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wages； I shall set a precious long time； Mrs。 Raggles；
and set I will； tooha！ ha！〃 and with this she filled
herself another glass of the liquor and drank it with a more
hideously satirical air。
〃Trotter！ Simpson！ turn that drunken wretch out；〃
screamed Mrs。 Crawley。
〃I shawn't；〃 said Trotter the footman； 〃turn out
yourself。 Pay our selleries； and turn me out too。 WE'LL
go fast enough。〃
〃Are you all here to insult me？〃 cried Becky in a fury；
〃when Colonel Crawley comes home I'll〃
At this the servants burst into a horse haw…haw； in
which； however； Raggles； who still kept a most melancholy
countenance； did not join。 〃He ain't a coming back；〃
Mr。 Trotter resumed。 〃He sent for his things； and I
wouldn't let 'em go； although Mr。 Raggles would； and I
don't b'lieve he's no more a Colonel than I am。 He's
hoff； and I suppose you're a goin' after him。 You're no
better than swindlers； both on you。 Don't be a bullyin'
ME。 I won't stand it。 Pay us our selleries； I say。 Pay us
our selleries。〃 It was evident； from Mr。 Trotter's flushed
countenance and defective intonation； that he； too； had
had recourse to vinous stimulus。
〃Mr。 Raggles；〃 said Becky in a passion of vexation；
〃you will not surely let me be insulted by that drunken
man？〃 〃Hold your noise； Trotter； do now；〃 said Simpson
the page。 He was affected by his mistress's deplorable
situation； and succeeded in preventing an outrageous
denial of the epithet 〃drunken〃 on the footman's part。
〃Oh； M'am；〃 said Raggles； 〃I never thought to live to
see this year day： I've known the Crawley family ever
since I was born。 I lived butler with Miss Crawley for
thirty years； and I little thought one of that family was
a goin' to ruing meyes； ruing me〃said the poor fellow
with tears in his eyes。 〃Har you a goin' to pay me？ You've
lived in this 'ouse four year。 You've 'ad my substance：
my plate and linning。 You ho me a milk and butter bill
of two 'undred pound； you must 'ave noo laid heggs for
your homlets； and cream for your spanil dog。〃
〃She didn't care what her own flesh and blood had；〃
interposed the cook。 〃Many's the time； he'd have starved
but for me。〃
〃He's a charaty…boy now； Cooky；〃 said Mr。 Trotter；
with a drunken 〃ha！ ha！〃and honest Raggles continued；
in a lamentable tone； an enumeration of his griefs。 All he
said was true。 Becky and her husband had ruined him。
He had bills coming due next week and no means to meet
them。 He would be sold up and turned out of his shop
and his house； because he had trusted to the Crawley
family。 His tears and lamentations made Becky more
peevish than ever。
〃You all seem to be against me；〃 she said bitterly。
〃What do you want？ I can't pay you on Sunday。 Come
back to…morrow and I'll pay you everything。 I thought
Colonel Crawley had settled with you。 He will to…morrow。
I declare to you upon my honour that he left home this
morning with fifteen hundred pounds in his pocket…book。
He has left me nothing。 Apply to him。 Give me a bonnet
and shawl and let me go out and find him。 There was a
difference between us this morning。 You all seem to
know it。 I promise you upon my word that you shall all
be paid。 He has got a good appointment。 Let me go out
and find him。''
This audacious statement caused Raggles and the other
personages present to look at one another with a wild
surprise； and with it Rebecca left them。 She went upstairs
and dressed herself this time without the aid of her French
maid。 She went into Rawdon's room； and there saw that
a trunk and bag were packed ready for removal； with a
pencil direction that they should be given when called
for； then she went into the Frenchwoman's garret；
everything was clean； and all the drawers emptied there。
She bethought herself of the trinkets which had been left on
the ground and felt certain that the woman had fled。
〃Good Heavens！ was ever such ill luck as mine？〃 she
said； 〃to be so near； and to lose all。 Is it all too late？〃
No； there was one chance more。
She dressed herself and went away unmolested this
time； but alone。 It was four o'clock。 She went swiftly
down the streets （she had no money to pay for a
carriage）； and never stopped until she came to Sir Pitt
Crawley's door； in Great Gaunt Street。 Where was Lady
Jane Crawley？ She was at church。 Becky was not sorry。
Sir Pitt was in his study； and had given orders not to be
disturbedshe must see himshe slipped by the sentinel
in livery at once； and was in Sir Pitt's room before the
astonished Baronet had even laid down the paper。
He turned red and started back from her with a look
of great alarm and horror。
〃Do not look so；〃 she said。 〃I am not guilty； Pitt； dear
Pitt； you were my friend once。 Before God； I am not
guilty。 I seem so。 Everything is against me。 And oh！ at
such a moment！ just when all my hopes were about to be
realized： just when happiness was in store for us。〃
〃Is this true； what I see in the paper then？〃 Sir Pitt
saida paragraph in which had greatly surprised him。
〃It is true。 Lord Steyne told me on Friday night； the
night of that fatal ball。 He has been promised an
appointment any time these six months。 Mr。 Martyr； the
Colonial Secretary； told him yesterday that it was made out。
That unlucky arrest ensued； that horrible meeting。 I was only
guilty of too much devotedness to Rawdon's service。 I
have received Lord Steyne alone a hundred times before。
I confess I had money of which Rawdon knew nothing。
Don't you know how careless he is of it； and could I dare
to confide it to him？〃 And so she went on with a
perfectly connected story； which she poured into the ears
of her perplexed kinsman。
It was to the following effect。 Becky owned； and with
prefect frankness； but deep contrition； that having
remarked Lord Steyne's partiality for her （at the mention
of which Pitt blushed）； and being secure of her own
virtue； she had determined to turn the great peer's
attachment to the advantage of herself and her family。 〃I
looked for a peerage for you； Pitt；〃 she said （the brother…
in…law again turned red）。 〃We have talked about it。 Your
genius and Lord Steyne's interest made it more than
probable； had not this dreadful calamity come to put an
end to all our hopes。 But； first； I own that it was my
object to rescue my dear husbandhim whom I love in
spite of all his ill usage and suspicions of meto remove
him from the poverty and ruin which was impending over
us。 I saw Lord Steyne's partiality for me；〃 she said；
casting down her eyes。 〃I own that I did everything in
my power to make myself pleasing to him； and as far as
an honest woman may； to secure hishis esteem。 It was
only on Friday morning that the news arrived of the
death of the Governor of Coventry Island； and my Lord
instantly secured the appointment for my dear husband。
It was intended as a surprise for himhe was to see it in
the papers to…day。 Even after that horrid arrest took
place （the expenses of which Lord Steyne generously
said he would settle； so that I was in a manner prevented
from coming to my husband's assistance）； my Lord was
laughing with me； and saying that my dearest Rawdon
would be consoled when he read of h