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ramifications of the family tree。
My Lord Steyne coming to call a couple of hours
afterwards； and looking about him； and observing
everything as was his wont； found his ladies' cards already
ranged as the trumps of Becky's hand； and grinned； as
this old cynic always did at any naive display of human
weakness。 Becky came down to him presently； whenever
the dear girl expected his lordship； her toilette was
prepared； her hair in perfect order； her mouchoirs； aprons；
scarfs； little morocco slippers； and other female
gimcracks arranged； and she seated in some artless and
agreeable posture ready to receive himwhenever she
was surprised； of course； she had to fly to her apartment
to take a rapid survey of matters in the glass； and
to trip down again to wait upon the great peer。
She found him grinning over the bowl。 She was
discovered； and she blushed a little。 〃Thank you；
Monseigneur；〃 she said。 〃You see your ladies have
been here。 How good of you！ I couldn't come before
I was in the kitchen making a pudding。〃
〃I know you were； I saw you through the area…railings
as I drove up；〃 replied the old gentleman。
〃You see everything；〃 she replied。
〃A few things； but not that； my pretty lady；〃 he said
good…naturedly。 〃You silly little fibster！ I heard you in
the room overhead； where I have no doubt you were
putting a little rouge onyou must give some of yours to
my Lady Gaunt； whose complexion is quite preposterous
and I heard the bedroom door open； and then you
came downstairs。〃
〃Is it a crime to try and look my best when YOU come
here？〃 answered Mrs。 Rawdon plaintively； and she rubbed
her cheek with her handkerchief as if to show there was
no rouge at all； only genuine blushes and modesty in her
case。 About this who can tell？ I know there is some
rouge that won't come off on a pocket…handkerchief；
and some so good that even tears will not disturb it。
〃Well；〃 said the old gentleman； twiddling round his
wife's card； 〃you are bent on becoming a fine lady。
You pester my poor old life out to get you into the
world。 You won't be able to hold your own there； you
silly little fool。 You've got no money。〃
〃You will get us a place；〃 interposed Becky； 〃as quick
as possible。〃
〃You've got no money； and you want to compete with
those who have。 You poor little earthenware pipkin； you
want to swim down the stream along with the great cop…
per kettles。 All women are alike。 Everybody is striving
for what is not worth the having！ Gad！ I dined with the
King yesterday； and we had neck of mutton and turnips。
A dinner of herbs is better than a stalled ox very often。
You will go to Gaunt House。 You give an old fellow no
rest until you get there。 It's not half so nice as here。
You'll be bored there。 I am。 My wife is as gay as Lady
Macbeth； and my daughters as cheerful as Regan and
Goneril。 I daren't sleep in what they call my bedroom。
The bed is like the baldaquin of St。 Peter's； and the
pictures frighten me。 I have a little brass bed in a
dressing…room； and a little hair mattress like an anchorite。
I am an anchorite。 Ho！ ho！ You'll be asked to dinner next
week。 And gare aux femmes； look out and hold your
own！ How the women will bully you！〃 This was a very
long speech for a man of few words like my Lord Steyne；
nor was it the first which he uttered for Becky's benefit
on that day。
Briggs looked up from the work…table at which she
was seated in the farther room and gave a deep sigh
as she heard the great Marquis speak so lightly of her sex。
〃If you don't turn off that abominable sheep…dog；〃 said
Lord Steyne； with a savage look over his shoulder at
her； 〃I will have her poisoned。〃
〃I always give my dog dinner from my own plate；〃
said Rebecca； laughing mischievously； and having
enjoyed for some time the discomfiture of my lord； who
hated poor Briggs for interrupting his tete…a…tete
with the fair Colonel's wife； Mrs。 Rawdon at length had
pity upon her admirer； and calling to Briggs； praised the
fineness of the weather to her and bade her to take out
the child for a walk。
〃I can't send her away；〃 Becky said presently； after
a pause； and in a very sad voice。 Her eyes filled with
tears as she spoke； and she turned away her head。
〃You owe her her wages； I suppose？〃 said the Peer。
〃Worse than that；〃 said Becky； still casting down her
eyes； 〃I have ruined her。〃
〃Ruined her？ Then why don't you turn her out？〃 the
gentleman asked。
〃Men do that；〃 Becky answered bitterly。 〃Women are
not so bad as you。 Last year； when we were reduced
to our last guinea； she gave us everything。 She shall
never leave me； until we are ruined utterly ourselves；
which does not seem far off； or until I can pay her the
utmost farthing。〃
it； how much is it？〃 said the Peer with an oath。
And Becky； reflecting on the largeness of his means；
mentioned not only the sum which she had borrowed from
Miss Briggs； but one of nearly double the amount。
This caused the Lord Steyne to break out in another
brief and energetic expression of anger； at which Rebecca
held down her head the more and cried bitterly。 〃I could
not help it。 It was my only chance。 I dare not tell my
husband。 He would kill me if I told him what I have
done。 I have kept it a secret from everybody but you
and you forced it from me。 Ah； what shall I do； Lord
Steyne？ for I am very； very unhappy！〃
Lord Steyne made no reply except by beating the
devil's tattoo and biting his nails。 At last he clapped
his hat on his head and flung out of the room。 Rebecca
did not rise from her attitude of misery until the door
slammed upon him and his carriage whirled away。 Then
she rose up with the queerest expression of victorious
mischief glittering in her green eyes。 She burst out laughing
once or twice to herself； as she sat at work； and
sitting down to the piano； she rattled away a triumphant
voluntary on the keys； which made the people pause
under her window to listen to her brilliant music。
That night； there came two notes from Gaunt House
for the little woman； the one containing a card of
invitation from Lord and Lady Steyne to a dinner at Gaunt
House next Friday； while the other enclosed a slip of
gray paper bearing Lord Steyne's signature and the
address of Messrs。 Jones； Brown； and Robinson； Lombard
Street。
Rawdon heard Becky laughing in the night once or
twice。 It was only her delight at going to Gaunt House
and facing the ladies there； she said； which amused her
so。 But the truth was that she was occupied with a great
number of other thoughts。 Should she pay off old Briggs
and give her her conge？ Should she astonish Raggles
by settling his account？ She turned over all these thoughts
on her pillow； and on the next day； when Rawdon went
out to pay his morning visit to the Club； Mrs。 Crawley
（in a modest dress with a veil on） whipped off in a
hackney…coach to the City： and being landed at Messrs。
Jones and Robinson's bank； presented a document there
to the authority at the desk； who； in reply； asked her
〃How she would take it？〃
She gently said 〃she would take a hundred and fifty
pounds in small notes and the remainder in one note〃：
and passing through St。 Paul's Churchyard stopped