decline　any　family　discussions　or　interviews　whatever。
  And　thank　him　for　coming　to　Brighton；　and　so　forth；　and
  beg　him　not　to　stay　any　longer　on　my　account。　　And；　Miss
  Briggs；　you　may　add　that　I　wish　him　a　bon　voyage；　and
  that　if　he　will　take　the　trouble　to　call　upon　my　lawyer's
  in　Gray's　Inn　Square；　he　will　find　there　a　communication
  for　him。　　Yes；　that　will　do；　and　that　will　make　him　leave
  Brighton。〃　The　benevolent　Briggs　penned　this　sentence
  with　the　utmost　satisfaction。
  〃To　seize　upon　me　the　very　day　after　Mrs。　Bute　was
  gone；〃　the　old　lady　prattled　on；　〃it　was　too　indecent。
  Briggs；　my　dear；　write　to　Mrs。　Crawley；　and　say　SHE
  needn't　come　back。　　Noshe　needn'tand　she　shan't
  and　I　won't　be　a　slave　in　my　own　houseand　I　won't　be
  starved　and　choked　with　poison。　　They　all　want　to　kill　me
  allall〃and　with　this　the　lonely　old　woman　burst
  into　a　scream　of　hysterical　tears。
  The　last　scene　of　her　dismal　Vanity　Fair　comedy　was
  fast　approaching；　the　tawdry　lamps　were　going　out　one
  by　one；　and　the　dark　curtain　was　almost　ready　to
  descend。
  That　final　paragraph；　which　referred　Rawdon　to　Miss
  Crawley's　solicitor　in　London；　and　which　Briggs　had
  written　so　good…naturedly；　consoled　the　dragoon　and　his
  wife　somewhat；　after　their　first　blank　disappointment；　on
  reading　the　spinster's　refusal　of　a　reconciliation。　　And　it
  effected　the　purpose　for　which　the　old　lady　had　caused　it
  to　be　written；　by　making　Rawdon　very　eager　to　get　to
  London。
  Out　of　Jos's　losings　and　George　Osborne's　bank…notes；
  he　paid　his　bill　at　the　inn；　the　landlord　whereof　does　not
  probably　know　to　this　day　how　doubtfully　his　account
  once　stood。　　For；　as　a　general　sends　his　baggage　to　the
  rear　before　an　action；　Rebecca　had　wisely　packed　up　all
  their　chief　valuables　and　sent　them　off　under　care　of
  George's　servant；　who　went　in　charge　of　the　trunks　on
  the　coach　back　to　London。　　Rawdon　and　his　wife
  returned　by　the　same　conveyance　next　day。
  〃I　should　have　liked　to　see　the　old　girl　before　we　went；〃
  Rawdon　said。　　〃She　looks　so　cut　up　and　altered　that　I'm
  sure　she　can't　last　long。　　I　wonder　what　sort　of　a　cheque
  I　shall　have　at　Waxy's。　　Two　hundredit　can't　be　less
  than　two　hundredhey；　Becky？〃
  In　consequence　of　the　repeated　visits　of　the　aides…de…
  camp　of　the　Sheriff　of　Middlesex；　Rawdon　and　his　wife
  did　not　go　back　to　their　lodgings　at　Brompton；　but　put
  up　at　an　inn。　　Early　the　next　morning；　Rebecca　had　an
  opportunity　of　seeing　them　as　she　skirted　that　suburb
  on　her　road　to　old　Mrs。　Sedley's　house　at　Fulham；　whither
  she　went　to　look　for　her　dear　Amelia　and　her　Brighton
  friends。　　They　were　all　off　to　Chatham；　thence　to　Harwich；
  to　take　shipping　for　Belgium　with　the　regiment
  kind　old　Mrs。　Sedley　very　much　depressed　and　tearful；
  solitary。　　Returning　from　this　visit；　Rebecca　found　her
  husband；　who　had　been　off　to　Gray's　Inn；　and　learnt　his
  fate。　　He　came　back　furious。
  〃By　Jove；　Becky；〃　says　he；　〃she's　only　given　me　twenty
  pound！〃
  Though　it　told　against　themselves；　the　joke　was　too
  good；　and　Becky　burst　out　laughing　at　Rawdon's
  discomfiture。
  CHAPTER　XXVI
  Between　London　and　Chatham
  On　quitting　Brighton；　our　friend　George；　as　became　a
  person　of　rank　and　fashion　travelling　in　a　barouche　with
  four　horses；　drove　in　state　to　a　fine　hotel　in　Cavendish
  Square；　where　a　suite　of　splendid　rooms；　and　a　table
  magnificently　furnished　with　plate　and　surrounded　by　a
  half…dozen　of　black　and　silent　waiters；　was　ready　to
  receive　the　young　gentleman　and　his　bride。　　George　did　the
  honours　of　the　place　with　a　princely　air　to　Jos　and
  Dobbin；　and　Amelia；　for　the　first　time；　and　with　exceeding
  shyness　and　timidity；　presided　at　what　George　called　her
  own　table。
  George　pooh…poohed　the　wine　and　bullied　the　waiters
  royally；　and　Jos　gobbled　the　turtle　with　immense　satisfaction。
  Dobbin　helped　him　to　it；　for　the　lady　of　the　house；
  before　whom　the　tureen　was　placed；　was　so　ignorant　of
  the　contents；　that　she　was　going　to　help　Mr。　Sedley　without
  bestowing　upon　him　either　calipash　or　calipee。
  The　splendour　of　the　entertainment；　and　the　apartments
  in　which　it　was　given；　alarmed　Mr。　Dobbin；　who
  remonstrated　after　dinner；　when　Jos　was　asleep　in　the　great
  chair。　　But　in　vain　he　cried　out　against　the　enormity　of
  turtle　and　champagne　that　was　fit　for　an　archbishop。
  〃I've　always　been　accustomed　to　travel　like　a　gentleman；〃
  George　said；　〃and；　damme；　my　wife　shall　travel　like　a
  lady。　　As　long　as　there's　a　shot　in　the　locker；　she　shall
  want　for　nothing；〃　said　the　generous　fellow；　quite　pleased
  with　himself　for　his　magnificence　of　spirit。　　Nor　did
  Dobbin　try　and　convince　him　that　Amelia's　happiness　was　not
  centred　in　turtle…soup。
  A　while　after　dinner；　Amelia　timidly　expressed　a　wish
  to　go　and　see　her　mamma；　at　Fulham：　which　permission
  George　granted　her　with　some　grumbling。　　And　she　tripped
  away　to　her　enormous　bedroom；　in　the　centre　of　which
  stood　the　enormous　funereal　bed；　〃that　the　Emperor
  Halixander's　sister　slep　in　when　the　allied　sufferings　was
  here；〃　and　put　on　her　little　bonnet　and　shawl　with　the
  utmost　eagerness　and　pleasure。　　George　was　still　drinking
  claret　when　she　returned　to　the　dining…room；　and　made
  no　signs　of　moving。　　〃Ar'n't　you　coming　with　me；　dearest？〃
  she　asked　him。　　No；　the　〃dearest〃　had　〃business〃
  that　night。　　His　man　should　get　her　a　coach　and　go　with
  her。　　And　the　coach　being　at　the　door　of　the　hotel；　Amelia
  made　George　a　little　disappointed　curtsey　after　looking
  vainly　into　his　face　once　or　twice；　and　went　sadly　down
  the　great　staircase；　Captain　Dobbin　after；　who　handed　her
  into　the　vehicle；　and　saw　it　drive　away　to　its　destination。
  The　very　valet　was　ashamed　of　mentioning　the　address　to
  the　hackney…coachman　before　the　hotel　waiters；　and
  promised　to　instruct　him　when　they　got　further　on。
  Dobbin　walked　home　to　his　old　quarters　and　the
  Slaughters'；　thinking　very　likely　that　it　would　be　delightful
  to　be　in　that　hackney…coach；　along　with　Mrs。　Osborne。
  George　was　evidently　of　quite　a　different　taste；　for　when
  he　had　taken　wine　enough；　he　went　off　to　half…price　at
  the　play；　to　see　Mr。　Kean　perform　in　Shylock。　　Captain
  Osborne　was　a　great　lover　of　the　drama；　and　had　himself
  performed　high…comedy　characters　with　great　distinction
  in　several　garrison　theatrical　entertainments。　　Jos　slept　on
  until　long　after　dark；　when　he　woke　up　with　a　start　at
  the　motions　of　his　servant；　who　was　removing　and
  emptying　the　decanters　on　the　table；　and　the　hackney…coach
  stand　was　again　put　into　requisition　for　a　carriage　to
  convey　this　stout　hero　to　his　lodgings　and　bed。
  Mrs。　Sedley；　you　may　be　sure；　clasped　her　daughter　to
  her　heart　with　all　maternal　eagerness　and　affection；
  running　out　of　the　door　as　the　carriage　drew　up　before　the
  little　garden…gate；　to　welcome　the　weeping；　trembling；
  young　bride。　　Old　Mr。　Clapp；　who　was　in　his　shirt…sleeves；
  trimming　the　garden…plot；　shrank　back　alarmed。　　The　Irish
  servant…lass　rushed　up　from　the　kitchen　and　smiled　a
  〃God　bless　you。〃　　Amelia　could　hardly　walk　along　the
  flags　and　up　the　steps　into　the　parlour。
  How　the　floodgates　were　opened；　and　mother　and
  daughter　wept；　when　they　were　together　embracing　each
  other　in　this　sanctuary；　may　readily　be　imagined　by　every
  reader　who　possesses　the　least　sentimental　turn。　　When
  don't　ladies　weep？　　At　what　occasion　of　joy；　sorrow；　or
  other　business　of　life；　and；　after　such　an　event　as　a
  marriage；　mother　and　daughter　were　surely　at　liberty　to　give
  way　to　a　sensibility　which　is　as　tender　as　it　is　refreshing。
  About　a　question　of　marriage　I　have　seen　women
  who　hate　each　other　kiss　and　cry　together　quite　fondly。
  How　much　more　do　they　feel　when　they　love！　　Good　mothers
  are　married　over　again　at　their　daughters'　weddings：
  and　as　for　subsequent　events；　who　does　not　know　how
  ultra…maternal　grandmothers　are？in　fact　a　woman；　until
  she　is　a　grandmother；　does　not　often　really　know　what　to
  be　a　mother　is。　　Let　us　respect　Amelia　and　her　mamma
  whispering　and　whimpering　and　laughing　and　crying　in
  the　parlour　and　the　twilight。　　Old　Mr。　Sedley　did。　　HE　had
  not　divined　who　was　in　the　carriage　when　it　drove　up。　　He
  had　not　flown　out　to　meet　his　daughter；　though　he　kissed
  her　very　warmly　when　she　entered　the　room　（where　he
  was　occupied；　as　usual；　with　his　papers　and　tapes　and
  statements　of　accounts）；　and　after　sitting　with　the　mother
  and　daughter　for　a　short　time；　he　very　wisely　left　the
  little　apartment　in　their　possession。
  George's　valet　was　looking　on　in　a　very　supercilious
  manner　at　Mr。　Clapp　in　his　shirt…sleeves；　watering　his
  rose…bushes。　　He　took　off　his　hat；　however；　with　much
  condescension　to　Mr。　Sedley；　who　asked　news　about
  his　son…in…law；　and　about　Jos's　carriage；　and　whether　his
  horses　had　been　down　to　Brighton；　and　about　that
  infernal　traitor　Bonaparty；　and　the　war；　until　the　Irish
  maid…servant　came　with　a　plate　and　a　bottle　of　wine；
  from　which　the　old　gentleman　insisted　upon　helping　the
  valet。　　He　gave　him　a　half…guinea　too；　which　the　servant
  pocketed　with　a　mixture　of　wonder　and　contempt。　　〃To
  the　health　of　your　master　and　mistress；　Trotter；〃　Mr。
  Sedley　said；　〃and　here's　something　to　drink　your　health
  when　you　get　home；　Trotter。〃
  There　were　but　nine　days　past　since　Amelia　had　left
  that　little　cottage　and　homea