Vanity Fair - Page 202/573

Putting her arm round her friend's waist, Rebecca at length carried

Amelia off from the dinner-table where so much business of importance

had been discussed, and left the gentlemen in a highly exhilarated

state, drinking and talking very gaily.

In the course of the evening Rawdon got a little family-note from his

wife, which, although he crumpled it up and burnt it instantly in the

candle, we had the good luck to read over Rebecca's shoulder. "Great

news," she wrote. "Mrs. Bute is gone. Get the money from Cupid

tonight, as he'll be off to-morrow most likely. Mind this.--R." So

when the little company was about adjourning to coffee in the women's

apartment, Rawdon touched Osborne on the elbow, and said gracefully, "I

say, Osborne, my boy, if quite convenient, I'll trouble you for that

'ere small trifle." It was not quite convenient, but nevertheless

George gave him a considerable present instalment in bank-notes from

his pocket-book, and a bill on his agents at a week's date, for the

remaining sum.

This matter arranged, George, and Jos, and Dobbin, held a council of

war over their cigars, and agreed that a general move should be made

for London in Jos's open carriage the next day. Jos, I think, would

have preferred staying until Rawdon Crawley quitted Brighton, but

Dobbin and George overruled him, and he agreed to carry the party to

town, and ordered four horses, as became his dignity. With these they

set off in state, after breakfast, the next day. Amelia had risen very

early in the morning, and packed her little trunks with the greatest

alacrity, while Osborne lay in bed deploring that she had not a maid to

help her. She was only too glad, however, to perform this office for

herself. A dim uneasy sentiment about Rebecca filled her mind already;

and although they kissed each other most tenderly at parting, yet we

know what jealousy is; and Mrs. Amelia possessed that among other

virtues of her sex.

Besides these characters who are coming and going away, we must

remember that there were some other old friends of ours at Brighton;

Miss Crawley, namely, and the suite in attendance upon her. Now,

although Rebecca and her husband were but at a few stones' throw of the

lodgings which the invalid Miss Crawley occupied, the old lady's door

remained as pitilessly closed to them as it had been heretofore in

London. As long as she remained by the side of her sister-in-law,

Mrs. Bute Crawley took care that her beloved Matilda should not be

agitated by a meeting with her nephew. When the spinster took her

drive, the faithful Mrs. Bute sate beside her in the carriage. When

Miss Crawley took the air in a chair, Mrs. Bute marched on one side of

the vehicle, whilst honest Briggs occupied the other wing. And if they

met Rawdon and his wife by chance--although the former constantly and

obsequiously took off his hat, the Miss-Crawley party passed him by

with such a frigid and killing indifference, that Rawdon began to

despair.