S。Whydon’tyouspeak，John？ShallIsayTuesdayfortnight？
　　Whydon’tyouanswer？GoodGod，John，whathashappened？”
　　JohnSedleysprangupoutofhischairtomeethiswife，whorantohim。Heseizedherinhisarms，andsaidwithahastyvoice，“We’reruined，Mary。We’vegottheworldtobeginoveragain，dear。It’sbestthatyoushouldknowall，andatonce。”Ashespoke，hetrembledineverylimb，andalmostfell。Hethoughtthenewswouldhaveoverpoweredhiswife——hiswife，towhomhehadneversaidahardword。Butitwashethatwasthemostmoved，suddenastheshockwastoher。Whenhesankbackintohisseat，itwasthewifethattooktheofficeofconsoler。Shetookhistremblinghand，andkissedit，andputitroundherneck：shecalledhimherJohn——herdearJohn——heroldman——herkindoldman；shepouredoutahundredwordsofincoherentloveandtenderness；herfaithfulvoiceandsimplecaresseswroughtthissadheartuptoaninexpressibledelightandanguish，andcheeredandsolacedhisover-burdenedsoul。
　　Onlyonceinthecourseofthelongnightastheysatetogether，andpoorSedleyopenedhispent-upsoul，andtoldthestoryofhislossesandembarrassments——thetreasonofsomeofhisoldestfriends，themanlykindnessofsome，fromwhomhenevercouldhaveexpectedit——inageneralconfession——onlyoncedidthefaithfulwifegivewaytoemotion。
　　“MyGod，myGod，itwillbreakEmmy’sheart。”shesaid。
　　Thefatherhadforgottenthepoorgirl。Shewaslying，awakeandunhappy，overhead。Inthemidstoffriends，home，andkindparents，shewasalone。Tohowmanypeoplecananyonetellall？Whowillbeopenwherethereisnosympathy，orhascalltospeaktothosewhonevercanunderstand？OurgentleAmeliawasthussolitary。Shehadnoconfidante，sotospeak，eversinceshehadanythingtoconfide。Shecouldnottelltheoldmotherherdoubtsandcares；thewould-besistersseemedeverydaymorestrangetoher。Andshehadmisgivingsandfearswhichshedarednotacknowledgetoherself，thoughshewasalwayssecretlybroodingoverthem。
　　HerhearttriedtopersistinassertingthatGeorgeOsbornewasworthyandfaithfultoher，thoughsheknewotherwise。Howmanyathinghadshesaid，andgotnoechofromhim。Howmanysuspicionsofselfishnessandindifferencehadshetoencounterandobstinatelyovercome。Towhomcouldthepoorlittlemartyrtellthesedailystrugglesandtortures？Herherohimselfonlyhalfunderstoodher。Shedidnotdaretoownthatthemanshelovedwasherinferior；ortofeelthatshehadgivenherheartawaytoosoon。Givenonce，thepurebashfulmaidenwastoomodest，tootender，tootrustful，tooweak，toomuchwomantorecallit。WeareTurkswiththeaffectionsofourwomen；andhavemadethemsubscribetoourdoctrinetoo。Welettheirbodiesgoabroadliberallyenough，withsmilesandringletsandpinkbonnetstodisguisetheminsteadofveilsandyakmaks。Buttheirsoulsmustbeseenbyonlyoneman，andtheyobeynotunwillingly，andconsenttoremainathomeasourslaves——ministeringtousanddoingdrudgeryforus。
　　Soimprisonedandtorturedwasthisgentlelittleheart，wheninthemonthofMarch，AnnoDomini1815，NapoleonlandedatCannes，andLouisXVIIIfled，andallEuropewasinalarm，andthefundsfell，andoldJohnSedleywasruined。
　　Wearenotgoingtofollowtheworthyoldstockbrokerthroughthoselastpangsandagoniesofruinthroughwhichhepassedbeforehiscommercialdemisebefell。
　　TheydeclaredhimattheStockExchange；hewasabsentfromhishouseofbusiness：hisbillswereprotested：
　　hisactofbankruptcyformal。ThehouseandfurnitureofRussellSquarewereseizedandsoldup，andheandhisfamilywerethrustaway，aswehaveseen，tohidetheirheadswheretheymight。
　　JohnSedleyhadnotthehearttoreviewthedomesticestablishmentwhohaveappearednowandanoninourpagesandofwhomhewasnowforcedbypovertytotakeleave。Thewagesofthoseworthypeopleweredischargedwiththatpunctualitywhichmenfrequentlyshowwhoonlyoweingreatsums——theyweresorrytoleavegoodplaces——buttheydidnotbreaktheirheartsatpartingfromtheiradoredmasterandmistress。Amelia’smaidwasprofuseincondolences，butwentoffquiteresignedtobetterherselfinagenteelerquarterofthetown。BlackSambo，withtheinfatuationofhisprofession，determinedonsettingupapublic-house。HonestoldMrs。Blenkinsopindeed，whohadseenthebirthofJosandAmelia，andthewooingofJohnSedleyandhiswife，wasforstayingbythemwithoutwages，havingamassedaconsiderablesumintheirservice：andsheaccompaniedthefallenpeopleintotheirnewandhumbleplaceofrefuge，whereshetendedthemandgrumbledagainstthemforawhile。
　　OfallSedley’sopponentsinhisdebateswithhiscreditorswhichnowensued，andharassedthefeelingsofthehumiliatedoldgentlemansoseverely，thatinsixweeksheoldenedmorethanhehaddoneforfifteenyearsbefore——
　　themostdeterminedandobstinateseemedtobeJohnOsborne，hisoldfriendandneighbour——JohnOsborne，whomhehadsetupinlife——whowasunderahundredobligationstohim——andwhosesonwastomarrySedley’sdaughter。AnyoneofthesecircumstanceswouldaccountforthebitternessofOsborne’sopposition。
　　Whenonemanhasbeenunderveryremarkableobligationstoanother，withwhomhesubsequentlyquarrels，acommonsenseofdecency，asitwere，makesoftheformeramuchsevererenemythanamerestrangerwouldbe。Toaccountforyourownhard-heartednessandingratitudeinsuchacase，youareboundtoprovetheotherparty’scrime。Itisnotthatyouareselfish，brutal，andangryatthefailureofaspeculation——no，no——itisthatyourpartnerhasledyouintoitbythebasesttreacheryandwiththemostsinistermotives。Fromameresenseofconsistency，apersecutorisboundtoshowthatthefallenmanisavillain——otherwisehe，thepersecutor，isawretchhimself。
　　Andasageneralrule，whichmaymakeallcreditorswhoareinclinedtobesevereprettycomfortableintheirminds，nomenembarrassedarealtogetherhonest，verylikely。Theyconcealsomething；theyexaggeratechancesofgoodluck；hideawaytherealstateofaffairs；saythatthingsareflourishingwhentheyarehopeless，keepasmilingfaceadrearysmileitisuponthevergeofbankruptcy——arereadytolayholdofanypretextfordelayorofanymoney，soastostaveofftheinevitableruinafewdayslonger。”Downwithsuchdishonesty。”
　　saysthecreditorintriumph，andrevileshissinkingenemy。”Youfool，whydoyoucatchatastraw？”calmgoodsensesaystothemanthatisdrowning。”Youvillain，whydoyoushrinkfromplungingintotheirretrievableGazette？”saysprosperitytothepoordevilbattlinginthatblackgulf。Whohasnotremarkedthereadinesswithwhichtheclosestoffriendsandhonestestofmensuspectandaccuseeachotherofcheatingwhentheyfalloutonmoneymatters？Everybodydoesit。Everybodyisright，Isuppose，andtheworldisarogue。
　　ThenOsbornehadtheintolerablesenseofformerbenefitstogoadandirritatehim：thesearealwaysacauseofhostilityaggravated。Finally，hehadtobreakoffthematchbetweenSedley’sdaughterandhisson；andasithadgoneveryfarindeed，andasthepoorgirl’shappinessandperhapscharacterwerecompromised，itwasnecessarytoshowthestrongestreasonsfortherupture，andforJohnOsbornetoproveJohnSedleytobeaverybadcharacterindeed。
　　Atthemeetingsofcreditors，then，hecomportedhimselfwithasavagenessandscorntowardsSedley，whichalmostsucceededinbreakingtheheartofthatruinedbankruptman。OnGeorge’sintercoursewithAmeliaheputaninstantveto——menacingtheyouthwithmaledictionsifhebrokehiscommands，andvilipendingthepoorinnocentgirlasthebasestandmostartfulofvixens。
　　Oneofthegreatconditionsofangerandhatredis，thatyoumusttellandbelieveliesagainstthehatedobject，inorder，aswesaid，tobeconsistent。
　　Whenthegreatcrashcame——theannouncementofruin，andthedeparturefromRussellSquare，andthedeclarationthatallwasoverbetweenherandGeorge——alloverbetweenherandlove，herandhappiness，herandfaithintheworld——abrutalletterfromJohnOsbornetoldherinafewcurtlinesthatherfather’sconducthadbeenofsuchanaturethatallengagementsbetweenthefamilieswereatanend——whenthefinalawardcame，itdidnotshockhersomuchasherparents，ashermotherratherexpectedforJohnSedleyhimselfwasentirelyprostrateintheruinsofhisownaffairsandshatteredhonour。Ameliatookthenewsverypalelyandcalmly。
　　Itwasonlytheconfirmationofthedarkpresageswhichhadlonggonebefore。Itwasthemerereadingofthesentence——ofthecrimeshehadlongagobeenguilty——thecrimeoflovingwrongly，tooviolently，againstreason。
　　Shetoldnomoreofherthoughtsnowthanshehadbefore。Sheseemedscarcelymoreunhappynowwhenconvincedallhopewasover，thanbeforewhenshefeltbutdarednotconfessthatitwasgone。Soshechangedfromthelargehousetothesmallonewithoutanymarkordifference；remainedinherlittleroomforthemostpart；
　　pinedsilently；anddiedawaydaybyday。Idonotmeantosaythatallfemalesareso。MydearMissBullock，I
　　donotthinkyourheartwouldbreakinthisway。Youareastrong-mindedyoungwomanwithproperprinciples。
　　Idonotventuretosaythatminewould；ithassuffered，and，itmustbeconfessed，survived。Buttherearesomesoulsthusgentlyconstituted，thusfrail，anddelicate，andtender。
　　WheneveroldJohnSedleythoughtoftheaffairbetweenGeorgeandAmelia，oralludedtoit，itwaswithbitternessalmostasgreatasMr。Osbornehimselfhadshown。HecursedOsborneandhisfamilyasheartless，wicked，andungrateful。Nopoweronearth，heswore，wouldinducehimtomarryhisdaughtertothesonofsuchavillain，andheorderedEmmytobanishGeorgefromhermind，andtoreturnallthepresentsandletterswhichshehadeverhadfromhim。
　　Shepromisedacquiescence，andtriedtoobey。Sheputupthetwoorthreetrinkets：and，asfortheletters，shedrewthemoutoftheplace。whereshekeptthem；andreadthemover——asifshedidnotknowthembyheartalready：butshecouldnotpartwiththem。Thateffortwastoomuchforher；sheplacedthembackinherbosomagain——asyouhaveseenawomannurseachildthatisdead。YoungAmeliafeltthatshewoulddieorlosehersensesoutright，iftornawayfromthislastconsolation。
　　Howsheusedtoblushandlightenupwhenthoseletterscame！Howsheusedtotripawaywithabeatingheart，sothatshemightreadunseen！Iftheywerecold，yethowperverselythisfondlittlesoulinterpretedthemintowarmth。Iftheywereshortorselfish，whatexcusesshefoundforthewriter！
　　Itwasoverthesefewworthlesspapersthatshebroodedandbrooded。Shelivedinherpastlife——everyletterseemedtorecallsomecircumstanceofit。Howwellsherememberedthemall！Hislooksandtones，hisdress，whathesaidandhow——theserelicsandremembrancesofdeadaffectionwereallthatwereleftherintheworld。
　　Andthebusinessofherlife，was——towatchthecorpseofLove。
　　Todeathshelookedwithinexpressiblelonging。Then，shethought，Ishallalwaysbeabletofollowhim。IamnotpraisingherconductorsettingherupasamodelforMissBullocktoimitate。MissB。knowshowtoregulateherfeelingsbetterthanthispoorlittlecreature。MissB。
　　wouldneverhavecommittedherselfasthatimprudentAmeliahaddone；pledgedherloveirretrievably；
　　confessedherheartaway，andgotbacknothing——onlyabrittlepromisewhichwassnaptandworthlessinamoment。Alongengagementisapartnershipwhichonepartyisfreetokeeportobreak，butwhichinvolvesallthecapitaloftheother。
　　Becautiousthen，youngladies；bewaryhowyouengage。Beshyoflovingfrankly；nevertellallyoufeel，orabetterwaystill，feelverylittle。Seetheconsequencesofbeingprematurelyhonestandconfiding，andmistrustyourselvesandeverybody。GetyourselvesmarriedastheydoinFrance，wherethelawyersarethebridesmaidsandconfidantes。Atanyrate，neverhaveanyfeelingswhichmaymakeyouuncomfortable，ormakeanypromiseswhichyoucannotatanyrequiredmomentcommandandwithdraw。Thatisthewaytogeton，andberespected，andhaveavirtuouscharacterinVanityFair。
　　IfAmeliacouldhaveheardthecommentsregardingherwhichweremadeinthecirclefromwhichherfather’sruinhadjustdrivenher，shewouldhaveseenwhatherowncrimeswere，andhowentirelyhercharacterwasjeopardised。SuchcriminalimprudenceMrs。Smithneverknewof；suchhorridfamiliaritiesMrs。Brownhadalwayscondemned，andtheendmightbeawarningtoHER
　　daughters。”CaptainOsborne，ofcourse，couldnotmarryabankrupt’sdaughter。”theMissesDobbinsaid。”Itwasquiteenoughtohavebeenswindledbythefather。AsforthatlittleAmelia，herfollyhadreallypassedall——“
　　“Allwhat？”CaptainDobbinroaredout。”Haven’ttheybeenengagedeversincetheywerechildren？Wasn’titasgoodasamarriage？Dareanysoulonearthbreatheawordagainstthesweetest，thepurest，thetenderest，themostangelicalofyoungwomen？”
　　“La，William，don’tbesohighty-tightywithUS。We’renotmen。Wecan’tfightyou。”MissJanesaid。”We’vesaidnothingagainstMissSedley：butthatherconductthroughoutwasMOSTIMPRUDENT，nottocallitbyanyworsename；andthatherparentsarepeoplewhocertainlymerittheirmisfortunes。”
　　“Hadn’tyoubetter，nowthatMissSedleyisfree，proposeforheryourself，William？”MissAnnaskedsarcastically。”Itwouldbeamosteligiblefamilyconnection。He！he！”