Astheyissuedoutofthecustom-houseprecincts，Georgybrokeoutonthem，withhistelescopeuptohiseye，andaloudlaughofwelcome；hedancedroundthecoupleandperformedmanyfacetiousanticsasheledthemuptothehouse。Joswasn’tupyet；Beckynotvisiblethoughshelookedatthemthroughtheblinds。
　　Georgyranofftoseeaboutbreakfast。Emmy，whoseshawlandbonnetwereoffinthepassageinthehandsofMrs。Payne，nowwenttoundotheclaspofWilliam’scloak，and——wewill，ifyouplease，gowithGeorge，andlookafterbreakfastfortheColonel。Thevesselisinport。
　　Hehasgottheprizehehasbeentryingforallhislife。
　　Thebirdhascomeinatlast。Thereitiswithitsheadonhisshoulder，billingandcooingcloseuptohisheart，withsoftoutstretchedflutteringwings。Thisiswhathehasaskedforeverydayandhourforeighteenyears。Thisiswhathepinedafter。Hereitis——thesummit，theend——
　　thelastpageofthethirdvolume。Good-bye，Colonel——
　　Godblessyou，honestWilliam！——Farewell，dearAmelia——Growgreenagain，tenderlittleparasite，roundtheruggedoldoaktowhichyoucling！
　　Perhapsitwascompunctiontowardsthekindandsimplecreature，whohadbeenthefirstinlifetodefendher，perhapsitwasadisliketoallsuchsentimentalscenes——butRebecca，satisfiedwithherpartinthetransaction，neverpresentedherselfbeforeColonelDobbinandtheladywhomhemarried。”Particularbusiness。”shesaid，tookhertoBruges，whithershewent，andonlyGeorgyandhisunclewerepresentatthemarriageceremony。
　　Whenitwasover，andGeorgyhadrejoinedhisparents，Mrs。Beckyreturnedjustforafewdaystocomfortthesolitarybachelor，JosephSedley。Hepreferredacontinentallife，hesaid，anddeclinedtojoininhousekeepingwithhissisterandherhusband。
　　EmmywasverygladinherhearttothinkthatshehadwrittentoherhusbandbeforeshereadorknewofthatletterofGeorge’s。”Iknewitallalong。”Williamsaid；“butcouldIusethatweaponagainstthepoorfellow’smemory？Itwasthatwhichmademesuffersowhenyou——“
　　“Neverspeakofthatdayagain。”Emmycriedout，socontriteandhumblethatWilliamturnedofftheconversationbyhisaccountofGlorvinaanddearoldPeggyO’Dowd，withwhomhewassittingwhentheletterofrecallreachedhim。”Ifyouhadn’tsentforme。”headdedwithalaugh，“whoknowswhatGlorvina’snamemightbenow？”
　　AtpresentitisGlorvinaPoskynowMrs。MajorPosky；shetookhimonthedeathofhisfirstwife，havingresolvednevertomarryoutoftheregiment。LadyO’Dowdisalsosoattachedtoitthat，shesays，ifanythingweretohappentoMick，bedadshe’dcomebackandmarrysomeof’em。ButtheMajor-GeneralisquitewellandlivesingreatsplendouratO’Dowdstown，withapackofbeagles，andwiththeexceptionofperhapstheirneighbour，HoggartyofCastleHoggartyheisthefirstmanofhiscounty。HerLadyshipstilldancesjigs，andinsistedonstandingupwiththeMasteroftheHorseattheLordLieutenant’slastball。BothsheandGlorvinadeclaredthatDobbinhadusedthelatterSHEAMFULLY，butPoskyfallingin，Glorvinawasconsoled，andabeautifulturbanfromParisappeasedthewrathofLadyO’Dowd。
　　WhenColonelDobbinquittedtheservice，whichhedidimmediatelyafterhismarriage，herentedaprettylittlecountryplaceinHampshire，notfarfromQueen’sCrawley，where，afterthepassingoftheReformBill，SirPittandhisfamilyconstantlyresidednow。AllideaofaPeeragewasoutofthequestion，theBaronet’stwoseatsinParliamentbeinglost。Hewasbothoutofpocketandoutofspiritsbythatcatastrophe，failedinhishealth，andprophesiedthespeedyruinoftheEmpire。
　　LadyJaneandMrs。Dobbinbecamegreatfriends——
　　therewasaperpetualcrossingofpony-chaisesbetweentheHallandtheEvergreens，theColonel’splacerentedofhisfriendMajorPonto，whowasabroadwithhisfamily。HerLadyshipwasgodmothertoMrs。Dobbin’schild，whichborehername，andwaschristenedbytheRev。
　　JamesCrawley，whosucceededhisfatherintheliving：
　　andaprettyclosefriendshipsubsistedbetweenthetwolads，GeorgeandRawdon，whohuntedandshottogetherinthevacations，werebothenteredofthesamecollegeatCambridge，andquarrelledwitheachotheraboutLadyJane’sdaughter，withwhomtheywereboth，ofcourse，inlove。AmatchbetweenGeorgeandthatyoungladywaslongafavouriteschemeofboththematrons，thoughI
　　haveheardthatMissCrawleyherselfinclinedtowardshercousin。
　　Mrs。RawdonCrawley’snamewasnevermentionedbyeitherfamily。Therewerereasonswhyallshouldbesilentregardingher。ForwhereverMr。JosephSedleywent，shetravelledlikewise，andthatinfatuatedmanseemedtobeentirelyherslave。TheColonel’slawyersinformedhimthathisbrother-in-lawhadeffectedaheavyinsuranceuponhislife，whenceitwasprobablethathehadbeenraisingmoneytodischargedebts。HeprocuredprolongedleaveofabsencefromtheEastIndiaHouse，andindeed，hisinfirmitiesweredailyincreasing。
　　Onhearingthenewsabouttheinsurance，Amelia，inagooddealofalarm，entreatedherhusbandtogotoBrussels，whereJosthenwas，andinquireintothestateofhisaffairs。TheColonelquittedhomewithreluctanceforhewasdeeplyimmersedinhisHistoryofthePunjaubwhichstilloccupieshim，andmuchalarmedabouthislittledaughter，whomheidolizes，andwhowasjustrecoveringfromthechicken-poxandwenttoBrusselsandfoundJoslivingatoneoftheenormoushotelsinthatcity。Mrs。Crawley，whohadhercarriage，gaveentertainments，andlivedinaverygenteelmanner，occupiedanothersuiteofapartmentsinthesamehotel。
　　TheColonel，ofcourse，didnotdesiretoseethatlady，oreventhinkpropertonotifyhisarrivalatBrussels，exceptprivatelytoJosbyamessagethroughhisvalet。JosbeggedtheColoneltocomeandseehimthatnight，whenMrs。Crawleywouldbeatasoiree，andwhentheycouldmeetalone。Hefoundhisbrother-in-lawinaconditionofpitiableinfirmity——anddreadfullyafraidofRebecca，thougheagerinhispraisesofher。Shetendedhimthroughaseriesofunheard-ofillnesseswithafidelitymostadmirable。Shehadbeenadaughtertohim。”But——but——
　　oh，forGod’ssake，docomeandlivenearme，and——and——seemesometimes。”whimperedouttheunfortunateman。
　　TheColonel’sbrowdarkenedatthis。”Wecan’t，Jos。”
　　hesaid。”Consideringthecircumstances，Ameliacan’tvisityou。”
　　“Isweartoyou——IsweartoyouontheBible。”gaspedoutJoseph，wantingtokissthebook，“thatsheisasinnocentasachild，asspotlessasyourownwife。”
　　“Itmaybeso。”saidtheColonelgloomily，“butEmmycan’tcometoyou。Beaman，Jos：breakoffthisdisreputableconnection。Comehometoyourfamily。Wehearyouraffairsareinvolved。”
　　“Involved！”criedJos。”Whohastoldsuchcalumnies？
　　Allmymoneyisplacedoutmostadvantageously。Mrs。
　　Crawley——thatis——Imean——itislaidouttothebestinterest。”
　　“Youarenotindebt，then？Whydidyouinsureyourlife？”
　　“Ithought——alittlepresenttoher——incaseanythinghappened；andyouknowmyhealthissodelicate——commongratitudeyouknow——andIintendtoleaveallmymoneytoyou——andIcanspareitoutofmyincome，indeedIcan。”criedoutWilliam’sweakbrother-in-law。
　　TheColonelbesoughtJostoflyatonce——togobacktoIndia，whitherMrs。Crawleycouldnotfollowhim；todoanythingtobreakoffaconnectionwhichmighthavethemostfatalconsequencestohim。
　　Josclaspedhishandsandcried，“HewouldgobacktoIndia。Hewoulddoanything，onlyhemusthavetime：
　　theymustn’tsayanythingtoMrs。Crawley——she’d——she’dkillmeifsheknewit。Youdon’tknowwhataterriblewomansheis。”thepoorwretchsaid。
　　“Then，whynotcomeawaywithme？”saidDobbininreply；butJoshadnotthecourage。”HewouldseeDobbinagaininthemorning；hemustonnoaccountsaythathehadbeenthere。Hemustgonow。Beckymightcomein。”AndDobbinquittedhim，fullofforebodings。
　　HeneversawJosmore。ThreemonthsafterwardsJosephSedleydiedatAix-la-Chapelle。Itwasfoundthatallhispropertyhadbeenmuddledawayinspeculations，andwasrepresentedbyvaluelesssharesindifferentbubblecompanies。Allhisavailableassetswerethetwothousandpoundsforwhichhislifewasinsured，andwhichwereleftequallybetweenhisbeloved“sisterAmelia，wifeof，&c。，andhisfriendandinvaluableattendantduringsickness，Rebecca，wifeofLieutenant-ColonelRawdonCrawley，C。B……”whowasappointedadministratrix。
　　Thesolicitoroftheinsurancecompanysworeitwastheblackestcasethateverhadcomebeforehim，talkedofsendingacommissiontoAixtoexamineintothedeath，andtheCompanyrefusedpaymentofthepolicy。ButMrs。，orLadyCrawley，asshestyledherself，cametotownatonceattendedwithhersolicitors，Messrs。Burke，Thurtell，andHayes，ofThaviesInnanddaredtheCompanytorefusethepayment。Theyinvitedexamination，theydeclaredthatshewastheobjectofaninfamousconspiracy，whichhadbeenpursuingherallthroughlife，andtriumphedfinally。Themoneywaspaid，andhercharacterestablished，butColonelDobbinsentbackhisshareofthelegacytotheinsuranceofficeandrigidlydeclinedtoholdanycommunicationwithRebeccaSheneverwasLadyCrawley，thoughshecontinuedsotocallherself。HisExcellencyColonelRawdonCrawleydiedofyellowfeveratCoventryIsland，mostdeeplybelovedanddeplored，andsixweeksbeforethedemiseofhisbrother，SirPitt。TheestateconsequentlydevolveduponthepresentSirRawdonCrawley，Bart。
　　He，too，hasdeclinedtoseehismother，towhomhemakesaliberalallowance，andwho，besides，appearstobeverywealthy。TheBaronetlivesentirelyatQueen’sCrawley，withLadyJaneandherdaughter，whilstRebecca，LadyCrawley，chieflyhangsaboutBathandCheltenham，whereaverystrongpartyofexcellentpeopleconsiderhertobeamostinjuredwoman。Shehasherenemies。Whohasnot？Herlifeisheranswertothem。
　　Shebusiesherselfinworksofpiety。Shegoestochurch，andneverwithoutafootman。HernameisinalltheCharityLists。Thedestituteorange-girl，theneglectedwasherwoman，thedistressedmuffin-manfindinherafastandgenerousfriend。SheisalwayshavingstallsatFancyFairsforthebenefitofthesehaplessbeings。Emmy，herchildren，andtheColonel，comingtoLondonsometimeback，foundthemselvessuddenlybeforeheratoneofthesefairs。Shecastdownhereyesdemurelyandsmiledastheystartedawayfromher；EmmyscurryingoffonthearmofGeorgenowgrownadashingyounggentlemanandtheColonelseizinguphislittleJaney，ofwhomheisfonderthanofanythingintheworld——
　　fondereventhanofhisHistoryofthePunjaub。
　　“Fonderthanheisofme。”EmmythinkswithasighButheneversaidawordtoAmeliathatwasnotkindandgentle，orthoughtofawantofhersthathedidnottrytogratify。
　　Ah！VanitasVanitatum！whichofusishappyinthisworld？Whichofushashisdesire？or，havingit，issatisfied？——
　　come，children，letusshutuptheboxandthepuppets，forourplayisplayedout。
　　End