arms　to　defend　him　there；　and　all　Europe　to　oust　him。
  While　the　French　nation　and　army　were　swearing　fidelity
  round　the　eagles　in　the　Champ　de　Mars；　four　mighty
  European　hosts　were　getting　in　motion　for　the　great
  chasse　a　l'aigle；　and　one　of　these　was　a　British　army；　of
  which　two　heroes　of　ours；　Captain　Dobbin　and　Captain
  Osborne；　formed　a　portion。
  The　news　of　Napoleon's　escape　and　landing　was
  received　by　the　gallant　th　with　a　fiery　delight　and
  enthusiasm；　which　everybody　can　understand　who　knows
  that　famous　corps。　　From　the　colonel　to　the　smallest
  drummer　in　the　regiment；　all　were　filled　with　hope　and
  ambition　and　patriotic　fury；　and　thanked　the　French　Emperor
  as　for　a　personal　kindness　in　coming　to　disturb　the　peace
  of　Europe。　　Now　was　the　time　the　th　had　so　long
  panted　for；　to　show　their　comrades　in　arms　that　they
  could　fight　as　well　as　the　Peninsular　veterans；　and　that
  all　the　pluck　and　valour　of　the　th　had　not　been　killed
  by　the　West　Indies　and　the　yellow　fever。　　Stubble　and
  Spooney　looked　to　get　their　companies　without　purchase。
  Before　the　end　of　the　campaign　（which　she　resolved
  to　share）；　Mrs。　Major　O'Dowd　hoped　to　write
  herself　Mrs。　Colonel　O'Dowd；　C。B。　　Our　two　friends
  （Dobbin　and　Osborne）　were　quite　as　much　excited　as　the
  rest：　and　each　in　his　wayMr。　Dobbin　very　quietly；　Mr。
  Osborne　very　loudly　and　energeticallywas　bent　upon
  doing　his　duty；　and　gaining　his　share　of　honour　and
  distinction。
  The　agitation　thrilling　through　the　country　and　army
  in　consequence　of　this　news　was　so　great；　that　private
  matters　were　little　heeded：　and　hence　probably　George
  Osborne；　just　gazetted　to　his　company；　busy　with　preparations
  for　the　march；　which　must　come　inevitably；　and
  panting　for　further　promotionwas　not　so　much　affected
  by　other　incidents　which　would　have　interested　him　at　a
  more　quiet　period。　　He　was　not；　it　must　be　confessed；
  very　much　cast　down　by　good　old　Mr。　Sedley's　catastrophe。
  He　tried　his　new　uniform；　which　became　him
  very　handsomely；　on　the　day　when　the　first　meeting　of
  the　creditors　of　the　unfortunate　gentleman　took　place。
  His　father　told　him　of　the　wicked；　rascally；　shameful
  conduct　of　the　bankrupt；　reminded　him　of　what　he　had
  said　about　Amelia；　and　that　their　connection　was　broken
  off　for　ever；　and　gave　him　that　evening　a　good　sum　of
  money　to　pay　for　the　new　clothes　and　epaulets　in　which
  he　looked　so　well。　　Money　was　always　useful　to　this　free…
  handed　young　fellow；　and　he　took　it　without　many　words。
  The　bills　were　up　in　the　Sedley　house；　where　he　had
  passed　so　many；　many　happy　hours。　　He　could　see
  them　as　he　walked　from　home　that　night　（to　the　Old
  Slaughters'；　where　he　put　up　when　in　town）　shining　white
  in　the　moon。　　That　comfortable　home　was　shut；　then；　upon
  Amelia　and　her　parents：　where　had　they　taken　refuge？
  The　thought　of　their　ruin　affected　him　not　a　little。　　He
  was　very　melancholy　that　night　in　the　coffee…room　at
  the　Slaughters'；　and　drank　a　good　deal；　as　his　comrades
  remarked　there。
  Dobbin　came　in　presently；　cautioned　him　about　the
  drink；　which　he　only　took；　he　said；　because　he　was
  deuced　low；　but　when　his　friend　began　to　put　to　him
  clumsy　inquiries；　and　asked　him　for　news　in　a　significant
  manner；　Osborne　declined　entering　into　conversation　with
  him；　avowing；　however；　that　he　was　devilish　disturbed
  and　unhappy。
  Three　days　afterwards；　Dobbin　found　Osborne　in　his
  room　at　the　barrackshis　head　on　the　table；　a　number
  of　papers　about；　the　young　Captain　evidently　in　a　state
  of　great　despondency。　　〃Sheshe's　sent　me　back　some
  things　I　gave　hersome　damned　trinkets。　　Look　here！〃
  There　was　a　little　packet　directed　in　the　well…known　hand
  to　Captain　George　Osborne；　and　some　things　lying　about
  a　ring；　a　silver　knife　he　had　bought；　as　a　boy；　for　her
  at　a　fair；　a　gold　chain；　and　a　locket　with　hair　in　it。　　〃It's
  all　over；〃　said　he；　with　a　groan　of　sickening　remorse。
  〃Look；　Will；　you　may　read　it　if　you　like。〃
  There　was　a　little　letter　of　a　few　lines；　to　which　he
  pointed；　which　said：
  My　papa　has　ordered　me　to　return　to　you　these
  presents；　which　you　made　in　happier　days　to　me；　and　I
  am　to　write　to　you　for　the　last　time。　　I　think；　I　know　you
  feel　as　much　as　I　do　the　blow　which　has　come　upon　us。
  It　is　I　that　absolve　you　from　an　engagement　which　is
  impossible　in　our　present　misery。　　I　am　sure　you　had　no
  share　in　it；　or　in　the　cruel　suspicions　of　Mr。　Osborne；
  which　are　the　hardest　of　all　our　griefs　to　bear。　　Farewell。
  Farewell。　　I　pray　God　to　strengthen　me　to　bear　this　and
  other　calamities；　and　to　bless　you　always。　　　　　A。
  I　shall　often　play　upon　the　pianoyour　piano。　　It　was
  like　you　to　send　it。
  Dobbin　was　very　soft…hearted。　　The　sight　of　women
  and　children　in　pain　always　used　to　melt　him。　　The　idea
  of　Amelia　broken…hearted　and　lonely　tore　that　good…
  natured　soul　with　anguish。　　And　he　broke　out　into　an
  emotion；　which　anybody　who　likes　may　consider　unmanly。
  He　swore　that　Amelia　was　an　angel；　to　which　Osborne
  said　aye　with　all　his　heart。　　He；　too；　had　been　reviewing
  the　history　of　their　livesand　had　seen　her　from　her
  childhood　to　her　present　age；　so　sweet；　so　innocent；
  so　charmingly　simple；　and　artlessly　fond　and　tender。
  What　a　pang　it　was　to　lose　all　that：　to　have　had　it　and
  not　prized　it！　　A　thousand　homely　scenes　and　recollections
  crowded　on　himin　which　he　always　saw　her　good
  and　beautiful。　　And　for　himself；　he　blushed　with　remorse
  and　shame；　as　the　remembrance　of　his　own　selfishness
  and　indifference　contrasted　with　that　perfect　purity。　　For
  a　while；　glory；　war；　everything　was　forgotten；　and　the
  pair　of　friends　talked　about　her　only。
  〃Where　are　they？〃　Osborne　asked；　after　a　long　talk；
  and　a　long　pauseand；　in　truth；　with　no　little　shame　at
  thinking　that　he　had　taken　no　steps　to　follow　her。　　〃Where
  are　they？　There's　no　address　to　the　note。〃
  Dobbin　knew。　　He　had　not　merely　sent　the　piano；　but
  had　written　a　note　to　Mrs。　Sedley；　and　asked　permission
  to　come　and　see　herand　he　had　seen　her；　and　Amelia
  too；　yesterday；　before　he　came　down　to　Chatham；　and；
  what　is　more；　he　had　brought　that　farewell　letter　and
  packet　which　had　so　moved　them。
  The　good…natured　fellow　had　found　Mrs。　Sedley　only
  too　willing　to　receive　him；　and　greatly　agitated　by　the
  arrival　of　the　piano；　which；　as　she　conjectured；　MUST　have
  come　from　George；　and　was　a　signal　of　amity　on　his
  part。　　Captain　Dobbin　did　not　correct　this　error　of　the
  worthy　lady；　but　listened　to　all　her　story　of　complaints
  and　misfortunes　with　great　sympathycondoled　with
  her　losses　and　privations；　and　agreed　in　reprehending　the
  cruel　conduct　of　Mr。　Osborne　towards　his　first　benefactor。
  When　she　had　eased　her　overflowing　bosom　somewhat；
  and　poured　forth　many　of　her　sorrows；　he　had　the
  courage　to　ask　actually　to　see　Amelia；　who　was　above　in
  her　room　as　usual；　and　whom　her　mother　led　trembling
  downstairs。
  Her　appearance　was　so　ghastly；　and　her　look　of　despair
  so　pathetic；　that　honest　William　Dobbin　was　frightened
  as　he　beheld　it；　and　read　the　most　fatal　forebodings　in
  that　pale　fixed　face。　　After　sitting　in　his　company　a　minute
  or　two；　she　put　the　packet　into　his　hand；　and　said；
  〃Take　this　to　Captain　Osborne；　if　you　please；　andand　I
  hope　he's　quite　welland　it　was　very　kind　of　you　to
  come　and　see　usand　we　like　our　new　house　very　much。
  And　II　think　I'll　go　upstairs；　Mamma；　for　I'm　not　very
  strong。〃　And　with　this；　and　a　curtsey　and　a　smile；　the
  poor　child　went　her　way。　　The　mother；　as　she　led　her　up；
  cast　back　looks　of　anguish　towards　Dobbin。　　The　good
  fellow　wanted　no　such　appeal。　　He　loved　her　himself　too
  fondly　for　that。　　Inexpressible　grief；　and　pity；　and　terror
  pursued　him；　and　he　came　away　as　if　he　was　a　criminal
  after　seeing　her。
  When　Osborne　heard　that　his　friend　had　found　her；
  he　made　hot　and　anxious　inquiries　regarding　the　poor
  child。　　How　was　she？　　How　did　she　look？　　What　did　she
  say？　　His　comrade　took　his　hand；　and　looked　him　in　the
  face。
  〃George；　she's　dying；〃　William　Dobbin　saidand　could
  speak　no　more。
  There　was　a　buxom　Irish　servant…girl；　who　performed
  all　the　duties　of　the　little　house　where　the　Sedley　family
  had　found　refuge：　and　this　girl　had　in　vain；　on　many
  previous　days；　striven　to　give　Amelia　aid　or　consolation。
  Emmy　was　much　too　sad　to　answer；　or　even　to　be　aware
  of　the　attempts　the　other　was　making　in　her　favour。
  Four　hours　after　the　talk　between　Dobbin　and　Osborne；
  this　servant…maid　came　into　Amelia's　room；　where　she
  sate　as　usual；　brooding　silently　over　her　lettersher
  little　treasures。　　The　girl；　smiling；　and　looking　arch　and
  happy；　made　many　trials　to　attract　poor　Emmy's
  attention；　who；　however；　took　no　heed　of　her。
  〃Miss　Emmy；〃　said　the　girl。
  〃I'm　coming；〃　Emmy　said；　not　looking　round。
  〃There's　a　message；〃　the　maid　went　on。　　〃There's
  somethingsomebodysure；　here's　a　new　letter　for　you
  don't　be　reading　them　old　ones　any　more。〃　And　she　gave
  her　a　letter；　which　Emmy　took；　and　read。
  〃I　must　see　you；〃　the　letter　said。　　〃Dearest　Emmy
  dearest　lovedearest　wife；　come　to　me。〃
  George　and　her　mother　were　outside；　waiting　until　she
  had　read　the　letter。
  CHAPTER　XXX
  〃The　Girl　I　Left　Behind　Me〃
  We　do　not　claim　to　rank　among　the　military　novelists。
  Our　place　is　with　the　non…combatants。　　When　the　decks
  are　cleared　for　action　we　go