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Ladyship's mother； all whose equipages were in the hands
of the bailiffs； whose very jewels and wardrobe； it was
said； had been seized by those inexorable Israelites。
Bareacres Castle was theirs； too； with all its costly
pictures； furniture； and articles of vertuthe magnificent
Vandykes； the noble Reynolds pictures； the Lawrence
portraits； tawdry and beautiful； and； thirty years ago；
deemed as precious as works of real genius； the matchless
Dancing Nymph of Canova； for which Lady Bareacres
had sat in her youthLady Bareacres splendid then；
and radiant in wealth； rank； and beautya toothless；
bald； old woman nowa mere rag of a former robe of
state。 Her lord； painted at the same time by Lawrence；
as waving his sabre in front of Bareacres Castle； and
clothed in his uniform as Colonel of the Thistlewood
Yeomanry； was a withered； old； lean man in a
greatcoat and a Brutus wig； slinking about Gray's Inn of
mornings chiefly and dining alone at clubs。 He did not
like to dine with Steyne now。 They had run races of
pleasure together in youth when Bareacres was the
winner。 But Steyne had more bottom than he and had lasted
him out。 The Marquis was ten times a greater man now
than the young Lord Gaunt of '85； and Bareacres
nowhere in the raceold； beaten； bankrupt； and broken
down。 He had borrowed too much money of Steyne to
find it pleasant to meet his old comrade often。 The latter；
whenever he wished to be merry； used jeeringly to ask
Lady Gaunt why her father had not come to see her。
〃He has not been here for four months；〃 Lord Steyne
would say。 〃I can always tell by my cheque…book
afterwards； when I get a visit from Bareacres。 What a
comfort it is； my ladies； I bank with one of my sons'
fathers…in…law； and the other banks with me！〃
Of the other illustrious persons whom Becky had the
honour to encounter on this her first presentation to the
grand world； it does not become the present historian
to say much。 There was his Excellency the Prince of
Peterwaradin； with his Princessa nobleman tightly
girthed； with a large military chest； on which the plaque
of his order shone magnificently； and wearing the red
collar of the Golden Fleece round his neck。 He was the
owner of countless flocks。 〃Look at his face。 I think he
must be descended from a sheep；〃 Becky whispered to
Lord Steyne。 Indeed； his Excellency's countenance； long；
solemn； and white； with the ornament round his neck；。
bore some resemblance to that of a venerable bell…wether。
There was Mr。 John Paul Jefferson Jones； titularly
attached to the American Embassy and correspondent
of the New York Demagogue； who； by way of making
himself agreeable to the company； asked Lady Steyne；
during a pause in the conversation at dinner； how his
dear friend； George Gaunt； liked the Brazils？ He and
George had been most intimate at Naples and had gone
up Vesuvius together。 Mr。 Jones wrote a full and
particular account of the dinner； which appeared duly in
the Demagogue。 He mentioned the names and titles of
all the guests； giving biographical sketches of the principal
people。 He described the persons of the ladies with
great eloquence； the service of the table； the size and
costume of the servants； enumerated the dishes and wines
served； the ornaments of the sideboard； and the probable
value of the plate。 Such a dinner he calculated could not
be dished up under fifteen or eighteen dollars per head。
And he was in the habit； until very lately； of sending
over proteges； with letters of recommendation to the
present Marquis of Steyne； encouraged to do so by the
intimate terms on which he had lived with his dear
friend； the late lord。 He was most indignant that a
young and insignificant aristocrat； the Earl of Southdown；
should have taken the pas of him in their procession to
the dining…room。 〃Just as I was stepping up to offer my
hand to a very pleasing and witty fashionable； the
brilliant and exclusive Mrs。 Rawdon Crawley；〃he wrote
〃the young patrician interposed between me and the
lady and whisked my Helen off without a word of apology。
I was fain to bring up the rear with the Colonel； the
lady's husband； a stout red…faced warrior who
distinguished himself at Waterloo； where he had better luck
than befell some of his brother redcoats at New Orleans。〃
The Colonel's countenance on coming into this polite
society wore as many blushes as the face of a boy of
sixteen assumes when he is confronted with his sister's
schoolfellows。 It has been told before that honest Rawdon
had not been much used at any period of his life to
ladies' company。 With the men at the Club or the mess
room； he was well enough； and could ride； bet； smoke；
or play at billiards with the boldest of them。 He had had
his time for female friendships too； but that was twenty
years ago； and the ladies were of the rank of those with
whom Young Marlow in the comedy is represented as
having been familiar before he became abashed in the
presence of Miss Hardcastle。 The times are such that
one scarcely dares to allude to that kind of company
which thousands of our young men in Vanity Fair are
frequenting every day； which nightly fills casinos and
dancing…rooms； which is known to exist as well as the
Ring in Hyde Park or the Congregation at St。 James's
but which the most squeamish if not the most moral
of societies is determined to ignore。 In a word； although
Colonel Crawley was now five…and…forty years of age；
it had not been his lot in life to meet with a half dozen
good women； besides his paragon of a wife。 All except
her and his kind sister Lady Jane； whose gentle nature
had tamed and won him； scared the worthy Colonel；
and on occasion of his first dinner at Gaunt House he
was not heard to make a single remark except to state
that the weather was very hot。 Indeed Becky would have
left him at home； but that virtue ordained that her
husband should be by her side to protect the timid and
fluttering little creature on her first appearance in polite
society。
On her first appearance Lord Steyne stepped forward；
taking her hand； and greeting her with great courtesy；
and presenting her to Lady Steyne； and their ladyships；
her daughters。 Their ladyships made three stately curtsies；
and the elder lady to be sure gave her hand to the
newcomer； but it was as cold and lifeless as marble。
Becky took it； however； with grateful humility； and
performing a reverence which would have done credit
to the best dancer…master； put herself at Lady Steyne's
feet； as it were； by saying that his Lordship had been
her father's earliest friend and patron； and that she；
Becky； had learned to honour and respect the Steyne
family from the days of her childhood。 The fact is that Lord
Steyne had once purchased a couple of pictures of the
late Sharp； and the affectionate orphan could never
forget her gratitude for that favour。
The Lady Bareacres then came under Becky's cognizance
to whom the Colonel's lady made also a most respectful
obeisance： it was returned with severe dignity by the
exalted person in question。
〃I had the pleasure of making your Ladyship's
acquaintance at Brussels； ten years ago；〃 Becky said in
the most w