Heusedtotakehimoutofmorningswhentheywouldgotothestablestogetherandtothepark。LittleLordSouthdown，thebest-naturedofmen，whowouldmakeyouapresentofthehatfromhishead，andwhosemainoccupationinlifewastobuyknick-knacksthathemightgivethemawayafterwards，boughtthelittlechapaponynotmuchbiggerthanalargerat，thedonorsaid，andonthislittleblackShetlandpygmyyoungRawdon’sgreatfatherwaspleasedtomounttheboy，andtowalkbyhissideinthepark。Itpleasedhimtoseehisoldquarters，andhisoldfellow-guardsmenatKnightsbridge：
　　hehadbeguntothinkofhisbachelorhoodwithsomethinglikeregret。Theoldtroopersweregladtorecognizetheirancientofficeranddandlethelittlecolonel。
　　ColonelCrawleyfounddiningatmessandwithhisbrother-officersverypleasant。”Hangit，Iain’tcleverenoughforher——Iknowit。Shewon’tmissme。”heusedtosay：andhewasright，hiswifedidnotmisshim。
　　Rebeccawasfondofherhusband。Shewasalwaysperfectlygood-humouredandkindtohim。Shedidnotevenshowherscornmuchforhim；perhapsshelikedhimthebetterforbeingafool。Hewasherupperservantandmaitred’hotel。Hewentonhererrands；obeyedherorderswithoutquestion；droveinthecarriageintheringwithherwithoutrepining；tookhertotheopera-box，solacedhimselfathisclubduringtheperformance，andcamepunctuallybacktofetchherwhendue。Hewouldhavelikedhertobealittlefonderoftheboy，buteventothathereconciledhimself。”Hangit，youknowshe’ssoclever。”hesaid，“andI’mnotliteraryandthat，youknow。”For，aswehavesaidbefore，itrequiresnogreatwisdomtobeabletowinatcardsandbilliards，andRawdonmadenopretensionstoanyothersortofskill。
　　Whenthecompanioncame，hisdomesticdutiesbecameverylight。Hiswifeencouragedhimtodineabroad：shewouldlethimoffdutyattheopera。”Don’tstayandstupefyyourselfathometo-night，mydear。”
　　shewouldsay。”Somemenarecomingwhowillonlyboreyou。Iwouldnotaskthem，butyouknowit’sforyourgood，andnowIhaveasheep-dog，Ineednotbeafraidtobealone。”
　　“Asheep-dog——acompanion！BeckySharpwithacompanion！Isn’titgoodfun？”thoughtMrs。Crawleytoherself。Thenotiontickledhugelyhersenseofhumour。
　　OneSundaymorning，asRawdonCrawley，hislittleson，andtheponyweretakingtheiraccustomedwalkinthepark，theypassedbyanoldacquaintanceoftheColonel’s，CorporalClink，oftheregiment，whowasinconversationwithafriend，anoldgentleman，whoheldaboyinhisarmsabouttheageoflittleRawdon。ThisotheryoungsterhadseizedholdoftheWaterloomedalwhichtheCorporalwore，andwasexaminingitwithdelight。
　　“Goodmorning，yourHonour。”saidClink，inreplytothe“Howdo，Clink？”oftheColonel。”ThisereyounggentlemanisaboutthelittleColonel’sage，sir。”
　　continuedthecorporal。
　　“HisfatherwasaWaterlooman，too。”saidtheoldgentleman，whocarriedtheboy。”Wasn’the，Georgy？”
　　“Yes。”saidGeorgy。Heandthelittlechapontheponywerelookingateachotherwithalltheirmight——solemnlyscanningeachotheraschildrendo。
　　“Inalineregiment。”Clinksaidwithapatronizingair。
　　“HewasaCaptaininthe——thregiment。”saidtheoldgentlemanratherpompously。”CaptainGeorgeOsborne，sir——perhapsyouknewhim。Hediedthedeathofahero，sir，fightingagainsttheCorsicantyrant。”
　　ColonelCrawleyblushedquitered。”Iknewhimverywell，sir。”hesaid，“andhiswife，hisdearlittlewife，sir——howisshe？”
　　“Sheismydaughter，sir。”saidtheoldgentleman，puttingdowntheboyandtakingoutacardwithgreatsolemnity，whichhehandedtotheColonel。Onitwritten——
　　“Mr。Sedley，SoleAgentfortheBlackDiamondandAnti-CinderCoalAssociation，Bunker’sWharf，ThamesStreet，andAnna-MariaCottages，FulhamRoadWest。”
　　LittleGeorgywentupandlookedattheShetlandpony。
　　“Shouldyouliketohavearide？”saidRawdonminorfromthesaddle。
　　“Yes。”saidGeorgy。TheColonel，whohadbeenlookingathimwithsomeinterest，tookupthechildandputhimontheponybehindRawdonminor。
　　“Takeholdofhim，Georgy。”hesaid——“takemylittleboyroundthewaist——hisnameisRawdon。”Andboththechildrenbegantolaugh。
　　“Youwon’tseeaprettierpairIthink，THISsummer’sday，sir。”saidthegood-naturedCorporal；andtheColonel，theCorporal，andoldMr。Sedleywithhisumbrella，walkedbythesideofthechildren。
　　AFamilyinaVerySmallWayWemustsupposelittleGeorgeOsbornehasriddenfromKnightsbridgetowardsFulham，andwillstopandmakeinquiriesatthatvillageregardingsomefriendswhomwehaveleftthere。HowisMrs。AmeliaafterthestormofWaterloo？Isshelivingandthriving？WhathascomeofMajorDobbin，whosecabwasalwayshankeringaboutherpremises？AndisthereanynewsoftheCollectorofBoggleyWollah？Thefactsconcerningthelatterarebrieflythese：
　　OurworthyfatfriendJosephSedleyreturnedtoIndianotlongafterhisescapefromBrussels。Eitherhisfurloughwasup，orhedreadedtomeetanywitnessesofhisWaterlooflight。Howeveritmightbe，hewentbacktohisdutiesinBengalverysoonafterNapoleonhadtakenuphisresidenceatSt。Helena，whereJossawtheex-
　　Emperor。TohearMr。SedleytalkonboardshipyouwouldhavesupposedthatitwasnotthefirsttimeheandtheCorsicanhadmet，andthatthecivilianhadbeardedtheFrenchGeneralatMountSt。John。Hehadathousandanecdotesaboutthefamousbattles；heknewthepositionofeveryregimentandthelosswhicheachhadincurred。Hedidnotdenythathehadbeenconcernedinthosevictories——thathehadbeenwiththearmyandcarrieddespatchesfortheDukeofWellington。
　　AndhedescribedwhattheDukedidandsaidoneveryconceivablemomentofthedayofWaterloo，withsuchanaccurateknowledgeofhisGrace’ssentimentsandproceedingsthatitwasclearhemusthavebeenbytheconqueror’ssidethroughouttheday；though，asanon-combatant，hisnamewasnotmentionedinthepublicdocumentsrelativetothebattle。Perhapsheactuallyworkedhimselfuptobelievethathehadbeenengagedwiththearmy；certainitisthathemadeaprodigioussensationforsometimeatCalcutta，andwascalledWaterlooSedleyduringthewholeofhissubsequentstayinBengal。
　　ThebillswhichJoshadgivenforthepurchaseofthoseunluckyhorseswerepaidwithoutquestionbyhimandhisagents。Heneverwasheardtoalludetothebargain，andnobodyknowsforacertaintywhatbecameofthehorses，orhowhegotridofthem，orofIsidor，hisBelgianservant，whosoldagreyhorse，veryliketheonewhichJosrode，atValenciennessometimeduringtheautumnof1815。
　　Jos’sLondonagentshadorderstopayonehundredandtwentypoundsyearlytohisparentsatFulham。Itwasthechiefsupportoftheoldcouple；forMr。Sedley’sspeculationsinlifesubsequenttohisbankruptcydidnotbyanymeansretrievethebrokenoldgentleman’sfortune。Hetriedtobeawine-merchant，acoal-merchant，acommissionlotteryagent，&c。，&c。Hesentroundprospectusestohisfriendswheneverhetookanewtrade，andorderedanewbrassplateforthedoor，andtalkedpompouslyaboutmakinghisfortunestill。ButFortunenevercamebacktothefeebleandstrickenoldman。Onebyonehisfriendsdroppedoff，andwerewearyofbuyingdearcoalsandbadwinefromhim；andtherewasonlyhiswifeinalltheworldwhofancied，whenhetotteredofftotheCityofamorning，thathewasstilldoinganybusinessthere。Ateveninghecrawledslowlyback；andheusedtogoofnightstoalittleclubatatavern，wherehedisposedofthefinancesofthenation。
　　Itwaswonderfultohearhimtalkaboutmillions，andagios，anddiscounts，andwhatRothschildwasdoing，andBaringBrothers。Hetalkedofsuchvastsumsthatthegentlemenoftheclubtheapothecary，theundertaker，thegreatcarpenterandbuilder，theparishclerk，whowasallowedtocomestealthily，andMr。Clapp，ouroldacquaintance，respectedtheoldgentleman。”Iwasbetteroffonce，sir。”hedidnotfailtotelleverybodywho“usedtheroom。”“Myson，sir，isatthisminutechiefmagistrateofRamgungeinthePresidencyofBengal，andtouchinghisfourthousandrupeespermensem。MydaughtermightbeaColonel’sladyifsheliked。Imightdrawuponmyson，thefirstmagistrate，sir，fortwothousandpoundsto-morrow，andAlexanderwouldcashmybill，downsir，downonthecounter，sir。ButtheSedleyswerealwaysaproudfamily。”YouandI，mydearreader，maydropintothisconditiononeday：forhavenotmanyofourfriendsattainedit？Ourluckmayfail：
　　ourpowersforsakeus：ourplaceontheboardsbetakenbybetterandyoungermimes——thechanceofliferollawayandleaveusshatteredandstranded。Thenmenwillwalkacrosstheroadwhentheymeetyou——or，worsestill，holdyououtacoupleoffingersandpatronizeyouinapityingway——thenyouwillknow，assoonasyourbackisturned，thatyourfriendbeginswitha“Poordevil，whatimprudenceshehascommitted，whatchancesthatchaphasthrownaway！”Well，well——acarriageandthreethousandayearisnotthesummitoftherewardnortheendofGod’sjudgmentofmen。Ifquacksprosperasoftenastheygotothewall——ifzaniessucceedandknavesarriveatfortune，and，viceversa，sharingillluckandprosperityforalltheworldliketheablestandmosthonestamongstus——Isay，brother，thegiftsandpleasuresofVanityFaircannotbeheldofanygreataccount，andthatitisprobable……butwearewanderingoutofthedomainofthestory。
　　HadMrs。Sedleybeenawomanofenergy，shewouldhaveexerteditafterherhusband’sruinand，occupyingalargehouse，wouldhavetakeninboarders。ThebrokenSedleywouldhaveactedwellastheboarding-houselandlady’shusband；theMunozofprivatelife；thetitularlordandmaster：thecarver，house-steward，andhumblehusbandoftheoccupierofthedingythrone。Ihaveseenmenofgoodbrainsandbreeding，andofgoodhopesandvigouronce，whofeastedsquiresandkepthuntersintheiryouth，meeklycuttinguplegsofmuttonforrancorousoldharridansandpretendingtopresideovertheirdrearytables——butMrs。Sedley，wesay，hadnotspiritenoughtobustleaboutfor“afewselectinmatestojoinacheerfulmusicalfamily。”suchasonereadsofintheTimes。Shewascontenttolieontheshorewherefortunehadstrandedher——andyoucouldseethatthecareerofthisoldcouplewasover。
　　Idon’tthinktheywereunhappy。Perhapstheywerealittleprouderintheirdownfallthanintheirprosperity。
　　Mrs。Sedleywasalwaysagreatpersonforherlandlady，Mrs。Clapp，whenshedescendedandpassedmanyhourswithherinthebasementorornamentedkitchen。TheIrishmaidBettyFlanagan’sbonnetsandribbons，hersauciness，heridleness，herrecklessprodigalityofkitchencandles，herconsumptionofteaandsugar，andsoforthoccupiedandamusedtheoldladyalmostasmuchasthedoingsofherformerhousehold，whenshehadSamboandthecoachman，andagroom，andafootboy，andahousekeeperwitharegimentoffemaledomestics——herformerhousehold，aboutwhichthegoodladytalkedahundredtimesaday。AndbesidesBettyFlanagan，Mrs。Sedleyhadallthemaids-of-all-workinthestreettosuperintend。