Vanity Fair - Page 180/573

What is the secret mesmerism which friendship possesses, and under the

operation of which a person ordinarily sluggish, or cold, or timid,

becomes wise, active, and resolute, in another's behalf? As Alexis,

after a few passes from Dr. Elliotson, despises pain, reads with the

back of his head, sees miles off, looks into next week, and performs

other wonders, of which, in his own private normal condition, he is

quite incapable; so you see, in the affairs of the world and under the

magnetism of friendships, the modest man becomes bold, the shy

confident, the lazy active, or the impetuous prudent and peaceful.

What is it, on the other hand, that makes the lawyer eschew his own

cause, and call in his learned brother as an adviser? And what causes

the doctor, when ailing, to send for his rival, and not sit down and

examine his own tongue in the chimney Bass, or write his own

prescription at his study-table? I throw out these queries for

intelligent readers to answer, who know, at once, how credulous we are,

and how sceptical, how soft and how obstinate, how firm for others and

how diffident about ourselves: meanwhile, it is certain that our

friend William Dobbin, who was personally of so complying a disposition

that if his parents had pressed him much, it is probable he would have

stepped down into the kitchen and married the cook, and who, to further

his own interests, would have found the most insuperable difficulty in

walking across the street, found himself as busy and eager in the

conduct of George Osborne's affairs, as the most selfish tactician

could be in the pursuit of his own.

Whilst our friend George and his young wife were enjoying the first

blushing days of the honeymoon at Brighton, honest William was left as

George's plenipotentiary in London, to transact all the business part

of the marriage. His duty it was to call upon old Sedley and his wife,

and to keep the former in good humour: to draw Jos and his

brother-in-law nearer together, so that Jos's position and dignity, as

collector of Boggley Wollah, might compensate for his father's loss of

station, and tend to reconcile old Osborne to the alliance: and

finally, to communicate it to the latter in such a way as should least

irritate the old gentleman.

Now, before he faced the head of the Osborne house with the news which

it was his duty to tell, Dobbin bethought him that it would be politic

to make friends of the rest of the family, and, if possible, have the

ladies on his side. They can't be angry in their hearts, thought he.

No woman ever was really angry at a romantic marriage. A little crying

out, and they must come round to their brother; when the three of us

will lay siege to old Mr. Osborne. So this Machiavellian captain of

infantry cast about him for some happy means or stratagem by which he

could gently and gradually bring the Misses Osborne to a knowledge of

their brother's secret.