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drawn by six white horses； and passing by a lake
covered with swans； and barges containing ladies in hoops；
and musicians with flags and penwigs。 Indeed Raggles
thought there was no such palace in all the world； and
no such august family。
As luck would have it； Raggles' house in Curzon Street
was to let when Rawdon and his wife returned to London。
The Colonel knew it and its owner quite well； the latter's
connection with the Crawley family had been kept up
constantly； for Raggles helped Mr。 Bowls whenever Miss
Crawley received friends。 And the old man not only let
his house to the Colonel but officiated as his butler
whenever he had company； Mrs。 Raggles operating in the
kitchen below and sending up dinners of which old Miss
Crawley herself might have approved。 This was the way；
then； Crawley got his house for nothing； for though
Raggles had to pay taxes and rates； and the interest of the
mortgage to the brother butler； and the insurance of his
life； and the charges for his children at school； and the
value of the meat and drink which his own familyand
for a time that of Colonel Crawley tooconsumed； and
though the poor wretch was utterly ruined by the
transaction； his children being flung on the streets； and himself
driven into the Fleet Prison： yet somebody must pay even
for gentlemen who live for nothing a yearand so it was
this unlucky Raggles was made the representative of
Colonel Crawley's defective capital。
I wonder how many families are driven to roguery and
to ruin by great practitioners in Crawlers way？how
many great noblemen rob their petty tradesmen；
condescend to swindle their poor retainers out of wretched
little sums and cheat for a few shillings？ When we read
that a noble nobleman has left for the Continent； or that
another noble nobleman has an execution in his house
and that one or other owes six or seven millions； the
defeat seems glorious even； and we respect the victim in
the vastness of his ruin。 But who pities a poor barber who
can't get his money for powdering the footmen's heads；
or a poor carpenter who has ruined himself by fixing up
ornaments and pavilions for my lady's dejeuner； or the
poor devil of a tailor whom the steward patronizes； and
who has pledged all he is worth； and more； to get the
liveries ready； which my lord has done him the honour
to bespeak？ When the great house tumbles down； these
miserable wretches fall under it unnoticed： as they say in
the old legends； before a man goes to the devil himself；
he sends plenty of other souls thither。
Rawdon and his wife generously gave their patronage
to all such of Miss Crawley's tradesmen and purveyors
as chose to serve them。 Some were willing；enough；
especially the poor ones。 It was wonderful to see the
pertinacity with which the washerwoman from Tooting
brought the cart every Saturday； and her bills week after week。
Mr。 Raggles himself had to supply the greengroceries。 The
bill for servants' porter at the Fortune of War public
house is a curiosity in the chronicles of beer。 Every
servant also was owed the greater part of his wages； and
thus kept up perforce an interest in the house。 Nobody in
fact was paid。 Not the blacksmith who opened the lock；
nor the glazier who mended the pane； nor the jobber who
let the carriage； nor the groom who drove it； nor the
butcher who provided the leg of mutton； nor the coals
which roasted it； nor the cook who basted it； nor the
servants who ate it： and this I am given to understand is not
unfrequently the way in which people live elegantly on
nothing a year。
In a little town such things cannot be done without
remark。 We know there the quantity of milk our
neighbour takes and espy the joint or the fowls which are
going in for his dinner。 So； probably； 200 and 202 in Curzon
Street might know what was going on in the house
between them； the servants communicating through the
area…railings； but Crawley and his wife and his friends
did not know 200 and 202。 When you came to 201 there
was a hearty welcome； a kind smile； a good dinner； and
a jolly shake of the hand from the host and hostess there；
just for all the world as if they had been undisputed
masters of three or four thousand a yearand so they were；
not in money； but in produce and labourif they did
not pay for the mutton； they had it： if they did not give
bullion in exchange for their wine； how should we know？
Never was better claret at any man's table than at honest
Rawdon's； dinners more gay and neatly served。 His
drawing…rooms were the prettiest； little； modest salons
conceivable： they were decorated with the greatest taste；
and a thousand knick…knacks from Paris； by Rebecca：
and when she sat at her piano trilling songs with a
lightsome heart； the stranger voted himself in a little
paradise of domestic comfort and agreed that； if the
husband was rather stupid； the wife was charming； and the
dinners the pleasantest in the world。
Rebecca's wit； cleverness； and flippancy made her speedily
the vogue in London among a certain class。 You saw
demure chariots at her door； out of which stepped very
great people。 You beheld her carriage in the park；
surrounded by dandies of note。 The little box in the third
tier of the opera was crowded with heads constantly
changing； but it must be confessed that the ladies held
aloof from her； and that their doors were shut to our
little adventurer。
With regard to the world of female fashion and its
customs； the present writer of course can only speak at
second hand。 A man can no more penetrate or under…
stand those mysteries than he can know what the ladies
talk about when they go upstairs after dinner。 It is only
by inquiry and perseverance that one sometimes gets
hints of those secrets； and by a similar diligence every
person who treads the Pall Mall pavement and frequents
the clubs of this metropolis knows； either through his
own experience or through some acquaintance with whom
he plays at billiards or shares the joint； something about
the genteel world of London； and how； as there are men
（such as Rawdon Crawley； whose position we mentioned
before） who cut a good figure to the eyes of the ignorant
world and to the apprentices in the park； who behold
them consorting with the most notorious dandies there；
so there are ladies； who may be called men's women；
being welcomed entirely by all the gentlemen and cut
or slighted by all their wives。 Mrs。 Firebrace is of this sort；
the lady with the beautiful fair ringlets whom you see
every day in Hyde Park； surrounded by the greatest and
most famous dandies of this empire。 Mrs。 Rockwood is
another； whose parties are announced laboriously in the
fashionable newspapers and with whom you see that all
sorts of ambassadors and great noblemen dine； and
many more might be mentioned had they to do with the
history at present in hand。 But while simple folks who
are out of the world； or country people with a taste for
the genteel； behold these ladies in their seeming glory in
public places； or envy them from afar off； persons who
are better instructed could inform them that these envied
ladies have no more chance of establishing themselves
in 〃