CHAPTER	O
I	O
Chiswick	O
Mall	O
While	O
the	O
present	O
century	O
was	O
in	O
its	O
teens	O
,	O
and	O
on	O
one	O
sunshiny	O
morning	O
in	O
June	O
,	O
there	O
drove	EVENT
up	O
to	O
the	O
great	O
iron	O
gate	O
of	O
Miss	O
Pinkerton	O
's	O
academy	O
for	O
young	O
ladies	O
,	O
on	O
Chiswick	O
Mall	O
,	O
a	O
large	O
family	O
coach	O
,	O
with	O
two	O
fat	O
horses	O
in	O
blazing	O
harness	O
,	O
driven	EVENT
by	O
a	O
fat	O
coachman	O
in	O
a	O
three-cornered	O
hat	O
and	O
wig	O
,	O
at	O
the	O
rate	O
of	O
four	O
miles	O
an	O
hour	O
.	O

A	O
black	O
servant	O
,	O
who	O
reposed	O
on	O
the	O
box	O
beside	O
the	O
fat	O
coachman	O
,	O
uncurled	EVENT
his	O
bandy	O
legs	O
as	O
soon	O
as	O
the	O
equipage	O
drew	EVENT
up	O
opposite	O
Miss	O
Pinkerton	O
's	O
shining	O
brass	O
plate	O
,	O
and	O
as	O
he	O
pulled	EVENT
the	O
bell	O
at	O
least	O
a	O
score	O
of	O
young	O
heads	O
were	O
seen	O
peering	EVENT
out	O
of	O
the	O
narrow	O
windows	O
of	O
the	O
stately	O
old	O
brick	O
house	O
.	O

Nay	O
,	O
the	O
acute	O
observer	O
might	O
have	O
recognized	O
the	O
little	O
red	O
nose	O
of	O
good-natured	O
Miss	O
Jemima	O
Pinkerton	O
herself	O
,	O
rising	EVENT
over	O
some	O
geranium	O
pots	O
in	O
the	O
window	O
of	O
that	O
lady	O
's	O
own	O
drawing-room	O
.	O

"	O
It	O
is	O
Mrs.	O
Sedley	O
's	O
coach	O
,	O
sister	O
,	O
"	O
said	EVENT
Miss	O
Jemima	O
.	O

"	O
Sambo	O
,	O
the	O
black	O
servant	O
,	O
has	O
just	O
rung	EVENT
the	O
bell	O
;	O
and	O
the	O
coachman	O
has	O
a	O
new	O
red	O
waistcoat	O
.	O
"	O

"	O
Have	O
you	O
completed	O
all	O
the	O
necessary	O
preparations	O
incident	O
to	O
Miss	O
Sedley	O
's	O
departure	O
,	O
Miss	O
Jemima	O
?	O
"	O

asked	EVENT
Miss	O
Pinkerton	O
herself	O
,	O
that	O
majestic	O
lady	O
;	O
the	O
Semiramis	O
of	O
Hammersmith	O
,	O
the	O
friend	O
of	O
Doctor	O
Johnson	O
,	O
the	O
correspondent	O
of	O
Mrs.	O
Chapone	O
herself	O
.	O

"	O
The	O
girls	O
were	O
up	EVENT
at	O
four	O
this	O
morning	O
,	O
packing	EVENT
her	O
trunks	O
,	O
sister	O
,	O
"	O
replied	EVENT
Miss	O
Jemima	O
;	O
"	O
we	O
have	O
made	EVENT
her	O
a	O
bow-pot	O
.	O
"	O

"	O
Say	O
a	O
bouquet	O
,	O
sister	O
Jemima	O
,	O
't	O
is	O
more	O
genteel	O
.	O
"	O

"	O
Well	O
,	O
a	O
booky	O
as	O
big	O
almost	O
as	O
a	O
haystack	O
;	O
I	O
have	O
put	EVENT
up	O
two	O
bottles	O
of	O
the	O
gillyflower	O
water	O
for	O
Mrs.	O
Sedley	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
receipt	O
for	O
making	O
it	O
,	O
in	O
Amelia	O
's	O
box	O
.	O
"	O

"	O
And	O
I	O
trust	O
,	O
Miss	O
Jemima	O
,	O
you	O
have	O
made	O
a	O
copy	O
of	O
Miss	O
Sedley	O
's	O
account	O
.	O

This	O
is	O
it	O
,	O
is	O
it	O
?	O

Very	O
good	O
--	O
ninety-three	O
pounds	O
,	O
four	O
shillings	O
.	O

Be	O
kind	O
enough	O
to	O
address	O
it	O
to	O
John	O
Sedley	O
,	O
Esquire	O
,	O
and	O
to	O
seal	O
this	O
billet	O
which	O
I	O
have	O
written	O
to	O
his	O
lady	O
.	O
"	O

In	O
Miss	O
Jemima	O
's	O
eyes	O
an	O
autograph	O
letter	O
of	O
her	O
sister	O
,	O
Miss	O
Pinkerton	O
,	O
was	O
an	O
object	O
of	O
as	O
deep	O
veneration	O
as	O
would	O
have	O
been	O
a	O
letter	O
from	O
a	O
sovereign	O
.	O

Only	O
when	O
her	O
pupils	O
quitted	O
the	O
establishment	O
,	O
or	O
when	O
they	O
were	O
about	O
to	O
be	O
married	O
,	O
and	O
once	O
,	O
when	O
poor	O
Miss	O
Birch	O
died	EVENT
of	O
the	O
scarlet	O
fever	O
,	O
was	O
Miss	O
Pinkerton	O
known	O
to	O
write	O
personally	O
to	O
the	O
parents	O
of	O
her	O
pupils	O
;	O
and	O
it	O
was	O
Jemima	O
's	O
opinion	O
that	O
if	O
anything	O
could	O
console	O
Mrs.	O
Birch	O
for	O
her	O
daughter	O
's	O
loss	O
,	O
it	O
would	O
be	O
that	O
pious	O
and	O
eloquent	O
composition	O
in	O
which	O
Miss	O
Pinkerton	O
announced	O
the	O
event	O
.	O

In	O
the	O
present	O
instance	O
Miss	O
Pinkerton	O
's	O
"	O
billet	O
"	O
was	O
to	O
the	O
following	O
effect	O
:	O
--	O
The	O
Mall	O
,	O
Chiswick	O
,	O
June	O
15	O
,	O
18	O
MADAM	O
,	O
--	O
After	O
her	O
six	O
years	O
'	O
residence	O
at	O
the	O
Mall	O
,	O
I	O
have	O
the	O
honour	O
and	O
happiness	O
of	O
presenting	O
Miss	O
Amelia	O
Sedley	O
to	O
her	O
parents	O
,	O
as	O
a	O
young	O
lady	O
not	O
unworthy	O
to	O
occupy	O
a	O
fitting	O
position	O
in	O
their	O
polished	O
and	O
refined	O
circle	O
.	O

Those	O
virtues	O
which	O
characterize	O
the	O
young	O
English	O
gentlewoman	O
,	O
those	O
accomplishments	O
which	O
become	O
her	O
birth	O
and	O
station	O
,	O
will	O
not	O
be	O
found	O
wanting	O
in	O
the	O
amiable	O
Miss	O
Sedley	O
,	O
whose	O
INDUSTRY	O
and	O
OBEDIENCE	O
have	O
endeared	O
her	O
to	O
her	O
instructors	O
,	O
and	O
whose	O
delightful	O
sweetness	O
of	O
temper	O
has	O
charmed	O
her	O
AGED	O
and	O
her	O
YOUTHFUL	O
companions	O
.	O

In	O
music	O
,	O
in	O
dancing	O
,	O
in	O
orthography	O
,	O
in	O
every	O
variety	O
of	O
embroidery	O
and	O
needlework	O
,	O
she	O
will	O
be	O
found	O
to	O
have	O
realized	O
her	O
friends	O
'	O
fondest	O
wishes	O
.	O

In	O
geography	O
there	O
is	O
still	O
much	O
to	O
be	O
desired	O
;	O
and	O
a	O
careful	O
and	O
undeviating	O
use	O
of	O
the	O
backboard	O
,	O
for	O
four	O
hours	O
daily	O
during	O
the	O
next	O
three	O
years	O
,	O
is	O
recommended	O
as	O
necessary	O
to	O
the	O
acquirement	O
of	O
that	O
dignified	O
DEPORTMENT	O
AND	O
CARRIAGE	O
,	O
so	O
requisite	O
for	O
every	O
young	O
lady	O
of	O
FASHION	O
.	O

In	O
the	O
principles	O
of	O
religion	O
and	O
morality	O
,	O
Miss	O
Sedley	O
will	O
be	O
found	O
worthy	O
of	O
an	O
establishment	O
which	O
has	O
been	O
honoured	O
by	O
the	O
presence	O
of	O
THE	O
GREAT	O
LEXICOGRAPHER	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
patronage	O
of	O
the	O
admirable	O
Mrs.	O
Chapone	O
.	O

In	O
leaving	O
the	O
Mall	O
,	O
Miss	O
Amelia	O
carries	O
with	O
her	O
the	O
hearts	O
of	O
her	O
companions	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
affectionate	O
regards	O
of	O
her	O
mistress	O
,	O
who	O
has	O
the	O
honour	O
to	O
subscribe	O
herself	O
,	O
Madam	O
,	O
Your	O
most	O
obliged	O
humble	O
servant	O
,	O
BARBARA	O
PINKERTON	O
P.S.	O
--	O
Miss	O
Sharp	O
accompanies	O
Miss	O
Sedley	O
.	O

It	O
is	O
particularly	O
requested	O
that	O
Miss	O
Sharp	O
's	O
stay	O
in	O
Russell	O
Square	O
may	O
not	O
exceed	O
ten	O
days	O
.	O

The	O
family	O
of	O
distinction	O
with	O
whom	O
she	O
is	O
engaged	O
,	O
desire	O
to	O
avail	O
themselves	O
of	O
her	O
services	O
as	O
soon	O
as	O
possible	O
.	O

This	O
letter	O
completed	EVENT
,	O
Miss	O
Pinkerton	O
proceeded	O
to	O
write	EVENT
her	O
own	O
name	O
,	O
and	O
Miss	O
Sedley	O
's	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
fly-leaf	O
of	O
a	O
Johnson	O
's	O
Dictionary	O
--	O
the	O
interesting	O
work	O
which	O
she	O
invariably	O
presented	O
to	O
her	O
scholars	O
,	O
on	O
their	O
departure	O
from	O
the	O
Mall	O
.	O

On	O
the	O
cover	O
was	O
inserted	EVENT
a	O
copy	O
of	O
"	O
Lines	O
addressed	O
to	O
a	O
young	O
lady	O
on	O
quitting	O
Miss	O
Pinkerton	O
's	O
school	O
,	O
at	O
the	O
Mall	O
;	O
by	O
the	O
late	O
revered	O
Doctor	O
Samuel	O
Johnson	O
.	O
"	O

In	O
fact	O
,	O
the	O
Lexicographer	O
's	O
name	O
was	O
always	O
on	O
the	O
lips	O
of	O
this	O
majestic	O
woman	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
visit	EVENT
he	O
had	O
paid	O
to	O
her	O
was	O
the	O
cause	O
of	O
her	O
reputation	O
and	O
her	O
fortune	O
.	O

Being	O
commanded	EVENT
by	O
her	O
elder	O
sister	O
to	O
get	O
"	O
the	O
Dictionary	O
"	O
from	O
the	O
cupboard	O
,	O
Miss	O
Jemima	O
had	O
extracted	EVENT
two	O
copies	O
of	O
the	O
book	O
from	O
the	O
receptacle	O
in	O
question	O
.	O

When	O
Miss	O
Pinkerton	O
had	O
finished	EVENT
the	O
inscription	EVENT
in	O
the	O
first	O
,	O
Jemima	O
,	O
with	O
rather	O
a	O
dubious	O
and	O
timid	O
air	O
,	O
handed	EVENT
her	O
the	O
second	O
.	O

"	O
For	O
whom	O
is	O
this	O
,	O
Miss	O
Jemima	O
?	O
"	O

said	EVENT
Miss	O
Pinkerton	O
,	O
with	O
awful	O
coldness	O
.	O

"	O
For	O
Becky	O
Sharp	O
,	O
"	O
answered	EVENT
Jemima	O
,	O
trembling	EVENT
very	O
much	O
,	O
and	O
blushing	EVENT
over	O
her	O
withered	O
face	O
and	O
neck	O
,	O
as	O
she	O
turned	EVENT
her	O
back	O
on	O
her	O
sister	O
.	O

"	O
For	O
Becky	O
Sharp	O
:	O
she	O
's	O
going	O
too	O
.	O
"	O

"	O
MISS	O
JEMIMA	O
!	O
"	O

exclaimed	EVENT
Miss	O
Pinkerton	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
largest	O
capitals	O
.	O

"	O
Are	O
you	O
in	O
your	O
senses	O
?	O

Replace	O
the	O
Dixonary	O
in	O
the	O
closet	O
,	O
and	O
never	O
venture	O
to	O
take	O
such	O
a	O
liberty	O
in	O
future	O
.	O
"	O

"	O
Well	O
,	O
sister	O
,	O
it	O
's	O
only	O
two-and-ninepence	O
,	O
and	O
poor	O
Becky	O
will	O
be	O
miserable	O
if	O
she	O
do	O
n't	O
get	O
one	O
.	O
"	O

"	O
Send	O
Miss	O
Sedley	O
instantly	O
to	O
me	O
,	O
"	O
said	EVENT
Miss	O
Pinkerton	O
.	O

And	O
so	O
venturing	O
not	O
to	O
say	O
another	O
word	O
,	O
poor	O
Jemima	O
trotted	EVENT
off	O
,	O
exceedingly	O
flurried	O
and	O
nervous	O
.	O

Miss	O
Sedley	O
's	O
papa	O
was	O
a	O
merchant	O
in	O
London	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
man	O
of	O
some	O
wealth	O
;	O
whereas	O
Miss	O
Sharp	O
was	O
an	O
articled	O
pupil	O
,	O
for	O
whom	O
Miss	O
Pinkerton	O
had	O
done	O
,	O
as	O
she	O
thought	O
,	O
quite	O
enough	O
,	O
without	O
conferring	O
upon	O
her	O
at	O
parting	O
the	O
high	O
honour	O
of	O
the	O
Dixonary	O
.	O

Although	O
schoolmistresses	O
'	O
letters	O
are	O
to	O
be	O
trusted	O
no	O
more	O
nor	O
less	O
than	O
churchyard	O
epitaphs	O
;	O
yet	O
,	O
as	O
it	O
sometimes	O
happens	O
that	O
a	O
person	O
departs	O
this	O
life	O
who	O
is	O
really	O
deserving	O
of	O
all	O
the	O
praises	O
the	O
stone	O
cutter	O
carves	O
over	O
his	O
bones	O
;	O
who	O
IS	O
a	O
good	O
Christian	O
,	O
a	O
good	O
parent	O
,	O
child	O
,	O
wife	O
,	O
or	O
husband	O
;	O
who	O
actually	O
DOES	O
leave	O
a	O
disconsolate	O
family	O
to	O
mourn	O
his	O
loss	O
;	O
so	O
in	O
academies	O
of	O
the	O
male	O
and	O
female	O
sex	O
it	O
occurs	O
every	O
now	O
and	O
then	O
that	O
the	O
pupil	O
is	O
fully	O
worthy	O
of	O
the	O
praises	O
bestowed	O
by	O
the	O
disinterested	O
instructor	O
.	O

Now	O
,	O
Miss	O
Amelia	O
Sedley	O
was	O
a	O
young	O
lady	O
of	O
this	O
singular	O
species	O
;	O
and	O
deserved	O
not	O
only	O
all	O
that	O
Miss	O
Pinkerton	O
said	O
in	O
her	O
praise	O
,	O
but	O
had	O
many	O
charming	O
qualities	O
which	O
that	O
pompous	O
old	O
Minerva	O
of	O
a	O
woman	O
could	O
not	O
see	O
,	O
from	O
the	O
differences	O
of	O
rank	O
and	O
age	O
between	O
her	O
pupil	O
and	O
herself	O
.	O

For	O
she	O
could	O
not	O
only	O
sing	O
like	O
a	O
lark	O
,	O
or	O
a	O
Mrs.	O
Billington	O
,	O
and	O
dance	O
like	O
Hillisberg	O
or	O
Parisot	O
;	O
and	O
embroider	O
beautifully	O
;	O
and	O
spell	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
a	O
Dixonary	O
itself	O
;	O
but	O
she	O
had	O
such	O
a	O
kindly	O
,	O
smiling	O
,	O
tender	O
,	O
gentle	O
,	O
generous	O
heart	O
of	O
her	O
own	O
,	O
as	O
won	O
the	O
love	O
of	O
everybody	O
who	O
came	O
near	O
her	O
,	O
from	O
Minerva	O
herself	O
down	O
to	O
the	O
poor	O
girl	O
in	O
the	O
scullery	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
one-eyed	O
tart-woman	O
's	O
daughter	O
,	O
who	O
was	O
permitted	O
to	O
vend	O
her	O
wares	O
once	O
a	O
week	O
to	O
the	O
young	O
ladies	O
in	O
the	O
Mall	O
.	O

She	O
had	O
twelve	O
intimate	O
and	O
bosom	O
friends	O
out	O
of	O
the	O
twenty-four	O
young	O
ladies	O
.	O

Even	O
envious	O
Miss	O
Briggs	O
never	O
spoke	O
ill	O
of	O
her	O
;	O
high	O
and	O
mighty	O
Miss	O
Saltire	O
(	O
Lord	O
Dexter	O
's	O
granddaughter	O
)	O
allowed	O
that	O
her	O
figure	O
was	O
genteel	O
;	O
and	O
as	O
for	O
Miss	O
Swartz	O
,	O
the	O
rich	O
woolly-haired	O
mulatto	O
from	O
St.	O
Kitt	O
's	O
,	O
on	O
the	O
day	O
Amelia	O
went	EVENT
away	O
,	O
she	O
was	O
in	O
such	O
a	O
passion	EVENT
of	O
tears	EVENT
that	O
they	O
were	O
obliged	O
to	O
send	EVENT
for	O
Dr.	O
Floss	O
,	O
and	O
half	O
tipsify	EVENT
her	O
with	O
salvolatile	O
.	O

Miss	O
Pinkerton	O
's	O
attachment	O
was	O
,	O
as	O
may	O
be	O
supposed	O
from	O
the	O
high	O
position	O
and	O
eminent	O
virtues	O
of	O
that	O
lady	O
,	O
calm	O
and	O
dignified	O
;	O
but	O
Miss	O
Jemima	O
had	O
already	O
whimpered	O
several	O
times	O
at	O
the	O
idea	O
of	O
Amelia	O
's	O
departure	O
;	O
and	O
,	O
but	O
for	O
fear	O
of	O
her	O
sister	O
,	O
would	O
have	O
gone	O
off	O
in	O
downright	O
hysterics	O
,	O
like	O
the	O
heiress	O
(	O
who	O
paid	O
double	O
)	O
of	O
St.	O
Kitt	O
's	O
.	O

Such	O
luxury	O
of	O
grief	O
,	O
however	O
,	O
is	O
only	O
allowed	O
to	O
parlour-boarders	O
.	O

Honest	O
Jemima	O
had	O
all	O
the	O
bills	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
washing	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
mending	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
puddings	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
plate	O
and	O
crockery	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
servants	O
to	O
superintend	O
.	O

But	O
why	O
speak	O
about	O
her	O
?	O

It	O
is	O
probable	O
that	O
we	O
shall	O
not	O
hear	O
of	O
her	O
again	O
from	O
this	O
moment	O
to	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
time	O
,	O
and	O
that	O
when	O
the	O
great	O
filigree	O
iron	O
gates	O
are	O
once	O
closed	O
on	O
her	O
,	O
she	O
and	O
her	O
awful	O
sister	O
will	O
never	O
issue	O
therefrom	O
into	O
this	O
little	O
world	O
of	O
history	O
.	O

But	O
as	O
we	O
are	O
to	O
see	O
a	O
great	O
deal	O
of	O
Amelia	O
,	O
there	O
is	O
no	O
harm	O
in	O
saying	O
,	O
at	O
the	O
outset	O
of	O
our	O
acquaintance	O
,	O
that	O
she	O
was	O
a	O
dear	O
little	O
creature	O
;	O
and	O
a	O
great	O
mercy	O
it	O
is	O
,	O
both	O
in	O
life	O
and	O
in	O
novels	O
,	O
which	O
(	O
and	O
the	O
latter	O
especially	O
)	O
abound	O
in	O
villains	O
of	O
the	O
most	O
sombre	O
sort	O
,	O
that	O
we	O
are	O
to	O
have	O
for	O
a	O
constant	O
companion	O
so	O
guileless	O
and	O
good-natured	O
a	O
person	O
.	O

As	O
she	O
is	O
not	O
a	O
heroine	O
,	O
there	O
is	O
no	O
need	O
to	O
describe	O
her	O
person	O
;	O
indeed	O
I	O
am	O
afraid	O
that	O
her	O
nose	O
was	O
rather	O
short	O
than	O
otherwise	O
,	O
and	O
her	O
cheeks	O
a	O
great	O
deal	O
too	O
round	O
and	O
red	O
for	O
a	O
heroine	O
;	O
but	O
her	O
face	O
blushed	O
with	O
rosy	O
health	O
,	O
and	O
her	O
lips	O
with	O
the	O
freshest	O
of	O
smiles	O
,	O
and	O
she	O
had	O
a	O
pair	O
of	O
eyes	O
which	O
sparkled	O
with	O
the	O
brightest	O
and	O
honestest	O
good-humour	O
,	O
except	O
indeed	O
when	O
they	O
filled	O
with	O
tears	O
,	O
and	O
that	O
was	O
a	O
great	O
deal	O
too	O
often	O
;	O
for	O
the	O
silly	O
thing	O
would	O
cry	O
over	O
a	O
dead	O
canary-bird	O
;	O
or	O
over	O
a	O
mouse	O
,	O
that	O
the	O
cat	O
haply	O
had	O
seized	O
upon	O
;	O
or	O
over	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
a	O
novel	O
,	O
were	O
it	O
ever	O
so	O
stupid	O
;	O
and	O
as	O
for	O
saying	O
an	O
unkind	O
word	O
to	O
her	O
,	O
were	O
any	O
persons	O
hard-hearted	O
enough	O
to	O
do	O
so	O
--	O
why	O
,	O
so	O
much	O
the	O
worse	O
for	O
them	O
.	O

Even	O
Miss	O
Pinkerton	O
,	O
that	O
austere	O
and	O
godlike	O
woman	O
,	O
ceased	O
scolding	O
her	O
after	O
the	O
first	O
time	O
,	O
and	O
though	O
she	O
no	O
more	O
comprehended	O
sensibility	O
than	O
she	O
did	O
Algebra	O
,	O
gave	O
all	O
masters	O
and	O
teachers	O
particular	O
orders	O
to	O
treat	O
Miss	O
Sedley	O
with	O
the	O
utmost	O
gentleness	O
,	O
as	O
harsh	O
treatment	O
was	O
injurious	O
to	O
her	O
.	O