Vanity Fair - Page 187/573

This praise and confidence smote Dobbin's heart very keenly. Every

moment the colloquy continued in this tone, he felt more and more

guilty. "Sir," said he, "I fear you deceive yourself. I am sure you

do. George is much too high-minded a man ever to marry for money. A

threat on your part that you would disinherit him in case of

disobedience would only be followed by resistance on his."

"Why, hang it, man, you don't call offering him eight or ten thousand a

year threatening him?" Mr. Osborne said, with still provoking good

humour. "'Gad, if Miss S. will have me, I'm her man. I ain't

particular about a shade or so of tawny." And the old gentleman gave

his knowing grin and coarse laugh.

"You forget, sir, previous engagements into which Captain Osborne had

entered," the ambassador said, gravely.

"What engagements? What the devil do you mean? You don't mean," Mr.

Osborne continued, gathering wrath and astonishment as the thought now

first came upon him; "you don't mean that he's such a d---- fool as to

be still hankering after that swindling old bankrupt's daughter? You've

not come here for to make me suppose that he wants to marry HER? Marry

HER, that IS a good one. My son and heir marry a beggar's girl out of

a gutter. D---- him, if he does, let him buy a broom and sweep a

crossing. She was always dangling and ogling after him, I recollect

now; and I've no doubt she was put on by her old sharper of a father."

"Mr. Sedley was your very good friend, sir," Dobbin interposed, almost

pleased at finding himself growing angry. "Time was you called him

better names than rogue and swindler. The match was of your making.

George had no right to play fast and loose--"

"Fast and loose!" howled out old Osborne. "Fast and loose! Why, hang

me, those are the very words my gentleman used himself when he gave

himself airs, last Thursday was a fortnight, and talked about the

British army to his father who made him. What, it's you who have been

a setting of him up--is it? and my service to you, CAPTAIN. It's you

who want to introduce beggars into my family. Thank you for nothing,

Captain. Marry HER indeed--he, he! why should he? I warrant you she'd

go to him fast enough without."

"Sir," said Dobbin, starting up in undisguised anger; "no man shall

abuse that lady in my hearing, and you least of all."

"O, you're a-going to call me out, are you? Stop, let me ring the bell

for pistols for two. Mr. George sent you here to insult his father,

did he?" Osborne said, pulling at the bell-cord.

"Mr. Osborne," said Dobbin, with a faltering voice, "it's you who are

insulting the best creature in the world. You had best spare her, sir,

for she's your son's wife."