George was so occupied with his new acquaintances that he and William

Dobbin were by no means so much together as formerly. George avoided

him in public and in the regiment, and, as we see, did not like those

sermons which his senior was disposed to inflict upon him. If some

parts of his conduct made Captain Dobbin exceedingly grave and cool; of

what use was it to tell George that, though his whiskers were large,

and his own opinion of his knowingness great, he was as green as a

schoolboy? that Rawdon was making a victim of him as he had done of

many before, and as soon as he had used him would fling him off with

scorn? He would not listen: and so, as Dobbin, upon those days when

he visited the Osborne house, seldom had the advantage of meeting his

old friend, much painful and unavailing talk between them was spared.

Our friend George was in the full career of the pleasures of Vanity

Fair.

There never was, since the days of Darius, such a brilliant train of

camp-followers as hung round the Duke of Wellington's army in the Low

Countries, in 1815; and led it dancing and feasting, as it were, up to

the very brink of battle. A certain ball which a noble Duchess gave at

Brussels on the 15th of June in the above-named year is historical.

All Brussels had been in a state of excitement about it, and I have

heard from ladies who were in that town at the period, that the talk

and interest of persons of their own sex regarding the ball was much

greater even than in respect of the enemy in their front. The

struggles, intrigues, and prayers to get tickets were such as only

English ladies will employ, in order to gain admission to the society

of the great of their own nation.

Jos and Mrs. O'Dowd, who were panting to be asked, strove in vain to

procure tickets; but others of our friends were more lucky. For

instance, through the interest of my Lord Bareacres, and as a set-off

for the dinner at the restaurateur's, George got a card for Captain and

Mrs. Osborne; which circumstance greatly elated him. Dobbin, who was a

friend of the General commanding the division in which their regiment

was, came laughing one day to Mrs. Osborne, and displayed a similar

invitation, which made Jos envious, and George wonder how the deuce he

should be getting into society. Mr. and Mrs. Rawdon, finally, were of

course invited; as became the friends of a General commanding a cavalry

brigade.

On the appointed night, George, having commanded new dresses and

ornaments of all sorts for Amelia, drove to the famous ball, where his

wife did not know a single soul. After looking about for Lady

Bareacres, who cut him, thinking the card was quite enough--and after

placing Amelia on a bench, he left her to her own cogitations there,

thinking, on his own part, that he had behaved very handsomely in

getting her new clothes, and bringing her to the ball, where she was

free to amuse herself as she liked. Her thoughts were not of the

pleasantest, and nobody except honest Dobbin came to disturb them.




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