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by better and younger mimesthe chance of life roll
away and leave us shattered and stranded。 Then men
will walk across the road when they meet youor； worse
still； hold you out a couple of fingers and patronize you
in a pitying waythen you will know； as soon as your
back is turned； that your friend begins with a 〃Poor
devil； what imprudences he has committed； what chances
that chap has thrown away！〃 Well； wella carriage and
three thousand a year is not the summit of the reward
nor the end of God's judgment of men。 If quacks prosper
as often as they go to the wallif zanies succeed and
knaves arrive at fortune； and； vice versa； sharing ill
luck and prosperity for all the world like the ablest and
most honest amongst usI say； brother； the gifts and
pleasures of Vanity Fair cannot be held of any great
account； and that it is probable 。 。 。 but we are
wandering out of the domain of the story。
Had Mrs。 Sedley been a woman of energy； she would
have exerted it after her husband's ruin and； occupying
a large house； would have taken in boarders。 The broken
Sedley would have acted well as the boarding…house
landlady's husband； the Munoz of private life； the titular lord
and master： the carver； house…steward； and humble
husband of the occupier of the dingy throne。 I have seen
men of good brains and breeding； and of good hopes and
vigour once； who feasted squires and kept hunters in
their youth； meekly cutting up legs of mutton for
rancorous old harridans and pretending to preside over their
dreary tablesbut Mrs。 Sedley； we say； had not spirit
enough to bustle about for 〃a few select inmates to join
a cheerful musical family；〃 such as one reads of in the
Times。 She was content to lie on the shore where
fortune had stranded herand you could see that the
career of this old couple was over。
I don't think they were unhappy。 Perhaps they were
a little prouder in their downfall than in their prosperity。
Mrs。 Sedley was always a great person for her landlady；
Mrs。 Clapp； when she descended and passed many hours
with her in the basement or ornamented kitchen。 The
Irish maid Betty Flanagan's bonnets and ribbons； her
sauciness； her idleness； her reckless prodigality of kitchen
candles； her consumption of tea and sugar； and so forth
occupied and amused the old lady almost as much as the
doings of her former household； when she had Sambo and
the coachman； and a groom； and a footboy； and a
housekeeper with a regiment of female domesticsher former
household； about which the good lady talked a hundred
times a day。 And besides Betty Flanagan； Mrs。 Sedley
had all the maids…of…all…work in the street to superintend。
She knew how each tenant of the cottages paid or
owed his little rent。 She stepped aside when Mrs。
Rougemont the actress passed with her dubious family。 She
flung up her head when Mrs。 Pestler； the apothecary's
lady； drove by in her husband's professional one…horse
chaise。 She had colloquies with the greengrocer about
the pennorth of turnips which Mr。 Sedley loved； she kept
an eye upon the milkman and the baker's boy； and
made visitations to the butcher； who sold hundreds of
oxen very likely with less ado than was made about
Mrs。 Sedley's loin of mutton： and she counted the
potatoes under the joint on Sundays； on which days； dressed
in her best； she went to church twice and read Blair's
Sermons in the evening。
On that day； for 〃business〃 prevented him on weekdays
from taking such a pleasure； it was old Sedley's
delight to take out his little grandson Georgy to the
neighbouring parks or Kensington Gardens； to see the soldiers
or to feed the ducks。 Georgy loved the redcoats； and his
grandpapa told him how his father had been a famous
soldier； and introduced him to many sergeants and others
with Waterloo medals on their breasts； to whom the
old grandfather pompously presented the child as the
son of Captain Osborne of the th； who died gloriously
on the glorious eighteenth。 He has been known to treat
some of these non…commissioned gentlemen to a glass of
porter； and； indeed； in their first Sunday walks was
disposed to spoil little Georgy； sadly gorging the boy with
apples and parliament； to the detriment of his health
until Amelia declared that George should never go out
with his grandpapa unless the latter promised solemnly；
and on his honour； not to give the child any cakes；
lollipops； or stall produce whatever。
Between Mrs。 Sedley and her daughter there was a sort
of coolness about this boy； and a secret jealousyfor
one evening in George's very early days； Amelia； who
had been seated at work in their little parlour scarcely
remarking that the old lady had quitted the room； ran
upstairs instinctively to the nursery at the cries of the
child； who had been asleep until that momentand
there found Mrs。 Sedley in the act of surreptitiously
administering Daffy's Elixir to the infant。 Amelia； the
gentlest and sweetest of everyday mortals； when she
found this meddling with her maternal authority； thrilled
and trembled all over with anger。 Her cheeks； ordinarily
pale； now flushed up； until they were as red as they used
to be when she was a child of twelve years old。 She
seized the baby out of her mother's arms and then
grasped at the bottle； leaving the old lady gaping at her；
furious； and holding the guilty tea…spoon。
Amelia flung the bottle crashing into the fire…place。
〃I will NOT have baby poisoned； Mamma；〃 cried Emmy；
rocking the infant about violently with both her arms
round him and turning with flashing eyes at her mother。
〃Poisoned； Amelia！〃 said the old lady； 〃this language
to me？〃
〃He shall not have any medicine but that which Mr。
Pestler sends for hi n。 He told me that Daffy's Elixir was
poison。〃
〃Very good： you think I'm a murderess then；〃 replied
Mrs。 Sedley。 〃This is the language you use to your mother。
I have met with misfortunes： I have sunk low in life： I
have kept my carriage； and now walk on foot： but I did
not know I was a murderess before； and thank you for the
NEWS。〃
〃Mamma；〃 said the poor girl； who was always ready for
tears〃you shouldn't be hard upon me。 II didn't mean
I mean； I did not wish to say you would to any
wrong to this dear child； only〃
〃Oh； no； my love；only that I was a murderess； in
which case I had better go to the Old Bailey。 Though I
didn't poison YOU； when you were a child； but gave you
the best of education and the most expensive masters
money could procure。 Yes； I've nursed five children and
buried three； and the one I loved the best of all； and
tended through croup； and teething； and measles； and
hooping…cough； and brought up with foreign masters；
regardless of expense； and with accomplishments at Minerva
Housewhich I never had when I was a girlwhen I was
too glad to honour my father and mother； that I might
live long in the land； and to be useful； and not to mope
all day in my room and act the fine ladysays I'm a
murderess。 Ah； Mrs。 Osborne！ may YOU never nourish a
viper in your bosom； that's MY prayer。〃
〃Mamma； Mamma！〃 cried the bewildered girl； and the
child in her arms set up a frantic chorus of shouts。
〃A murderess； indeed！ Go down on your knees and