child。　　How　was　she？　　How　did　she　look？　　What　did　she
  say？　　His　comrade　took　his　hand；　and　looked　him　in　the
  face。
  〃George；　she's　dying；〃　William　Dobbin　saidand　could
  speak　no　more。
  There　was　a　buxom　Irish　servant…girl；　who　performed
  all　the　duties　of　the　little　house　where　the　Sedley　family
  had　found　refuge：　and　this　girl　had　in　vain；　on　many
  previous　days；　striven　to　give　Amelia　aid　or　consolation。
  Emmy　was　much　too　sad　to　answer；　or　even　to　be　aware
  of　the　attempts　the　other　was　making　in　her　favour。
  Four　hours　after　the　talk　between　Dobbin　and　Osborne；
  this　servant…maid　came　into　Amelia's　room；　where　she
  sate　as　usual；　brooding　silently　over　her　lettersher
  little　treasures。　　The　girl；　smiling；　and　looking　arch　and
  happy；　made　many　trials　to　attract　poor　Emmy's
  attention；　who；　however；　took　no　heed　of　her。
  〃Miss　Emmy；〃　said　the　girl。
  〃I'm　coming；〃　Emmy　said；　not　looking　round。
  〃There's　a　message；〃　the　maid　went　on。　　〃There's
  somethingsomebodysure；　here's　a　new　letter　for　you
  don't　be　reading　them　old　ones　any　more。〃　And　she　gave
  her　a　letter；　which　Emmy　took；　and　read。
  〃I　must　see　you；〃　the　letter　said。　　〃Dearest　Emmy
  dearest　lovedearest　wife；　come　to　me。〃
  George　and　her　mother　were　outside；　waiting　until　she
  had　read　the　letter。
  CHAPTER　XIX
  Miss　Crawley　at　Nurse
  We　have　seen　how　Mrs。　Firkin；　the　lady's　maid；　as　soon
  as　any　event　of　importance　to　the　Crawley　family　came
  to　her　knowledge；　felt　bound　to　communicate　it　to　Mrs。
  Bute　Crawley；　at　the　Rectory；　and　have　before
  mentioned　how　particularly　kind　and　attentive　that　good…
  natured　lady　was　to　Miss　Crawley's　confidential　servant。
  She　had　been　a　gracious　friend　to　Miss　Briggs；　the
  companion；　also；　and　had　secured　the　latter's　good…will　by　a
  number　of　those　attentions　and　promises；　which　cost　so
  little　in　the　making；　and　are　yet　so　valuable　and　agreeable　to
  the　recipient。　　Indeed　every　good　economist　and
  manager　of　a　household　must　know　how　cheap　and　yet
  how　amiable　these　professions　are；　and　what　a　flavour
  they　give　to　the　most　homely　dish　in　life。　　Who　was　the
  blundering　idiot　who　said　that　〃fine　words　butter　no
  parsnips〃？　　Half　the　parsnips　of　society　are　served　and
  rendered　palatable　with　no　other　sauce。　　As　the　immortal
  Alexis　Soyer　can　make　more　delicious　soup　for　a　half…
  penny　than　an　ignorant　cook　can　concoct　with　pounds　of
  vegetables　and　meat；　so　a　skilful　artist　will　make　a　few
  simple　and　pleasing　phrases　go　farther　than　ever　so　much
  substantial　benefit…stock　in　the　hands　of　a　mere　bungler。
  Nay；　we　know　that　substantial　benefits　often　sicken　some
  stomachs；　whereas；　most　will　digest　any　amount　of　fine
  words；　and　be　always　eager　for　more　of　the　same　food。
  Mrs。　Bute　had　told　Briggs　and　Firkin　so　often　of　the
  depth　of　her　affection　for　them；　and　what　she　would　do；
  if　she　had　Miss　Crawley's　fortune；　for　friends　so　excellent
  and　attached；　that　the　ladies　in　question　had　the　deepest
  regard　for　her；　and　felt　as　much　gratitude　and
  confidence　as　if　Mrs。　Bute　had　loaded　them　with　the　most
  expensive　favours。
  Rawdon　Crawley；　on　the　other　hand；　like　a　selfish
  heavy　dragoon　as　he　was；　never　took　the　least　trouble　to
  conciliate　his　aunt's　aides…de…camp；　showed　his　contempt
  for　the　pair　with　entire　franknessmade　Firkin　pull　off
  his　boots　on　one　occasionsent　her　out　in　the　rain　on
  ignominious　messagesand　if　he　gave　her　a　guinea；　flung
  it　to　her　as　if　it　were　a　box　on　the　ear。　　As　his　aunt；　too；
  made　a　butt　of　Briggs；　the　Captain　followed　the
  example；　and　levelled　his　jokes　at　herjokes　about　as
  delicate　as　a　kick　from　his　charger。　　Whereas；　Mrs。　Bute
  consulted　her　in　matters　of　taste　or　difficulty；　admired
  her　poetry；　and　by　a　thousand　acts　of　kindness　and
  politeness；　showed　her　appreciation　of　Briggs；　and　if　she
  made　Firkin　a　twopenny…halfpenny　present；　accompanied
  it　with　so　many　compliments；　that　the　twopence…half…
  penny　was　transmuted　into　gold　in　the　heart　of　the　grateful
  waiting…maid；　who；　besides；　was　looking　forwards
  quite　contentedly　to　some　prodigious　benefit　which　must
  happen　to　her　on　the　day　when　Mrs。　Bute　came　into　her
  fortune。
  The　different　conduct　of　these　two　people　is　pointed
  out　respectfully　to　the　attention　of　persons　commencing
  the　world。　　Praise　everybody；　I　say　to　such：　never　be
  squeamish；　but　speak　out　your　compliment　both　point…
  blank　in　a　man's　face；　and　behind　his　back；　when
  you　know　there　is　a　reasonable　chance　of　his　hearing　it
  again。　　Never　lose　a　chance　of　saying　a　kind　word。　　As
  Collingwood　never　saw　a　vacant　place　in　his　estate　but
  he　took　an　acorn　out　of　his　pocket　and　popped　it　in；
  so　deal　with　your　compliments　through　life。　　An　acorn
  costs　nothing；　but　it　may　sprout　into　a　prodigious　bit　of
  timber。
  In　a　word；　during　Rawdon　Crawley's　prosperity；　he　was
  only　obeyed　with　sulky　acquiescence；　when　his　disgrace
  came；　there　was　nobody　to　help　or　pity　him。　　Whereas；
  when　Mrs。　Bute　took　the　command　at　Miss　Crawley's
  house；　the　garrison　there　were　charmed　to　act　under
  such　a　leader；　expecting　all　sorts　of　promotion　from　her
  promises；　her　generosity；　and　her　kind　words。
  That　he　would　consider　himself　beaten；　after　one　defeat；
  and　make　no　attempt　to　regain　the　position　he　had
  lost；　Mrs。　Bute　Crawley　never　allowed　herself　to　suppose。
  She　knew　Rebecca　to　be　too　clever　and　spirited　and
  desperate　a　woman　to　submit　without　a　struggle；　and　felt
  that　she　must　prepare　for　that　combat；　and　be　incessantly
  watchful　against　assault；　or　mine；　or　surprise。
  In　the　first　place；　though　she　held　the　town；　was　she
  sure　of　the　principal　inhabitant？　　Would　Miss　Crawley
  herself　hold　out；　and　had　she　not　a　secret　longing　to
  welcome　back　the　ousted　adversary？　　The　old　lady　liked
  Rawdon；　and　Rebecca；　who　amused　her。　　Mrs。　Bute　could
  not　disguise　from　herself　the　fact　that　none　of　her　party
  could　so　contribute　to　the　pleasures　of　the　town…bred
  lady。　　〃My　girls'　singing；　after　that　little　odious　governess's；
  I　know　is　unbearable；〃　the　candid　Rector's　wife
  owned　to　herself。　　〃She　always　used　to　go　to　sleep　when
  Martha　and　Louisa　played　their　duets。　　Jim's　stiff
  college　manners　and　poor　dear　Bute's　talk　about　his　dogs
  and　horses　always　annoyed　her。　　If　I　took　her　to　the
  Rectory；　she　would　grow　angry　with　us　all；　and　fly；　I
  know　she　would；　and　might　fall　into　that　horrid
  Rawdon's　clutches　again；　and　be　the　victim　of　that　little
  viper　of　a　Sharp。　　Meanwhile；　it　is　clear　to　me　that　she　is
  exceedingly　unwell；　and　cannot　move　for　some　weeks；　at
  any　rate；　during　which　we　must　think　of　some　plan　to
  protect　her　from　the　arts　of　those　unprincipled　people。〃
  In　the　very　best…of　moments；　if　anybody　told　Miss
  Crawley　that　she　was；　or　looked　ill；　the　trembling　old
  lady　sent　off　for　her　doctor；　and　I　daresay　she　was　very
  unwell　after　the　sudden　family　event；　which　might　serve
  to　shake　stronger　nerves　than　hers。　　At　least；　Mrs。　Bute
  thought　it　was　her　duty　to　inform　the　physician；　and　the
  apothecary；　and　the　dame…de…compagnie；　and　the　domestics；
  that　Miss　Crawley　was　in　a　most　critical　state；　and
  that　they　were　to　act　accordingly。　　She　had　the　street　laid
  knee…deep　with　straw；　and　the　knocker　put　by　with　Mr。
  Bowls's　plate。　　She　insisted　that　the　Doctor　should　call
  twice　a　day；　and　deluged　her　patient　with　draughts　every
  two　hours。　　When　anybody　entered　the　room；　she　uttered
  a　shshshsh　so　sibilant　and　ominous；　that　it　frightened　the
  poor　old　lady　in　her　bed；　from　which　she　could
  not　look　without　seeing　Mrs。　Bute's　beady　eyes　eagerly
  fixed　on　her；　as　the　latter　sate　steadfast　in　the　arm…chair
  by　the　bedside。　　They　seemed　to　lighten　in　the　dark　（for
  she　kept　the　curtains　closed）　as　she　moved　about　the
  room　on　velvet　paws　like　a　cat。　　There　Miss　Crawley　lay
  for　daysever　so　many　daysMr。　Bute　reading　books
  of　devotion　to　her：　for　nights；　long　nights；　during　which
  she　had　to　hear　the　watchman　sing；　the　night…light　sputter；
  visited　at　midnight；　the　last　thing；　by　the　stealthy　apothecary；
  and　then　left　to　look　at　Mrs。　Bute's　twinkling　eyes；
  or　the　flicks　of　yellow　that　the　rushlight　threw　on　the
  dreary　darkened　ceiling。　　Hygeia　herself　would　have
  fallen　sick　under　such　a　regimen；　and　how　much　more
  this　poor　old　nervous　victim？　　It　has　been　said　that　when
  she　was　in　health　and　good　spirits；　this　venerable
  inhabitant　of　Vanity　Fair　had　as　free　notions　about　religion
  and　morals　as　Monsieur　de　Voltaire　himself　could　desire；
  but　when　illness　overtook　her；　it　was　aggravated　by
  the　most　dreadful　terrors　of　death；　and　an　utter　cowardice
  took　possession　of　the　prostrate　old　sinner。
  Sick…bed　homilies　and　pious　reflections　are；　to　be　sure；
  out　of　place　in　mere　story…books；　and　we　are　not　going
  （after　the　fashion　of　some　novelists　of　the　present　day）
  to　cajole　the。public　into　a　sermon；　when　it　is　only　a
  comedy　that　the　reader　pays　his　money　to　witness。　　But；
  without　preaching；　the　truth　may　surely　be　borne　in　mind；
  that　the　bustle；　and　triumph；　and　laughter；　and　gaiety
  which　Vanity　Fair　exhibits　in　public；　do　not　always　pursue
  the　performer　into　private　life；　and　that　the　most
  dreary　depression　of　spirits　and　dismal　repentances
  sometimes　overcome　him。　　Recollection　of　the　best　ordained
  banquets　will　scarcely　cheer　sick　epicures。　　Reminiscences
  of　the　most　becoming