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us； you know。〃
〃Tell him；〃 said Becky； 〃that as soon as Sir Pitt's
affairs are settled； everybody will be paid； and give him a
little something on account。 Here's a cheque that Pitt
left for the boy；〃 and she took from her bag and gave
her husband a paper which his brother had handed over
to her； on behalf of the little son and heir of the younger
branch of the Crawleys。
The truth is； she had tried personally the ground on
which her husband expressed a wish that she should
venturetried it ever so delicately； and found it unsafe。
Even at a hint about embarrassments； Sir Pitt Crawley was
off and alarmed。 And he began a long speech； explaining
how straitened he himself was in money matters； how
the tenants would not pay； how his father's affairs； and
the expenses attendant upon the demise of the old
gentleman； had involved him； how he wanted to pay off
incumbrances； and how the bankers and agents were
overdrawn； and Pitt Crawley ended by making a
compromise with his sister…in…law and giving her a very
small sum for the benefit of her little boy。
Pitt knew how poor his brother and his brother's family
must be。 It could not have escaped the notice of such a
cool and experienced old diplomatist that Rawdon's family
had nothing to live upon； and that houses and carriages
are not to be kept for nothing。 He knew very well that
he was the proprietor or appropriator of the money；
which； according to all proper calculation； ought to have
fallen to his younger brother； and he had； we may be sure；
somesecret pangs of remorse within him； which warned
him that he ought to perform some act of justice；
or； let us say； compensation； towards these disappointed
relations。 A just； decent man； not without brains；
who said his prayers； and knew his catechism； and
did his duty outwardly through life； he could not be
otherwise than aware that something was due to his
brother at his hands； and that morally he was Rawdon's
debtor。
But； as one reads in the columns of the Times newspaper
every now and then； queer announcements from
the Chancellor of the Exchequer； acknowledging the receipt
of 50 pounds from A。 B。； or 10 pounds from W。 T。； as
conscience…money； on account of taxes due by the said
A。 B。 or W。 T。； which payments the penitents beg the
Right Honourable gentleman to acknowledge through the
medium of the public pressso is the Chancellor no
doubt； and the reader likewise； always perfectly sure that
the above…named A。 B。 and W。 T。 are only paying a
very small instalment of what they really owe； and that
the man who sends up a twenty…pound note has very
likely hundreds or thousands more for which he ought
to account。 Such； at least； are my feelings； when I see
A。 B。 or W。 T。's insufficient acts of repentance。 And I
have no doubt that Pitt Crawley's contrition； or kindness
if you will； towards his younger brother； by whom
he had so much profited； was only a very small dividend
upon the capital sum in which he was indebted to Rawdon。
Not everybody is willing to pay even so much。 To part
with money is a sacrifice beyond almost all men endowed
with a sense of order。 There is scarcely any man alive
who does not think himself meritorious for giving
his neighbour five pounds。 Thriftless gives； not from a
beneficent pleasure in giving； but from a lazy delight in
spending。 He would not deny himself one enjoyment； not
his opera…stall； not his horse； not his dinner； not even
the pleasure of giving Lazarus the five pounds。 Thrifty；
who is good； wise； just； and owes no man a penny； turns
from a beggar； haggles with a hackney…coachman； or
denies a poor relation； and I doubt which is the most
selfish of the two。 Money has only a different value in
the eyes of each。
So； in a word； Pitt Crawley thought he would do something
for his brother； and then thought that he would think
about it some other time。
And with regard to Becky； she was not a woman who
expected too much from the generosity of her
neighbours； and so was quite content with all that Pitt Crawley
had done for her。 She was acknowledged by the head
of the family。 If Pitt would not give her anything； he
would get something for her some day。 If she got no
money from her brother…in…law； she got what was as good
as moneycredit。 Raggles was made rather easy in his
mind by the spectacle of the union between the brothers；
by a small payment on the spot； and by the promise of a
much larger sum speedily to be assigned to him。 And
Rebecca told Miss Briggs； whose Christmas dividend
upon the little sum lent by her Becky paid with an air of
candid joy； and as if her exchequer was brimming over
with goldRebecca； we say； told Miss Briggs； in strict
confidence that she had conferred with Sir Pitt； who was
famous as a financier； on Briggs's special behalf； as to
the most profitable investment of Miss B。's remaining
capital； that Sir Pitt； after much consideration； had
thought of a most safe and advantageous way in which
Briggs could lay out her money； that； being especially
interested in her as an attached friend of the late Miss
Crawley； and of the whole family； and that long before
he left town； he had recommended that she should be
ready with the money at a moment's notice； so as to
purchase at the most favourable opportunity the shares
which Sir Pitt had in his eye。 Poor Miss Briggs was very
grateful for this mark of Sir Pitt's attentionit came so
unsolicited； she said； for she never should have thought of
removing the money from the fundsand the delicacy
enhanced the kindness of the office； and she promised to
see her man of business immediately and be ready with
her little cash at the proper hour。
And this worthy woman was so grateful for the
kindness of Rebecca in the matter； and for that of her
generous benefactor； the Colonel； that she went out and
spent a great part of her half…year's dividend in the
purchase of a black velvet coat for little Rawdon； who； by
the way； was grown almost too big for black velvet now；
and was of a size and age befitting him for the assumption
of the virile jacket and pantaloons。
He was a fine open…faced boy； with blue eyes and
waving flaxen hair； sturdy in limb； but generous and soft in
heart； fondly attaching himself to all who were good to
himto the ponyto Lord Southdown； who gave him
the horse （he used to blush and glow all over when he
saw that kind young nobleman）to the groom who had
charge of the ponyto Molly； the cook； who crammed
him with ghost stories at night； and with good things from
the dinnerto Briggs； whom he plagued and laughed at
and to his father especially； whose attachment
towards the lad was curious too to witness。 Here； as he
grew to be about eight years old； his attachments may
be said to have ended。 The beautiful mother…vision had
faded away after a while。 During near two years she had
scarcely spoken to the child。 She disliked him。 He had
the measles and the hooping…cough。 He bored her。 One
day when he was standing at the landing…place； having
crept down from the upper regions； attracted by the sound
of his mother's voice； who was singing to Lord Steyne；
the drawing room door opening suddenly；