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his papers with his clenched fist。 〃We are going to hunt
him out； sirthe Duke's in Belgium already； and we
expect marching orders every day。〃
〃Give him no quarter。 Bring back the villain's head； sir。
Shoot the coward down； sir；〃 Sedley roared。 〃I'd enlist
myself； by； but I'm a broken old manruined by
that damned scoundreland by a parcel of swindling
thieves in this country whom I made； sir； and who are
rolling in their carriages now；〃 he added； with a break in
his voice。
Dobbin was not a little affected by the sight of this once
kind old friend； crazed almost with misfortune and raving
with senile anger。 Pity the fallen gentleman： you to whom
money and fair repute are the chiefest good； and so；
surely； are they in Vanity Fair。
〃Yes；〃 he continued； 〃there are some vipers that you
warm； and they sting you afterwards。 There are some
beggars that you put on horseback； and they're the first
to ride you down。 You know whom I mean； William
Dobbin； my boy。 I mean a purse…proud villain in Russell
Square； whom I knew without a shilling； and whom I
pray and hope to see a beggar as he was when I
befriended him。〃
〃I have heard something of this； sir； from my friend
George；〃 Dobbin said； anxious to come to his point。 〃The
quarrel between you and his father has cut him up a great
deal； sir。 Indeed； I'm the bearer of a message from him。〃
〃O； THAT'S your errand； is it？〃 cried the old man；
jumping up。 〃What！ perhaps he condoles with me； does he？
Very kind of him； the stiff…backed prig； with his dandified
airs and West End swagger。 He's hankering about my
house； is he still？ If my son had the courage of a man；
he'd shoot him。 He's as big a villain as his father。 I won't
have his name mentioned in my house。 I curse the day
that ever I let him into it； and I'd rather see my daughter
dead at my feet than married to him。〃
〃His father's harshness is not George's fault； sir。 Your
daughter's love for him is as much your doing as his。 Who
are you； that you are to play with two young people's
affections and break their hearts at your will？〃
〃Recollect it's not his father that breaks the match off；〃
old Sedley cried out。 〃It's I that forbid it。 That family and
mine are separated for ever。 I'm fallen low； but not so
low as that： no； no。 And so you may tell the whole race
son； and father and sisters； and all。〃
〃It's my belief； sir； that you have not the power or the
right to separate those two；〃 Dobbin answered in a low
voice； 〃and that if you don't give your daughter your
consent it will be her duty to marry without it。 There's no
reason she should die or live miserably because you
are wrong…headed。 To my thinking； she's just as much
married as if the banns had been read in all the churches in
London。 And what better answer can there be to Osborne's
charges against you； as charges there are； than
that his son claims to enter your family and marry your
daughter？〃
A light of something like satisfaction seemed to break
over old Sedley as this point was put to him： but he still
persisted that with his consent the marriage between
Amelia and George should never take place。
〃We must do it without；〃 Dobbin said； smiling； and told
Mr。 Sedley； as he had told Mrs。 Sedley in the day； before；
the story of Rebecca's elopement with Captain Crawley。 It
evidently amused the old gentleman。 〃You're terrible
fellows； you Captains；〃 said he； tying up his papers； and his
face wore something like a smile upon it； to the astonishment
of the blear…eyed waiter who now entered； and had
never seen such an expression upon Sedley's countenance
since he had used the dismal coffee…house。
The idea of hitting his enemy Osborne such a blow
soothed； perhaps； the old gentleman： and； their colloquy
presently ending； he and Dobbin parted pretty good friends。
〃My sisters say she has diamonds as big as pigeons'
eggs；〃 George said； laughing。 〃How they must set off her
complexion！ A perfect illumination it must be when her
jewels are on her neck。 Her jet…black hair is as curly as
Sambo's。 I dare say she wore a nose ring when she went
to court； and with a plume of feathers in her top…knot
she would look a perfect Belle Sauvage。〃
George； in conversation with Amelia； was rallying the
appearance of a young lady of whom his father and sisters
had lately made the acquaintance； and who was an object
of vast respect to the Russell Square family。 She was reported
to have I don't know how many plantations in the
West Indies； a deal of money in the funds； and three
stars to her name in the East India stockholders' list。 She
had a mansion in Surrey； and a house in Portland Place。
The name of the rich West India heiress had been mentioned
with applause in the Morning Post。 Mrs。 Haggistoun；
Colonel Haggistoun's widow； her relative； 〃chaperoned〃
her； and kept her house。 She was just from school； where
she had completed her education； and George and his
sisters had met her at an evening party at old Hulker's
house； Devonshire Place （Hulker； Bullock； and Co。 were
long the correspondents of her house in the West Indies）；
and the girls had made the most cordial advances to her；
which the heiress had received with great good humour。
An orphan in her positionwith her moneyso interesting！
the Misses Osborne said。 They were full of their new
friend when they returned from the Hulker ball to Miss
Wirt； their companion； they had made arrangements for
continually meeting； and had the carriage and drove to see
her the very next day。 Mrs。 Haggistoun； Colonel Haggistoun's
widow； a relation of Lord Binkie； and always talking
of him； struck the dear unsophisticated girls as rather
haughty； and too much inclined to talk about her great
relations： but Rhoda was everything they could wish
the frankest； kindest； most agreeable creaturewanting a
little polish； but so good…natured。 The girls Christian…
named each other at once。
〃You should have seen her dress for court； Emmy；〃
Osborne cried； laughing。 〃She came to my sisters to show
it off； before she was presented in state by my Lady
Binkie； the Haggistoun's kinswoman。 She's related to every
one； that Haggistoun。 Her diamonds blazed out like
Vauxhall on the night we were there。 （Do you remember
Vauxhall； Emmy； and Jos singing to his dearest diddle
diddle darling？） Diamonds and mahogany； my dear！
think what an advantageous contrastand the white
feathers in her hairI mean in her wool。 She had
earrings like chandeliers； you might have lighted 'em
up； by Joveand a yellow satin train that streeled after
her like the tail of a cornet。〃
〃How old is she？〃 asked Emmy； to whom George was
rattling away regarding this dark paragon； on the morning
of their reunionrattling away as no other man in the
world surely could。
〃Why the Black Princess； though she has only just left
school； must be two or three and twenty。 And you should
see the hand she writes！ Mrs。 Colonel Haggistoun usually
writes her letters； but in a moment of confidence； she put
pen to paper for my sisters； she spelt satin satting； and
Saint James's； Saint Jams。〃
〃Why； surely it must be Miss Swartz； the parlour
boarder；〃 Emmy said； remembering that good…natured