Marker；〃 and had such a conversation with him that no
duel took place。 If Rebecca had not gone on her knees
to General Tufto； Crawley would have been sent back
to England； and he did not play； except with civilians；
for some weeks after。
But； in spite of Rawdon's undoubted skill and constant
successes； it became evident to Rebecca； considering
these things； that their position was but a precarious
one； and that； even although they paid scarcely anybody；
their little capital would end one day by dwindling into
zero。 〃Gambling；〃 she would say； 〃dear； is good to help
your income； but not as an income itself。 Some day
people may be tired of play； and then where are we？〃
Rawdon acquiesced in the justice of her opinion； and in
truth he had remarked that after a few nights of his
little suppers； &c。； gentlemen were tired of play with him；
and； in spite of Rebecca's charms； did not present
themselves very eagerly。
Easy and pleasant as their life at Paris was； it was
after all only an idle dalliance and amiable trifling； and
Rebecca saw that she must push Rawdon's fortune in
their own country。 She must get him a place or appointment
at home or in the colonies； and she determined to
make a move upon England as soon as the way could be
cleared for her。 As a first step she had made Crawley
sell out of the Guards and go on half…pay。 His function
as aide…de…camp to General Tufto had ceased previously。
Rebecca laughed in all companies at that officer； at his
toupee （which he mounted on coming to Paris）； at his
waistband； at his false teeth； at his pretensions to be a
lady…killer above all； and his absurd vanity in fancying
every woman whom he came near was in love with
him。 It was to Mrs。 Brent； the beetle…browed wife of
Mr。 Commissary Brent； to whom the general transferred
his attentions nowhis bouquets； his dinners at the
restaurateurs'； his opera…boxes； and his knick…knacks。 Poor
Mrs。 Tufto was no more happy than before； and had still
to pass long evenings alone with her daughters； knowing
that her General was gone off scented and curled to
stand behind Mrs。 Brent's chair at the play。 Becky had a
dozen admirers in his place； to be sure； and could cut
her rival to pieces with her wit。 But； as we have said； she。
was growing tired of this idle social life： opera…boxes and
restaurateur dinners palled upon her： nosegays could not
be laid by as a provision for future years： and she could
not live upon knick…knacks； laced handkerchiefs； and kid
gloves。 She felt the frivolity of pleasure and longed for
more substantial benefits。
At this juncture news arrived which was spread among
the many creditors of the Colonel at Paris； and which
caused them great satisfaction。 Miss Crawley； the rich
aunt from whom he expected his immense inheritance；
was dying； the Colonel must haste to her bedside。 Mrs。
Crawley and her child would remain behind until he
came to reclaim them。 He departed for Calais； and having
reached that place in safety； it might have been
supposed that he went to Dover； but instead he took the
diligence to Dunkirk； and thence travelled to Brussels；
for which place he had a former predilection。 The fact
is； he owed more money at London than at Paris； and he
preferred the quiet little Belgian city to either of the more
noisy capitals。
Her aunt was dead。 Mrs。 Crawley ordered the most
intense mourning for herself and little Rawdon。 The Colonel
was busy arranging the affairs of the inheritance。 They
could take the premier now； instead of the little entresol
of the hotel which they occupied。 Mrs。 Crawley and the
landlord had a consultation about the new hangings；
an amicable wrangle about the carpets； and a final adjustment
of everything except the bill。 She went off in one
of his carriages； her French bonne with her； the child
by her side； the admirable landlord and landlady smiling
farewell to her from the gate。 General Tufto was furious
when he heard she was gone； and Mrs。 Brent furious
with him for being furious； Lieutenant Spooney was cut
to the heart； and the landlord got ready his best apartments
previous to the return of the fascinating little
woman and her husband。 He serred the trunks which
she left in his charge with the greatest care。 They had been
especially recommended to him by Madame Crawley。 They
were not； however； found to be particularly valuable
when opened some time after。
But before she went to join her husband in the Belgic
capital； Mrs。 Crawley made an expedition into England；
leaving behind her her little son upon the continent；
under the care of her French maid。
The parting between Rebecca and the little Rawdon did
not cause either party much pain。 She had not； to say
truth； seen much of the young gentleman since his birth。
After the amiable fashion of French mothers； she had
placed him out at nurse in a village in the neighbourhood
of Paris； where little Rawdon passed the first months of
his life； not unhappily； with a numerous family of
foster…brothers in wooden shoes。 His father would ride over
many a time to see him here； and the elder Rawdon's
paternal heart glowed to see him rosy and dirty；
shouting lustily； and happy in the making of mud…pies
under the superintendence of the gardener's wife； his
nurse。
Rebecca did not care much to go and see the son
and heir。 Once he spoiled a new dove…coloured pelisse
of hers。 He preferred his nurse's caresses to his mamma's；
and when finally he quitted that jolly nurse and almost
parent； he cried loudly for hours。 He was only consoled
by his mother's promise that he should return to his nurse
the next day； indeed the nurse herself； who probably
would have been pained at the parting too； was told that
the child would immediately be restored to her； and for
some time awaited quite anxiously his return。
In fact； our friends may be said to have been among
the first of that brood of hardy English adventurers who
have subsequently invaded the Continent and swindled
in all the capitals of Europe。 The respect in those happy
days of 1817…18 was very great for the wealth and
honour of Britons。 They had not then learned； as I am
told； to haggle for bargains with the pertinacity which
now distinguishes them。 The great cities of Europe had
not been as yet open to the enterprise of our rascals。
And whereas there is now hardly a town of France or
Italy in which you shall not see some noble countryman
of our own； with that happy swagger and insolence
of demeanour which we carry everywhere； swindling
inn…landlords； passing fictitious cheques upon credulous
bankers； robbing coach…makers of their carriages； goldsmiths
of their trinkets； easy travellers of their money at cards；
even public libraries of their booksthirty years ago you
needed but to be a Milor Anglais； travelling in a private
carriage； and credit was at your hand wherever you chose
to seek it； and gentlemen； instead of cheating； were
cheated。 It was not for some weeks after the Crawleys'
departure that the landlord of the hotel which they
occupied during their residence at Paris found out the losses
which he had sustained： not until Madame Marabou； the
milliner； made repeated visits with her little bill for
articles supplied to Madame Crawley； not until Monsieur
Didelot from Boule d'Or in the Palais Royal had asked
half a dozen times whether cette charmante Miladi who
had bought watches and bracelets of him was de retour。
It is a fact that even the poor gardener's wife； who
had nursed madame's child； was never paid after the
first six months for that supply of the milk of human
kindness with which she had furnished the lusty and
healthy little Rawdon。 No； not even the nurse was paid
the Crawleys were in too great a hurry to remember
their trifling debt to her。 As for the landlord of the hotel；
his curses against the English nation were violent for the
rest of his natural life。 He asked all travellers whether
they knew a certain Colonel Lor Crawleyavec sa
femme une petite dame； tres spirituelle。 〃Ah；
Monsieur！〃 he would add〃ils m'ont affreusement vole。〃 It
was melancholy to hear his accents as he spoke of that
catastrophe。
Rebecca's object in her journey to London was to
effect a kind of compromise with her husband's numerous
creditors； and by offering them a dividend of ninepence
or a shilling in the pound； to secure a return for him into
his own country。 It does not become us to trace the steps
which she took in the conduct of this most difficult
negotiation； but； having shown them to their satisfaction
that the sum which she was empowered to offer was all
her husband's available capital； and having convinced
them that Colonel Crawley would prefer a perpetual
retirement on the Continent to a residence in this country
with his debts unsettled； having proved to them that there
was no possibility of money accruing to him from other
quarters； and no earthly chance of their getting a larger
dividend than that which she was empowered to offer；
she brought the Colonel's creditors unanimously to
accept her proposals； and purchased with fifteen hundred
pounds of ready money more than ten times that amount
of debts。
Mrs。 Crawley employed no la