Vanity Fair - Page 19/573

The first move showed considerable skill. When she called Sedley a

very handsome man, she knew that Amelia would tell her mother, who

would probably tell Joseph, or who, at any rate, would be pleased by

the compliment paid to her son. All mothers are. If you had told

Sycorax that her son Caliban was as handsome as Apollo, she would have

been pleased, witch as she was. Perhaps, too, Joseph Sedley would

overhear the compliment--Rebecca spoke loud enough--and he did hear,

and (thinking in his heart that he was a very fine man) the praise

thrilled through every fibre of his big body, and made it tingle with

pleasure. Then, however, came a recoil. "Is the girl making fun of

me?" he thought, and straightway he bounced towards the bell, and was

for retreating, as we have seen, when his father's jokes and his

mother's entreaties caused him to pause and stay where he was. He

conducted the young lady down to dinner in a dubious and agitated frame

of mind. "Does she really think I am handsome?" thought he, "or is she

only making game of me?" We have talked of Joseph Sedley being as vain

as a girl. Heaven help us! the girls have only to turn the tables, and

say of one of their own sex, "She is as vain as a man," and they will

have perfect reason. The bearded creatures are quite as eager for

praise, quite as finikin over their toilettes, quite as proud of their

personal advantages, quite as conscious of their powers of fascination,

as any coquette in the world.

Downstairs, then, they went, Joseph very red and blushing, Rebecca very

modest, and holding her green eyes downwards. She was dressed in

white, with bare shoulders as white as snow--the picture of youth,

unprotected innocence, and humble virgin simplicity. "I must be very

quiet," thought Rebecca, "and very much interested about India."

Now we have heard how Mrs. Sedley had prepared a fine curry for her

son, just as he liked it, and in the course of dinner a portion of this

dish was offered to Rebecca. "What is it?" said she, turning an

appealing look to Mr. Joseph.

"Capital," said he. His mouth was full of it: his face quite red with

the delightful exercise of gobbling. "Mother, it's as good as my own

curries in India."

"Oh, I must try some, if it is an Indian dish," said Miss Rebecca. "I

am sure everything must be good that comes from there."

"Give Miss Sharp some curry, my dear," said Mr. Sedley, laughing.

Rebecca had never tasted the dish before.

"Do you find it as good as everything else from India?" said Mr. Sedley.

"Oh, excellent!" said Rebecca, who was suffering tortures with the

cayenne pepper.

"Try a chili with it, Miss Sharp," said Joseph, really interested.