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tea and scientific conversation。 Poor little Amelia never
missed one of these entertainments and thought them
delicious so long as she might have Georgy sitting by her。
And she would walk from Brompton in any weather；
and embrace Mrs。 Veal with tearful gratitude for the
delightful evening she had passed； when； the company
having retired and Georgy gone off with Mr。 Rowson； his
attendant； poor Mrs。 Osborne put on her cloaks and
her shawls preparatory to walking home。
As for the learning which Georgy imbibed under this
valuable master of a hundred sciences； to judge from
the weekly reports which the lad took home to his
grandfather； his progress was remarkable。 The names of a
score or more of desirable branches of knowledge were
printed in a table； and the pupil's progress in each was
marked by the professor。 In Greek Georgy was
pronounced aristos； in Latin optimus； in French tres bien；
and so forth； and everybody had prizes for everything
at the end of the year。 Even Mr。 Swartz； the wooly…
headed young gentleman； and half…brother to the
Honourable Mrs。 Mac Mull； and Mr。 Bluck； the neglected
young pupil of three…and…twenty from the agricultural
district； and that idle young scapegrace of a Master Todd
before mentioned； received little eighteen…penny books；
with 〃Athene〃 engraved on them； and a pompous Latin
inscription from the professor to his young friends。
The family of this Master Todd were hangers…on of
the house of Osborne。 The old gentleman had advanced
Todd from being a clerk to be a junior partner in his
establishment。
Mr。 Osborne was the godfather of young Master Todd
（who in subsequent life wrote Mr。 Osborne Todd on his
cards and became a man of decided fashion）； while Miss
Osborne had accompanied Miss Maria Todd to the font；
and gave her protegee a prayer…book； a collection of
tracts； a volume of very low church poetry； or some
such memento of her goodness every year。 Miss O。 drove
the Todds out in her carriage now and then； when they
were ill； her footman； in large plush smalls and
waistcoat； brought jellies and delicacies from Russell Square to
Coram Street。 Coram Street trembled and looked up to
Russell Square indeed； and Mrs。 Todd； who had a pretty
hand at cutting out paper trimmings for haunches of
mutton； and could make flowers； ducks； &c。； out of turnips
and carrots in a very creditable manner； would go to 〃the
Square；〃 as it was called； and assist in the preparations
incident to a great dinner； without even so much as
thinking of sitting down to the banquet。 If any guest failed at
the eleventh hour； Todd was asked to dine。 Mrs。 Todd and
Maria came across in the evening； slipped in with a muffled
knock； and were in the drawing…room by the time Miss
Osborne and the ladies under her convoy reached that
apartmentand ready to fire off duets and sing until
the gentlemen came up。 Poor Maria Todd； poor young
lady！ How she had to work and thrum at these duets
and sonatas in the Street； before they appeared in public
in the Square！
Thus it seemed to be decreed by fate that Georgy
was to domineer over everybody with whom he came in
contact； and that friends； relatives； and domestics were
all to bow the knee before the little fellow。 It must
be owned that he accommodated himself very willingly
to this arrangement。 Most people do so。 And Georgy
liked to play the part of master and perhaps had a
natural aptitude for it。
In Russell Square everybody was afraid of Mr。 Osborne；
and Mr。 Osborne was afraid of Georgy。 The boy's
dashing manners； and offhand rattle about books and
learning； his likeness to his father （dead unreconciled in
Brussels yonder） awed the old gentleman and gave the
young boy the mastery。 The old man would start at
some hereditary feature or tone unconsciously used by
the little lad； and fancy that George's father was again
before him。 He tried by indulgence to the grandson to
make up for harshness to the elder George。 People were
surprised at his gentleness to the boy。 He growled and
swore at Miss Osborne as usual； and would smile when
George came down late for breakfast。
Miss Osborne； George's aunt； was a faded old spinster；
broken down by more than forty years of dulness and
coarse usage。 It was easy for a lad of spirit to master her。
And whenever George wanted anything from her； from the
jam…pots in her cupboards to the cracked and dry old
colours in her paint…box （the old paint…box which she
had had when she was a pupil of Mr。 Smee and was
still almost young and blooming）； Georgy took possession
of the object of his desire； which obtained； he took no
further notice of his aunt。
For his friends and cronies； he had a pompous old
schoolmaster； who flattered him； and a toady； his senior；
whom he could thrash。 It was dear Mrs。 Todd's delight to
leave him with her youngest daughter； Rosa Jemima； a
darling child of eight years old。 The little pair looked so
well together； she would say （but not to the folks in 〃the
Square；〃 we may be sure） 〃who knows what might
happen？ Don't they make a pretty little couple？〃 the
fond mother thought。
The broken…spirited； old； maternal grandfather was
likewise subject to the little tyrant。 He could not help
respecting a lad who had such fine clothes and rode with
a groom behind him。 Georgy； on his side； was in the
constant habit of hearing coarse abuse and vulgar satire
levelled at John Sedley by his pitiless old enemy； Mr。
Osborne。 Osborne used to call the other the old pauper；
the old coal…man； the old bankrupt； and by many other
such names of brutal contumely。 How was little George
to respect a man so prostrate？ A few months after he
was with his paternal grandfather； Mrs。 Sedley died。
There had been little love between her and the child。
He did not care to show much grief。 He came down to
visit his mother in a fine new suit of mourning； and was
very angry that he could not go to a play upon which
he had set his heart。
The illness of that old lady had been the occupation
and perhaps the safeguard of Amelia。 What do men know
about women's martyrdoms？ We should go mad had
we to endure the hundredth part of those daily pains
which are meekly borne by many women。 Ceaseless
slavery meeting with no reward； constant gentleness and
kindness met by cruelty as constant； love； labour； patience；
watchfulness； without even so much as the acknowledgement
of a good word； all this； how many of them have
to bear in quiet； and appear abroad with cheerful faces
as if they felt nothing。 Tender slaves that they are； they
must needs be hypocrites and weak。
From her chair Amelia's mother had taken to her bed；
which she had never left； and from which Mrs。 Osborne
herself was never absent except when she ran to see
George。 The old lady grudged her even those rare visits；
she； who had been a kind； smiling； good…natured mother
once； in the days of her prosperity； but whom poverty
and infirmities had broken down。 Her illness or estrangement
did not affect Amelia。 They rather enabled her to
support the other calamity under which she was suffering；
and from the thoughts of which she was kept by the
ceaseless calls of the invalid。 Amelia bor