“Alankygawkyfellow。”saidCrawley，“tumblesovereverybody。Iknowhim；andOsborne’sagoodish-lookingfellow，withlargeblackwhiskers？”
　　“Enormous。”MissRebeccaSharpsaid，“andenormouslyproudofthem，Iassureyou。”
　　CaptainRawdonCrawleyburstintoahorse-laughbywayofreply；andbeingpressedbytheladiestoexplain，didsowhentheexplosionofhilaritywasover。”Hefancieshecanplayatbilliards。”saidhe。”IwontwohundredofhimattheCocoa-Tree。HEplay，theyoungflat！He’dhaveplayedforanythingthatday，buthisfriendCaptainDobbincarriedhimoff，hanghim！”
　　“Rawdon，Rawdon，don’tbesowicked。”MissCrawleyremarked，highlypleased。
　　“Why，ma’am，ofalltheyoungfellowsI’veseenoutoftheline，Ithinkthisfellow’sthegreenest。TarquinandDeuceacegetwhatmoneytheylikeoutofhim。He’dgotothedeucetobeseenwithalord。HepaystheirdinnersatGreenwich，andtheyinvitethecompany。”
　　“Andveryprettycompanytoo，Idaresay。”
　　“Quiteright，MissSharp。Right，asusual，MissSharp。
　　Uncommonprettycompany——haw，haw！”andtheCaptainlaughedmoreandmore，thinkinghehadmadeagoodjoke。
　　“Rawdon，don’tbenaughty！”hisauntexclaimed。
　　“Well，hisfather’saCityman——immenselyrich，theysay。HangthoseCityfellows，theymustbleed；andI’venotdonewithhimyet，Icantellyou。Haw，haw！”
　　“Fie，CaptainCrawley；IshallwarnAmelia。A
　　gamblinghusband！”
　　“Horrid，ain’the，hey？”theCaptainsaidwithgreatsolemnity；andthenadded，asuddenthoughthavingstruckhim：“Gad，Isay，ma’am，we’llhavehimhere。”
　　“Isheapresentablesortofaperson？”theauntinquired。
　　“Presentable？——oh，verywell。Youwouldn’tseeanydifference。”CaptainCrawleyanswered。”Dolet’shavehim，whenyoubegintoseeafewpeople；andhiswhatdyecallem——hisinamorato——eh，MissSharp；that’swhatyoucallit——comes。Gad，I’llwritehimanote，andhavehim；andI’lltryifhecanplaypiquetaswellasbilliards。
　　Wheredoeshelive，MissSharp？”
　　MissSharptoldCrawleytheLieutenant’stownaddress；
　　andafewdaysafterthisconversation，LieutenantOsbornereceivedaletter，inCaptainRawdon’sschoolboyhand，andenclosinganoteofinvitationfromMissCrawley。
　　RebeccadespatchedalsoaninvitationtoherdarlingAmelia，who，youmaybesure，wasreadyenoughtoacceptitwhensheheardthatGeorgewastobeoftheparty。ItwasarrangedthatAmeliawastospendthemorningwiththeladiesofParkLane，whereallwereverykindtoher。Rebeccapatronisedherwithcalmsuperiority：shewassomuchtheclevererofthetwo，andherfriendsogentleandunassuming，thatshealwaysyieldedwhenanybodychosetocommand，andsotookRebecca’sorderswithperfectmeeknessandgoodhumour。
　　MissCrawley’sgraciousnesswasalsoremarkable。ShecontinuedherrapturesaboutlittleAmelia，talkedaboutherbeforeherfaceasifshewereadoll，oraservant，orapicture，andadmiredherwiththemostbenevolentwonderpossible。Iadmirethatadmirationwhichthegenteelworldsometimesextendstothecommonalty。
　　ThereisnomoreagreeableobjectinlifethantoseeMayfairfolkscondescending。MissCrawley’sprodigiousbenevolenceratherfatiguedpoorlittleAmelia，andIamnotsurethatofthethreeladiesinParkLaneshedidnotfindhonestMissBriggsthemostagreeable。ShesympathisedwithBriggsaswithallneglectedorgentlepeople：shewasn’twhatyoucallawomanofspirit。
　　Georgecametodinner——arepastengarconwithCaptainCrawley。
　　ThegreatfamilycoachoftheOsbornestransportedhimtoParkLanefromRussellSquare；wheretheyoungladies，whowerenotthemselvesinvited，andprofessedthegreatestindifferenceatthatslight，neverthelesslookedatSirPittCrawley’snameinthebaronetage；andlearnedeverythingwhichthatworkhadtoteachabouttheCrawleyfamilyandtheirpedigree，andtheBinkies，theirrelatives，&c。，&c。RawdonCrawleyreceivedGeorgeOsbornewithgreatfranknessandgraciousness：praisedhisplayatbilliards：askedhimwhenhewouldhavehisrevenge：
　　wasinterestedaboutOsborne’sregiment：andwouldhaveproposedpiquettohimthatveryevening，butMissCrawleyabsolutelyforbadeanygamblinginherhouse；
　　sothattheyoungLieutenant’spursewasnotlightenedbyhisgallantpatron，forthatdayatleast。However，theymadeanengagementforthenext，somewhere：tolookatahorsethatCrawleyhadtosell，andtotryhiminthePark；andtodinetogether，andtopasstheeveningwithsomejollyfellows。”Thatis，ifyou’renotondutytothatprettyMissSedley。”Crawleysaid，withaknowingwink。
　　“Monstrousnicegirl，’ponmyhonour，though，Osborne。”
　　hewasgoodenoughtoadd。”Lotsoftin，Isuppose，eh？”
　　Osbornewasn’tonduty；hewouldjoinCrawleywithpleasure：andthelatter，whentheymetthenextday，praisedhisnewfriend’shorsemanship——ashemightwithperfecthonesty——andintroducedhimtothreeorfouryoungmenofthefirstfashion，whoseacquaintanceimmenselyelatedthesimpleyoungofficer。
　　“How’slittleMissSharp，by-the-bye？”Osborneinquiredofhisfriendovertheirwine，withadandifiedair。
　　“Good-naturedlittlegirlthat。DoesshesuityouwellatQueen’sCrawley？MissSedleylikedheragooddeallastyear。”
　　CaptainCrawleylookedsavagelyattheLieutenantoutofhislittleblueeyes，andwatchedhimwhenhewentuptoresumehisacquaintancewiththefairgoverness。HerconductmusthaverelievedCrawleyiftherewasanyjealousyinthebosomofthatlife-guardsman。
　　Whentheyoungmenwentupstairs，andafterOsborne’sintroductiontoMissCrawley，hewalkeduptoRebeccawithapatronising，easyswagger。Hewasgoingtobekindtoherandprotecther。Hewouldevenshakehandswithher，asafriendofAmelia’s；andsaying，“Ah，MissSharp！how-dy-doo？”heldouthislefthandtowardsher，expectingthatshewouldbequiteconfoundedatthehonour。
　　MissSharpputoutherrightforefinger，andgavehimalittlenod，socoolandkilling，thatRawdonCrawley，watchingtheoperationsfromtheotherroom，couldhardlyrestrainhislaughterashesawtheLieutenant’sentirediscomfiture；thestarthegave，thepause，andtheperfectclumsinesswithwhichheatlengthcondescendedtotakethefingerwhichwasofferedforhisembrace。
　　“She’dbeatthedevil，byJove！”theCaptainsaid，inarapture；andtheLieutenant，bywayofbeginningtheconversation，agreeablyaskedRebeccahowshelikedhernewplace。
　　“Myplace？”saidMissSharp，coolly，“howkindofyoutoremindmeofit！It’satolerablygoodplace：thewagesareprettygood——notsogoodasMissWirt’s，Ibelieve，withyoursistersinRussellSquare。Howarethoseyoungladies？——notthatIoughttoask。”
　　“Whynot？”Mr。Osbornesaid，amazed。
　　“Why，theynevercondescendedtospeaktome，ortoaskmeintotheirhouse，whilstIwasstayingwithAmelia；
　　butwepoorgovernesses，youknow，areusedtoslightsofthissort。”
　　“MydearMissSharp！”Osborneejaculated。
　　“Atleastinsomefamilies。”Rebeccacontinued。”Youcan’tthinkwhatadifferencethereisthough。WearenotsowealthyinHampshireasyouluckyfolksoftheCity。
　　ButthenIaminagentleman’sfamily——goodoldEnglishstock。IsupposeyouknowSirPitt’sfatherrefusedapeerage。AndyouseehowIamtreated。Iamprettycomfortable。Indeeditisratheragoodplace。Buthowverygoodofyoutoinquire！”
　　Osbornewasquitesavage。ThelittlegovernesspatronisedhimandpersiffledhimuntilthisyoungBritishLionfeltquiteuneasy；norcouldhemustersufficientpresenceofmindtofindapretextforbackingoutofthismostdelectableconversation。
　　“IthoughtyoulikedtheCityfamiliesprettywell。”hesaid，haughtily。
　　“Lastyearyoumean，whenIwasfreshfromthathorridvulgarschool？OfcourseIdid。Doesn’teverygirlliketocomehomefortheholidays？AndhowwasItoknowanybetter？Butoh，Mr。Osborne，whatadifferenceeighteenmonths’experiencemakes！eighteenmonthsspent，pardonmeforsayingso，withgentlemen。AsfordearAmelia，she，Igrantyou，isapearl，andwouldbecharminganywhere。Therenow，Iseeyouarebeginningtobeinagoodhumour；butohthesequeeroddCitypeople！
　　AndMr。Jos——howisthatwonderfulMr。Joseph？”
　　“Itseemstomeyoudidn’tdislikethatwonderfulMr。
　　Josephlastyear。”Osbornesaidkindly。
　　“Howsevereofyou！Well，entrenous，Ididn’tbreakmyheartabouthim；yetifhehadaskedmetodowhatyoumeanbyyourlooksandveryexpressiveandkindtheyare，too，Iwouldn’thavesaidno。”
　　Mr。Osbornegavealookasmuchastosay，“Indeed，howveryobliging！”
　　“Whatanhonourtohavehadyouforabrother-in-law，youarethinking？Tobesister-in-lawtoGeorgeOsborne，Esquire，sonofJohnOsborne，Esquire，sonof——
　　whatwasyourgrandpapa，Mr。Osborne？Well，don’tbeangry。Youcan’thelpyourpedigree，andIquiteagreewithyouthatIwouldhavemarriedMr。JoeSedley；forcouldapoorpennilessgirldobetter？Nowyouknowthewholesecret。I’mfrankandopen；consideringallthings，itwasverykindofyoutoalludetothecircumstance——verykindandpolite。Ameliadear，Mr。
　　OsborneandIweretalkingaboutyourpoorbrotherJoseph。
　　Howishe？”
　　ThuswasGeorgeutterlyrouted。NotthatRebeccawasintheright；butshehadmanagedmostsuccessfullytoputhiminthewrong。Andhenowshamefullyfled，feeling，ifhestayedanotherminute，thathewouldhavebeenmadetolookfoolishinthepresenceofAmelia。
　　ThoughRebeccahadhadthebetterofhim，Georgewasabovethemeannessoftalebearingorrevengeuponalady——onlyhecouldnothelpcleverlyconfidingtoCaptainCrawley，nextday，somenotionsofhisregardingMissRebecca——thatshewasasharpone，adangerousone，adesperateflirt，&c。；inallofwhichopinionsCrawleyagreedlaughingly，andwitheveryoneofwhichMissRebeccawasmadeacquaintedbeforetwenty-fourhourswereover。TheyaddedtoheroriginalregardforMr。
　　Osborne。Herwoman’sinstincthadtoldherthatitwasGeorgewhohadinterruptedthesuccessofherfirstlove-passage，andsheesteemedhimaccordingly。
　　“Ionlyjustwarnyou。”hesaidtoRawdonCrawley，withaknowinglook——hehadboughtthehorse，andlostsomescoreofguineasafterdinner，“Ijustwarnyou——I
　　knowwomen，andcounselyoutobeonthelook-out。”
　　“Thankyou，myboy。”saidCrawley，withalookofpeculiargratitude。”You’rewideawake，Isee。”AndGeorgewentoff，thinkingCrawleywasquiteright。
　　HetoldAmeliaofwhathehaddone，andhowhehadcounselledRawdonCrawley——adevilishgood，straightforwardfellow——tobeonhisguardagainstthatlittlesly，schemingRebecca。
　　“Againstwhom？”Ameliacried。
　　“Yourfriendthegoverness——Don’tlooksoastonished。”
　　“OGeorge，whathaveyoudone？”Ameliasaid。Forherwoman’seyes，whichLovehadmadesharp-sighted，hadinoneinstantdiscoveredasecretwhichwasinvisibletoMissCrawley，topoorvirginBriggs，andaboveall，tothestupidpeepersofthatyoungwhiskeredprig，LieutenantOsborne。
　　ForasRebeccawasshawlingherinanupperapartment，wherethesetwofriendshadanopportunityforalittleofthatsecrettalkingandconspiringwhichformthedelightoffemalelife，Amelia，cominguptoRebecca，andtakinghertwolittlehandsinhers，said，“Rebecca，Iseeitall。”
　　Rebeccakissedher。
　　Andregardingthisdelightfulsecret，notonesyllablemorewassaidbyeitheroftheyoungwomen。Butitwasdestinedtocomeoutbeforelong。
　　Someshortperiodaftertheaboveevents，andMissRebeccaSharpstillremainingatherpatroness’shouseinParkLane，onemorehatchmentmighthavebeenseeninGreatGauntStreet，figuringamongstthemanywhichusuallyornamentthatdismalquarter。ItwasoverSirPittCrawley’shouse；butitdidnotindicatetheworthybaronet’sdemise。Itwasafemininehatchment，andindeedafewyearsbackhadservedasafuneralcomplimenttoSirPitt’soldmother，thelatedowagerLadyCrawley。
　　Itsperiodofserviceover，thehatchmenthadcomedownfromthefrontofthehouse，andlivedinretirementsomewhereinthebackpremisesofSirPitt’smansion。