"Rawdon dear--don't you think--you'd better get that--money from Cupid,

before he goes?" Becky continued, fixing on a killing bow. She called

George Osborne, Cupid. She had flattered him about his good looks a

score of times already. She watched over him kindly at ecarte of a

night when he would drop in to Rawdon's quarters for a half-hour before

bed-time.

She had often called him a horrid dissipated wretch, and threatened to

tell Emmy of his wicked ways and naughty extravagant habits. She

brought his cigar and lighted it for him; she knew the effect of that

manoeuvre, having practised it in former days upon Rawdon Crawley. He

thought her gay, brisk, arch, distinguee, delightful. In their little

drives and dinners, Becky, of course, quite outshone poor Emmy, who

remained very mute and timid while Mrs. Crawley and her husband rattled

away together, and Captain Crawley (and Jos after he joined the young

married people) gobbled in silence.

Emmy's mind somehow misgave her about her friend. Rebecca's wit,

spirits, and accomplishments troubled her with a rueful disquiet. They

were only a week married, and here was George already suffering ennui,

and eager for others' society! She trembled for the future. How shall

I be a companion for him, she thought--so clever and so brilliant, and

I such a humble foolish creature? How noble it was of him to marry

me--to give up everything and stoop down to me! I ought to have

refused him, only I had not the heart. I ought to have stopped at home

and taken care of poor Papa. And her neglect of her parents (and

indeed there was some foundation for this charge which the poor child's

uneasy conscience brought against her) was now remembered for the first

time, and caused her to blush with humiliation. Oh! thought she, I

have been very wicked and selfish--selfish in forgetting them in their

sorrows--selfish in forcing George to marry me. I know I'm not worthy

of him--I know he would have been happy without me--and yet--I tried, I

tried to give him up.

It is hard when, before seven days of marriage are over, such thoughts

and confessions as these force themselves on a little bride's mind.

But so it was, and the night before Dobbin came to join these young

people--on a fine brilliant moonlight night of May--so warm and balmy

that the windows were flung open to the balcony, from which George and

Mrs. Crawley were gazing upon the calm ocean spread shining before

them, while Rawdon and Jos were engaged at backgammon within--Amelia

couched in a great chair quite neglected, and watching both these

parties, felt a despair and remorse such as were bitter companions for

that tender lonely soul. Scarce a week was past, and it was come to

this! The future, had she regarded it, offered a dismal prospect; but

Emmy was too shy, so to speak, to look to that, and embark alone on

that wide sea, and unfit to navigate it without a guide and protector.

I know Miss Smith has a mean opinion of her. But how many, my dear

Madam, are endowed with your prodigious strength of mind?




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