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of all the ballsof the ballsyesof the dances； no；
and yet how interesting and pretty this fair creature looks
surrounded by the homage of the men； and so soon to
be a mother！ To hear her speak of you； her protectress；
her mother； would bring tears to the eyes of ogres。 How
she loves you！ how we all love our admirable； our
respectable Miss Crawley！〃
It is to be feared that this letter of the Parisian great
lady did not by any means advance Mrs。 Becky's interest
with her admirable； her respectable； relative。 On the
contrary； the fury of the old spinster was beyond bounds；
when she found what was Rebecca's situation； and how
audaciously she had made use of Miss Crawley's name；
to get an entree into Parisian society。 Too much shaken
in mind and body to compose a letter in the French
language in reply to that of her correspondent； she
dictated to Briggs a furious answer in her own native tongue；
repudiating Mrs。 Rawdon Crawley altogether； and warning
the public to beware of her as a most artful and
dangerous person。 But as Madame the Duchess of X
had only been twenty years in England； she did not
understand a single word of the language； and contented
herself by informing Mrs。 Rawdon Crawley at their next
meeting； that she had received a charming letter from
that chere Mees； and that it was full of benevolent
things for Mrs。 Crawley； who began seriously to have
hopes that the spinster would relent。
Meanwhile； she was the gayest and most admired of
Englishwomen： and had a little European congress on her
reception…night。 Prussians and Cossacks； Spanish and
Englishall the world was at Paris during this famous
winter： to have seen the stars and cordons in Rebecca's
humble saloon would have made all Baker Street pale
with envy。 Famous warriors rode by her carriage in
the Bois； or crowded her modest little box at the Opera。
Rawdon was in the highest spirits。 There were no duns
in Paris as yet： there were parties every day at Very's
or Beauvilliers'； play was plentiful and his luck good。
Tufto perhaps was sulky。 Mrs。 Tufto had come over to
Paris at her own invitation； and besides this
contretemps； there were a score of generals now round
Becky's chair； and she might take her choice of a dozen
bouquets when she went to the play。 Lady Bareacres
and the chiefs of the English society； stupid and
irreproachable females； writhed with anguish at the
success of the little upstart Becky； whose poisoned jokes
quivered and rankled in their chaste breasts。 But she
had all the men on her side。 She fought the women
with indomitable courage； and they could not talk
scandal in any tongue but their own。
So in fetes； pleasures； and prosperity； the winter of
1815…16 passed away with Mrs。 Rawdon Crawley；
who accommodated herself to polite life as if her
ancestors had been people of fashion for centuries past
and who from her wit； talent； and energy； indeed merited
a place of honour in Vanity Fair。 In the early spring of
1816； Galignani's Journal contained the following
announcement in an interesting corner of the paper： 〃On
the 26th of Marchthe Lady of Lieutenant…Colonel
Crawley； of the Life Guards Greenof a son and heir。〃
This event was copied into the London papers； out of
which Miss Briggs read the statement to Miss Crawley；
at breakfast； at Brighton。 The intelligence； expected as
it might have been； caused a crisis in the affairs of
the Crawley family。 The spinster's rage rose to its height；
and sending instantly for Pitt； her nephew； and for the
Lady Southdown； from Brunswick Square； she requested
an immediate celebration of the marriage which had been
so long pending between the two families。 And she
announced that it was her intention to allow the young
couple a thousand a year during her lifetime； at the
expiration of which the bulk of her property would be
settled upon her nephew and her dear niece； Lady Jane
Crawley。 Waxy came down to ratify the deedsLord
Southdown gave away his sistershe was married by a
Bishop； and not by the Rev。 Bartholomew Ironsto the
disappointment of the irregular prelate。
When they were married； Pitt would have liked to
take a hymeneal tour with his bride； as became people
of their condition。 But the affection of the old lady
towards Lady Jane had grown so strong； that she fairly
owned she could not part with her favourite。 Pitt and
his wife came therefore and lived with Miss Crawley：
and （greatly to the annoyance of poor Pitt； who
conceived himself a most injured characterbeing subject
to the humours of his aunt on one side； and of his
mother…in…law on the other） Lady Southdown； from her
neighbouring house； reigned over the whole family
Pitt； Lady Jane； Miss Crawley； Briggs； Bowls； Firkin； and
all。 She pitilessly dosed them with her tracts and her
medicine； she dismissed Creamer； she installed Rodgers；
and soon stripped Miss Crawley of even the semblance
of authority。 The poor soul grew so timid that she
actually left off bullying Briggs any more； and clung to
her niece； more fond and terrified every day。 Peace to
thee； kind and selfish； vain and generous old heathen！
We shall see thee no more。 Let us hope that Lady Jane
supported her kindly； and led her with gentle hand out
of the busy struggle of Vanity Fair。
CHAPTER XXXV
Widow and Mother
The news of the great fights of Quatre Bras and Waterloo
reached England at the same time。 The Gazette first
published the result of the two battles； at which glorious
intelligence all England thrilled with triumph and fear。
Particulars then followed； and after the announcement of
the victories came the list of the wounded and the slain。
Who can tell the dread with which that catalogue was
opened and read！ Fancy； at every village and homestead
almost through the three kingdoms； the great news
coming of the battles in Flanders； and the feelings of
exultation and gratitude； bereavement and sickening dismay；
when the lists of the regimental losses were gone through；
and it became known whether the dear friend and relative
had escaped or fallen。 Anybody who will take the trouble
of looking back to a file of the newspapers of the
time； must； even now； feel at second…hand this breathless
pause of expectation。 The lists of casualties are carried
on from day to day： you stop in the midst as in a story
which is to be continued in our next。 Think what the
feelings must have been as those papers followed each
other fresh from the press； and if such an interest could
be felt in our country； and about a battle where but
twenty thousand of our people were engaged； think of
the condition of Europe for twenty years before； where
people were fighting； not by thousands； but by millions；
each one of whom as he struck his enemy wounded
horribly some other innocent heart far away。
The news which that famous Gazette brought to the
Osbornes gave a dreadful shock to the family and its chief。
The girls indulged unrestrained in their grief。 The
gloom…stricken old father was still more borne down by his fate
and sorrow。 He strove to think that a judgment was on
the boy for his disobedience。 He dared not own that the
severity of the sentence fright