Theoldmanclungtohisdaughterduringthissickness。Hewouldtakehisbrothsandmedicinesfromscarcelyanyotherhand。Totendhimbecamealmostthesolebusinessofherlife。Herbedwasplacedclosebythedoorwhichopenedintohischamber，andshewasaliveattheslightestnoiseordisturbancefromthecouchofthequerulousinvalid。Though，todohimjustice，helayawakemanyanhour，silentandwithoutstirring，unwillingtoawakenhiskindandvigilantnurse。
　　Helovedhisdaughterwithmorefondnessnow，perhaps，thaneverhehaddonesincethedaysofherchildhood。Inthedischargeofgentleofficesandkindfilialduties，thissimplecreatureshonemostespecially。”Shewalksintotheroomassilentlyasasunbeam。”Mr。
　　Dobbinthoughtashesawherpassinginandoutfromherfather’sroom，acheerfulsweetnesslightingupherfaceasshemovedtoandfro，gracefulandnoiseless。Whenwomenarebroodingovertheirchildren，orbusiedinasick-room，whohasnotseenintheirfacesthosesweetangelicbeamsofloveandpity？
　　Asecretfeudofsomeyears’standingwasthushealed，andwithatacitreconciliation。Intheselasthours，andtouchedbyherloveandgoodness，theoldmanforgotallhisgriefagainsther，andwrongswhichheandhiswifehadmanyalongnightdebated：howshehadgivenupeverythingforherboy；howshewascarelessofherparentsintheiroldageandmisfortune，andonlythoughtofthechild；howabsurdlyandfoolishly，impiouslyindeed，shetookonwhenGeorgewasremovedfromher。OldSedleyforgotthesechargesashewasmakinguphislastaccount，anddidjusticetothegentleanduncomplaininglittlemartyr。Onenightwhenshestoleintohisroom，shefoundhimawake，whenthebrokenoldmanmadehisconfession。”Oh，Emmy，I’vebeenthinkingwewereveryunkindandunjusttoyou。”
　　hesaidandputouthiscoldandfeeblehandtoher。Shekneltdownandprayedbyhisbedside，ashedidtoo，havingstillholdofherhand。Whenourturncomes，friend，maywehavesuchcompanyinourprayers！
　　Perhapsashewaslyingawakethen，hislifemayhavepassedbeforehim——hisearlyhopefulstruggles，hismanlysuccessesandprosperity，hisdownfallinhisdecliningyears，andhispresenthelplesscondition——nochanceofrevengeagainstFortune，whichhadhadthebetterofhim——neithernamenormoneytobequeath——aspent-out，bootlesslifeofdefeatanddisappointment，andtheendhere！Which，Iwonder，brotherreader，isthebetterlot，todieprosperousandfamous，orpooranddisappointed？Tohave，andtobeforcedtoyield；ortosinkoutoflife，havingplayedandlostthegame？Thatmustbeastrangefeeling，whenadayofourlifecomesandwesay，“To-morrow，successorfailurewon’tmattermuch，andthesunwillrise，andallthemyriadsofmankindgototheirworkortheirpleasureasusual，butIshallbeoutoftheturmoil。”
　　Sotherecameonemorningandsunrisewhenalltheworldgotupandsetaboutitsvariousworksandpleasures，withtheexceptionofoldJohnSedley，whowasnottofightwithfortune，ortohopeorschemeanymore，buttogoandtakeupaquietandutterlyunknownresidenceinachurchyardatBromptonbythesideofhisoldwife。
　　MajorDobbin，Jos，andGeorgyfollowedhisremainstothegrave，inablackclothcoach。JoscameonpurposefromtheStarandGarteratRichmond，whitherheretreatedafterthedeplorableevent。Hedidnotcaretoremaininthehouse，withthe——underthecircumstances，youunderstand。ButEmmystayedanddidherdutyasusual。Shewasboweddownbynoespecialgrief，andrathersolemnthansorrowful。Sheprayedthatherownendmightbeascalmandpainless，andthoughtwithtrustandreverenceofthewordswhichshehadheardfromherfatherduringhisillness，indicativeofhisfaith，hisresignation，andhisfuturehope。
　　Yes，Ithinkthatwillbethebetterendingofthetwo，afterall。Supposeyouareparticularlyrichandwell-to-
　　doandsayonthatlastday，“Iamveryrich；Iamtolerablywellknown；Ihavelivedallmylifeinthebestsociety，andthankHeaven，comeofamostrespectablefamily。IhaveservedmyKingandcountrywithhonour。
　　IwasinParliamentforseveralyears，where，Imaysay，myspeecheswerelistenedtoandprettywellreceived。
　　Idon’toweanymanashilling：onthecontrary，Ilentmyoldcollegefriend，JackLazarus，fiftypounds，forwhichmyexecutorswillnotpresshim。Ileavemydaughterswithtenthousandpoundsapiece——verygoodportionsforgirls；Ibequeathmyplateandfurniture，myhouseinBakerStreet，withahandsomejointure，tomywidowforherlife；andmylandedproperty，besidesmoneyinthefunds，andmycellarofwell-selectedwineinBakerStreet，tomyson。Ileavetwentypoundayeartomyvalet；andIdefyanymanafterIhavegonetofindanythingagainstmycharacter。”Orsuppose，ontheotherhand，yourswansingsquiteadifferentsortofdirgeandyousay。”Iamapoorblighted，disappointedoldfellow，andhavemadeanutterfailurethroughlife。Iwasnotendowedeitherwithbrainsorwithgoodfortune，andconfessthatIhavecommittedahundredmistakesandblunders。
　　Iowntohavingforgottenmydutymanyatime。Ican’tpaywhatIowe。OnmylastbedIlieutterlyhelplessandhumble，andIprayforgivenessformyweaknessandthrowmyself，withacontriteheart，atthefeetoftheDivineMercy。”Whichofthesetwospeeches，thinkyou，wouldbethebestorationforyourownfuneral？
　　OldSedleymadethelast；andinthathumbleframeofmind，andholdingbythehandofhisdaughter，lifeanddisappointmentandvanitysankawayfromunderhim。
　　“Yousee。”saidoldOsbornetoGeorge，“whatcomesofmerit，andindustry，andjudiciousspeculations，andthat。Lookatmeandmybanker’saccount。LookatyourpoorGrandfatherSedleyandhisfailure。AndyethewasabettermanthanIwas，thisdaytwentyyears——abetterman，Ishouldsay，bytenthousandpound。”
　　BeyondthesepeopleandMr。Clapp’sfamily，whocameoverfromBromptontopayavisitofcondolence，notasinglesoulaliveevercaredapennypieceaboutoldJohnSedley，orrememberedtheexistenceofsuchaperson。
　　WhenoldOsbornefirstheardfromhisfriendColonelBuckleraslittleGeorgyhadalreadyinformedushowdistinguishedanofficerMajorDobbinwas，heexhibitedagreatdealofscornfulincredulityandexpressedhissurprisehoweversuchafellerasthatshouldpossesseitherbrainsorreputation。ButheheardoftheMajor’sfamefromvariousmembersofhissociety。SirWilliamDobbinhadagreatopinionofhissonandnarratedmanystoriesillustrativeoftheMajor’slearning，valour，andestimationintheworld’sopinion。Finally，hisnameappearedinthelistsofoneortwogreatpartiesofthenobility，andthiscircumstancehadaprodigiouseffectupontheoldaristocratofRussellSquare。
　　TheMajor’sposition，asguardiantoGeorgy，whosepossessionhadbeencededtohisgrandfather，renderedsomemeetingsbetweenthetwogentlemeninevitable；
　　anditwasinoneofthesethatoldOsborne，akeenmanofbusiness，lookingintotheMajor’saccountswithhiswardandtheboy’smother，gotahint，whichstaggeredhimverymuch，andatoncepainedandpleasedhim，thatitwasoutofWilliamDobbin’sownpocketthatapartofthefundhadbeensupplieduponwhichthepoorwidowandthechildhadsubsisted。
　　Whenpresseduponthepoint，Dobbin，whocouldnottelllies，blushedandstammeredagooddealandfinallyconfessed。”Themarriage。”hesaidatwhichhisinterlocutor’sfacegrewdark“wasverymuchmydoing。I
　　thoughtmypoorfriendhadgonesofarthatretreatfromhisengagementwouldhavebeendishonourtohimanddeathtoMrs。Osborne，andIcoulddonoless，whenshewasleftwithoutresources，thangivewhatmoneyIcouldsparetomaintainher。”
　　“MajorD……”Mr。Osbornesaid，lookinghardathimandturningveryredtoo——“youdidmeagreatinjury；butgivemeleavetotellyou，sir，youareanhonestfeller。
　　There’smyhand，sir，thoughIlittlethoughtthatmyfleshandbloodwaslivingonyou——“andthepairshookhands，withgreatconfusiononMajorDobbin’spart，thusfoundoutinhisactofcharitablehypocrisy。
　　Hestrovetosoftentheoldmanandreconcilehimtowardshisson’smemory。”Hewassuchanoblefellow。”
　　hesaid，“thatallofuslovedhim，andwouldhavedoneanythingforhim。I，asayoungmaninthosedays，wasflatteredbeyondmeasurebyhispreferenceforme，andwasmorepleasedtobeseeninhiscompanythaninthatoftheCommander-in-Chief。Ineversawhisequalforpluckanddaringandallthequalitiesofasoldier“；
　　andDobbintoldtheoldfatherasmanystoriesashecouldrememberregardingthegallantryandachievementsofhisson。”AndGeorgyissolikehim。”theMajoradded。
　　“He’ssolikehimthathemakesmetremblesometimes。”
　　thegrandfathersaid。
　　OnoneortwoeveningstheMajorcametodinewithMr。OsborneitwasduringthetimeofthesicknessofMr。Sedley，andasthetwosattogetherintheeveningafterdinner，alltheirtalkwasaboutthedepartedhero。
　　Thefatherboastedabouthimaccordingtohiswont，glorifyinghimselfinrecountinghisson’sfeatsandgallantry，buthismoodwasatanyratebetterandmorecharitablethanthatinwhichhehadbeendisposeduntilnowtoregardthepoorfellow；andtheChristianheartofthekindMajorwaspleasedatthesesymptomsofreturningpeaceandgood-will。OnthesecondeveningoldOsbornecalledDobbinWilliam，justasheusedtodoatthetimewhenDobbinandGeorgewereboystogether，andthehonestgentlemanwaspleasedbythatmarkofreconciliation。
　　Onthenextdayatbreakfast，whenMissOsborne，withtheasperityofherageandcharacter，venturedtomakesomeremarkreflectingslightinglyupontheMajor’sappearanceorbehaviour——themasterofthehouseinterruptedher。”You’dhavebeengladenoughtogithimforyourself，MissO。Butthemgrapesaresour。Ha！ha！
　　MajorWilliamisafinefeller。”
　　“Thatheis，Grandpapa。”saidGeorgyapprovingly；
　　andgoingupclosetotheoldgentleman，hetookaholdofhislargegreywhiskers，andlaughedinhisfacegood-humouredly，andkissedhim。Andhetoldthestoryatnighttohismother，whofullyagreedwiththeboy。
　　“Indeedheis。”shesaid。”Yourdearfatheralwayssaidso。
　　Heisoneofthebestandmostuprightofmen。”Dobbinhappenedtodropinverysoonafterthisconversation，whichmadeAmeliablushperhaps，andtheyoungscapegraceincreasedtheconfusionbytellingDobbintheotherpartofthestory。”Isay，Dob。”hesaid，“there’ssuchanuncommonnicegirlwantstomarryyou。She’splentyoftin；shewearsafront；andshescoldstheservantsfrommorningtillnight。”“Whoisit？”askedDobbin。
　　“It’sAuntO……”theboyanswered。”Grandpapasaidso。AndIsay，Dob，howprimeitwouldbetohaveyouformyuncle。”OldSedley’squaveringvoicefromthenextroomatthismomentweaklycalledforAmelia，andthelaughingended。
　　ThatoldOsborne’smindwaschangingwasprettyclear。
　　HeaskedGeorgeabouthisunclesometimes，andlaughedattheboy’simitationofthewayinwhichJossaid“God-bless-my-soul“andgobbledhissoup。Thenhesaid。”It’snotrespectful，sir，ofyouyounkerstobeimitatingofyourrelations。MissO。，whenyougooutadrivingto-day，leavemycarduponMr。Sedley，doyouhear？
　　There’snoquarrelbetwigstmeandhimanyhow。”
　　Thecardwasreturned，andJosandtheMajorwereaskedtodinner——toadinnerthemostsplendidandstupidthatperhapseverMr。Osbornegave；everyinchofthefamilyplatewasexhibited，andthebestcompanywasasked。Mr。SedleytookdownMissO。todinner，andshewasverygracioustohim；whereasshehardlyspoketotheMajor，whosatapartfromher，andbythesideofMr。Osborne，verytimid。Jossaid，withgreatsolemnity，itwasthebestturtlesouphehadevertastedinhislife，andaskedMr。OsbornewherehegothisMadeira。
　　“ItissomeofSedley’swine。”whisperedthebutlertohismaster。”I’vehaditalongtime，andpaidagoodfigureforit，too。”Mr。Osbornesaidaloudtohisguest，andthenwhisperedtohisright-handneighbourhowhehadgotit“attheoldchap’ssale。”
　　MorethanonceheaskedtheMajorabout——aboutMrs。
　　GeorgeOsborne——athemeonwhichtheMajorcouldbeveryeloquentwhenhechose。HetoldMr。Osborneofhersufferings——ofherpassionateattachmenttoherhusband，whosememorysheworshippedstill——ofthetenderanddutifulmannerinwhichshehadsupportedherparents，andgivenupherboy，whenitseemedtoherherdutytodoso。”Youdon’tknowwhatsheendured，sir。”
　　saidhonestDobbinwithatremorinhisvoice，“andI
　　hopeandtrustyouwillbereconciledtoher。Ifshetookyoursonawayfromyou，shegaveherstoyou；
　　andhowevermuchyoulovedyourGeorge，dependonit，shelovedherstentimesmore。”