“Pooroldboy。”Macmurdosaid，shakinghishead。
　　RawdonCrawleyresistedforsometimetheideaoftakingtheplacewhichhadbeenprocuredforhimbysoodiousapatron，andwasalsoforremovingtheboyfromtheschoolwhereLordSteyne’sinteresthadplacedhim。Hewasinduced，however，toacquiesceinthesebenefitsbytheentreatiesofhisbrotherandMacmurdo，butmainlybythelatter，pointingouttohimwhatafurySteynewouldbeintothinkthathisenemy’sfortunewasmadethroughhismeans。
　　WhentheMarquisofSteynecameabroadafterhisaccident，theColonialSecretaryboweduptohimandcongratulatedhimselfandtheServiceuponhavingmadesoexcellentanappointment。ThesecongratulationswerereceivedwithadegreeofgratitudewhichmaybeimaginedonthepartofLordSteyne。
　　ThesecretoftherencontrebetweenhimandColonelCrawleywasburiedintheprofoundestoblivion，asWenhamsaid；thatis，bythesecondsandtheprincipals。
　　Butbeforethateveningwasoveritwastalkedofatfiftydinner-tablesinVanityFair。LittleCacklebyhimselfwenttoseveneveningpartiesandtoldthestorywithcommentsandemendationsateachplace。HowMrs。
　　WashingtonWhiterevelledinit！TheBishopessofEalingwasshockedbeyondexpression；theBishopwentandwrotehisnamedowninthevisiting-bookatGauntHousethatveryday。LittleSouthdownwassorry；soyoumaybesurewashissisterLadyJane，verysorry。LadySouthdownwroteitofftoherotherdaughterattheCapeofGoodHope。Itwastown-talkforatleastthreedays，andwasonlykeptoutofthenewspapersbytheexertionsofMr。Wagg，actinguponahintfromMr。Wenham。
　　ThebailiffsandbrokersseizeduponpoorRagglesinCurzonStreet，andthelatefairtenantofthatpoorlittlemansionwasinthemeanwhile——where？Whocared！Whoaskedafteradayortwo？Wassheguiltyornot？Weallknowhowcharitabletheworldis，andhowtheverdictofVanityFairgoeswhenthereisadoubt。SomepeoplesaidshehadgonetoNaplesinpursuitofLordSteyne，whilstothersaverredthathisLordshipquittedthatcityandfledtoPalermoonhearingofBecky’sarrival；somesaidshewaslivinginBierstadt，andhadbecomeadamed’honneurtotheQueenofBulgaria；somethatshewasatBoulogne；andothers，ataboarding-houseatCheltenham。
　　Rawdonmadeheratolerableannuity，andwemaybesurethatshewasawomanwhocouldmakealittlemoneygoagreatway，asthesayingis。HewouldhavepaidhisdebtsonleavingEngland，couldhehavegotanyInsuranceOfficetotakehislife，buttheclimateofCoventryIslandwassobadthathecouldborrownomoneyonthestrengthofhissalary。Heremitted，however，tohisbrotherpunctually，andwrotetohislittleboyregularlyeverymail。HekeptMacmurdoincigarsandsentoverquantitiesofshells，cayennepepper，hotpickles，guavajelly，andcolonialproducetoLadyJane。
　　HesenthisbrotherhometheSwampTownGazette，inwhichthenewGovernorwaspraisedwithimmenseenthusiasm；whereastheSwampTownSentinel，whosewifewasnotaskedtoGovernmentHouse，declaredthathisExcellencywasatyrant，comparedtowhomNerowasanenlightenedphilanthropist。LittleRawdonusedtoliketogetthepapersandreadabouthisExcellency。
　　Hismothernevermadeanymovementtoseethechild。
　　HewenthometohisauntforSundaysandholidays；hesoonkneweverybird’snestaboutQueen’sCrawley，androdeoutwithSirHuddlestone’shounds，whichheadmiredsoonhisfirstwell-rememberedvisittoHampshire。
　　CHAPTERLVI
　　GeorgyisMadeaGentlemanGeorgyOsbornewasnowfairlyestablishedinhisgrandfather’smansioninRussellSquare，occupantofhisfather’sroominthehouseandheirapparentofallthesplendoursthere。Thegoodlooks，gallantbearing，andgentlemanlikeappearanceoftheboywonthegrandsire’sheartforhim。Mr。OsbornewasasproudofhimaseverhehadbeenoftheelderGeorge。
　　Thechildhadmanymoreluxuriesandindulgencesthanhadbeenawardedhisfather。Osborne’scommercehadprosperedgreatlyoflateyears。HiswealthandimportanceintheCityhadverymuchincreased。HehadbeengladenoughinformerdaystoputtheelderGeorgetoagoodprivateschool；andacommissioninthearmyforhissonhadbeenasourceofnosmallpridetohim；forlittleGeorgeandhisfutureprospectstheoldmanlookedmuchhigher。Hewouldmakeagentlemanofthelittlechap，wasMr。Osborne’sconstantsayingregardinglittleGeorgy。Hesawhiminhismind’seye，acollegian，aParliamentman，aBaronet，perhaps。Theoldmanthoughthewoulddiecontentedifhecouldseehisgrandsoninafairwaytosuchhonours。Hewouldhavenonebutatip-topcollegemantoeducatehim——
　　noneofyourquacksandpretenders——no，no。Afewyearsbefore，heusedtobesavage，andinveighagainstallparsons，scholars，andthelikedeclaringthattheywereapackofhumbugs，andquacksthatweren’tfittogettheirlivingbutbygrindingLatinandGreek，andasetofsuperciliousdogsthatpretendedtolookdownuponBritishmerchantsandgentlemen，whocouldbuyuphalfahundredof’em。Hewouldmournnow，inaverysolemnmanner，thathisowneducationhadbeenneglected，andrepeatedlypointout，inpompousorationstoGeorgy，thenecessityandexcellenceofclassicalacquirements。
　　Whentheymetatdinnerthegrandsireusedtoasktheladwhathehadbeenreadingduringtheday，andwasgreatlyinterestedatthereporttheboygaveofhisownstudies，pretendingtounderstandlittleGeorgewhenhespokeregardingthem。Hemadeahundredblundersandshowedhisignorancemanyatime。Itdidnotincreasetherespectwhichthechildhadforhissenior。
　　Aquickbrainandabettereducationelsewhereshowedtheboyverysoonthathisgrandsirewasadullard，andhebeganaccordinglytocommandhimandtolookdownuponhim；forhispreviouseducation，humbleandcontractedasithadbeen，hadmadeamuchbettergentlemanofGeorgythananyplansofhisgrandfathercouldmakehim。Hehadbeenbroughtupbyakind，weak，andtenderwoman，whohadnoprideaboutanythingbutabouthim，andwhoseheartwassopureandwhosebearingwassomeekandhumblethatshecouldnotbutneedsbeatruelady。Shebusiedherselfingentleofficesandquietduties；ifsheneversaidbrilliantthings，sheneverspokeorthoughtunkindones；guilelessandartless，lovingandpure，indeedhowcouldourpoorlittleAmeliabeotherthanarealgentlewoman！
　　YoungGeorgylordedoverthissoftandyieldingnature；andthecontrastofitssimplicityanddelicacywiththecoarsepomposityofthedulloldmanwithwhomhenextcameincontactmadehimlordoverthelattertoo。IfhehadbeenaPrinceRoyalhecouldnothavebeenbetterbroughtuptothinkwellofhimself。
　　Whilsthismotherwasyearningafterhimathome，andIdobelieveeveryhouroftheday，andduringmosthoursofthesadlonelynights，thinkingofhim，thisyounggentlemanhadanumberofpleasuresandconsolationsadministeredtohim，whichmadehimforhispartbeartheseparationfromAmeliaveryeasily。Littleboyswhocrywhentheyaregoingtoschoolcrybecausetheyaregoingtoaveryuncomfortableplace。Itisonlyafewwhoweepfromsheeraffection。Whenyouthinkthattheeyesofyourchildhooddriedatthesightofapieceofgingerbread，andthataplumcakewasacompensationfortheagonyofpartingwithyourmammaandsisters，ohmyfriendandbrother，youneednotbetooconfidentofyourownfinefeelings。
　　Well，then，MasterGeorgeOsbornehadeverycomfortandluxurythatawealthyandlavisholdgrandfatherthoughtfittoprovide。Thecoachmanwasinstructedtopurchaseforhimthehandsomestponywhichcouldbeboughtformoney，andonthisGeorgewastaughttoride，firstatariding-school，whence，afterhavingperformedsatisfactorilywithoutstirrups，andovertheleaping-bar，hewasconductedthroughtheNewRoadtoRegent’sPark，andthentoHydePark，whereherodeinstatewithMartinthecoachmanbehindhim。OldOsborne，whotookmattersmoreeasilyintheCitynow，wherehelefthisaffairstohisjuniorpartners，wouldoftenrideoutwithMissO。inthesamefashionabledirection。
　　AslittleGeorgycamecanteringupwithhisdandifiedairandhisheelsdown，hisgrandfatherwouldnudgethelad’sauntandsay，“Look，MissO。”Andhewouldlaugh，andhisfacewouldgrowredwithpleasure，ashenoddedoutofthewindowtotheboy，asthegroomsalutedthecarriage，andthefootmansalutedMasterGeorge。Heretoohisaunt，Mrs。FrederickBullockwhosechariotmightdailybeseenintheRing，withbullocksoremblazonedonthepanelsandharness，andthreepasty-facedlittleBullocks，coveredwithcockadesandfeathers，staringfromthewindowsMrs。FrederickBullock，Isay，flungglancesofthebitteresthatredatthelittleupstartasherodebywithhishandonhissideandhishatononeear，asproudasalord。
　　Thoughhewasscarcelyelevenyearsofage，MasterGeorgeworestrapsandthemostbeautifullittlebootslikeaman。Hehadgiltspurs，andagold-headedwhip，andafinepininhishandkerchief，andtheneatestlittlekidgloveswhichLamb’sConduitStreetcouldfurnish。
　　Hismotherhadgivenhimacoupleofneckcloths，andcarefullyhemmedandmadesomelittleshirtsforhim；
　　butwhenherElicametoseethewidow，theywerereplacedbymuchfinerlinen。Hehadlittlejewelledbuttonsinthelawnshirtfronts。Herhumblepresentshadbeenputaside——IbelieveMissOsbornehadgiventhemtothecoachman’sboy。Ameliatriedtothinkshewaspleasedatthechange。Indeed，shewashappyandcharmedtoseetheboylookingsobeautiful。
　　Shehadhadalittleblackprofileofhimdoneforashilling，andthiswashungupbythesideofanotherportraitoverherbed。Onedaytheboycameonhisaccustomedvisit，gallopingdownthelittlestreetatBrompton，andbringing，asusual，alltheinhabitantstothewindowstoadmirehissplendour，andwithgreateagernessandalookoftriumphinhisface，hepulledacaseoutofhisgreat-coat——itwasanattywhitegreat-coat，withacapeandavelvetcollar——pulledoutaredmoroccocase，whichhegaveher。
　　“Iboughtitwithmyownmoney，Mamma。”hesaid。
　　“Ithoughtyou’dlikeit。”
　　Ameliaopenedthecase，andgivingalittlecryofdelightedaffection，seizedtheboyandembracedhimahundredtimes。Itwasaminiature-ofhimself，veryprettilydonethoughnothalfhandsomeenough，wemaybesure，thewidowthought。Hisgrandfatherhadwishedtohaveapictureofhimbyanartistwhoseworks，exhibitedinashop-window，inSouthamptonRow，hadcaughttheoldgentleman’seye；andGeorge，whohadplentyofmoney，bethoughthimofaskingthepainterhowmuchacopyofthelittleportraitwouldcost，sayingthathewouldpayforitoutofhisownmoneyandthathewantedtogiveittohismother。Thepleasedpainterexecuteditforasmallprice，andoldOsbornehimself，whenheheardoftheincident，growledouthissatisfactionandgavetheboytwiceasmanysovereignsashepaidfortheminiature。
　　Butwhatwasthegrandfather’spleasurecomparedtoAmelia’secstacy？Thatproofoftheboy’saffectioncharmedhersothatshethoughtnochildintheworldwaslikehersforgoodness。Forlongweeksafter，thethoughtofhislovemadeherhappy。Shesleptbetterwiththepictureunderherpillow，andhowmanymanytimesdidshekissitandweepandprayoverit！A
　　smallkindnessfromthoseshelovedmadethattimidheartgrateful。SinceherpartingwithGeorgeshehadhadnosuchjoyandconsolation。
　　AthisnewhomeMasterGeorgeruledlikealord；
　　atdinnerheinvitedtheladiestodrinkwinewiththeutmostcoolness，andtookoffhischampagneinawaywhichcharmedhisoldgrandfather。”Lookathim。”theoldmanwouldsay，nudginghisneighbourwithadelightedpurpleface，“didyoueverseesuchachap？
　　Lord，Lord！he’llbeorderingadressing-casenext，andrazorstoshavewith；I’mblessedifhewon’t。”
　　Theanticsoftheladdidnot，however，delightMr。
　　Osborne’sfriendssomuchastheypleasedtheoldgentleman。ItgaveMr。JusticeCoffinnopleasuretohearGeorgycutintotheconversationandspoilhisstories。
　　ColonelFogeywasnotinterestedinseeingthelittleboyhalftipsy。Mr。SergeantToffy’sladyfeltnoparticulargratitude，when，withatwistofhiselbow，hetiltedaglassofport-wineoverheryellowsatinandlaughedatthedisaster；norwasshebetterpleased，althougholdOsbornewashighlydelighted，whenGeorgy“whopped“
　　herthirdboyayounggentlemanayearolderthanGeorgy，andbychancehomefortheholidaysfromDr。