Vanity Fair - Page 491/573

"I'm very much pressed for time," the Major said, "and have business

to-night of importance. I should like to see Mrs. Osborne tho'.

Suppose Miss Polly would come with me and show me the way?"

Miss Polly was charmed and astonished at this proposal. She knew the

way. She would show Major Dobbin. She had often been with Mr. Sedley

when Mrs. O. was gone--was gone Russell Square way--and knew the bench

where he liked to sit. She bounced away to her apartment and appeared

presently in her best bonnet and her mamma's yellow shawl and large

pebble brooch, of which she assumed the loan in order to make herself a

worthy companion for the Major.

That officer, then, in his blue frock-coat and buckskin gloves, gave

the young lady his arm, and they walked away very gaily. He was glad

to have a friend at hand for the scene which he dreaded somehow. He

asked a thousand more questions from his companion about Amelia: his

kind heart grieved to think that she should have had to part with her

son. How did she bear it? Did she see him often? Was Mr. Sedley pretty

comfortable now in a worldly point of view? Polly answered all these

questions of Major Sugarplums to the very best of her power.

And in the midst of their walk an incident occurred which, though very

simple in its nature, was productive of the greatest delight to Major

Dobbin. A pale young man with feeble whiskers and a stiff white

neckcloth came walking down the lane, en sandwich--having a lady, that

is, on each arm. One was a tall and commanding middle-aged female,

with features and a complexion similar to those of the clergyman of the

Church of England by whose side she marched, and the other a stunted

little woman with a dark face, ornamented by a fine new bonnet and

white ribbons, and in a smart pelisse, with a rich gold watch in the

midst of her person. The gentleman, pinioned as he was by these two

ladies, carried further a parasol, shawl, and basket, so that his arms

were entirely engaged, and of course he was unable to touch his hat in

acknowledgement of the curtsey with which Miss Mary Clapp greeted him.

He merely bowed his head in reply to her salutation, which the two

ladies returned with a patronizing air, and at the same time looking

severely at the individual in the blue coat and bamboo cane who

accompanied Miss Polly.

"Who's that?" asked the Major, amused by the group, and after he had

made way for the three to pass up the lane. Mary looked at him rather

roguishly.

"That is our curate, the Reverend Mr. Binny (a twitch from Major

Dobbin), and his sister Miss B. Lord bless us, how she did use to

worret us at Sunday-school; and the other lady, the little one with a

cast in her eye and the handsome watch, is Mrs. Binny--Miss Grits that

was; her pa was a grocer, and kept the Little Original Gold Tea Pot in

Kensington Gravel Pits. They were married last month, and are just

come back from Margate. She's five thousand pound to her fortune; but

her and Miss B., who made the match, have quarrelled already."