from　which　union　sprang　several　sons　and　daughters；
  whose　doings　do　not　appertain　to　this　story。
  The　marriage　at　first　was　a　happy　and　prosperous　one。
  My　Lord　George　Gaunt　could　not　only　read；　but　write
  pretty　correctly。　　He　spoke　French　with　considerable
  fluency；　and　was　one　of　the　finest　waltzers　in　Europe。　　With
  these　talents；　and　his　interest　at　home；　there　was　little
  doubt　that　his　lordship　would　rise　to　the　highest　dignities
  in　his　profession。　　The　lady；　his　wife；　felt　that　courts　were
  her　sphere；　and　her　wealth　enabled　her　to　receive
  splendidly　in　those　continental　towns　whither　her　husband's
  diplomatic　duties　led　him。　　There　was　talk　of　appointing
  him　minister；　and　bets　were　laid　at　the　Travellers'　that
  he　would　be　ambassador　ere　long；　when　of　a　sudden；
  rumours　arrived　of　the　secretary's　extraordinary　behaviour。
  At　a　grand　diplomatic　dinner　given　by　his　chief；　he
  had　started　up　and　declared　that　a　pate　de　foie　gras　was
  poisoned。　　He　went　to　a　ball　at　the　hotel　of　the　Bavarian
  envoy；　the　Count　de　Springbock…Hohenlaufen；　with　his
  head　shaved　and　dressed　as　a　Capuchin　friar。　　It　was　not
  a　masked　ball；　as　some　folks　wanted　to　persuade　you。　　It
  was　something　queer；　people　whispered。　　His　grandfather
  was　so。　　It　was　in　the　family。
  His　wife　and　family　returned　to　this　country　and　took
  up　their　abode　at　Gaunt　House。　　Lord　George　gave　up
  his　post　on　the　European　continent；　and　was　gazetted　to
  Brazil。　　But　people　knew　better；　he　never　returned　from
  that　Brazil　expeditionnever　died　therenever　lived
  therenever　was　there　at　all。　　He　was　nowhere；　he　was
  gone　out　altogether。　　〃Brazil；〃　said　one　gossip　to　another；
  with　a　grin〃Brazil　is　St。　　John's　Wood。　　Rio　de　Janeiro
  is　a　cottage　surrounded　by　four　walls；　and　George　Gaunt
  is　accredited　to　a　keeper；　who　has　invested　him　with　the
  order　of　the　Strait…Waistcoat。〃　These　are　the　kinds　of
  epitaphs　which　men　pass　over　one　another　in　Vanity
  Fair。
  Twice　or　thrice　in　a　week；　in　the　earliest　morning；　the
  poor　mother　went　for　her　sins　and　saw　the　poor　invalid。
  Sometimes　he　laughed　at　her　（and　his　laughter　was　more
  pitiful　than　to　hear　him　cry）；　sometimes　she　found　the
  brilliant　dandy　diplomatist　of　the　Congress　of　Vienna
  dragging　about　a　child's　toy；　or　nursing　the　keeper's
  baby's　doll。　　Sometimes　he　knew　her　and　Father　Mole；
  her　director　and　companion；　oftener　he　forgot　her；　as　he
  had　done　wife；　children；　love；　ambition；　vanity。　　But　he
  remembered　his　dinner…hour；　and　used　to　cry　if　his
  wine…and…water　was　not　strong　enough。
  It　was　the　mysterious　taint　of　the　blood；　the　poor
  mother　had　brought　it　from　her　own　ancient　race。　　The
  evil　had　broken　out　once　or　twice　in　the　father's　family；
  long　before　Lady　Steyne's　sins　had　begun；　or　her　fasts
  and　tears　and　penances　had　been　offered　in　their
  expiation。　　The　pride　of　the　race　was　struck　down　as　the
  first…born　of　Pharaoh。　　The　dark　mark　of　fate　and　doom　was
  on　the　thresholdthe　tall　old　threshold　surmounted　by
  coronets　and　caned　heraldry。
  The　absent　lord's　children　meanwhile　prattled　and
  grew　on　quite　unconscious　that　the　doom　was　over　them
  too。　　First　they　talked　of　their　father　and　devised　plans
  against　his　return。　　Then　the　name　of　the　living　dead　man
  was　less　frequently　in　their　mouththen　not　mentioned
  at　all。　　But　the　stricken　old　grandmother　trembled　to　think
  that　these　too　were　the　inheritors　of　their　father's　shame
  as　well　as　of　his　honours；　and　watched　sickening　for　the
  day　when　the　awful　ancestral　curse　should　come　down
  on　them。
  This　dark　presentiment　also　haunted　Lord　Steyne。　　He
  tried　to　lay　the　horrid　bedside　ghost　in　Red　Seas　of　wine
  and　jollity；　and　lost　sight　of　it　sometimes　in　the　crowd
  and　rout　of　his　pleasures。　　But　it　always　came　back　to
  him　when　alone；　and　seemed　to　grow　more　threatening
  with　years。　　〃I　have　taken　your　son；〃　it　said；　〃why　not
  you？　I　may　shut　you　up　in　a　prison　some　day　like　your
  son　George。　　I　may　tap　you　on　the　head　to…morrow；　and
  away　go　pleasure　and　honours；　feasts　and　beauty；　friends；
  flatterers；　French　cooks；　fine　horses　and　housesin
  exchange　for　a　prison；　a　keeper；　and　a　straw　mattress　like
  George　Gaunt's。〃　And　then　my　lord　would　defy　the　ghost
  which　threatened　him；　for　he　knew　of　a　remedy　by　which
  he　could　baulk　his　enemy。
  So　there　was　splendour　and　wealth；　but　no　great
  happiness　perchance；　behind　the　tall　caned　portals　of　Gaunt
  House　with　its　smoky　coronets　and　ciphers。　　The　feasts
  there　were　of　the　grandest　in　London；　but　there　was　not
  overmuch　content　therewith；　except　among　the　guests
  who　sat　at　my　lord's　table。　　Had　he　not　been　so　great　a
  Prince　very　few　possibly　would　have　visited　him；　but　in
  Vanity　Fair　the　sins　of　very　great　personages　are　looked
  at　indulgently。　　〃Nous　regardons　a　deux　fois〃　（as　the
  French　lady　said）　before　we　condemn　a　person　of　my
  lord's　undoubted　quality。　　Some　notorious　carpers　and
  squeamish　moralists　might　be　sulky　with　Lord　Steyne；
  but　they　were　glad　enough　to　come　when　he　asked　them。
  〃Lord　Steyne　is　really　too　bad；〃　Lady　Slingstone　said；
  〃but　everybody　goes；　and　of　course　I　shall　see　that　my
  girls　come　to　no　harm。〃　〃His　lordship　is　a　man　to　whom
  I　owe　much；　everything　in　life；〃　said　the　Right　Reverend
  Doctor　Trail；　thinking　that　the　Archbishop　was　rather
  shaky；　and　Mrs。　Trail　and　the　young　ladies　would　as
  soon　have　missed　going　to　church　as　to　one　of　his
  lordship's　parties。　　〃His　morals　are　bad；〃　said　little　Lord
  Southdown　to　his　sister；　who　meekly　expostulated；
  having　heard　terrific　legends　from　her　mamma　with　respect
  to　the　doings　at　Gaunt　House；　〃but　hang　it；　he's　got　the
  best　dry　Sillery　in　Europe！〃　And　as　for　Sir　Pitt　Crawley；
  Bart。Sir　Pitt　that　pattern　of　decorum；　Sir　Pitt　who
  had　led　off　at　missionary　meetingshe　never　for　one
  moment　thought　of　not　going　too。　　〃Where　you　see　such
  persons　as　the　Bishop　of　Ealing　and　the　Countess　of
  Slingstone；　you　may　be　pretty　sure；　Jane；〃　the　Baronet
  would　say；　〃that　we　cannot　be　wrong。　　The　great　rank
  and　station　of　Lord　Steyne　put　him　in　a　position　to
  command　people　in　our　station　in　life。　　The　Lord　Lieutenant
  of　a　County；　my　dear；　is　a　respectable　man。　　Besides；
  George　Gaunt　and　I　were　intimate　in　early　life；　he　was
  my　junior　when　we　were　attaches　at　Pumpernickel
  together。〃
  In　a　word　everybody　went　to　wait　upon　this　great　man
  everybody　who　was　asked；　as　you　the　reader　（do　not
  say　nay）　or　I　the　writer　hereof　would　go　if　we　had　an
  invitation。
  CHAPTER　XLVIII
  In　Which　the　Reader　Is　Introduced　to　the　Very
  Best　of　Company
  At　last　Becky's　kindness　and　attention　to　the　chief　of
  her　husband's　family　were　destined　to　meet　with　an
  exceeding　great　reward；　a　reward　which；　though　certainly
  somewhat　unsubstantial；　the　little　woman　coveted　with
  greater　eagerness　than　more　positive　benefits。　　If　she　did
  not　wish　to　lead　a　virtuous　life；　at　least　she　desired　to
  enjoy　a　character　for　virtue；　and　we　know　that　no　lady
  in　the　genteel　world　can　possess　this　desideratum；　until
  she　has　put　on　a　train　and　feathers　and　has　been
  presented　to　her　Sovereign　at　Court。　　From　that　august
  interview　they　come　out　stamped　as　honest　women。　　The
  Lord　Chamberlain　gives　them　a　certificate　of　virtue。　　And
  as　dubious　goods　or　letters　are　passed　through　an　oven
  at　quarantine；　sprinkled　with　aromatic　vinegar；　and　then
  pronounced　clean；　many　a　lady；　whose　reputation　would
  be　doubtful　otherwise　and　liable　to　give　infection；　passes
  through　the　wholesome　ordeal　of　the　Royal　presence　and
  issues　from　it　free　from　all　taint。
  It　might　be　very　well　for　my　Lady　Bareacres；　my
  Lady　Tufto；　Mrs。　Bute　Crawley　in　the　country；　and　other
  ladies　who　had　come　into　contact　with　Mrs。　Rawdon
  Crawley　to　cry　fie　at　the　idea　of　the　odious　little
  adventuress　making　her　curtsey　before　the　Sovereign；　and
  to　declare　that；　if　dear　good　Queen　Charlotte　had　been
  alive；　she　never　would　have　admitted　such　an　extremely
  ill…regulated　personage　into　her　chaste　drawing…room。　　But
  when　we　consider　that　it　was　the　First　Gentleman　in
  Europe　in　whose　high　presence　Mrs。　Rawdon　passed　her
  examination；　and　as　it　were；　took　her　degree　in　reputation；
  it　surely　must　be　flat　disloyalty　to　doubt　any　more
  about　her　virtue。　　I；　for　my　part；　look　back　with　love　and
  awe　to　that　Great　Character　in　history。　　Ah；　what　a　high
  and　noble　appreciation　of　Gentlewomanhood　there　must
  have　been　in　Vanity　Fair；　when　that　revered　and　august
  being　was　invested；　by　the　universal　acclaim　of　the
  refined　and　educated　portion　of　this　empire；　with　the　title
  of　Premier　Gentilhomme　of　his　Kingdom。　　Do　you
  remember；　dear　M；　oh　friend　of　my　youth；　how　one
  blissful　night　five…and…twenty　years　since；　the　〃Hypocrite〃
  being　acted；　Elliston　being　manager；　Dowton　and　Liston
  performers；　two　boys　had　leave　from　their　loyal　masters
  to　go　out　from　Slaughter…House　School　where　they　were
  educated　and　to　appear　on　Drury　Lane　stage；　amongst　a
  crowd　which　assembled　there　to　greet　the　king。　　THE
  KING？　There　he　was。　　Beefeaters　were　before　the
  august　box；　the　Marquis　of　Steyne　（Lord　of　the　Powder
  Closet）　and　other　great　officers　of　state　were　behind　the
  chair　on　which　he　sat；　HE　satflorid　of　face；　portly　of
  person；　covered　with　orders；　and　in　a　rich　curling　head　of
  hairhow　we　sang　God　save　him！　　How　the　house　ro