Briggs　was　the　house…dog　whom　Rebecca　had　provided
  as　guardian　of　her　innocence　and　reputation。　　Miss　Crawley
  had　left　her　a　little　annuity。　　She　would　have　been
  content　to　remain　in　the　Crawley　family　with　Lady　Jane；
  who　was　good　to　her　and　to　everybody；　but　Lady
  Southdown　dismissed　poor　Briggs　as　quickly　as　decency
  permitted；　and　Mr。　Pitt　（who　thought　himself　much　injured
  by　the　uncalled…for　generosity　of　his　deceased　relative
  towards　a　lady　who　had　only　been　Miss　Crawley's
  faithful　retainer　a　score　of　years）　made　no　objection　to　that
  exercise　of　the　dowager's　authority。　　Bowls　and　Firkin
  likewise　received　their　legacies　and　their　dismissals；　and
  married　and　set　up　a　lodging…house；　according　to　the
  custom　of　their　kind。
  Briggs　tried　to　live　with　her　relations　in　the　country；
  but　found　that　attempt　was　vain　after　the　better　society
  to　which　she　had　been　accustomed。　　Briggs's　friends；　small
  tradesmen；　in　a　country　town；　quarrelled　over　Miss
  Briggs's　forty　pounds　a　year　as　eagerly　and　more　openly
  than　Miss　Crawley's　kinsfolk　had　for　that　lady's
  inheritance。　　Briggs's　brother；　a　radical　hatter　and　grocer；　called
  his　sister　a　purse…proud　aristocrat；　because　she　would　not
  advance　a　part　of　her　capital　to　stock　his　shop；　and　she
  would　have　done　so　most　likely；　but　that　their　sister；　a
  dissenting　shoemaker's　lady；　at　variance　with　the　hatter
  and　grocer；　who　went　to　another　chapel；　showed　how
  their　brother　was　on　the　verge　of　bankruptcy；　and　took
  possession　of　Briggs　for　a　while。　　The　dissenting
  shoemaker　wanted　Miss　Briggs　to　send　his　son　to　college
  and　make　a　gentleman　of　him。　　Between　them　the　two
  families　got　a　great　portion　of　her　private　savings　out　of
  her；　and　finally　she　fled　to　London　followed　by　the
  anathemas　of　both；　and　determined　to　seek　for　servitude
  again　as　infinitely　less　onerous　than　liberty。　　And　advertising
  in　the　papers　that　a　〃Gentlewoman　of　agreeable
  manners；　and　accustomed　to　the　best　society；　was　anxious
  to；〃　&c。；　she　took　up　her　residence　with　Mr。　Bowls
  in　Half　Moon　Street；　and　waited　the　result　of　the
  advertisement。
  So　it　was　that　she　fell　in　with　Rebecca。　　Mrs。　Rawdon's
  dashing　little　carriage　and　ponies　was　whirling　down　the
  street　one　day；　just　as　Miss　Briggs；　fatigued；　had
  reached　Mr。　Bowls's　door；　after　a　weary　walk　to　the
  Times　Office　in　the　City　to　insert　her　advertisement　for
  the　sixth　time。　　Rebecca　was　driving；　and　at　once
  recognized　the　gentlewoman　with　agreeable　manners；　and
  being　a　perfectly　good…humoured　woman；　as　we　have
  seen；　and　having　a　regard　for　Briggs；　she　pulled　up　the
  ponies　at　the　doorsteps；　gave　the　reins　to　the　groom；
  and　jumping　out；　had　hold　of　both　Briggs's　hands；　before
  she　of　the　agreeable　manners　had　recovered　from　the
  shock　of　seeing　an　old　friend。
  Briggs　cried；　and　Becky　laughed　a　great　deal　and
  kissed　the　gentlewoman　as　soon　as　they　got　into　the
  passage；　and　thence　into　Mrs。　Bowls's　front　parlour；　with
  the　red　moreen　curtains；　and　the　round　looking…glass；
  with　the　chained　eagle　above；　gazing　upon　the　back　of
  the　ticket　in　the　window　which　announced　〃Apartments
  to　Let。〃
  Briggs　told　all　her　history　amidst　those　perfectly
  uncalled…for　sobs　and　ejaculations　of　wonder　with　which
  women　of　her　soft　nature　salute　an　old　acquaintance；　or
  regard　a　rencontre　in　the　street；　for　though　people　meet
  other　people　every　day；　yet　some　there　are　who　insist
  upon　discovering　miracles；　and　women；　even　though　they
  have　disliked　each　other；　begin　to　cry　when　they　meet；
  deploring　and　remembering　the　time　when　they　last
  quarrelled。　　So；　in　a　word；　Briggs　told　all　her　history；　and
  Becky　gave　a　narrative　of　her　own　life；　with　her　usual
  artlessness　and　candour。
  Mrs。　Bowls；　late　Firkin；　came　and　listened　grimly　in
  the　passage　to　the　hysterical　sniffling　and　giggling　which
  went　on　in　the　front　parlour。　　Becky　had　never　been　a
  favourite　of　hers。　　Since　the　establishment　of　the　married
  couple　in　London　they　had　frequented　their　former
  friends　of　the　house　of　Raggles；　and　did　not　like　the
  latter's　account　of　the　Colonel's　menage。　　〃I　wouldn't　trust
  him；　Ragg；　my　boy；〃　Bowls　remarked；　and　his　wife；
  when　Mrs。　Rawdon　issued　from　the　parlour；　only　saluted
  the　lady　with　a　very　sour　curtsey；　and　her　fingers
  were　like　so　many　sausages；　cold　and　lifeless；　when　she
  held　them　out　in　deference　to　Mrs。　Rawdon；　who　persisted
  in　shaking　hands　with　the　retired　lady's　maid。　　She　whirled
  away　into　Piccadilly；　nodding　with　the　sweetest　of　smiles
  towards　Miss　Briggs；　who　hung　nodding　at　the　window
  close　under　the　advertisement…card；　and　at　the　next
  moment　was　in　the　park　with　a　half…dozen　of　dandies
  cantering　after　her　carriage。
  When　she　found　how　her　friend　was　situated；　and　how
  having　a　snug　legacy　from　Miss　Crawley；　salary　was　no
  object　to　our　gentlewoman；　Becky　instantly　formed　some
  benevolent　little　domestic　plans　concerning　her。　　This
  was　just　such　a　companion　as　would　suit　her　establishment；
  and　she　invited　Briggs　to　come　to　dinner　with　her
  that　very　evening；　when　she　should　see　Becky's　dear　little
  darling　Rawdon。
  Mrs。　Bowls　cautioned　her　lodger　against　venturing　into
  the　lion's　den；　〃wherein　you　will　rue　it；　Miss　B。；　mark　my
  words；　and　as　sure　as　my　name　is　Bowls。〃　And　Briggs
  promised　to　be　very　cautious。　　The　upshot　of　which
  caution　was　that　she　went　to　live　with　Mrs。　Rawdon　the　next
  week；　and　had　lent　Rawdon　Crawley　six　hundred　pounds
  upon　annuity　before　six　months　were　over。
  CHAPTER　XLI
  In　Which　Becky　Revisits　the　Halls　of　Her　Ancestors
  So　the　mourning　being　ready；　and　Sir　Pitt　Crawley　warned
  of　their　arrival；　Colonel　Crawley　and　his　wife　took　a
  couple　of　places　in　the　same　old　High…flyer　coach　by
  which　Rebecca　had　travelled　in　the　defunct　Baronet's
  company；　on　her　first　journey　into　the　world　some　nine
  years　before。　　How　well　she　remembered　the　Inn　Yard；
  and　the　ostler　to　whom　she　refused　money；　and　the
  insinuating　Cambridge　lad　who　wrapped　her　in　his　coat　on
  the　journey！　　Rawdon　took　his　place　outside；　and　would
  have　liked　to　drive；　but　his　grief　forbade　him。　　He　sat　by
  the　coachman　and　talked　about　horses　and　the　road　the
  whole　way；　and　who　kept　the　inns；　and　who　horsed　the
  coach　by　which　he　had　travelled　so　many　a　time；　when
  he　and　Pitt　were　boys　going　to　Eton。　　At　Mudbury　a
  carriage　and　a　pair　of　horses　received　them；　with　a
  coachman　in　black。　　〃It's　the　old　drag；　Rawdon；〃　Rebecca　said
  as　they　got　in。　　〃The　worms　have　eaten　the　cloth　a　good
  dealthere's　the　stain　which　Sir　Pittha！　　I　see　Dawson
  the　Ironmonger　has　his　shutters　upwhich　Sir　Pitt　made
  such　a　noise　about。　　It　was　a　bottle　of　cherry　brandy　he
  broke　which　we　went　to　fetch　for　your　aunt　from
  Southampton。　　How　time　flies；　to　be　sure！　　That　can't　be　Polly
  Talboys；　that　bouncing　girl　standing　by　her　mother　at
  the　cottage　there。　　I　remember　her　a　mangy　little　urchin
  picking　weeds　in　the　garden。〃
  〃Fine　gal；〃　said　Rawdon；　returning　the　salute　which　the
  cottage　gave　him；　by　two　fingers　applied　to　his　crape
  hatband。　　Becky　bowed　and　saluted；　and　recognized
  people　here　and　there　graciously。　　These　recognitions　were
  inexpressibly　pleasant　to　her。　　It　seemed　as　if　she　was
  not　an　imposter　any　more；　and　was　coming　to　the　home
  of　her　ancestors。　　Rawdon　was　rather　abashed　and　cast
  down；　on　the　other　hand。　　What　recollections　of　boyhood
  and　innocence　might　have　been　flitting　across　his　brain？
  What　pangs　of　dim　remorse　and　doubt　and　shame？
  〃Your　sisters　must　be　young　women　now；〃　Rebecca
  said；　thinking　of　those　girls　for　the　first　time　perhaps
  since　she　had　left　them。
  〃Don't　know；　I'm　shaw；〃　replied　the　Colonel。　　〃Hullo！
  here's　old　Mother　Lock。　　How…dy…do；　Mrs。　Lock？　Remember
  me；　don't　you？　Master　Rawdon；　hey？　Dammy　how
  those　old　women　last；　she　was　a　hundred　when　I　was　a
  boy。〃
  They　were　going　through　the　lodge…gates　kept　by　old
  Mrs。　Lock；　whose　hand　Rebecca　insisted　upon　shaking；
  as　she　flung　open　the　creaking　old　iron　gate；　and　the
  carriage　passed　between　the　two　moss…grown　pillars
  surmounted　by　the　dove　and　serpent。
  〃The　governor　has　cut　into　the　timber；〃　Rawdon　said；
  looking　about；　and　then　was　silentso　was　Becky。　　Both
  of　them　were　rather　agitated；　and　thinking　of　old　times。
  He　about　Eton；　and　his　mother；　whom　he　remembered；
  a　frigid　demure　woman；　and　a　sister　who　died；　of　whom
  he　had　been　passionately　fond；　and　how　he　used　to　thrash
  Pitt；　and　about　little　Rawdy　at　home。　　And　Rebecca
  thought　about　her　own　youth　and　the　dark　secrets　of
  those　early　tainted　days；　and　of　her　entrance　into　life
  by　yonder　gates；　and　of　Miss　Pinkerton；　and　Joe；　and
  Amelia。
  The　gravel　walk　and　terrace　had　been　scraped　quite
  clean。　　A　grand　painted　hatchment　was　already　over　the
  great　entrance；　and　two　very　solemn　and　tall　personages
  in　black　flung　open　each　a　leaf　of　the　door　as　the
  carriage　pulled　up　at　the　familiar　steps。　　Rawdon　turned　red；
  and　Becky　somewhat　pale；　as　they　passed　through　the
  old　hall；　arm　in　arm。　　She　pinched　her　husband's　arm
  as　they　entered　the　oak　parlour；　where　Sir　Pitt　and　his
  wife　were　ready　to　receive　them。　　Sir　Pitt　in　black；　Lady
  Jane　in　black；　and　my　Lady　Southdown　with　a　large　black
  head…piece　of　bugles　and　feathers；　which　waved　on　her
  Ladyship's　head　like　an　undertaker's　tray。
  Sir　Pitt　had　judg