Here, before long, Becky received not only "the best" foreigners (as

the phrase is in our noble and admirable society slang), but some of

the best English people too. I don't mean the most virtuous, or indeed

the least virtuous, or the cleverest, or the stupidest, or the richest,

or the best born, but "the best,"--in a word, people about whom there

is no question--such as the great Lady Fitz-Willis, that Patron Saint

of Almack's, the great Lady Slowbore, the great Lady Grizzel Macbeth

(she was Lady G. Glowry, daughter of Lord Grey of Glowry), and the

like. When the Countess of Fitz-Willis (her Ladyship is of the

Kingstreet family, see Debrett and Burke) takes up a person, he or she

is safe. There is no question about them any more. Not that my Lady

Fitz-Willis is any better than anybody else, being, on the contrary, a

faded person, fifty-seven years of age, and neither handsome, nor

wealthy, nor entertaining; but it is agreed on all sides that she is of

the "best people." Those who go to her are of the best: and from an

old grudge probably to Lady Steyne (for whose coronet her ladyship,

then the youthful Georgina Frederica, daughter of the Prince of Wales's

favourite, the Earl of Portansherry, had once tried), this great and

famous leader of the fashion chose to acknowledge Mrs. Rawdon Crawley;

made her a most marked curtsey at the assembly over which she presided;

and not only encouraged her son, St. Kitts (his lordship got his place

through Lord Steyne's interest), to frequent Mrs. Crawley's house, but

asked her to her own mansion and spoke to her twice in the most public

and condescending manner during dinner. The important fact was known

all over London that night. People who had been crying fie about Mrs.

Crawley were silent. Wenham, the wit and lawyer, Lord Steyne's

right-hand man, went about everywhere praising her: some who had

hesitated, came forward at once and welcomed her; little Tom Toady, who

had warned Southdown about visiting such an abandoned woman, now

besought to be introduced to her. In a word, she was admitted to be

among the "best" people. Ah, my beloved readers and brethren, do not

envy poor Becky prematurely--glory like this is said to be fugitive.

It is currently reported that even in the very inmost circles, they are

no happier than the poor wanderers outside the zone; and Becky, who

penetrated into the very centre of fashion and saw the great George IV

face to face, has owned since that there too was Vanity.




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