"It is impossible to be long angry with you, George," said the

good-natured Captain; "and as for the money, old boy, you know if I wanted

it you'd share your last shilling with me."

"That I would, by Jove, Dobbin," George said, with the greatest

generosity, though by the way he never had any money to spare.

"Only I wish you had sown those wild oats of yours, George. If you

could have seen poor little Miss Emmy's face when she asked me about

you the other day, you would have pitched those billiard-balls to the

deuce. Go and comfort her, you rascal. Go and write her a long

letter. Do something to make her happy; a very little will."

"I believe she's d--d fond of me," the Lieutenant said, with a

self-satisfied air; and went off to finish the evening with some jolly

fellows in the mess-room.

Amelia meanwhile, in Russell Square, was looking at the moon, which was

shining upon that peaceful spot, as well as upon the square of the

Chatham barracks, where Lieutenant Osborne was quartered, and thinking

to herself how her hero was employed. Perhaps he is visiting the

sentries, thought she; perhaps he is bivouacking; perhaps he is

attending the couch of a wounded comrade, or studying the art of war up

in his own desolate chamber. And her kind thoughts sped away as if they

were angels and had wings, and flying down the river to Chatham and

Rochester, strove to peep into the barracks where George was. . . . All

things considered, I think it was as well the gates were shut, and the

sentry allowed no one to pass; so that the poor little white-robed

angel could not hear the songs those young fellows were roaring over

the whisky-punch.

The day after the little conversation at Chatham barracks, young

Osborne, to show that he would be as good as his word, prepared to go

to town, thereby incurring Captain Dobbin's applause. "I should have

liked to make her a little present," Osborne said to his friend in

confidence, "only I am quite out of cash until my father tips up." But

Dobbin would not allow this good nature and generosity to be balked,

and so accommodated Mr. Osborne with a few pound notes, which the

latter took after a little faint scruple.

And I dare say he would have bought something very handsome for Amelia;

only, getting off the coach in Fleet Street, he was attracted by a

handsome shirt-pin in a jeweller's window, which he could not resist;

and having paid for that, had very little money to spare for indulging

in any further exercise of kindness. Never mind: you may be sure it

was not his presents Amelia wanted. When he came to Russell Square,

her face lighted up as if he had been sunshine. The little cares,

fears, tears, timid misgivings, sleepless fancies of I don't know how

many days and nights, were forgotten, under one moment's influence of

that familiar, irresistible smile. He beamed on her from the

drawing-room door--magnificent, with ambrosial whiskers, like a god.

Sambo, whose face as he announced Captain Osbin (having conferred a

brevet rank on that young officer) blazed with a sympathetic grin, saw

the little girl start, and flush, and jump up from her watching-place

in the window; and Sambo retreated: and as soon as the door was shut,

she went fluttering to Lieutenant George Osborne's heart as if it was

the only natural home for her to nestle in. Oh, thou poor panting

little soul! The very finest tree in the whole forest, with the

straightest stem, and the strongest arms, and the thickest foliage,

wherein you choose to build and coo, may be marked, for what you know,

and may be down with a crash ere long. What an old, old simile that

is, between man and timber!




readonlinefreebook.com Copyright 2016 - 2024