father might have been informed of certain transactions at play. But the old moralist eased him by saying serenely,
"Well, well, young men will be young men. And the comfort to me is, George, that living in the best society in England, as I hope you do; as I think you do; as my means will allow you to do—"
"Thank you, sir," says George, making his point at once. "One can't live with these great folks for nothing; and my purse, sir, look at it;" and he held up a little token which had been netted by Amelia, and contained the very last of Dobbin's pound notes.
"You shan't want, sir. The British merchant's son shan't want, sir. My guineas are as good as theirs George, my boy; and I dont grudge 'em. Call on Mr. Chopper as you go through the City to-morrow; he'll have something for you. I dont grudge money when I know you're in good society, because I know that good society can never go wrong. There's no pride in me. I was a humbly born man—but you have had advantages. Make a good use of 'em. Mix with the young nobility. There's many of 'em who can't spend a dollar to your guinea, my boy. And as for the pink bonnets (here from under the heavy eyebrows there came a knowing and not very pleasing leer)—why boys will be boys. Only there's one thing I order you to avoid, which, if you do not, I'll cut you off with a shilling, by Jove; and that's gambling, sir."
"Oh, of course, sir," said George.
"But to return to the other business about Amelia: why shouldn't you marry higher than a stockbroker's daughter, George—that's what I want to know?"
"It's a family business, sir," says George, cracking filberts. "You and Mr. Sedley made the match a hundred years ago."
"I don't deny it; but people's positions alter, sir. I don't deny that Sedley made my fortune, or rather put me in the way of acquiring, by my own talents and genius, that proud position, which, I may say, I occupy in the tallow trade and the City of London. I've shown my gratitude to Sedley; and he's tried it of late, sir, as my check-book can show. George! I tell you in confidence I don't like the looks of Mr. Sedley's affairs. My chief clerk, Mr. Chopper, does not like the looks of 'em, and he's an old file, and knows Change as well as any man in London. Hulker and Bullock are looking shy at him. He's been dabbling on his own account I fear. They say the Jeune Amelie was his, which was taken by the Yankee Privateer Molasses. And that's flat,—unless I see Amelia's ten thousand down you don't marry her. I'll have no lame duck's daughter in my family. Pass the wine, sir—or ring for coffee."
With which Mr. Osborne spread out the evening-paper, and George knew from this signal that the colloquy was ended, and that his Papa was about to take a nap.
He hurried up stairs to Amelia in the highest spirits. What was it that made him more attentive to her on that night than he had been for a long time—more eager to amuse her, more tender, more brilliant in talk? Was it that his generous heart warmed to her at the prospect of misfortune; or that the idea of losing the dear little prize made him value it more?
She lived upon the recollections of that happy evening for many days
