Vanity Fair - Page 144/573

"It is a mercy, Mamma, that the regiment is ordered abroad," the girls

said. "THIS danger, at any rate, is spared our brother."

Such, indeed, was the fact; and so it is that the French Emperor comes

in to perform a part in this domestic comedy of Vanity Fair which we

are now playing, and which would never have been enacted without the

intervention of this august mute personage. It was he that ruined the

Bourbons and Mr. John Sedley. It was he whose arrival in his capital

called up all France in arms to defend him there; and all Europe to

oust him. While the French nation and army were swearing fidelity round

the eagles in the Champ de Mars, four mighty European hosts were

getting in motion for the great chasse a l'aigle; and one of these was

a British army, of which two heroes of ours, Captain Dobbin and Captain

Osborne, formed a portion.

The news of Napoleon's escape and landing was received by the gallant

--th with a fiery delight and enthusiasm, which everybody can

understand who knows that famous corps. From the colonel to the

smallest drummer in the regiment, all were filled with hope and

ambition and patriotic fury; and thanked the French Emperor as for a

personal kindness in coming to disturb the peace of Europe. Now was

the time the --th had so long panted for, to show their comrades in

arms that they could fight as well as the Peninsular veterans, and that

all the pluck and valour of the --th had not been killed by the West

Indies and the yellow fever. Stubble and Spooney looked to get their

companies without purchase. Before the end of the campaign (which she

resolved to share), Mrs. Major O'Dowd hoped to write herself Mrs.

Colonel O'Dowd, C.B. Our two friends (Dobbin and Osborne) were quite

as much excited as the rest: and each in his way--Mr. Dobbin very

quietly, Mr. Osborne very loudly and energetically--was bent upon doing

his duty, and gaining his share of honour and distinction.

The agitation thrilling through the country and army in consequence of

this news was so great, that private matters were little heeded: and

hence probably George Osborne, just gazetted to his company, busy with

preparations for the march, which must come inevitably, and panting for

further promotion--was not so much affected by other incidents which

would have interested him at a more quiet period. He was not, it must

be confessed, very much cast down by good old Mr. Sedley's catastrophe.

He tried his new uniform, which became him very handsomely, on the day

when the first meeting of the creditors of the unfortunate gentleman

took place. His father told him of the wicked, rascally, shameful

conduct of the bankrupt, reminded him of what he had said about Amelia,

and that their connection was broken off for ever; and gave him that

evening a good sum of money to pay for the new clothes and epaulets in

which he looked so well. Money was always useful to this free-handed

young fellow, and he took it without many words. The bills were up in

the Sedley house, where he had passed so many, many happy hours. He

could see them as he walked from home that night (to the Old

Slaughters', where he put up when in town) shining white in the moon.

That comfortable home was shut, then, upon Amelia and her parents:

where had they taken refuge? The thought of their ruin affected him not

a little. He was very melancholy that night in the coffee-room at the

Slaughters'; and drank a good deal, as his comrades remarked there.