profusus； as Mr。 Crawley would remark with a sigh）；
and in his day beloved by all the county for the
constant drunkenness and hospitality which was maintained
at Queen's Crawley。 The cellars were filled with burgundy
then； the kennels with hounds； and the stables with
gallant hunters； now； such horses as Queen's Crawley
possessed went to plough； or ran in the Trafalgar Coach；
and it was with a team of these very horses； on an off…
day； that Miss Sharp was brought to the Hall； for boor
as he was； Sir Pitt was a stickler for his dignity while
at home； and seldom drove out but with four horses；
and though he dined off boiled mutton； had always three
footmen to serve it。
If mere parsimony could have made a man rich； Sir
Pitt Crawley might have become very wealthyif he
had been an attorney in a country town； with no capital
but his brains； it is very possible that he would have
turned them to good account； and might have achieved
for himself a very considerable influence and competency。
But he was unluckily endowed with a good name
and a large though encumbered estate； both of which
went rather to injure than to advance him。 He had a
taste for law； which cost him many thousands yearly；
and being a great deal too clever to be robbed； as he
said； by any single agent； allowed his affairs to be
mismanaged by a dozen； whom he all equally mistrusted。
He was such a sharp landlord； that he could hardly find
any but bankrupt tenants； and such a close farmer； as
to grudge almost the seed to the ground； whereupon
revengeful Nature grudged him the crops which she
granted to more liberal husbandmen。 He speculated in
every possible way； he worked mines； bought canal…shares；
horsed coaches； took government contracts； and was
the busiest man and magistrate of his county。 As he
would not pay honest agents at his granite quarry； he
had the satisfaction of finding that four overseers ran
away； and took fortunes with them to America。 For want
of proper precautions； his coal…mines filled with water：
the government flung his contract of damaged beef upon
his hands： and for his coach…horses； every mail proprietor
in the kingdom knew that he lost more horses than any
man in the country； from underfeeding and buying cheap。
In disposition he was sociable； and far from being proud；
nay； he rather preferred the society of a farmer or a
horse…dealer to that of a gentleman； like my lord； his
son： he was fond of drink； of swearing； of joking with
the farmers' daughters： he was never known to give away
a shilling or to do a good action； but was of a pleasant；
sly； laughing mood； and would cut his joke and drink
his glass with a tenant and sell him up the next day；
or have his laugh with the poacher he was transporting
with equal good humour。 His politeness for the fair sex
has already been hinted at by Miss Rebecca Sharpin
a word； the whole baronetage； peerage； commonage of
England； did not contain a more cunning； mean； selfish；
foolish； disreputable old man。 That blood…red hand of
Sir Pitt Crawley's would be in anybody's pocket except
his own； and it is with grief and pain； that； as admirers
of the British aristocracy； we find ourselves obliged to
admit the existence of so many ill qualities in a person
whose name is in Debrett。
One great cause why Mr。 Crawley had such a hold
over the affections of his father； resulted from money
arrangements。 The Baronet owed his son a sum of money
out of the jointure of his mother； which he did not find
it convenient to pay； indeed he had an almost invincible
repugnance to paying anybody； and could only be brought
by force to discharge his debts。 Miss Sharp calculated
（for she became； as we shall hear speedily； inducted
into most of the secrets of the family） that the mere
payment of his creditors cost the honourable Baronet
several hundreds yearly； but this was a delight he could
not forego； he had a savage pleasure in making the poor
wretches wait； and in shifting from court to court and
from term to term the period of satisfaction。 What's the
good of being in Parliament； he said； if you must pay your
debts？ Hence； indeed； his position as a senator was not
a little useful to him。
Vanity FairVanity Fair！ Here was a man； who could
not spell； and did not care to readwho had the habits
and the cunning of a boor： whose aim in life was
pettifogging： who never had a taste； or emotion； or
enjoyment； but what was sordid and foul； and yet he had
rank； and honours； and power； somehow： and was a
dignitary of the land； and a pillar of the state。 He was
high sheriff； and rode in a golden coach。 Great ministers
and statesmen courted him； and in Vanity Fair he had a
higher place than the most brilliant genius or spotless
virtue。
Sir Pitt had an unmarried half…sister who inherited her
mother's large fortune； and though the Baronet proposed
to borrow this money of her on mortgage； Miss Crawley
declined the offer； and preferred the security of the funds。
She had signified； however； her intention of leaving her
inheritance between Sir Pitt's second son and the family
at the Rectory； and had once or twice paid the debts of
Rawdon Crawley in his career at college and in the army。
Miss Crawley was； in consequence； an object of great
respect when she came to Queen's Crawley； for she had
a balance at her banker's which would have made her
beloved anywhere。
What a dignity it gives an old lady； that balance at
the banker's！ How tenderly we look at her faults if she
is a relative （and may every reader have a score of such）；
what a kind good…natured old creature we find her！ How
the junior partner of Hobbs and Dobbs leads her smiling
to the carriage with the lozenge upon it； and the fat
wheezy coachman！ How； when she comes to pay us a
visit； we generally find an opportunity to let our friends
know her station in the world！ We say （and with perfect
truth） I wish I had Miss MacWhirter's signature to a
cheque for five thousand pounds。 She wouldn't miss it；
says your wife。 She is my aunt； say you； in an easy
careless way； when your friend asks if Miss MacWhirter is
any relative。 Your wife is perpetually sending her little
testimonies of affection； your little girls work endless
worsted baskets； cushions； and footstools for her。 What a
good fire there is in her room when she comes to pay
you a visit； although your wife laces her stays without
one！ The house during her stay assumes a festive； neat；
warm； jovial； snug appearance not visible at other
seasons。 You yourself； dear sir； forget to go to sleep after
dinner； and find yourself all of a sudden （though you
invariably lose） very fond of a rubber。 What good
dinners you havegame every day； Malmsey…Madeira； and
no end of fish from London。 Even the servants in the
kitchen share in the general prosperity； and； somehow；
during the stay of Miss MacWhirter's fat coachman； the
beer is grown much stronger； and the consumption of tea
and sugar in the nursery （where her maid takes her
meals） is not regarded in the least。 Is it so； or is it not
so？ I appeal to the middle classes。 Ah； gracious powers！
I wish you would send me an old aunta maiden aunt
an aunt with a lozenge on her carriage； and a front
of light coffee…coloured hairhow my children should
work workbags for her； and my Julia and I would make
her comfortable！ Sweetsweet vision！ Foolishfoolish
dream！
CHAPTER X
Miss Sharp Begins to Make Friends
And now； being received as a member of the amiable
family whose portraits we have sketched in the foregoing
pages； it became naturally Rebecca's duty to make
herself； as she said； agreeable to her benefactors； and to
gain their confidence to the utmost of her power。 Who
can but admire this quality of gratitude in an unprotected
orphan； and； if there entered some degree of selfishness
into her calculations； who can say but that her
prudence was perfectly justifiable？ 〃I am alone in the
world；〃 said the friendless girl。 〃I have nothing to look
for but what my own labour can bring me； and while
that little pink…faced chit Amelia； with not half my sense；
has ten thousand pounds and an establishment secure；
poor Rebecca （and my figure is far better than hers）
has only herself and her own wits to trust to。 Well； let
us see if my wits cannot provide me with an honourable
maintenance； and if some day or the other I cannot show
Miss Amelia my real superiority over her。 Not that I
dislike poor Amelia： who can dislike such a harmless；
good…natured creature？only it will be a fine day when
I can take my place above her in the world； as why；
indeed； should I not？〃 Thus it was that our little
romantic friend formed visions of the future for herself
nor must we be scandalised that； in all her castles in
the air； a husband was the principal inhabitant。 Of
what else have young ladies to think； but husbands？ Of
what else do their dear mammas think？ 〃I must be my
own mamma；〃 said Rebecca； not without a tingling
consciousness of defeat； as she thought over her little
misadventure with Jos Sedley。
So she wisely determined to render her position with
the Queen's Crawley family comfortable and secure； and
to this end resolved to make friends of every one around
her who could at all interfere with her comfort。
As my Lady Crawley was not one of these personages；
and a woman； moreover； so indolent and void of
character as not to be of the least consequence in her own
house； Rebecca soon found that it was not at all necessary
to cultivate her good willindeed； impossible to gain it。 She
used to talk to her pupils about their 〃poor mamma〃； and；
though she treated that lady with every demonstration
of cool respect； it was to the rest of the family that she
wisely directed the chief part of her attentions。
With the young people； whose applause she thoroughly
gained； her method was pretty simple。 She did not
pester their young brains with too much learning； but；
on the contrary； let them have their own way in
regard to educating themselves； for what instruction is more
effectual than self…instruction？ The eldest was rather fond
of books； and as there was in the old library at Queen's
Crawley a considerable provision of works of light
literat