to　prayers。　　The　young　ladies　took　exercise　on　the
  pianoforte　every　morning　after　breakfast；　Rebecca　giving
  them　the　benefit　of　her　instruction。　　Then　they　put　on　thick
  shoes　and　walked　in　the　park　or　shrubberies；　or　beyond
  the　palings　into　the　village；　descending　upon　the　cottages；
  with　Lady　Southdown's　medicine　and　tracts　for　the
  sick　people　there。　　Lady　Southdown　drove　out　in　a
  pony…chaise；　when　Rebecca　would　take　her　place　by　the
  Dowager's　side　and　listen　to　her　solemn　talk　with　the　utmost
  interest。　　She　sang　Handel　and　Haydn　to　the　family　of
  evenings；　and　engaged　in　a　large　piece　of　worsted　work；　as　if
  she　had　been　born　to　the　business　and　as　if　this　kind
  of　life　was　to　continue　with　her　until　she　should　sink　to
  the　grave　in　a　polite　old　age；　leaving　regrets　and　a　great
  quantity　of　consols　behind　heras　if　there　were　not　cares
  and　duns；　schemes；　shifts；　and　poverty　waiting　outside
  the　park　gates；　to　pounce　upon　her　when　she　issued　into
  the　world　again。
  〃It　isn't　difficult　to　be　a　country　gentleman's　wife；〃
  Rebecca　thought。　　〃I　think　I　could　be　a　good　woman　if
  I　had　five　thousand　a　year。　　I　could　dawdle　about　in　the
  nursery　and　count　the　apricots　on　the　wall。　　I　could　water
  plants　in　a　green…house　and　pick　off　dead　leaves　from　the
  geraniums。　　I　could　ask　old　women　about　their　rheumatisms
  and　order　half…a…crown's　worth　of　soup　for
  the　poor。　　I　shouldn't　miss　it　much；　out　of　five　thousand
  a　year。　　I　could　even　drive　out　ten　miles　to　dine　at　a
  neighbour's；　and　dress　in　the　fashions　of　the　year　before　last。
  I　could　go　to　church　and　keep　awake　in　the　great　family
  pew；　or　go　to　sleep　behind　the　curtains；　with　my　veil
  down；　if　I　only　had　practice。　　I　could　pay　everybody；　if
  I　had　but　the　money。　　This　is　what　the　conjurors　here
  pride　themselves　upon　doing。　　They　look　down　with　pity
  upon　us　miserable　sinners　who　have　none。　　They　think
  themselves　generous　if　they　give　our　children　a　five…pound
  note；　and　us　contemptible　if　we　are　without　one。〃　And
  who　knows　but　Rebecca　was　right　in　her　speculations
  and　that　it　was　only　a　question　of　money　and　fortune
  which　made　the　difference　between　her　and　an　honest
  woman？　If　you　take　temptations　into　account；　who　is　to
  say　that　he　is　better　than　his　neighbour？　A　comfortable
  career　of　prosperity；　if　it　does　not　make　people　honest；　at
  least　keeps　them　so。　　An　alderman　coming　from　a　turtle
  feast　will　not　step　out　of　his　carnage　to　steal　a　leg　of
  mutton；　but　put　him　to　starve；　and　see　if　he　will　not
  purloin　a　loaf。　　Becky　consoled　herself　by　so　balancing　the
  chances　and　equalizing　the　distribution　of　good　and　evil
  in　the　world。
  The　old　haunts；　the　old　fields　and　woods；　the　copses；
  ponds；　and　gardens；　the　rooms　of　the　old　house　where
  she　had　spent　a　couple　of　years　seven　years　ago；　were　all
  carefully　revisited　by　her。　　She　had　been　young　there；　or
  comparatively　so；　for　she　forgot　the　time　when　she　ever
  WAS　youngbut　she　remembered　her　thoughts　and
  feelings　seven　years　back　and　contrasted　them　with　those
  which　she　had　at　present；　now　that　she　had　seen　the
  world；　and　lived　with　great　people；　and　raised　herself　far
  beyond　her　original　humble　station。
  〃I　have　passed　beyond　it；　because　I　have　brains；〃　Becky
  thought；　〃and　almost　all　the　rest　of　the　world　are　fools。
  I　could　not　go　back　and　consort　with　those　people　now；
  whom　I　used　to　meet　in　my　father's　studio。　　Lords　come　up
  to　my　door　with　stars　and　garters；　instead　of　poor
  artists　with　screws　of　tobacco　in　their　pockets。　　I　have　a
  gentleman　for　my　husband；　and　an　Earl's　daughter　for　my
  sister；　in　the　very　house　where　I　was　little　better　than　a
  servant　a　few　years　ago。　　But　am　I　much　better　to　do　now
  in　the　world　than　I　was　when　I　was　the　poor　painter's
  daughter　and　wheedled　the　grocer　round　the　corner　for
  sugar　and　tea？　Suppose　I　had　married　Francis　who　was
  so　fond　of　meI　couldn't　have　been　much　poorer　than
  I　am　now。　　Heigho！　　I　wish　I　could　exchange　my　position
  in　society；　and　all　my　relations　for　a　snug　sum　in　the
  Three　Per　Cent。　　Consols〃；　for　so　it　was　that　Becky　felt
  the　Vanity　of　human　affairs；　and　it　was　in　those　securities
  that　she　would　have　liked　to　cast　anchor。
  It　may；　perhaps；　have　struck　her　that　to　have　been
  honest　and　humble；　to　have　done　her　duty；　and　to　have
  marched　straightforward　on　her　way；　would　have　brought
  her　as　near　happiness　as　that　path　by　which　she　was
  striving　to　attain　it。　　Butjust　as　the　children　at　Queen's
  Crawley　went　round　the　room　where　the　body　of　their
  father　layif　ever　Becky　had　these　thoughts；　she　was
  accustomed　to　walk　round　them　and　not　look　in。　　She
  eluded　them　and　despised　themor　at　least　she　was
  committed　to　the　other　path　from　which　retreat　was　now
  impossible。　　And　for　my　part　I　believe　that　remorse　is　the
  least　active　of　all　a　man's　moral　sensesthe　very　easiest　to
  be　deadened　when　wakened；　and　in　some　never　wakened
  at　all。　　We　grieve　at　being　found　out　and　at　the　idea　of
  shame　or　punishment；　but　the　mere　sense　of　wrong　makes
  very　few　people　unhappy　in　Vanity　Fair。
  So　Rebecca；　during　her　stay　at　Queen's　Crawley；　made　as
  many　friends　of　the　Mammon　of　Unrighteousness　as　she
  could　possibly　bring　under　control。　　Lady　Jane　and　her
  husband　bade　her　farewell　with　the　warmest
  demonstrations　of　good…will。　　They　looked　forward　with
  pleasure　to　the　time　when；　the　family　house　in　Gaunt
  Street　being　repaired　and　beautified；　they　were　to　meet
  again　in　London。　　Lady　Southdown　made　her　up　a　packet　of
  medicine　and　sent　a　letter　by　her　to　the　Rev。　　Lawrence
  Grills；　exhorting　that　gentleman　to　save　the　brand　who
  〃honoured〃　the　letter　from　the　burning。　　Pitt　accompanied
  them　with　four　horses　in　the　carriage　to　Mudbury；　having
  sent　on　their　baggage　in　a　cart　previously；　accompanied
  with　loads　of　game。
  〃How　happy　you　will　be　to　see　your　darling　little　boy
  again！〃　Lady　Crawley　said；　taking　leave　of　her　kinswoman。
  〃Oh　so　happy！〃　said　Rebecca；　throwing　up　the　green　eyes。
  She　was　immensely　happy　to　be　free　of　the　place；　and　yet
  loath　to　go。　　Queen's　Crawley　was　abominably　stupid；　and
  yet　the　air　there　was　somehow　purer　than　that　which　she
  had　been　accustomed　to　breathe。　　Everybody　had　been　dull；
  but　had　been　kind　in　their　way。　　〃It　is　all　the　influence　of　a
  long　course　of　Three　Per　Cents；〃　Becky　said　to　herself；　and
  was　right　very　likely。
  However；　the　London　lamps　flashed　joyfully　as　the　stage
  rolled　into　Piccadilly；　and　Briggs　had　made　a　beautiful　fire
  in　Curzon　Street；　and　little　Rawdon　was　up　to　welcome
  back　his　papa　and　mamma。
  CHAPTER　XLII
  Which　Treats　of　the　Osborne　Family
  Considerable　time　has　elapsed　since　we　have　seen　our
  respectable　friend；　old　Mr。　Osborne　of　Russell　Square。　　He
  has　not　been　the　happiest　of　mortals　since　last　we　met　him。
  Events　have　occurred　which　have　not　improved　his
  temper；　and　in　more　in　stances　than　one　he　has　not　been
  allowed　to　have　his　own　way。　　To　be　thwarted　in　this
  reasonable　desire　was　always　very　injurious　to　the　old
  gentleman；　and　resistance　became　doubly　exasperating
  when　gout；　age；　loneliness；　and　the　force　of　many
  disappointments　combined　to　weigh　him　down。　　His　stiff
  black　hair　began　to　grow　quite　white　soon　after　his　son's
  death；　his…face　grew　redder；　his　hands　trembled　more　and
  more　as　he　poured　out　his　glass　of　port　wine。　　He　led　his
  clerks　a　dire　life　in　the　City：　　his　family　at　home　were　not
  much　happier。　　I　doubt　if　Rebecca；　whom　we　have　seen
  piously　praying　for　Consols；　would　have　exchanged　her
  poverty　and　the　dare…devil　excitement　and　chances　of　her
  life　for　Osborne's　money　and　the　humdrum　gloom　which
  enveloped　him。　　He　had　proposed　for　Miss　Swartz；　but　had
  been　rejected　scornfully　by　the　partisans　of　that　lady；　who
  married　her　to　a　young　sprig　of　Scotch　nobility。　　He　was　a
  man　to　have　married　a　woman　out　of　low　life　and　bullied
  her　dreadfully　afterwards；　but　no　person　presented　herself
  suitable　to　his　taste；　and；　instead；　he　tyrannized　over　his
  unmarried　daughter；　at　home。　　She　had　a　fine　carriage　and
  fine　horses　and　sat　at　the　head　of　a　table　loaded　with　the
  grandest　plate。　　She　had　a　cheque…book；　a　prize　footman　to
  follow　her　when　she　walked；　unlimited　credit；　and　bows
  and　compliments　from　all　the　tradesmen；　and　all　the
  appurtenances　of　an　heiress；　but　she　spent　a　woeful　time。
  The　little　charity…girls　at　the　Foundling；　the　sweeperess　at
  the　crossing；　the　poorest　under…kitchen…maid　in　the
  servants'　hall；　was　happy　compared　to　that　unfortunate
  and　now　middle…aged　young　lady。
  Frederick　Bullock；　Esq。；　of　the　house　of　Bullock；　Hulker；　and
  Bullock；　had　married　Maria　Osborne；　not　without　a　great
  deal　of　difficulty　and　grumbling　on　Mr。　Bullock's　part。
  George　being　dead　and　cut　out　of　his　father's　will；
  Frederick　insisted　that　the　half　of　the　old　gentleman's
  property　should　be　settled　upon　his　Maria；　and　indeed；　for
  a　long　time；　refused；　〃to　come　to　the　scratch〃　（it　was　Mr。
  Frederick's　own　expression）　on　any　other　terms。　　Osborne
  said　Fred　had　agreed　to　take　his　daughter　with　twenty
  thousand；　and　he　should　bind　himself　to　no　more。　　〃Fred
  might　take　it；　and　welcome；　or　leave　it；　and　go　and　be
  hanged。〃　Fred；　whose　hopes　had　been　raised　when　George
  had　been　disinherited；　thought　himself　infamously
  swindled　by　the　old　merchant；　and　for　some