arms？）　of　his　young　mistress　by　the　intervention　of　his
  friend　honest　William。　　A　much　harder　heart　than
  George's　would　have　melted　at　the　sight　of　that　sweet
  face　so　sadly　ravaged　by　grief　and　despair；　and　at　the
  simple　tender　accents　in　which　she　told　her　little　broken…
  hearted　story：　but　as　she　did　not　faint　when　her　mother；
  trembling；　brought　Osborne　to　her；　and　as　she　only　gave
  relief　to　her　overcharged　grief；　by　laying　her　head　on
  her　lover's　shoulder　and　there　weeping　for　a　while　the
  most　tender；　copious；　and　refreshing　tearsold　Mrs。
  Sedley；　too　greatly　relieved；　thought　it　was　best　to　leave
  the　young　persons　to　themselves；　and　so　quitted　Emmy
  crying　over　George's　hand；　and　kissing　it　humbly；　as　if　he
  were　her　supreme　chief　and　master；　and　as　if　she　were
  quite　a　guilty　and　unworthy　person　needing　every　favour
  and　grace　from　him。
  This　prostration　and　sweet　unrepining　obedience
  exquisitely　touched　and　flattered　George　Osborne。　　He　saw　a
  slave　before　him　in　that　simple　yielding　faithful　creature；
  and　his　soul　within　him　thrilled　secretly　somehow
  at　the　knowledge　of　his　power。　　He　would　be　generous…
  minded；　Sultan　as　he　was；　and　raise　up　this　kneeling
  Esther　and　make　a　queen　of　her：　　besides；　her　sadness
  and　beauty　touched　him　as　much　as　her　submission；　and
  so　he　cheered　her；　and　raised　her　up　and　forgave　her；　so
  to　speak。　　All　her　hopes　and　feelings；　which　were　dying
  and　withering；　this　her　sun　having　been　removed　from
  her；　bloomed　again　and　at　once；　its　light　being　restored。
  You　would　scarcely　have　recognised　the　beaming　little
  face　upon　Amelia's　pillow　that　night　as　the　one　that　was
  laid　there　the　night　before；　so　wan；　so　lifeless；　so
  careless　of　all　round　about。　　The　honest　Irish　maid…servant；
  delighted　with　the　change；　asked　leave　to　kiss　the　face
  that　had　grown　all　of　a　sudden　so　rosy。　　Amelia　put　her
  arms　round　the　girl's　neck　and　kissed　her　with　all　her
  heart；　like　a　child。　　She　was　little　more。　　She　had　that　night
  a　sweet　refreshing　sleep；　like　oneand　what　a　spring　of
  inexpressible　happiness　as　she　woke　in　the　morning　sunshine！
  〃He　will　be　here　again　to…day；〃　Amelia　thought。　　〃He　is
  the　greatest　and　best　of　men。〃　　And　the　fact　is；　that
  George　thought　he　was　one　of　the　generousest　creatures
  alive：　and　that　he　was　making　a　tremendous　sacrifice　in
  marrying　this　young　creature。
  While　she　and　Osborne　were　having　their　delightful
  tete…a…tete　above　stairs；　old　Mrs。　Sedley　and　Captain
  Dobbin　were　conversing　below　upon　the　state　of　the
  affairs；　and　the　chances　and　future　arrangements　of　the
  young　people。　　Mrs。　Sedley　having　brought　the　two　lovers
  together　and　left　them　embracing　each　other　with　all　their
  might；　like　a　true　woman；　was　of　opinion　that　no　power
  on　earth　would　induce　Mr。　Sedley　to　consent　to　the　match
  between　his　daughter　and　the　son　of　a　man　who　had　so
  shamefully；　wickedly；　and　monstrously　treated　him。　　And
  she　told　a　long　story　about　happier　days　and　their　earlier
  splendours；　when　Osborne　lived　in　a　very　humble　way　in
  the　New　Road；　and　his　wife　was　too　glad　to　receive　some
  of　Jos's　little　baby　things；　with　which　Mrs。　Sedley
  accommodated　her　at　the　birth　of　one　of　Osborne's　own
  children。　　The　fiendish　ingratitude　of　that　man；　she　was
  sure；　had　broken　Mr。　S。's　heart：　and　as　for　a　marriage；
  he　would　never；　never；　never；　never　consent。
  〃They　must　run　away　together；　Ma'am；〃　Dobbin　said；
  laughing；　〃and　follow　the　example　of　Captain　Rawdon
  Crawley；　and　Miss　Emmy's　friend　the　little　governess。〃
  Was　it　possible？　Well　she　never！　　Mrs。　Sedley　was　all
  excitement　about　this　news。　　She　wished　that　Blenkinsop　were
  here　to　hear　it：　　Blenkinsop　always　mistrusted　that　Miss
  Sharp。What　an　escape　Jos　had　had！　and　she　described
  the　already　well…known　love…passages　between　Rebecca　and
  the　Collector　of　Boggley　Wollah。
  It　was　not；　however；　Mr。　Sedley's　wrath　which　Dobbin
  feared；　so　much　as　that　of　the　other　parent　concerned；
  and　he　owned　that　he　had　a　very　considerable　doubt
  and　anxiety　respecting　the　behaviour　of　the　black…browed
  old　tyrant　of　a　Russia　merchant　in　Russell　Square。　　He
  has　forbidden　the　match　peremptorily；　Dobbin　thought。
  He　knew　what　a　savage　determined　man　Osborne　was；　and
  how　he　stuck　by　his　word。　　The　only　chance　George　has
  of　reconcilement；〃　argued　his　friend；　〃is　by　distinguishing
  himself　in　the　coming　campaign。　　If　he　dies　they　both　go
  together。　　If　he　fails　in　distinctionwhat　then？　　He　has
  some　money　from　his　mother；　I　have　heard　enough　to
  purchase　his　majorityor　he　must　sell　out　and　go　and
  dig　in　Canada；　or　rough　it　in　a　cottage　in　the　country。〃
  With　such　a　partner　Dobbin　thought　he　would　not　mind
  Siberiaand；　strange　to　say；　this　absurd　and　utterly
  imprudent　young　fellow　never　for　a　moment　considered　that
  the　want　of　means　to　keep　a　nice　carriage　and　horses；
  and　of　an　income　which　should　enable　its　possessors　to
  entertain　their　friends　genteelly；　ought　to　operate　as　bars
  to　the　union　of　George　and　Miss　Sedley。
  It　was　these　weighty　considerations　which　made　him
  think　too　that　the　marriage　should　take　place　as　quickly
  as　possible。　　Was　he　anxious　himself；　I　wonder；　to　have　it
  over。？as　people；　when　death　has　occurred；　like　to　press
  forward　the　funeral；　or　when　a　parting　is　resolved　upon；
  hasten　it。　　It　is　certain　that　Mr。　Dobbin；　having　taken　the
  matter　in　hand；　was　most　extraordinarily　eager　in　the
  conduct　of　it。　　He　urged　on　George　the　necessity　of　immediate
  action：　　he　showed　the　chances　of　reconciliation　with
  his　father；　which　a　favourable　mention　of　his　name　in　the
  Gazette　must　bring　about。　　If　need　were　he　would　go　himself
  and　brave　both　the　fathers　in　the　business。　　At　all
  events；　he　besought　George　to　go　through　with　it　before
  the　orders　came；　which　everybody　expected；　for　the
  departure　of　the　regiment　from　England　on　foreign　service。
  Bent　upon　these　hymeneal　projects；　and　with　the　applause
  and　consent　of　Mrs。　Sedley；　who　did　not　care　to
  break　the　matter　personally　to　her　husband；　Mr。　Dobbin
  went　to　seek　John　Sedley　at　his　house　of　call　in　the　City；
  the　Tapioca　Coffee…house；　where；　since　his　own　offices
  were　shut　up；　and　fate　had　overtaken　him；　the　poor
  broken…down　old　gentleman　used　to　betake　himself　daily；
  and　write　letters　and　receive　them；　and　tie　them　up　into
  mysterious　bundles；　several　of　which　he　carried　in　the
  flaps　of　his　coat。　　I　don't　know　anything　more　dismal　than
  that　business　and　bustle　and　mystery　of　a　ruined　man：　　those
  letters　from　the　wealthy　which　he　shows　you：　　those　worn
  greasy　documents　promising　support　and　offering
  condolence　which　he　places　wistfully　before　you；　and　on
  which　he　builds　his　hopes　of　restoration　and　future　fortune。
  My　beloved　reader　has　no　doubt　in　the　course　of
  his　experience　been　waylaid　by　many　such　a　luckless
  companion。　　He　takes　you　into　the　corner；　he　has　his　bundle
  of　papers　out　of　his　gaping　coat　pocket；　and　the　tape　off；
  and　the　string　in　his　mouth；　and　the　favourite　letters
  selected　and　laid　before　you；　and　who　does　not　know　the
  sad　eager　half…crazy　look　which　he　fixes　on　you　with　his
  hopeless　eyes？
  Changed　into　a　man　of　this　sort；　Dobbin　found　the
  once　florid；　jovial；　and　prosperous　John　Sedley。　　His
  coat；　that　used　to　be　so　glossy　and　trim；　was　white　at　the
  seams；　and　the　buttons　showed　the　copper。　　His　face　had
  fallen　in；　and　was　unshorn；　his　frill　and　neckcloth　hung
  limp　under　his　bagging　waistcoat。　　When　he　used　to　treat
  the　boys　in　old　days　at　a　coffee…house；　he　would　shout
  and　laugh　louder　than　anybody　there；　and　have　all　the
  waiters　skipping　round　him；　it　was　quite　painful　to　see
  how　humble　and　civil　he　was　to　John　of　the　Tapioca；　a
  blear…eyed　old　attendant　in　dingy　stockings　and　cracked
  pumps；　whose　business　it　was　to　serve　glasses　of　wafers；
  and　bumpers　of　ink　in　pewter；　and　slices　of　paper　to　the
  frequenters　of　this　dreary　house　of　entertainment；　where
  nothing　else　seemed　to　be　consumed。　　As　for　William
  Dobbin；　whom　he　had　tipped　repeatedly　in　his　youth；　and
  who　had　been　the　old　gentleman's　butt　on　a　thousand
  occasions；　old　Sedley　gave　his　hand　to　him　in　a　very
  hesitating　humble　manner　now；　and　called　him　〃Sir。〃　A
  feeling　of　shame　and　remorse　took　possession　of　William
  Dobbin　as　the　broken　old　man　so　received　and　addressed
  him；　as　if　he　himself　had　been　somehow　guilty　of　the
  misfortunes　which　had　brought　Sedley　so　low。
  〃I　am　very　glad　to　see　you；　Captain　Dobbin；　sir；〃　says
  he；　after　a　skulking　look　or　two　at　his　visitor　（whose　lanky
  figure　and　military　appearance　caused　some　excitement
  likewise　to　twinkle　in　the　blear　eyes　of　the　waiter　in　the
  cracked　dancing　pumps；　and　awakened　the　old　lady　in
  black；　who　dozed　among　the　mouldy　old　coffee…cups　in　the
  bar）。　　〃How　is　the　worthy　alderman；　and　my　lady；　your
  excellent　mother；　sir？〃　　He　looked　round　at　the　waiter　as
  he　said；　〃My　lady；〃　as　much　as　to　say；　〃Hark　ye；　John；　I
  have　friends　still；　and　persons　of　rank　and　reputation；
  too。〃　　〃Are　you　come　to　do　anything　in　my　way；　sir？　　My
  young　friends　Dale　and　Spiggot　do　all　my　business　for　me
  now；　until　my　new　offices　are　ready；　for　I'm　only　here
  temporarily；　you　know；　Captain。　　What　can　we　do　for　you。
  sir？　　Will　you　like　to　take　anything？〃
  Dobbin；　with　a　great　deal　of　hesitation　and　stuttering；
  protest