know　where　you　would　have　been　now；　and　in　what　sort
  of　a　position　in　society；　if　I　had　not　looked　after　you。〃
  Indeed；　nobody　wanted　poor　old　Rawdon　at　the　parties
  whither　Becky　used　to　go。　　She　was　often　asked　without
  him　now。　　She　talked　about　great　people　as　if　she　had　the
  fee…simple　of　May　Fair；　and　when　the　Court　went　into
  mourning；　she　always　wore　black。
  Little　Rawdon　being　disposed　of；　Lord　Steyne；　who
  took　such　a　parental　interest　in　the　affairs　of　this　amiable
  poor　family；　thought　that　their　expenses　might　be　very
  advantageously　curtailed　by　the　departure　of　Miss　Briggs；
  and　that　Becky　was　quite　clever　enough　to　take　the
  management　of　her　own　house。　　It　has　been　narrated　in　a
  former　chapter　how　the　benevolent　nobleman　had　given
  his　protegee　money。to　pay　off　her　little　debt　to　Miss
  Briggs；　who　however　still　remained　behind　with　her
  friends；　whence　my　lord　came　to　the　painful　conclusion
  that　Mrs。　Crawley　had　made　some　other　use　of　the
  money　confided　to　her　than　that　for　which　her　generous
  patron　had　given　the　loan。　　However；　Lord　Steyne　was
  not　so　rude　as　to　impart　his　suspicions　upon　this　head　to
  Mrs。　Becky；　whose　feelings　might　be　hurt　by　any
  controversy　on　the　money…question；　and　who　might　have　a
  thousand　painful　reasons　for　disposing　otherwise　of　his
  lordship's　generous　loan。　　But　he　determined　to　satisfy
  himself　of　the　real　state　of　the　case；　and　instituted　the
  necessary　inquiries　in　a　most　cautious　and　delicate
  manner。
  In　the　first　place　he　took　an　early　opportunity　of
  pumping　Miss　Briggs。　　That　was　not　a　difficult　operation。
  A　very　little　encouragement　would　set　that　worthy　woman
  to　talk　volubly　and　pour　out　all　within　her。　　And　one　day
  when　Mrs。　Rawdon　had　gone　out　to　drive　（as　Mr。　Fiche；
  his　lordship's　confidential　servant；　easily　learned　at　the
  livery　stables　where　the　Crawleys　kept　their　carriage　and
  horses；　or　rather；　where　the　livery…man　kept　a　carriage
  and　horses　for　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Crawley）my　lord　dropped
  in　upon　the　Curzon　Street　houseasked　Briggs　for　a　cup
  of　coffeetold　her　that　he　had　good　accounts　of　the　little
  boy　at　schooland　in　five　minutes　found　out　from　her
  that　Mrs。　Rawdon　had　given　her　nothing　except　a　black
  silk　gown；　for　which　Miss　Briggs　was　immensely　grateful。
  He　laughed　within　himself　at　this　artless　story。　　For　the
  truth　is；　our　dear　friend　Rebecca　had　given　him　a　most
  circumstantial　narration　of　Briggs's　delight　at　receiving
  her　moneyeleven　hundred　and　twenty…five　pounds
  and　in　what　securities　she　had　invested　it；　and　what　a
  pang　Becky　herself　felt　in　being　obliged　to　pay　away　such
  a　delightful　sum　of　money。　　〃Who　knows；〃　the　dear
  woman　may　have　thought　within　herself；　〃perhaps　he
  may　give　me　a　little　more？〃　My　lord；　however；　made　no
  such　proposal　to　the　little　schemervery　likely　thinking
  that　he　had　been　sufficiently　generous　already。
  He　had　the　curiosity；　then；　to　ask　Miss　Briggs　about
  the　state　of　her　private　affairsand　she　told　his　lordship
  candidly　what　her　position　washow　Miss　Crawley　had
  left　her　a　legacyhow　her　relatives　had　had　part　of　it
  how　Colonel　Crawley　had　put　out　another　portion；　for
  which　she　had　the　best　security　and　interestand　how
  Mr。　and　Mrs。　Rawdon　had　kindly　busied　themselves　with
  Sir　Pitt；　who　was　to　dispose　of　the　remainder　most
  advantageously　for　her；　when　he　had　time。　　My　lord　asked
  how　much　the　Colonel　had　already　invested　for　her；　and
  Miss　Briggs　at　once　and　truly　told　him　that　the　sum　was
  six　hundred　and　odd　pounds。
  But　as　soon　as　she　had　told　her　story；　the　voluble
  Briggs　repented　of　her　frankness　and　besought　my　lord
  not　to　tell　Mr。　Crawley　of　the　confessions　which　she　had
  made。　　〃The　Colonel　was　so　kindMr。　Crawley　might
  be　offended　and　pay　back　the　money；　for　which　she
  could　get　no　such　good　interest　anywhere　else。〃　Lord
  Steyne；　laughing；　promised　he　never　would　divulge　their
  conversation；　and　when　he　and　Miss　Briggs　parted　he
  laughed　still　more。
  〃What　an　accomplished　little　devil　it　is！〃　thought　he。
  〃What　a　splendid　actress　and　manager！　　She　had　almost
  got　a　second　supply　out　of　me　the　other　day；　with　her
  coaxing　ways。　　She　beats　all　the　women　I　have　ever　seen
  in　the　course　of　all　my　well…spent　life。　　They　are　babies
  compared　to　her。　　I　am　a　greenhorn　myself；　and　a　fool　in
  her　handsan　old　fool。　　She　is　unsurpassable　in　lies。〃
  His　lordship's　admiration　for　Becky　rose　immeasurably
  at　this　proof　of　her　cleverness。　　Getting　the　money　was
  nothingbut　getting　double　the　sum　she　wanted；　and
  paying　nobodyit　was　a　magnificent　stroke。　　And　Crawley；
  my　lord　thoughtCrawley　is　not　such　a　fool　as　he
  looks　and　seems。　　He　has　managed　the　matter　cleverly
  enough　on　his　side。　　Nobody　would　ever　have　supposed
  from　his　face　and　demeanour　that　he　knew　anything
  about　this　money　business；　and　yet　he　put　her　up　to　it；
  and　has　spent　the　money；　no　doubt。　　In　this　opinion　my
  lord；　we　know；　was　mistaken；　but　it　influenced　a　good
  deal　his　behaviour　towards　Colonel　Crawley；　whom　he
  began　to　treat　with　even　less　than　that　semblance　of
  respect　which　he　had　formerly　shown　towards　that
  gentleman。　　It　never　entered　into　the　head　of　Mrs。
  Crawley's　patron　that　the　little　lady　might　be　making　a
  purse　for　herself；　and；　perhaps；　if　the　truth　must　be　told；
  he　judged　of　Colonel　Crawley　by　his　experience　of　other
  husbands；　whom　he　had　known　in　the　course　of　the　long
  and　well…spent　life　which　had　made　him　acquainted　with
  a　great　deal　of　the　weakness　of　mankind。　　My　lord　had
  bought　so　many　men　during　his　life　that　he　was　surely
  to　be　pardoned　for　supposing　that　he　had　found　the　price
  of　this　one。
  He　taxed　Becky　upon　the　point　on　the　very　first　occasion
  when　he　met　her　alone；　and　he　complimented　her；
  good…humouredly；　on　her　cleverness　in　getting　more　than
  the　money　which　she　required。　　Becky　was　only　a　little
  taken　aback。　　It　was　not　the　habit　of　this　dear　creature
  to　tell　falsehoods；　except　when　necessity　compelled；　but
  in　these　great　emergencies　it　was　her　practice　to　lie　very
  freely；　and　in　an　instant　she　was　ready　with　another　neat
  plausible　circumstantial　story　which　she　administered　to
  her　patron。　　The　previous　statement　which　she　had　made
  to　him　was　a　falsehooda　wicked　falsehoodshe
  owned　it。　　But　who　had　made　her　tell　it？　〃Ah；　my　Lord；〃
  she　said；　〃you　don't　know　all　I　have　to　suffer　and　bear
  in　silence；　you　see　me　gay　and　happy　before　youyou
  little　know　what　I　have　to　endure　when　there　is　no
  protector　near　me。　　It　was　my　husband；　by　threats　and
  the　most　savage　treatment；　forced　me　to　ask　for　that
  sum　about　which　I　deceived　you。　　It　was　he　who；
  foreseeing　that　questions　might　be　asked　regarding　the
  disposal　of　the　money；　forced　me　to　account　for　it　as　I
  did。　　He　took　the　money。　　He　told　me　he　had　paid　Miss
  Briggs；　I　did　not　want；　I　did　not　dare　to　doubt　him。
  Pardon　the　wrong　which　a　desperate　man　is　forced　to
  commit；　and　pity　a　miserable；　miserable　woman。〃　She
  burst　into　tears　as　she　spoke。　　Persecuted　virtue　never
  looked　more　bewitchingly　wretched。
  They　had　a　long　conversation；　driving　round　and　round
  the　Regent's　Park　in　Mrs。　Crawley's　carriage　together；
  a　conversation　of　which　it　is　not　necessary　to　repeat
  the　details；　but　the　upshot　of　it　was　that；　when　Becky
  came　home；　she　flew　to　her　dear　Briggs　with　a　smiling
  face　and　announced　that　she　had　some　very　good　news
  for　her。　　Lord　Steyne　had　acted　in　the　noblest　and　most
  generous　manner。　　He　was　always　thinking　how　and　when
  he　could　do　good。　　Now　that　little　Rawdon　was　gone　to
  school；　a　dear　companion　and　friend　was　no　longer
  necessary　to　her。　　She　was　grieved　beyond　measure　to　part
  with　Briggs；　but　her　means　required　that　she　should
  practise　every　retrenchment；　and　her　sorrow　was
  mitigated　by　the　idea　that　her　dear　Briggs　would　be　far
  better　provided　for　by　her　generous　patron　than　in　her
  humble　home。　　Mrs。　Pilkington；　the　housekeeper　at　Gauntly
  Hall；　was　growing　exceedingly　old；　feeble；　and　rheumatic：
  she　was　not　equal　to　the　work　of　superintending
  that　vast　mansion；　and　must　be　on　the　look　out　for　a
  successor。　　It　was　a　splendid　position。　　The　family　did　not
  go　to　Gauntly　once　in　two　years。　　At　other　times　the
  housekeeper　was　the　mistress　of　the　magnificent
  mansionhad　four　covers　daily　for　her　table；　was　visited　by
  the　clergy　and　the　most　respectable　people　of　the　county
  was　the　lady　of　Gauntly；　in　fact；　and　the　two　last
  housekeepers　before　Mrs。　Pilkington　had　married　rectors
  of　Gauntlybut　Mrs。　P。　　could　not；　being　the　aunt　of
  the　present　Rector。　　The　place　was　not　to　be　hers　yet；
  but　she　might　go　down　on　a　visit　to　Mrs。　Pilkington　and
  see　whether　she　would　like　to　succeed　her。
  What　words　can　paint　the　ecstatic　gratitude　of　Briggs！
  All　she　stipulated　for　was　that　little　Rawdon　should　be
  allowed　to　come　down　and　see　her　at　the　Hall。　　Becky
  promised　thisanything。　　She　ran　up　to　her　husband　when
  he　came　home　and　told　him　the　joyful　news。　　Rawdon
  was　glad；　deuced　glad；　the　weight　was　off　his　conscience
  about　poor　Briggs's　money。　　She　was　provided　for；　at　any
  rate；　butbut　his　mind　was　disquiet。　　He　did　not　seem
  to　be　all　right；　somehow。　　He　told　little　Southdown　what
  Lord　Steyne　had　done；　and　the　young　man　eyed　Crawley
  with　an　air　which　surprised　the　latter。
  He　told　Lady　Jane　of　this　second　p