made　him　a　very　low　curtsey；　and　went　back　to　her
  place；　and　began　to　sing　away　again　more　merrily　than
  ever。
  〃What's　that？〃　said　Miss　Crawley；　interrupted　in　her
  after…dinner　doze　by　the　stoppage　of　the　music。
  〃It's　a　false　note；〃　Miss　Sharp　said　with　a　laugh；　and
  Rawdon　Crawley　fumed　with　rage　and　mortification。
  Seeing　the　evident　partiality　of　Miss　Crawley　for　the
  new　governess；　how　good　it　was　of　Mrs。　Bute　Crawley　not
  to　be　jealous；　and　to　welcome　the　young　lady　to　the
  Rectory；　and　not　only　her；　but　Rawdon　Crawley；　her
  husband's　rival　in　the　Old　Maid's　five　per　cents！　They
  became　very　fond　of　each　other's　society；　Mrs。　Crawley
  and　her　nephew。　　He　gave　up　hunting；　he　declined
  entertainments　at　Fuddleston：　he　would　not　dine　with　the
  mess　of　the　depot　at　Mudbury：　his　great　pleasure　was　to　stroll
  over　to　Crawley　parsonagewhither　Miss　Crawley　came
  too；　and　as　their　mamma　was　ill；　why　not　the　children
  with　Miss　Sharp？　So　the　children　（little　dears！）　came　with
  Miss　Sharp；　and　of　an　evening　some　of　the　party　would
  walk　back　together。　　Not　Miss　Crawleyshe　preferred　her
  carriagebut　the　walk　over　the　Rectory　fields；　and　in　at
  the　little　park　wicket；　and　through　the　dark　plantation；
  and　up　the　checkered　avenue　to　Queen's　Crawley；　was
  charming　in　the　moonlight　to　two　such　lovers　of　the
  picturesque　as　the　Captain　and　Miss　Rebecca。
  〃O　those　stars；　those　stars！〃　Miss　Rebecca　would　say；
  turning　her　twinkling　green　eyes　up　towards　them。　　〃I
  feel　myself　almost　a　spirit　when　I　gaze　upon　them。〃
  〃OahGadyes；　so　do　I　exactly；　Miss　Sharp；〃　the
  other　enthusiast　replied。　　〃You　don't　mind　my　cigar；　do
  you；　Miss　Sharp？〃　　Miss　Sharp　loved　the　smell　of　a　cigar
  out　of　doors　beyond　everything　in　the　worldand　she　just
  tasted　one　too；　in　the　prettiest　way　possible；　and　gave　a
  little　puff；　and　a　little　scream；　and　a　little　giggle；　and
  restored　the　delicacy　to　the　Captain；　who　twirled　his
  moustache；　and　straightway　puffed　it　into　a　blaze　that
  glowed　quite　red　in　the　dark　plantation；　and　swore〃Jove
  awGadawit's　the　finest　segaw　I　ever　smoked　in
  the　world　aw；〃　for　his　intellect　and　conversation　were
  alike　brilliant　and　becoming　to　a　heavy　young　dragoon。
  Old　Sir　Pitt；　who　was　taking　his　pipe　and　beer；　and
  talking　to　John　Horrocks　about　a　〃ship〃　that　was　to　be　killed；
  espied　the　pair　so　occupied　from　his　study…window；　and
  with　dreadful　oaths　swore　that　if　it　wasn't　for　Miss
  Crawley；　he'd　take　Rawdon　and　bundle　un　out　of　doors；　like　a
  rogue　as　he　was。
  〃He　be　a　bad'n；　sure　enough；〃　Mr。　Horrocks　remarked；
  〃and　his　man　Flethers　is　wuss；　and　have　made　such　a　row
  in　the　housekeeper's　room　about　the　dinners　and　hale；　as
  no　lord　would　makebut　I　think　Miss　Sharp's　a　match
  for'n；　Sir　Pitt；〃　he　added；　after　a　pause。
  And　so；　in　truth；　she　wasfor　father　and　son　too。
  CHAPTER　XII
  Quite　a　Sentimental　Chapter
  We　must　now　take　leave　of　Arcadia；　and　those　amiable
  people　practising　the　rural　virtues　there；　and　travel　back
  to　London；　to　inquire　what　has　become　of　Miss　Amelia
  〃We　don't　care　a　fig　for　her；〃　writes　some　unknown
  correspondent　with　a　pretty　little　handwriting　and　a　pink　seal
  to　her　note。　　〃She　is　fade　and　insipid；〃　and　adds　some　more
  kind　remarks　in　this　strain；　which　I　should　never　have
  repeated　at　all；　but　that　they　are　in　truth　prodigiously
  complimentary　to　the　young　lady　whom　they　concern。
  Has　the　beloved　reader；　in　his　experience　of　society；
  never　heard　similar　remarks　by　good…natured　female
  friends；　who　always　wonder　what　you　CAN　see　in　Miss
  Smith　that　is　so　fascinating；　or　what　COULD　induce　Major
  Jones　to　propose　for　that　silly　insignificant　simpering　Miss
  Thompson；　who　has　nothing　but　her　wax…doll　face　to
  recommend　her？　What　is　there　in　a　pair　of　pink　cheeks
  and　blue　eyes　forsooth？　these　dear　Moralists　ask；　and　hint
  wisely　that　the　gifts　of　genius；　the　accomplishments　of　the
  mind；　the　mastery　of　Mangnall's　Questions；　and　a　ladylike
  knowledge　of　botany　and　geology；　the　knack　of　making
  poetry；　the　power　of　rattling　sonatas　in　the　Herz…manner；
  and　so　forth；　are　far　more　valuable　endowments　for　a
  female；　than　those　fugitive　charms　which　a　few　years　will
  inevitably　tarnish。　　It　is　quite　edifying　to　hear　women
  speculate　upon　the　worthlessness　and　the　duration　of
  beauty。
  But　though　virtue　is　a　much　finer　thing；　and　those
  hapless　creatures　who　suffer　under　the　misfortune　of　good
  looks　ought　to　be　continually　put　in　mind　of　the　fate
  which　awaits　them；　and　though；　very　likely；　the　heroic
  female　character　which　ladies　admire　is　a　more　glorious
  and　beautiful　object　than　the　kind；　fresh；　smiling；　artless；
  tender　little　domestic　goddess；　whom　men　are　inclined
  to　worshipyet　the　latter　and　inferior　sort　of　women
  must　have　this　consolationthat　the　men　do　admire　them
  after　all；　and　that；　in　spite　of　all　our　kind　friends'　warnings
  and　protests；　we　go　on　in　our　desperate　error　and
  folly；　and　shall　to　the　end　of　the　chapter。　　Indeed；　for　my
  own　part；　though　I　have　been　repeatedly　told　by　persons
  for　whom　I　have　the　greatest　respect；　that　Miss　Brown　is
  an　insignificant　chit；　and　Mrs。　White　has　nothing　but　her
  petit　minois　chiffonne；　and　Mrs。　Black　has　not　a　word　to
  say　for　herself；　yet　I　know　that　I　have　had　the　most
  delightful　conversations　with　Mrs。　Black　（of　course；　my
  dear　Madam；　they　are　inviolable）：　I　see　all　the　men　in　a
  cluster　round　Mrs。　White's　chair：　all　the　young　fellows
  battling　to　dance　with　Miss　Brown；　and　so　I　am　tempted
  to　think　that　to　be　despised　by　her　sex　is　a　very　great
  compliment　to　a　woman。
  The　young　ladies　in　Amelia's　society　did　this　for　her
  very　satisfactorily。　　For　instance；　there　was　scarcely　any
  point　upon　which　the　Misses　Osborne；　George's　sisters；
  and　the　Mesdemoiselles　Dobbin　agreed　so　well　as　in　their
  estimate　of　her　very　trifling　merits：　and　their　wonder　that
  their　brothers　could　find　any　charms　in　her。　　〃We　are　kind
  to　her；〃　the　Misses　Osborne　said；　a　pair　of　fine　black…
  browed　young　ladies　who　had　had　the　best　of　governesses；
  masters；　and　milliners；　and　they　treated　her　with
  such　extreme　kindness　and　condescension；　and　patronised
  her　so　insufferably；　that　the　poor　little　thing　was　in　fact
  perfectly　dumb　in　their　presence；　and　to　all　outward
  appearance　as　stupid　as　they　thought　her。　　She　made　efforts
  to　like　them；　as　in　duty　bound；　and　as　sisters　of　her
  future　husband。　　She　passed　〃long　mornings〃　with　them
  the　most　dreary　and　serious　of　forenoons。　　She　drove
  out　solemnly　in　their　great　family　coach　with　them；　and
  Miss　Wirt　their　governess；　that　raw…boned　Vestal。　　They
  took　her　to　the　ancient　concerts　by　way　of　a　treat；　and
  to　the　oratorio；　and　to　St。　Paul's　to　see　the　charity
  children；　where　in　such　terror　was　she　of　her　friends；　she
  almost　did　not　dare　be　affected　by　the　hymn　the　children
  sang。　　Their　house　was　comfortable；　their　papa's　table
  rich　and　handsome；　their　society　solemn　and　genteel；
  their　self…respect　prodigious；　they　had　the　best　pew　at
  the　Foundling：　all　their　habits　were　pompous　and　orderly；
  and　all　their　amusements　intolerably　dull　and　decorous。
  After　every　one　of　her　visits　（and　oh　how　glad　she　was
  when　they　were　over！）　Miss　Osborne　and　Miss　Maria
  Osborne；　and　Miss　Wirt；　the　vestal　governess；　asked　each
  other　with　increased　wonder；　〃What　could　George　find　in
  that　creature？〃
  How　is　this？　some　carping　reader　exclaims。　　How　is　it
  that　Amelia；　who　had　such　a　number　of　friends　at
  school；　and　was　so　beloved　there；　comes　out　into　the
  world　and　is　spurned　by　her　discriminating　sex？　My　dear
  sir；　there　were　no　men　at　Miss　Pinkerton's　establishment
  except　the　old　dancing…master；　and　you　would　not　have
  had　the　girls　fall　out　about　HIM？　When　George；　their
  handsome　brother；　ran　off　directly　after　breakfast；　and
  dined　from　home　half…a…dozen　times　a　week；　no　wonder
  the　neglected　sisters　felt　a　little　vexation。　　When　young
  Bullock　（of　the　firm　of　Hulker；　Bullock　&　Co。；　Bankers；
  Lombard　Street）；　who　had　been　making　up　to　Miss　Maria
  the　last　two　seasons；　actually　asked　Amelia　to　dance　the
  cotillon；　could　you　expect　that　the　former　young　lady
  should　be　pleased？　And　yet　she　said　she　was；　like　an
  artless　forgiving　creature。　　〃I'm　so　delighted　you　like　dear
  Amelia；〃　she　said　quite　eagerly　to　Mr。　Bullock　after　the
  dance。　　〃She's　engaged　to　my　brother　George；　there's　not
  much　in　her；　but　she's　the　best…natured　and　most
  unaffected　young　creature：　at　home　we're　all　so　fond　of　her。〃
  Dear　girl！　who　can　calculate　the　depth　of　affection
  expressed　in　that　enthusiastic　SO？
  Miss　Wirt　and　these　two　affectionate　young　women　so
  earnestly　and　frequently　impressed　upon　George
  Osborne's　mind　the　enormity　of　the　sacrifice　he　was　making；
  and　his　romantic　generosity　in　throwing　himself　away
  upon　Amelia；　that　I'm　not　sure　but　that　he　really　thought
  he　was　one　of　the　most　deserving　characters　in　the　British
  army；　and　gave　himself　up　to　be　loved　with　a　good　deal
  of　easy　resignation。
  Somehow；　although　he　left　home　every　morning；　as　was
  stated；　and　dined　abroad　six　days　in　the　week；　when　his
  sisters　believed　the　infatuated　youth　to　be　at　Miss　Sedley's
  apron…strings：　he　was　NOT　always　with　Amelia；　whilst　the
  world　supposed　him　at　her　feet。　　Certain　it　is　that　on　more
  occas