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Ensign by her side； and opposite to her her faithful
friend Mrs。 O'Dowd。 It was Amelia； but how changed
from the fresh and comely girl Osborne knew。 Her face
was white and thin。 Her pretty brown hair was parted
under a widow's capthe poor child。 Her eyes were
fixed； and looking nowhere。 They stared blank in the
face of Osborne； as the carriages crossed each other； but
she did not know him； nor did he recognise her； until
looking up； he saw Dobbin riding by her： and then he
knew who it was。 He hated her。 He did not know how
much until he saw her there。 When her carriage had
passed on； he turned and stared at the Sergeant； with a
curse and defiance in his eye cast at his companion； who
could not help looking at himas much as to say 〃How
dare you look at me？ Damn you！ I do hate her。 It is she
who has tumbled my hopes and all my pride down。〃
〃Tell the scoundrel to drive on quick；〃 he shouted with
an oath； to the lackey on the box。 A minute afterwards； a
horse came clattering over the pavement behind
Osborne's carriage； and Dobbin rode up。 His thoughts
had been elsewhere as the carriages passed each other；
and it was not until he had ridden some paces forward；
that he remembered it was Osborne who had just passed
him。 Then he turned to examine if the sight of her father…
in…law had made any impression on Amelia； but the poor
girl did not know who had passed。 Then William； who
daily used to accompany her in his drives； taking out his
watch； made some excuse about an engagement which he
suddenly recollected； and so rode off。 She did not
remark that either： but sate looking before her； over the
homely landscape towards the woods in the distance； by
which George marched away。
Mr。 Osborne； Mr。 Osborne！〃 cried Dobbin； as he rode
up and held out his hand。 Osborne made no motion to
take it； but shouted out once more and with another curse
to his servant to drive on。
Dobbin laid his hand on the carriage side。 〃I will see
you； sir；〃 he said。 〃I have a message for you。〃
〃From that woman？〃 said Osborne； fiercely。
〃No；〃 replied the other； 〃from your son〃； at which
Osborne fell back into the corner of his carriage； and
Dobbin allowing it to pass on； rode close behind it； and
so through the town until they reached Mr。 Osborne's
hotel； and without a word。 There he followed Osborne
up to his apartments。 George had often been in the
rooms； they were the lodgings which the Crawleys had
occupied during their stay in Brussels。
〃Pray； have you any commands for me； Captain
Dobbin； or； I beg your pardon； I should say MAJOR Dobbin；
since better men than you are dead； and you step into
their SHOES？〃 said Mr。 Osborne； in that sarcastic tone
which he sometimes was pleased to assume。
〃Better men ARE dead；〃 Dobbin replied。 〃I want to
speak to you about one。〃
〃Make it short； sir；〃 said the other with an oath；
scowling at his visitor。
〃I am here as his closest friend；〃 the Major resumed；
〃and the executor of his will。 He made it before he went
into action。 Are you aware how small his means are；
and of the straitened circumstances of his widow？〃
〃I don't know his widow； sir；〃 Osborne said。 〃Let her
go back to her father。〃 But the gentleman whom he
addressed was determined to remain in good temper； and
went on without heeding the interruption。
〃Do you know； sir； Mrs。 Osborne's condition？ Her life
and her reason almost have been shaken by the blow
which has fallen on her。 It is very doubtful whether she
will rally。 There is a chance left for her； however； and it
is about this I came to speak to you。 She will be a mother
soon。 Will you visit the parent's offence upon the child's
head？ or will you forgive the child for poor George's
sake？〃
Osborne broke out into a rhapsody of self…praise and
imprecations；by the first； excusing himself to his own
conscience for his conduct； by the second； exaggerating
the undutifulness of George。 No father in all England
could have behaved more generously to a son； who had
rebelled against him wickedly。 He had died without even
so much as confessing he was wrong。 Let him take
the consequences of his undutifulness and folly。 As for
himself； Mr。 Osborne； he was a man of his word。 He
had sworn never to speak to that woman； or to recognize
her as his son's wife。 〃And that's what you may tell
her；〃 he concluded with an oath； 〃and that's what I will
stick to to the last day of my life。〃
There was no hope from that quarter then。 The widow
must live on her slender pittance； or on such aid as Jos
could give her。 〃I might tell her； and she would not heed
it；〃 thought Dobbin； sadly： for the poor girl's thoughts
were not here at all since her catastrophe； and； stupefied
under the pressure of her sorrow； good and evil were
alike indifferent to her。
So； indeed； were even friendship and kindness。 She
received them both uncomplainingly； and having accepted
them； relapsed into her grief。
Suppose some twelve months after the above conversation
took place to have passed in the life of our poor
Amelia。 She has spent the first portion of that time in a
sorrow so profound and pitiable； that we who have been
watching and describing some of the emotions of that
weak and tender heart； must draw back in the presence
of the cruel grief under which it is bleeding。 Tread silently
round the hapless couch of the poor prostrate soul。
Shut gently the door of the dark chamber wherein she
suffers； as those kind people did who nursed her through
the first months of her pain； and never left her until
heaven had sent her consolation。 A day cameof
almost terrified delight and wonderwhen the poor
widowed girl pressed a child upon her breasta child； with
the eyes of George who was gonea little boy； as beautiful
as a cherub。 What a miracle it was to hear its first
cry！ How she laughed and wept over ithow love； and
hope； and prayer woke again in her bosom as the baby
nestled there。 She was safe。 The doctors who attended
her； and had feared for her life or for her brain； had
waited anxiously for this crisis before they could
pronounce that either was secure。 It was worth the long
months of doubt and dread which the persons who had
constantly been with her had passed； to see her eyes once
more beaming tenderly upon them。
Our friend Dobbin was one of them。 It was he who
brought her back to England and to her mother's house；
when Mrs。 O'Dowd； receiving a peremptory summons
from her Colonel； had been forced to quit her patient。
To see Dobbin holding the infant； and to hear Amelia's
laugh of triumph as she watched him； would have done
any man good who had a sense of humour。 William was
the godfather of the child； and exerted his ingenuity in
the purchase of cups； spoons； pap…boats； and corals for
this little Christian。
How his mother nursed him； and dressed him； and
lived upon him； how she drove away all nurses； and
would scarce allow any hand but her own to touch him；
how she considered that the greatest favour she could
confer upon his godfather； Major Dobbin； was to allow
the Major occasionally to dandle him； need not be told
here。 This child was her being。 Her existence was a
maternal caress。 She