“Papa，Papa！”Emmycriedout，“herearenews！MybrotherisinEngland。Heiscometotakecareofyou。
　　HereisMajorDobbin。”
　　Mr。Sedleystartedup，shakingagreatdealandgatheringuphisthoughts。Thenhesteppedforwardandmadeanold-fashionedbowtotheMajor，whomhecalledMr。
　　Dobbin，andhopedhisworthyfather，SirWilliam，wasquitewell。HeproposedtocalluponSirWilliam，whohaddonehimthehonourofavisitashorttimeago。SirWilliamhadnotcalledupontheoldgentlemanforeightyears——itwasthatvisithewasthinkingofreturning。
　　“Heisverymuchshaken。”EmmywhisperedasDobbinwentupandcordiallyshookhandswiththeoldman。
　　AlthoughhehadsuchparticularbusinessinLondonthatevening，theMajorconsentedtoforegoituponMr。
　　Sedley’sinvitationtohimtocomehomeandpartakeoftea。Ameliaputherarmunderthatofheryoungfriendwiththeyellowshawlandheadedthepartyontheirreturnhomewards，sothatMr。SedleyfelltoDobbin’sshare。
　　TheoldmanwalkedveryslowlyandtoldanumberofancienthistoriesabouthimselfandhispoorBessy，hisformerprosperity，andhisbankruptcy。Histhoughts，asisusualwithfailingoldmen，werequiteinformertimes。
　　Thepresent，withtheexceptionoftheonecatastrophewhichhefelt，heknewlittleabout。TheMajorwasgladtolethimtalkon。Hiseyeswerefixeduponthefigureinfrontofhim——thedearlittlefigurealwayspresenttohisimaginationandinhisprayers，andvisitinghisdreamswakefulorslumbering。
　　Ameliawasveryhappy，smiling，andactiveallthatevening，performingherdutiesashostessofthelittleentertainmentwiththeutmostgraceandpropriety，asDobbinthought。Hiseyesfollowedheraboutastheysatinthetwilight。Howmanyatimehadhelongedforthatmomentandthoughtofherfarawayunderhotwindsandinwearymarches，gentleandhappy，kindlyministeringtothewantsofoldage，anddecoratingpovertywithsweetsubmission——ashesawhernow。Idonotsaythathistastewasthehighest，orthatitisthedutyofgreatintellectstobecontentwithabread-and-butterparadise，suchassufficedoursimpleoldfriend；buthisdesireswereofthissort，whetherforgoodorbad，and，withAmeliatohelphim，hewasasreadytodrinkasmanycupsofteaasDoctorJohnson。
　　Ameliaseeingthispropensity，laughinglyencourageditandlookedexceedinglyroguishassheadministeredtohimcupaftercup。ItistrueshedidnotknowthattheMajorhadhadnodinnerandthattheclothwaslaidforhimattheSlaughters’，andaplatelaidthereontomarkthatthetablewasretained，inthatveryboxinwhichtheMajorandGeorgehadsatmanyatimecarousing，whenshewasachildjustcomehomefromMissPinkerton’sschool。
　　ThefirstthingMrs。OsborneshowedtheMajorwasGeorgy’sminiature，forwhichsheranupstairsonherarrivalathome。Itwasnothalfhandsomeenoughofcoursefortheboy，butwasn’titnobleofhimtothinkofbringingittohismother？WhilstherpapawasawakeshedidnottalkmuchaboutGeorgy。TohearaboutMr。
　　OsborneandRussellSquarewasnotagreeabletotheoldman，whoverylikelywasunconsciousthathehadbeenlivingforsomemonthspastmainlyonthebountyofhisricherrival，andlosthistemperifallusionwasmadetotheother。
　　Dobbintoldhimall，andalittlemoreperhapsthanall，thathadhappenedonboardtheRamchunder，andexaggeratedJos’sbenevolentdispositionstowardshisfatherandresolutiontomakehimcomfortableinhisolddays。ThetruthisthatduringthevoyagetheMajorhadimpressedthisdutymoststronglyuponhisfellow-
　　passengerandextortedpromisesfromhimthathewouldtakechargeofhissisterandherchild。HesoothedJos’sirritationwithregardtothebillswhichtheoldgentlemanhaddrawnuponhim，gavealaughingaccountofhisownsufferingsonthesamescoreandofthefamousconsignmentofwinewithwhichtheoldmanhadfavouredhim，andbroughtMr。Jos，whowasbynomeansanill-
　　naturedpersonwhenwell-pleasedandmoderatelyflattered，toaverygoodstateoffeelingregardinghisrelativesinEurope。
　　AndinfineIamashamedtosaythattheMajorstretchedthetruthsofarastotelloldMr。SedleythatitwasmainlyadesiretoseehisparentwhichbroughtJosoncemoretoEurope。
　　AthisaccustomedhourMr。Sedleybegantodozeinhischair，andthenitwasAmelia’sopportunitytocommenceherconversation，whichshedidwithgreateagerness——itrelatedexclusivelytoGeorgy。Shedidnottalkatallaboutherownsufferingsatbreakingfromhim，forindeed，thisworthywoman，thoughshewashalf-killedbytheseparationfromthechild，yetthoughtitwasverywickedinhertorepineatlosinghim；buteverythingconcerninghim，hisvirtues，talents，andprospects，shepouredout。Shedescribedhisangelicbeauty；narratedahundredinstancesofhisgenerosityandgreatnessofmindwhilstlivingwithher；howaRoyalDuchesshadstoppedandadmiredhiminKensingtonGardens；howsplendidlyhewascaredfornow，andhowhehadagroomandapony；whatquicknessandclevernesshehad，andwhataprodigiouslywell-readanddelightfulpersontheReverendLawrenceVealwas，George’smaster。”HeknowsEVERYTHING。”Ameliasaid。”Hehasthemostdelightfulparties。Youwhoaresolearnedyourself，andhavereadsomuch，andaresocleverandaccomplished——don’tshakeyourheadandsayno——HE
　　alwaysusedtosayyouwere——youwillbecharmedwithMr。Veal’sparties。ThelastTuesdayineverymonth。HesaysthereisnoplaceinthebarorthesenatethatGeorgymaynotaspireto。Lookhere。”andshewenttothepiano-draweranddrewoutathemeofGeorgy’scomposition。Thisgreateffortofgenius，whichisstillinthepossessionofGeorge’smother，isasfollows：
　　OnSelfishness——Ofalltheviceswhichdegradethehumancharacter，Selfishnessisthemostodiousandcontemptible。AnundueloveofSelfleadstothemostmonstrouscrimesandoccasionsthegreatestmisfortunesbothinStatesandFamilies。Asaselfishmanwillimpoverishhisfamilyandoftenbringthemtoruin，soaselfishkingbringsruinonhispeopleandoftenplungesthemintowar。
　　Example：TheselfishnessofAchilles，asremarkedbythepoetHomer，occasionedathousandwoestotheGreeks——muriAchaioisalgeetheke——Hom。Il。A。2。
　　TheselfishnessofthelateNapoleonBonaparteoccasionedinnumerablewarsinEuropeandcausedhimtoperish，himself，inamiserableisland——thatofSaintHelenaintheAtlanticOcean。
　　Weseebytheseexamplesthatwearenottoconsultourowninterestandambition，butthatwearetoconsidertheinterestsofothersaswellasourown。
　　GeorgeS。OsborneAtheneHouse，24April，1827
　　“Thinkofhimwritingsuchahand，andquotingGreektoo，athisage。”thedelightedmothersaid。”Oh，William。”
　　sheadded，holdingoutherhandtotheMajor，“whatatreasureHeavenhasgivenmeinthatboy！Heisthecomfortofmylife——andheistheimageof——ofhimthat’sgone！”
　　“OughtItobeangrywithherforbeingfaithfultohim？”Williamthought。”OughtItobejealousofmyfriendinthegrave，orhurtthatsuchaheartasAmelia’scanloveonlyonceandforever？Oh，George，George，howlittleyouknewtheprizeyouhad，though。”ThissentimentpassedrapidlythroughWilliam’smindashewasholdingAmelia’shand，whilstthehandkerchiefwasveilinghereyes。
　　“Dearfriend。”shesaid，pressingthehandwhichheldhers，“howgood，howkindyoualwayshavebeentome！
　　See！Papaisstirring。YouwillgoandseeGeorgytomorrow，won’tyou？”
　　“Notto-morrow。”saidpooroldDobbin。”Ihavebusiness。”Hedidnotliketoownthathehadnotasyetbeentohisparents’andhisdearsisterAnne——aremissnessforwhichIamsureeverywell-regulatedpersonwillblametheMajor。Andpresentlyhetookhisleave，leavinghisaddressbehindhimforJos，againstthelatter’sarrival。Andsothefirstdaywasover，andhehadseenher。
　　WhenhegotbacktotheSlaughters’，theroastfowlwasofcoursecold，inwhichconditionheateitforsupper。Andknowingwhatearlyhourshisfamilykept，andthatitwouldbeneedlesstodisturbtheirslumbersatsolateanhour，itisonrecord，thatMajorDobbintreatedhimselftohalf-priceattheHaymarketTheatrethatevening，whereletushopeheenjoyedhimself。
　　TheOldPianoTheMajor’svisitleftoldJohnSedleyinagreatstateofagitationandexcitement。Hisdaughtercouldnotinducehimtosettledowntohiscustomaryoccupationsoramusementsthatnight。Hepassedtheeveningfumblingamongsthisboxesanddesks，untyinghispaperswithtremblinghands，andsortingandarrangingthemagainstJos’sarrival。Hehadtheminthegreatestorder——histapesandhisfiles，hisreceipts，andhisletterswithlawyersandcorrespondents；thedocumentsrelativetothewineprojectwhichfailedfromamostunaccountableaccident，aftercommencingwiththemostsplendidprospects，thecoalprojectwhichonlyawantofcapitalpreventedfrombecomingthemostsuccessfulschemeeverputbeforethepublic，thepatentsaw-millsandsawdustconsolidationproject，&c。，&c。Allnight，untilaverylatehour，hepassedinthepreparationofthesedocuments，tremblingaboutfromoneroomtoanother，withaquiveringcandleandshakyhands。Here’sthewinepapers，here’sthesawdust，here’sthecoals；here’smyletterstoCalcuttaandMadras，andrepliesfromMajorDobbin，C。B。，andMr。JosephSedleytothesame。”HeshallfindnoirregularityaboutME，Emmy。”theoldgentlemansaid。
　　Emmysmiled。”Idon’tthinkJoswillcareaboutseeingthosepapers，Papa。”shesaid。
　　“Youdon’tknowanythingaboutbusiness，mydear。”
　　answeredthesire，shakinghisheadwithanimportantair。AnditmustbeconfessedthatonthispointEmmywasveryignorant，andthatisapitysomepeoplearesoknowing。Allthesetwopennydocumentsarrangedonasidetable，oldSedleycoveredthemcarefullyoverwithacleanbandannahandkerchiefoneoutofMajorDobbin’slotandenjoinedthemaidandlandladyofthehouse，inthemostsolemnway，nottodisturbthosepapers，whichwerearrangedforthearrivalofMr。JosephSedleythenextmorning，“Mr。JosephSedleyoftheHonourableEastIndiaCompany’sBengalCivilService。”
　　Ameliafoundhimupveryearlythenextmorning，moreeager，morehectic，andmoreshakythanever。”I
　　didn’tsleepmuch，Emmy，mydear。”hesaid。”IwasthinkingofmypoorBessy。Iwishshewasalive，torideinJos’scarriageonceagain。Shekeptherownandbecameitverywell。”Andhiseyesfilledwithtears，whichtrickleddownhisfurrowedoldface。Ameliawipedthemaway，andsmilinglykissedhim，andtiedtheoldman’sneckclothinasmartbow，andputhisbroochintohisbestshirtfrill，inwhich，inhisSundaysuitofmourning，hesatfromsixo’clockinthemorningawaitingthearrivalofhisson。
　　However，whenthepostmanmadehisappearance，thelittlepartywereputoutofsuspensebythereceiptofaletterfromJostohissister，whoannouncedthathefeltalittlefatiguedafterhisvoyage，andshouldnotbeabletomoveonthatday，butthathewouldleaveSouthamptonearlythenextmorningandbewithhisfatherandmotheratevening。Amelia，asshereadoutthelettertoherfather，pausedoverthelatterword；herbrother，itwasclear，didnotknowwhathadhappenedinthefamily。
　　Norcouldhe，forthefactisthat，thoughtheMajorrightlysuspectedthathistravellingcompanionneverwouldbegotintomotioninsoshortaspaceastwenty-