃God bless you；〃 said Amelia； and held up her
face and kissed him。
〃Hush！ Don't wake Georgy！〃 she added； as William
Dobbin went to the door with heavy steps。 She did not
hear the noise of his cab…wheels as he drove away： she
was looking at the child； who was laughing in his sleep。
CHAPTER XXXVI
How to Live Well on Nothing a Year
I suppose there is no man in this Vanity Fair of ours so
little observant as not to think sometimes about the
worldly affairs of his acquaintances； or so extremely
charitable as not to wonder how his neighbour Jones；
or his neighbour Smith； can make both ends meet at the
end of the year。 With the utmost regard for the family；
for instance （for I dine with them twice or thrice in the
season）； I cannot but own that the appearance of the
Jenkinses in the park； in the large barouche with the
grenadier…footmen； will surprise and mystify me to my
dying day： for though I know the equipage is only
jobbed； and all the Jenkins people are on board wages；
yet those three men and the carriage must represent an
expense of six hundred a year at the very leastand then
there are the splendid dinners； the two boys at Eton； the
prize governess and masters for the girls； the trip
abroad； or to Eastbourne or Worthing； in the autumn；
the annual ball with a supper from Gunter's （who； by the
way； supplies most of the first…rate dinners which J。 gives；
as I know very well； having been invited to one of them to
fill a vacant place； when I saw at once that these repasts are
very superior to the common run of entertainments for which the
humbler sort of J。's acquaintances get cards）who； I say； with the
most good…natured feelings in the world； can help wondering how
the Jenkinses make out matters？ What is Jenkins？ We all know
Commissioner of the Tape and Sealing Wax Office； with
1200 pounds a year for a salary。 Had his wife a private
fortune？ Pooh！Miss Flintone of eleven children of a
small squire in Buckinghamshire。 All she ever gets from
her family is a turkey at Christmas； in exchange for which
she has to board two or three of her sisters in the off
season； and lodge and feed her brothers when they
come to town。 How does Jenkins balance his income？ I
say； as every friend of his must say； How is it that he
has not been outlawed long since； and that he ever came
back （as he did to the surprise of everybody） last year
from Boulogne？
〃I〃 is here introduced to personify the world in
generalthe Mrs。 Grundy of each respected reader's private
circleevery one of whom can point to some families
of his acquaintance who live nobody knows how。 Many
a glass of wine have we all of us drunk； I have very
little doubt； hob…and…nobbing with the hospitable giver
and wondering how the deuce he paid for it。
Some three or four years after his stay in Paris； when
Rawdon Crawley and his wife were established in a very
small comfortable house in Curzon Street； May Fair； there
was scarcely one of the numerous friends whom they
entertained at dinner that did not ask the above question
regarding them。 The novelist； it has been said before；
knows everything； and as I am in a situation to be
able to tell the public how Crawley and his wife lived
without any income； may I entreat the public newspapers
which are in the habit of extracting portions of the
various periodical works now published not to reprint
the following exact narrative and calculationsof which
I ought； as the discoverer （and at some expense； too）；
to have the benefit？ My son； I would say； were I blessed
with a childyou may by deep inquiry and constant
intercourse with him learn how a man lives comfortably
on nothing a year。 But it is best not to be intimate with
gentlemen of this profession and to take the calculations
at second hand； as you do logarithms； for to work
them yourself； depend upon it； will cost you something
considerable。
On nothing per annum then； and during a course of
some two or three years； of which we can afford to
give but a very brief history； Crawley and his wife lived
very happily and comfortably at Paris。 It was in this
period that he quitted the Guards and sold out of the
army。 When we find him again； his mustachios and the
title of Colonel on his card are the only relics of his
military profession。
It has been mentioned that Re