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who； having had dealings with the old man； and
kindnesses from him in days when he was kind to
everybody with whom he dealt； sent this little spar out
of the wreck with their love to good Mrs。 Sedley； and with
respect to the piano； as it had been Amelia's； and as she
might miss it and want one now； and as Captain William
Dobbin could no more play upon it than he could dance
on the tight rope； it is probable that he did not purchase
the instrument for his own use。
In a word； it arrived that evening at a wonderful small
cottage in a street leading from the Fulham Roadone
of those streets which have the finest romantic names
（this was called St。 Adelaide Villas； Anna…Maria Road
West）； where the houses look like baby…houses； where
the people； looking out of the first…floor windows； must
infallibly； as you think； sit with their feet in the parlours；
where the shrubs in the little gardens in front bloom with
a perennial display of little children's pinafores； little red
socks； caps； &c。 （polyandria polygynia）； whence you
hear the sound of jingling spinets and women singing；
where little porter pots hang on the railings sunning
themselves； whither of evenings you see City clerks
padding wearily： here it was that Mr。 Clapp； the clerk of
Mr。 Sedley； had his domicile； and in this asylum the good
old gentleman hid his head with his wife and daughter
when the crash came。
Jos Sedley had acted as a man of his disposition
would； when the announcement of the family misfortune
reached him。 He did not come to London； but he wrote
to his mother to draw upon his agents for whatever
money was wanted； so that his kind broken…spirited old
parents had no present poverty to fear。 This done； Jos
went on at the boarding…house at Cheltenham pretty
much as before。 He drove his curricle； he drank his
claret； he played his rubber； he told his Indian stories；
and the Irish widow consoled and flattered him as usual。
His present of money； needful as it was； made little
impression on his parents； and I have heard Amelia say
that the first day on which she saw her father lift up his
head after the failure was on the receipt of the packet
of forks and spoons with the young stockbrokers' love；
over which he burst out crying like a child； being greatly
more affected than even his wife； to whom the present
was addressed。 Edward Dale； the junior of the house；
who purchased the spoons for the firm； was； in fact； very
sweet upon Amelia； and offered for her in spite of all。
He married Miss Louisa Cutts （daughter of Higham and
Cutts； the eminent cornfactors） with a handsome fortune
in 1820； and is now living in splendour； and with a
numerous family； at his elegant villa； Muswell Hill。 But
we must not let the recollections of this good fellow
cause us to diverge from the principal history。
I hope the reader has much too good an opinion of
Captain and Mrs。 Crawley to suppose that they ever
would have dreamed of paying a visit to so remote a
district as Bloomsbury； if they thought the family whom
they proposed to honour with a visit were not merely
out of fashion； but out of money； and could be
serviceable to them in no possible manner。 Rebecca was
entirely surprised at the sight of the comfortable old house
where she had met with no small kindness； ransacked by
brokers and bargainers； and its quiet family treasures
given up to public desecration and plunder。 A month
after her flight； she had bethought her of Amelia； and
Rawdon； with a horse…laugh； had expressed a perfect
willingness to see young George Osborne again。 〃He's a
very agreeable acquaintance； Beck；〃 the wag added。 〃I'd
like to sell him another horse； Beck。 I'd like to play a
few more games at billiards with him。 He'd be what I
call useful just now； Mrs。 C。ha； ha！〃 by which sort of
speech it is not to be supposed that Rawdon Crawley had
a deliberate desire to cheat Mr。 Osborne at play； but only
wished to take that fair advantage of him which almost
every sporting gentleman in Vanity Fair considers to be
his due from his neighbour。
The old aunt was long in 〃coming…to。〃 A month had
elapsed。 Rawdon was denied the door by Mr。 Bowls； his
servants could not get a lodgment in the house at Park
Lane； his letters were sent back unopened。 Miss Crawley
never stirred outshe was unwelland Mrs。 Bute
remained still and never left her。 Crawley and his wife both
of them augured evil from the continued presence of
Mrs。 Bute。
〃Gad； I begin to perceive now why she was always
bringing us together at Queen's Crawley；〃 Rawdon said。
〃What an artful little woman！〃 ejaculated Rebecca。
〃Well； I don't regret it； if you don't；〃 the Captain
cried； still in an amorous rapture with his wife； who
rewarded him with a kiss by way of reply； and was
indeed not a little gratified by the generous confidence
of her husband。
〃If he had but a little more brains；〃 she thought to
herself； 〃I might make something of him〃； but she never
let him perceive the opinion she had of him； listened
with indefatigable complacency to his stories of the
stable and the mess； laughed at all his jokes； felt the
greatest interest in Jack Spatterdash； whose cab…horse
had come down； and Bob Martingale； who had been
taken up in a gambling…house； and Tom Cinqbars； who
was going to ride the steeplechase。 When he came home
she was alert and happy： when he went out she pressed
him to go： when he stayed at home； she played and
sang for him； made him good drinks； superintended his
dinner； warmed his slippers； and steeped his soul in
comfort。 The best of women （I have heard my grandmother
say） are hypocrites。 We don't know how much
they hide from us： how watchful they are when they
seem most artless and confidential： how often those frank
smiles which they wear so easily； are traps to cajole or
elude or disarmI don't mean in your mere coquettes；
but your domestic models； and paragons of female virtue。
Who has not seen a woman hide the dulness of a stupid
husband； or coax the fury of a savage one？ We accept
this amiable slavishness； and praise a woman for it： we
call this pretty treachery truth。 A good housewife is of
necessity a humbug； and Cornelia's husband was
hoodwinked； as Potiphar wasonly in a different way。
By these attentions； that veteran rake； Rawdon Crawley；
found himself converted into a very happy and submissive
married man。 His former haunts knew him not。
They asked about him once or twice at his clubs； but did
not miss him much： in those booths of Vanity Fair people
seldom do miss each other。 His secluded wife ever smiling
and cheerful； his little comfortable lodgings； snug
meals； and homely evenings； had all the charms of novelty
and secrecy。 The marriage was not yet declared to the
world； or published in the Morning Post。 All his creditors
would have come rushing on him in a body； had they
known that he was united to a woman without fortune。
〃My relations won't cry fie upon me；〃 Becky said； with
rather a bitter laugh； and she was quite contented to wait
until the old aunt should be reconciled； before she claimed
her place in society。 So she lived at Brompton； and
meanwhile saw no one；