Beckyhadhadagooddealofinstruction。Well，shenotonlytooktracts，butshereadthem。SheworkedflannelpetticoatsfortheQuashyboos——cottonnight-capsfortheCocoanutIndians——paintedhandscreensfortheconversionofthePopeandtheJews——satunderMr。RowlsonWednesdays，Mr。HuggletononThursdays，attendedtwoSundayservicesatchurch，besidesMr。Bawler，theDarbyite，intheevening，andallinvain。Mrs。NewbrighthadoccasiontocorrespondwiththeCountessofSouthdownabouttheWarmingpanFundfortheFijiIslandersforthemanagementofwhichadmirablecharityboththeseladiesformedpartofafemalecommittee，andhavingmentionedher“sweetfriend。”Mrs。RawdonCrawley，theDowagerCountesswrotebacksuchaletterregardingBecky，withsuchparticulars，hints，facts，falsehoods，andgeneralcomminations，thatintimacybetweenMrs。NewbrightandMrs。Crawleyceasedforthwith，andalltheseriousworldofTours，wherethismisfortunetookplace，immediatelypartedcompanywiththereprobate。ThosewhoknowtheEnglishColoniesabroadknowthatwecarrywithususourpride，pills，prejudices，Harvey-sauces，cayenne-peppers，andotherLares，makingalittleBritainwhereverwesettledown。
　　FromonecolonytoanotherBeckyfleduneasily。FromBoulognetoDieppe，fromDieppetoCaen，fromCaentoTours——tryingwithallhermighttoberespectable，andalas！alwaysfoundoutsomedayorotherandpeckedoutofthecagebytherealdaws。
　　Mrs。HookEaglestookherupatoneoftheseplaces——
　　awomanwithoutablemishinhercharacterandahouseinPortmanSquare。ShewasstayingatthehotelatDieppe，whitherBeckyfled，andtheymadeeachother’sacquaintancefirstatsea，wheretheywereswimmingtogether，andsubsequentlyatthetabled’hoteofthehotel。MrsEagleshadheard——whoindeedhadnot？——someofthescandaloftheSteyneaffair；butafteraconversationwithBecky，shepronouncedthatMrs。Crawleywasanangel，herhusbandaruffian，LordSteyneanunprincipledwretch，aseverybodyknew，andthewholecaseagainstMrs。CrawleyaninfamousandwickedconspiracyofthatrascalWenham。”Ifyouwereamanofanyspirit，Mr。Eagles，youwouldboxthewretch’searsthenexttimeyouseehimattheClub。”shesaidtoherhusband。ButEagleswasonlyaquietoldgentleman，husbandtoMrs。Eagles，withatasteforgeology，andnottallenoughtoreachanybody’sears。
　　TheEaglesthenpatronizedMrs。Rawdon，tookhertolivewithheratherownhouseatParis，quarrelledwiththeambassador’swifebecauseshewouldnotreceiveherprotegee，anddidallthatlayinwoman’spowertokeepBeckystraightinthepathsofvirtueandgoodrepute。
　　Beckywasveryrespectableandorderlyatfirst，butthelifeofhumdrumvirtuegrewutterlytedioustoherbeforelong。Itwasthesameroutineeveryday，thesamedulnessandcomfort，thesamedriveoverthesamestupidBoisdeBoulogne，thesamecompanyofanevening，thesameBlair’sSermonofaSundaynight——thesameoperaalwaysbeingactedoverandoveragain；
　　Beckywasdyingofweariness，when，luckilyforher，youngMr。EaglescamefromCambridge，andhismother，seeingtheimpressionwhichherlittlefriendmadeuponhim，straightwaygaveBeckywarning。
　　Thenshetriedkeepinghousewithafemalefriend；
　　thenthedoublemenagebegantoquarrelandgetintodebt。Thenshedetermineduponaboarding-houseexistenceandlivedforsometimeatthatfamousmansionkeptbyMadamedeSaintAmour，intheRueRoyale，atParis，whereshebeganexercisinghergracesandfascinationsupontheshabbydandiesandfly-blownbeautieswhofrequentedherlandlady’ssalons。Beckylovedsocietyand，indeed，couldnomoreexistwithoutitthananopium-eaterwithouthisdram，andshewashappyenoughattheperiodofherboarding-houselife。”ThewomenhereareasamusingasthoseinMayFair。”shetoldanoldLondonfriendwhomether，“only，theirdressesarenotquitesofresh。Themenwearcleanedgloves，andaresadrogues，certainly，buttheyarenotworsethanJackThisandTomThat。Themistressofthehouseisalittlevulgar，butIdon’tthinksheissovulgarasLady——“andhereshenamedthenameofagreatleaderoffashionthatIwoulddieratherthanreveal。Infact，whenyousawMadamedeSaintAmour’sroomslightedupofanight，menwithplaquesandcordonsattheecartetables，andthewomenatalittledistance，youmightfancyyourselfforawhileingoodsociety，andthatMadamewasarealCountess。Manypeopledidsofancy，andBeckywasforawhileoneofthemostdashingladiesoftheCountess’ssalons。
　　Butitisprobablethatheroldcreditorsof1815foundheroutandcausedhertoleaveParis，forthepoorlittlewomanwasforcedtoflyfromthecityrathersuddenly，andwentthencetoBrussels。
　　Howwellsherememberedtheplace！Shegrinnedasshelookedupatthelittleentresolwhichshehadoccupied，andthoughtoftheBareacresfamily，bawlingforhorsesandflight，astheircarriagestoodintheporte-cochereofthehotel。ShewenttoWaterlooandtoLaeken，whereGeorgeOsborne’smonumentmuchstruckher。Shemadealittlesketchofit。”ThatpoorCupid！”shesaid；“howdreadfullyhewasinlovewithme，andwhatafoolhewas！IwonderwhetherlittleEmmyisalive。Itwasagoodlittlecreature；andthatfatbrotherofhers。Ihavehisfunnyfatpicturestillamongmypapers。Theywerekindsimplepeople。”
　　AtBrusselsBeckyarrived，recommendedbyMadamedeSaintAmourtoherfriend，MadamelaComtessedeBorodino，widowofNapoleon’sGeneral，thefamousCountdeBorodino，whowasleftwithnoresourcebythedeceasedherobutthatofatabled’hoteandanecartetable。Second-ratedandiesandroues，widow-ladieswhoalwayshavealawsuit，andverysimpleEnglishfolks，whofancytheysee“Continentalsociety“atthesehouses，putdowntheirmoney，oratetheirmeals，atMadamedeBorodino’stables。Thegallantyoungfellowstreatedthecompanyroundtochampagneatthetabled’hote，rodeoutwiththewomen，orhiredhorsesoncountryexcursions，clubbedmoneytotakeboxesattheplayortheopera，bettedoverthefairshouldersoftheladiesattheecartetables，andwrotehometotheirparentsinDevonshireabouttheirfelicitousintroductiontoforeignsociety。
　　Here，asatParis，Beckywasaboarding-housequeen，andruledinselectpensions。Sheneverrefusedthechampagne，orthebouquets，orthedrivesintothecountry，ortheprivateboxes；butwhatshepreferredwastheecarteatnight，——andsheplayedaudaciously。Firstsheplayedonlyforalittle，thenforfive-francpieces，thenforNapoleons，thenfornotes：thenshewouldnotbeabletopayhermonth’spension：thensheborrowedfromtheyounggentlemen：thenshegotintocashagainandbulliedMadamedeBorodino，whomshehadcoaxedandwheedledbefore：thenshewasplayingfortensousatatime，andinadirestateofpoverty：thenherquarter’sallowancewouldcomein，andshewouldpayoffMadamedeBorodino’sscoreandwouldoncemoretakethecardsagainstMonsieurdeRossignol，ortheChevalierdeRaff。
　　WhenBeckyleftBrussels，thesadtruthisthatsheowedthreemonths’pensiontoMadamedeBorodino，ofwhichfact，andofthegambling，andofthedrinking，andofthegoingdownonherkneestotheReverendMr。
　　Muff，MinistreAnglican，andborrowingmoneyofhim，andofhercoaxingandflirtingwithMilorNoodle，sonofSirNoodle，pupiloftheRev。Mr。Muff，whomsheusedtotakeintoherprivateroom，andofwhomshewonlargesumsatecarte——ofwhichfact，Isay，andofahundredofherotherknaveries，theCountessdeBorodinoinformseveryEnglishpersonwhostopsatherestablishment，andannouncesthatMadameRawdonwasnobetterthanavipere。
　　SoourlittlewandererwentaboutsettinguphertentinvariouscitiesofEurope，asrestlessasUlyssesorBampfyldeMooreCarew。Hertastefordisrespectabilitygrewmoreandmoreremarkable。ShebecameaperfectBohemianerelong，herdingwithpeoplewhomitwouldmakeyourhairstandonendtomeet。
　　ThereisnotownofanymarkinEuropebutithasitslittlecolonyofEnglishraffs——menwhosenamesMr。
　　HemptheofficerreadsoutperiodicallyattheSheriffs’
　　Court——younggentlemenofverygoodfamilyoften，onlythatthelatterdisownsthem；frequentersofbilliard-
　　roomsandestaminets，patronsofforeignracesandgaming-tables。Theypeoplethedebtors’prisons——theydrinkandswagger——theyfightandbrawl——theyrunawaywithoutpaying——theyhaveduelswithFrenchandGermanofficers——theycheatMr。Spooneyatecarte——theygetthemoneyanddriveofftoBadeninmagnificentbritzkas——theytrytheirinfalliblemartingaleandlurkaboutthetableswithemptypockets，shabbybullies，pennilessbucks，untiltheycanswindleaJewbankerwithashambillofexchange，orfindanotherMr。Spooneytorob。
　　Thealternationsofsplendourandmiserywhichthesepeopleundergoareveryqueertoview。Theirlifemustbeoneofgreatexcitement。Becky——mustitbeowned？——
　　tooktothislife，andtooktoitnotunkindly。ShewentaboutfromtowntotownamongtheseBohemians。TheluckyMrs。Rawdonwasknownateveryplay-tableinGermany。SheandMadamedeCruchecasseekepthouseatFlorencetogether。ItissaidshewasorderedoutofMunich，andmyfriendMr。FrederickPigeonaversthatitwasatherhouseatLausannethathewashocussedatsupperandlosteighthundredpoundstoMajorLoderandtheHonourableMr。Deuceace。Wearebound，yousee，togivesomeaccountofBecky’sbiography，butofthispart，theless，perhaps，thatissaidthebetter。
　　Theysaythat，whenMrs。Crawleywasparticularlydownonherluck，shegaveconcertsandlessonsinmusichereandthere。TherewasaMadamedeRaudon，whocertainlyhadamatineemusicaleatWildbad，accompaniedbyHerrSpoff，premierpianisttotheHospodarofWallachia，andmylittlefriendMr。Eaves，whokneweverybodyandhadtravelledeverywhere，alwaysusedtodeclarethathewasatStrasburgintheyear1830，whenacertainMadameRebecquemadeherappearanceintheoperaoftheDameBlanche，givingoccasiontoafuriousrowinthetheatrethere。Shewashissedoffthestagebytheaudience，partlyfromherownincompetency，butchieflyfromtheill-advisedsympathyofsomepersonsintheparquet，wheretheofficersofthegarrisonhadtheiradmissions；andEaveswascertainthattheunfortunatedebutanteinquestionwasnootherthanMrs。
　　RawdonCrawley。
　　Shewas，infact，nobetterthanavagabonduponthisearth。Whenshegothermoneyshegambled；whenshehadgambleditshewasputtoshiftstolive；whoknowshoworbywhatmeansshesucceeded？ItissaidthatshewasonceseenatSt。Petersburg，butwassummarilydismissedfromthatcapitalbythepolice，sothattherecannotbeanypossibilityoftruthinthereportthatshewasaRussianspyatToplitzandViennaafterwards。IhaveevenbeeninformedthatatParisshediscoveredarelationofherown，nolessapersonthanhermaternalgrandmother，whowasnotbyanymeansaMontmorenci，butahideousoldbox-openeratatheatreontheBoulevards。Themeetingbetweenthem，ofwhichotherpersons，asitishintedelsewhere，seemtohavebeenacquainted，musthavebeenaveryaffectinginterview。Thepresenthistoriancangivenocertaindetailsregardingtheevent。
　　IthappenedatRomeoncethatMrs。deRawdon’shalf-
　　year’ssalaryhadjustbeenpaidintotheprincipalbanker’sthere，and，aseverybodywhohadabalanceofabovefivehundredscudiwasinvitedtotheballswhichthisprinceofmerchantsgaveduringthewinter，Beckyhadthehonourofacard，andappearedatoneofthePrinceandPrincessPolonia’ssplendideveningentertainments。
　　ThePrincesswasofthefamilyofPompili，lineallydescendedfromthesecondkingofRome，andEgeriaofthehouseofOlympus，whilethePrince’sgrandfather，AlessandroPolonia，soldwash-balls，essences，tobacco，andpocket-handkerchiefs，ranerrandsforgentlemen，andlentmoneyinasmallway。AllthegreatcompanyinRomethrongedtohissaloons——Princes，Dukes，Ambassadors，artists，fiddlers，monsignori，youngbearswiththeirleaders——everyrankandconditionofman。Hishallsblazedwithlightandmagnificence；wereresplendentwithgiltframescontainingpictures，anddubiousantiques；andtheenormousgiltcrownandarmsoftheprincelyowner，agoldmushroomonacrimsonfieldthecolourofthepocket-handkerchiefswhichhesold，andthesilverfountainofthePompilifamilyshoneallovertheroof，doors，andpanelsofthehouse，andoverthegrandvelvetbaldaquinspreparedtoreceivePopesandEmperors。