“It’sapityFrederickBullockhadn’tsomeofhismodesty，Maria。”repliestheeldersister，withatossofhehead。
　　“Modesty！Awkwardnessyoumean，Jane。Idon’twantFredericktotrampleaholeinmymuslinfrock，asCaptainDobbindidinyoursatMrs。Perkins’。”
　　“InYOURfrock，he，he！Howcouldhe？Wasn’thedancingwithAmelia？”
　　Thefactis，whenCaptainDobbinblushedso，andlookedsoawkward，herememberedacircumstanceofwhichhedidnotthinkitwasnecessarytoinformtheyoungladies，viz。，thathehadbeencallingatMr。Sedley’shousealready，onthepretenceofseeingGeorge，ofcourse，andGeorgewasn’tthere，onlypoorlittleAmelia，withratherasadwistfulface，seatednearthedrawing-
　　roomwindow，who，aftersomeverytriflingstupidtalk，venturedtoask，wasthereanytruthinthereportthattheregimentwassoontobeorderedabroad；andhadCaptainDobbinseenMr。Osbornethatday？
　　Theregimentwasnotorderedabroadasyet；andCaptainDobbinhadnotseenGeorge。”Hewaswithhissister，mostlikely。”theCaptainsaid。”Shouldhegoandfetchthetruant？”Soshegavehimherhandkindlyandgratefully：andhecrossedthesquare；andshewaitedandwaited，butGeorgenevercame。
　　Poorlittletenderheart！andsoitgoesonhopingandbeating，andlongingandtrusting。Youseeitisnotmuchofalifetodescribe。Thereisnotmuchofwhatyoucallincidentinit。Onlyonefeelingallday——whenwillhecome？onlyonethoughttosleepandwakeupon。I
　　believeGeorgewasplayingbilliardswithCaptainCannoninSwallowStreetatthetimewhenAmeliawasaskingCaptainDobbinabouthim；forGeorgewasajollysociablefellow，andexcellentinallgamesofskill。
　　Once，afterthreedaysofabsence，MissAmeliaputonherbonnet，andactuallyinvadedtheOsbornehouse。
　　“What！leaveourbrothertocometous？”saidtheyoungladies。”Haveyouhadaquarrel，Amelia？Dotellus！”
　　No，indeed，therehadbeennoquarrel。”Whocouldquarrelwithhim？”saysshe，withhereyesfilledwithtears。
　　Sheonlycameoverto——toseeherdearfriends；theyhadnotmetforsolong。Andthisdayshewassoperfectlystupidandawkward，thattheMissesOsborneandtheirgoverness，whostaredafterherasshewentsadlyaway，wonderedmorethaneverwhatGeorgecouldseeinpoorlittleAmelia。
　　Ofcoursetheydid。Howwasshetobarethattimidlittleheartfortheinspectionofthoseyoungladieswiththeirboldblackeyes？Itwasbestthatitshouldshrinkandhideitself。IknowtheMissesOsbornewereexcellentcriticsofaCashmereshawl，orapinksatinslip；andwhenMissTurnerhadhersdyedpurple，andmadeintoaspencer；andwhenMissPickfordhadhererminetippettwistedintoamuffandtrimmings，Iwarrantyouthechangesdidnotescapethetwointelligentyoungwomenbeforementioned。Buttherearethings，lookyou，ofafinertexturethanfurorsatin，andallSolomon’sglories，andallthewardrobeoftheQueenofSheba——thingswhereofthebeautyescapestheeyesofmanyconnoisseurs。Andtherearesweetmodestlittlesoulsonwhichyoulight，fragrantandbloomingtenderlyinquietshadyplaces；andtherearegarden-ornaments，asbigasbrasswarming-pans，thatarefittostarethesunitselfoutofcountenance。MissSedleywasnotofthesunflowersort；
　　andIsayitisoutoftherulesofallproportiontodrawavioletofthesizeofadoubledahlia。
　　No，indeed；thelifeofagoodyounggirlwhoisinthepaternalnestasyet，can’thavemanyofthosethrillingincidentstowhichtheheroineofromancecommonlylaysclaim。Snaresorshotmaytakeofftheoldbirdsforagingwithout——hawksmaybeabroad，fromwhichtheyescapeorbywhomtheysuffer；buttheyoungonesinthenesthaveaprettycomfortableunromanticsortofexistenceinthedownandthestraw，tillitcomestotheirturn，too，togetonthewing。WhileBeckySharpwasonherownwinginthecountry，hoppingonallsortsoftwigs，andamidamultiplicityoftraps，andpeckingupherfoodquiteharmlessandsuccessful，AmelialaysnuginherhomeofRussellSquare；ifshewentintotheworld，itwasundertheguidanceoftheelders；nordiditseemthatanyevilcouldbefallherorthatopulentcheerycomfortablehomeinwhichshewasaffectionatelysheltered。
　　Mammahadhermorningduties，andherdailydrive，andthedelightfulroundofvisitsandshoppingwhichformstheamusement，ortheprofessionasyoumaycallit，oftherichLondonlady。PapaconductedhismysteriousoperationsintheCity——astirringplaceinthosedays，whenwarwasragingalloverEurope，andempireswerebeingstaked；whenthe“Courier“newspaperhadtensofthousandsofsubscribers；whenonedaybroughtyouabattleofVittoria，anotheraburningofMoscow，oranewsman’shornblowingdownRussellSquareaboutdinner-time，announcedsuchafactas——“BattleofLeipsic——sixhundredthousandmenengaged——totaldefeatoftheFrench——twohundredthousandkilled。”OldSedleyonceortwicecamehomewithaverygraveface；
　　andnowonder，whensuchnewsasthiswasagitatingalltheheartsandalltheStocksofEurope。
　　MeanwhilematterswentoninRussellSquare，Bloomsbury，justasifmattersinEuropewerenotintheleastdisorganised。TheretreatfromLeipsicmadenodifferenceinthenumberofmealsMr。Sambotookintheservants’hall；thealliespouredintoFrance，andthedinner-belIrangatfiveo’clockjustasusual。Idon’tthinkpoorAmeliacaredanythingaboutBrienneandMontmirail，orwasfairlyinterestedinthewaruntiltheabdicationoftheEmperor；whensheclappedherhandsandsaidprayers——oh，howgrateful！andflungherselfintoGeorgeOsborne’sarmswithallhersoul，totheastonishmentofeverybodywhowitnessedthatebullitionofsentiment。
　　Thefactis，peacewasdeclared，Europewasgoingtobeatrest；theCorsicanwasoverthrown，andLieutenantOsborne’sregimentwouldnotbeorderedonservice。ThatwasthewayinwhichMissAmeliareasoned。ThefateofEuropewasLieutenantGeorgeOsbornetoher。Hisdangersbeingover，shesangTeDeum。HewasherEurope：
　　heremperor：heralliedmonarchsandaugustprinceregent。Hewashersunandmoon；andIbelieveshethoughtthegrandilluminationandballattheMansionHouse，giventothesovereigns，wereespeciallyinhonourofGeorgeOsborne。
　　Wehavetalkedofshift，self，andpoverty，asthosedismalinstructorsunderwhompoorMissBeckySharpgothereducation。Now，lovewasMissAmeliaSedley’slasttutoress，anditwasamazingwhatprogressouryoungladymadeunderthatpopularteacher。Inthecourseoffifteenoreighteenmonths’dailyandconstantattentiontothiseminentfinishinggoverness，whatadealofsecretsAmelialearned，whichMissWirtandtheblack-eyedyoungladiesovertheway，whicholdMissPinkertonofChiswickherself，hadnocognizanceof！As，indeed，howshouldanyofthoseprimandreputablevirgins？WithMissesP。andW。thetenderpassionisoutofthequestion：Iwouldnotdaretobreathesuchanidearegardingthem。MissMariaOsborne，itistrue，was“attached“toMr。FrederickAugustusBullock，ofthefirmofHulker，Bullock&Bullock；butherswasamostrespectableattachment，andshewouldhavetakenBullockSeniorjustthesame，hermindbeingfixed——asthatofawell-bredyoungwomanshouldbe——uponahouseinParkLane，acountryhouseatWimbledon，ahandsomechariot，andtwoprodigioustallhorsesandfootmen，andafourthoftheannualprofitsoftheeminentfirmofHulker&
　　Bullock，allofwhichadvantageswererepresentedinthepersonofFrederickAugustus。HadorangeblossomsbeeninventedthenthosetouchingemblemsoffemalepurityimportedbyusfromFrance，wherepeople’sdaughtersareuniversallysoldinmarriage，MissMaria，Isay，wouldhaveassumedthespotlesswreath，andsteppedintothetravellingcarriagebythesideofgouty，old，bald-
　　headed，bottle-nosedBullockSenior；anddevotedherbeautifulexistencetohishappinesswithperfectmodesty——onlytheoldgentlemanwasmarriedalready；soshebestowedheryoungaffectionsonthejuniorpartner。
　　Sweet，blooming，orangeflowers！TheotherdayIsawMissTrotterthatwas，arrayedinthem，tripintothetravellingcarriageatSt。George’s，HanoverSquare，andLordMethuselahhobbledinafter。Withwhatanengagingmodestyshepulleddowntheblindsofthechariot——thedearinnocent！TherewerehalfthecarriagesofVanityFairatthewedding。
　　ThiswasnotthesortoflovethatfinishedAmelia’seducation；andinthecourseofayearturnedagoodyounggirlintoagoodyoungwoman——tobeagoodwifepresently，whenthehappytimeshouldcome。Thisyoungpersonperhapsitwasveryimprudentinherparentstoencourageher，andabetherinsuchidolatryandsillyromanticideasloved，withallherheart，theyoungofficerinHisMajesty’sservicewithwhomwehavemadeabriefacquaintance。Shethoughtabouthimtheveryfirstmomentonwaking；andhiswastheverylastnamementionedmherprayers。Sheneverhadseenamansobeautifulorsoclever：suchafigureonhorseback：suchadancer：suchaheroingeneral。TalkofthePrince’sbow！whatwasittoGeorge’s？ShehadseenMr。
　　Brummell，whomeverybodypraisedso。ComparesuchapersonasthattoherGeorge！NotamongstallthebeauxattheOperaandtherewerebeauxinthosedayswithactualoperahatswasthereanyonetoequalhim。Hewasonlygoodenoughtobeafairyprince；andoh，whatmagnanimitytostooptosuchahumbleCinderella！MissPinkertonwouldhavetriedtocheckthisblinddevotionverylikely，hadshebeenAmelia’sconfidante；butnotwithmuchsuccess，dependuponit。Itisinthenatureandinstinctofsomewomen。Somearemadetoscheme，andsometolove；andIwishanyrespectedbachelorthatreadsthismaytakethesortthatbestlikeshim。
　　Whileunderthisoverpoweringimpression，MissAmelianeglectedhertwelvedearfriendsatChiswickmostcruelly，assuchselfishpeoplecommonlywilldo。Shehadbutthissubject，ofcourse，tothinkabout；andMissSaltirewastoocoldforaconfidante，andshecouldn’tbringhermindtotellMissSwartz，thewoolly-hairedyoungheiressfromSt。Kitt’s。ShehadlittleLauraMartinhomefortheholidays；andmybeliefis，shemadeaconfidanteofher，andpromisedthatLaurashouldcomeandlivewithherwhenshewasmarried，andgaveLauraagreatdealofinformationregardingthepassionoflove，whichmusthavebeensingularlyusefulandnoveltothatlittleperson。Alas，alas！IfearpoorEmmyhadnotawell-regulatedmind。
　　Whatwereherparentsdoing，nottokeepthislittleheartfrombeatingsofast？OldSedleydidnotseemmuchtonoticematters。Hewasgraveroflate，andhisCityaffairsabsorbedhim。Mrs。Sedleywasofsoeasyanduninquisitiveanaturethatshewasn’tevenjealous。Mr。
　　Joswasaway，beingbesiegedbyanIrishwidowatCheltenham。Ameliahadthehousetoherself——ah！toomuchtoherselfsometimes——notthatsheeverdoubted；
　　for，tobesure，GeorgemustbeattheHorseGuards；
　　andhecan’talwaysgetleavefromChatham；andhemustseehisfriendsandsisters，andmingleinsocietywhenintownhe，suchanornamenttoeverysociety！；andwhenheiswiththeregiment，heistootiredtowritelongletters。Iknowwhereshekeptthatpacketshehad——andcanstealinandoutofherchamberlikeIachimo——likeIachimo？No——thatisabadpart。IwillonlyactMoonshine，andpeepharmlessintothebedwherefaithandbeautyandinnocenceliedreaming。
　　ButifOsborne’swereshortandsoldierlikeletters，itmustbeconfessed，thatwereMissSedley’sletterstoMr。
　　Osbornetobepublished，weshouldhavetoextendthisnoveltosuchamultiplicityofvolumesasnotthemostsentimentalreadercouldsupport；thatshenotonlyfilledsheetsoflargepaper，butcrossedthemwiththemostastonishingperverseness；thatshewrotewholepagesoutofpoetry-bookswithouttheleastpity；thatsheunderlinedwordsandpassageswithquiteafranticemphasis；
　　and，infine，gavetheusualtokensofhercondition。Shewasn’taheroine。Herletterswerefullofrepetition。Shewroteratherdoubtfulgrammarsometimes，andinherversestookallsortsoflibertieswiththemetre。Butoh，mesdames，ifyouarenotallowedtotouchtheheartsometimesinspiteofsyntax，andarenottobeloveduntilyouallknowthedifferencebetweentrimeterandtetrameter，mayallPoetrygotothedeuce，andeveryschoolmasterperishmiserably！