in abundance, and laboured under a scarcity of ready
money. Did these debt-difficulties affect Rawdon’s
good spirits? No. Everybody in Vanity Fair
must have remarked how well those live who are comfortably
and thoroughly in debt: how they deny themselves
nothing; how jolly and easy they are in their minds.
Rawdon and his wife had the very best apartments
at the inn at Brighton; the landlord, as he brought
in the first dish, bowed before them as to his greatest
customers: and Rawdon abused the dinners and wine
with an audacity which no grandee in the land could
surpass. Long custom, a manly appearance, faultless
boots and clothes, and a happy fierceness of manner,
will often help a man as much as a great balance at
the banker’s.
The two wedding parties met constantly in each other’s
apartments. After two or three nights the gentlemen
of an evening had a little piquet, as their wives
sate and chatted apart. This pastime, and the
arrival of Jos Sedley, who made his appearance in his
grand open carriage, and who played a few games at
billiards with Captain Crawley, replenished Rawdon’s
purse somewhat, and gave him the benefit of that ready
money for which the greatest spirits are sometimes
at a stand-still.
So the three gentlemen walked down to see the Lightning
coach come in. Punctual to the minute, the coach
crowded inside and out, the guard blowing his accustomed
tune on the horn—the Lightning came tearing
down the street, and pulled up at the coach-office.
“Hullo! there’s old Dobbin,” George
cried, quite delighted to see his old friend perched
on the roof; and whose promised visit to Brighton
had been delayed until now. “How are you,
old fellow? Glad you’re come down.
Emmy’ll be delighted to see you,” Osborne
said, shaking his comrade warmly by the hand as soon
as his descent from the vehicle was effected—and
then he added, in a lower and agitated voice, “What’s
the news? Have you been in Russell Square?
What does the governor say? Tell me everything.”
Dobbin looked very pale and grave. “I’ve
seen your father,” said he. “How’s
Amelia—Mrs. George? I’ll tell
you all the news presently: but I’ve brought
the great news of all: and that is—”
“Out with it, old fellow,” George said.
“We’re ordered to Belgium. All the
army goes—guards and all. Heavytop’s
got the gout, and is mad at not being able to move.
O’Dowd goes in command, and we embark from Chatham
next week.” This news of war could not
but come with a shock upon our lovers, and caused
all these gentlemen to look very serious.
Captain Dobbin Proceeds on His Canvass
