It was a modest establishment. The butler was Jos's valet also, and
never was more drunk than a butler in a small family should be who has
a proper regard for his master's wine. Emmy was supplied with a maid,
grown on Sir William Dobbin's suburban estate; a good girl, whose
kindness and humility disarmed Mrs. Osborne, who was at first terrified
at the idea of having a servant to wait upon herself, who did not in
the least know how to use one, and who always spoke to domestics with
the most reverential politeness. But this maid was very useful in the
family, in dexterously tending old Mr. Sedley, who kept almost entirely
to his own quarter of the house and never mixed in any of the gay
doings which took place there.
Numbers of people came to see Mrs. Osborne. Lady Dobbin and daughters
were delighted at her change of fortune, and waited upon her. Miss
Osborne from Russell Square came in her grand chariot with the flaming
hammer-cloth emblazoned with the Leeds arms. Jos was reported to be
immensely rich. Old Osborne had no objection that Georgy should
inherit his uncle's property as well as his own. "Damn it, we will make
a man of the feller," he said; "and I'll see him in Parliament before I
die. You may go and see his mother, Miss O., though I'll never set
eyes on her": and Miss Osborne came. Emmy, you may be sure, was very
glad to see her, and so be brought nearer to George. That young fellow
was allowed to come much more frequently than before to visit his
mother. He dined once or twice a week in Gillespie Street and bullied
the servants and his relations there, just as he did in Russell Square.
He was always respectful to Major Dobbin, however, and more modest in
his demeanour when that gentleman was present. He was a clever lad and
afraid of the Major. George could not help admiring his friend's
simplicity, his good humour, his various learning quietly imparted, his
general love of truth and justice. He had met no such man as yet in
the course of his experience, and he had an instinctive liking for a
gentleman. He hung fondly by his godfather's side, and it was his
delight to walk in the parks and hear Dobbin talk. William told George
about his father, about India and Waterloo, about everything but
himself. When George was more than usually pert and conceited, the
Major made jokes at him, which Mrs. Osborne thought very cruel. One
day, taking him to the play, and the boy declining to go into the pit
because it was vulgar, the Major took him to the boxes, left him there,
and went down himself to the pit. He had not been seated there very
long before he felt an arm thrust under his and a dandy little hand in
a kid glove squeezing his arm. George had seen the absurdity of his
ways and come down from the upper region. A tender laugh of
benevolence lighted up old Dobbin's face and eyes as he looked at the
repentant little prodigal. He loved the boy, as he did everything that
belonged to Amelia. How charmed she was when she heard of this
instance of George's goodness! Her eyes looked more kindly on Dobbin
than they ever had done. She blushed, he thought, after looking at him
so.