George danced with Rebecca twice or thrice--how many times Amelia

scarcely knew. She sat quite unnoticed in her corner, except when

Rawdon came up with some words of clumsy conversation: and later in

the evening, when Captain Dobbin made so bold as to bring her

refreshments and sit beside her. He did not like to ask her why she

was so sad; but as a pretext for the tears which were filling in her

eyes, she told him that Mrs. Crawley had alarmed her by telling her

that George would go on playing.

"It is curious, when a man is bent upon play, by what clumsy rogues he

will allow himself to be cheated," Dobbin said; and Emmy said,

"Indeed." She was thinking of something else. It was not the loss of

the money that grieved her.

At last George came back for Rebecca's shawl and flowers. She was

going away. She did not even condescend to come back and say good-bye

to Amelia. The poor girl let her husband come and go without saying a

word, and her head fell on her breast. Dobbin had been called away,

and was whispering deep in conversation with the General of the

division, his friend, and had not seen this last parting. George went

away then with the bouquet; but when he gave it to the owner, there lay

a note, coiled like a snake among the flowers. Rebecca's eye caught it

at once. She had been used to deal with notes in early life. She put

out her hand and took the nosegay. He saw by her eyes as they met,

that she was aware what she should find there. Her husband hurried her

away, still too intent upon his own thoughts, seemingly, to take note

of any marks of recognition which might pass between his friend and his

wife. These were, however, but trifling. Rebecca gave George her hand

with one of her usual quick knowing glances, and made a curtsey and

walked away. George bowed over the hand, said nothing in reply to a

remark of Crawley's, did not hear it even, his brain was so throbbing

with triumph and excitement, and allowed them to go away without a word.

His wife saw the one part at least of the bouquet-scene. It was quite

natural that George should come at Rebecca's request to get her her

scarf and flowers: it was no more than he had done twenty times before

in the course of the last few days; but now it was too much for her.

"William," she said, suddenly clinging to Dobbin, who was near her,

"you've always been very kind to me--I'm--I'm not well. Take me home."

She did not know she called him by his Christian name, as George was

accustomed to do. He went away with her quickly. Her lodgings were

hard by; and they threaded through the crowd without, where everything

seemed to be more astir than even in the ball-room within.




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