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country gentlemen converse。 As for the Misses Wapshot's
toilettes and Lady Fuddleston's famous yellow hat； Miss
Sharp tore them to tatters； to the infinite amusement
of her audience。
〃My dear； you are a perfect trouvaille；〃 Miss Crawley
would say。 〃I wish you could come to me in London；
but I couldn't make a butt of you as I do of poor Briggs
no； no； you little sly creature； you are too cleverIsn't
she； Firkin？〃
Mrs。 Firkin （who was dressing the very small
remnant of hair which remained on Miss Crawley's pate）；
flung up her head and said； 〃I think Miss is very clever；〃
with the most killing sarcastic air。 In fact； Mrs。 Firkin
had that natural jealousy which is one of the main
principles of every honest woman。
After rebuffing Sir Huddleston Fuddleston； Miss
Crawley ordered that Rawdon Crawley should lead her in
to dinner every day； and that Becky should follow with her
cushionor else she would have Becky's arm and
Rawdon with the pillow。 〃We must sit together；〃 she said。
〃We're the only three Christians in the county； my love〃
in which case； it must be confessed； that religion was
at a very low ebb in the county of Hants。
Besides being such a fine religionist； Miss Crawley
was； as we have said； an Ultra…liberal in opinions； and
always took occasion to express these in the most candid
manner。
〃What is birth； my dear！〃 she would say to Rebecca
〃Look at my brother Pitt； look at the Huddlestons； who
have been here since Henry II； look at poor Bute at the
parsonageis any one of them equal to you in intelligence
or breeding？ Equal to youthey are not even equal to
poor dear Briggs； my companion； or Bowls； my butler。
You； my love； are a little paragonpositively a little
jewelYou have more brains than half the shireif
merit had its reward you ought to be a Duchessno；
there ought to be no duchesses at allbut you ought to
have no superior； and I consider you； my love； as my
equal in every respect； andwill you put some coals on
the fire； my dear； and will you pick this dress of mine； and
alter it； you who can do it so well？〃 So this old philanthropist
used to make her equal run of her errands； execute her
millinery； and read her to sleep with French novels；
every night。
At this time； as some old readers may recollect； the
genteel world had been thrown into a considerable state
of excitement by two events； which； as the papers say；
might give employment to the gentlemen of the long robe。
Ensign Shafton had run away with Lady Barbara Fitzurse；
the Earl of Bruin's daughter and heiress； and poor Vere
Vane； a gentleman who； up to forty； had maintained a
most respectable character and reared a numerous family；
suddenly and outrageously left his home； for the sake of
Mrs。 Rougemont； the actress； who was sixty…five years
of age。
〃That was the most beautiful part of dear Lord
Nelson's character；〃 Miss Crawley said。 〃He went to the
deuce for a woman。 There must be good in a man who will
do that。 I adore all impudent matches。What I like
best； is for a nobleman to marry a miller's daughter； as
Lord Flowerdale didit makes all the women so angry
I wish some great man would run away with you； my
dear； I'm sure you're pretty enough。〃
〃Two post…boys！Oh； it would be delightful！〃 Rebecca
owned。
〃And what I like next best； is for a poor fellow to run
away with a rich girl。 I have set my heart on Rawdon
running away with some one。〃
〃A rich some one； or a poor some one？〃
〃Why； you goose！ Rawdon has not a shilling but what I
give him。 He is crible de detteshe must repair his
fortunes； and succeed in the world。〃
〃Is he very clever？〃 Rebecca asked。
〃Clever； my love？not an idea in the world beyond his
horses； and his regiment； and his hunting； and his play；
but he must succeedhe's so delightfully wicked。 Don't
you know he has hit a man； and shot an injured father
through the hat only？ He's adored in his regiment； and all
the young men at Wattier's and the Cocoa…Tree swear by
him。〃
When Miss Rebecca Sharp wrote to her beloved friend
the account of the little ball at Queen's Crawley； and the
manner in which； for the first time； Captain Crawley had
distinguished her； she did not； strange to relate； give an
altogether accurate account of the transaction。 The Captain
had distinguished her a great number of times before。 The
Captain had met her in a half…score of walks。 The Captain
had lighted upon her in a half…hundred of corridors and
passages。 The Captain had hung over her piano twenty
times of an evening （my Lady was now upstairs； being ill；
and nobody heeded her） as Miss Sharp sang。 The Captain had
written her notes （the best that the great blundering
dragoon could devise and spell； but dulness gets on
as well as any other quality with women）。 But when he
put the first of the notes into the leaves of the song she
was singing； the little governess； rising and looking him
steadily in the face； took up the triangular missive daintily；
and waved it about as if it were a cocked hat； and she；
advancing to the enemy； popped the note into the fire； and
made him a very low curtsey； and went back to her
place； and began to sing away again more merrily than
ever。
〃What's that？〃 said Miss Crawley； interrupted in her
after…dinner doze by the stoppage of the music。
〃It's a false note；〃 Miss Sharp said with a laugh； and
Rawdon Crawley fumed with rage and mortification。
Seeing the evident partiality of Miss Crawley for the
new governess； how good it was of Mrs。 Bute Crawley not
to be jealous； and to welcome the young lady to the
Rectory； and not only her； but Rawdon Crawley； her
husband's rival in the Old Maid's five per cents！ They
became very fond of each other's society； Mrs。 Crawley
and her nephew。 He gave up hunting； he declined
entertainments at Fuddleston： he would not dine with the
mess of the depot at Mudbury： his great pleasure was to stroll
over to Crawley parsonagewhither Miss Crawley came
too； and as their mamma was ill； why not the children
with Miss Sharp？ So the children （little dears！） came with
Miss Sharp； and of an evening some of the party would
walk back together。 Not Miss Crawleyshe preferred her
carriagebut the walk over the Rectory fields； and in at
the little park wicket； and through the dark plantation；
and up the checkered avenue to Queen's Crawley； was
charming in the moonlight to two such lovers of the
picturesque as the Captain and Miss Rebecca。
〃O those stars； those stars！〃 Miss Rebecca would say；
turning her twinkling green eyes up towards them。 〃I
feel myself almost a spirit when I gaze upon them。〃
〃OahGadyes； so do I exactly； Miss Sharp；〃 the
other enthusiast replied。 〃You don't mind my cigar； do
you； Miss Sharp？〃 Miss Sharp loved the smell of a cigar
out of doors beyond everything in the worldand she just
tasted one too； in the prettiest way possible； and gave a
little puff； and a little scream； and a little giggle； and
restored the delicacy to the Captain； who twirled his
moustache； and straightway puffed it into a blaze that
glowed quite red in the dark plantation； and swore〃Jove
awGadawit's the finest segaw I ever smok