As for Emmy, who found herself not in the least mistress of her own house, except when the bills were to be paid, Becky soon discovered the way to soothe and please her. She talked to her perpetually about Major Dobbin sent about his business, and made no scruple of declaring her admiration for that excellent, high-minded gentleman, and of telling Emmy that she had behaved most cruelly regarding him. Emmy defended her conduct and showed that it was dictated only by the purest religious principles; that a woman once, &c., and to such an angel as him whom she had had the good fortune to marry, was married forever; but she had no objection to hear the Major praised as much as ever Becky chose to praise him, and indeed, brought the conversation round to the Dobbin subject a score of times every day.
Means were easily found to win the favour of Georgy and the servants. Amelia's maid, it has been said, was heart and soul in favour of the generous Major. Having at first disliked Becky for being the means of dismissing him from the presence of her mistress, she was reconciled to Mrs. Crawley subsequently, because the latter became William's most ardent admirer and champion. And in those nightly conclaves in which the two ladies indulged after their parties, and while Miss Payne was "brushing their 'airs," as she called the yellow locks of the one and the soft brown tresses of the other, this girl always put in her word for that dear good gentleman Major Dobbin. Her advocacy did not make Amelia angry any more than Rebecca's admiration of him. She made George write to him constantly and persisted in sending Mamma's kind love in a postscript. And as she looked at her husband's portrait of nights, it no longer reproached her--perhaps she reproached it, now William was gone.

As for Emmy, who found herself no longer mistress of her own house, except when the bills were to be paid, Becky soon discovered the way to soothe her. She talked to her perpetually about Major Dobbin, declaring her admiration for that excellent gentleman, and telling Emmy that she had behaved most cruelly to him. Emmy defended her conduct and her religious principles; saying that a woman once, etc., and to such an angel as George, was married forever; but she had no objection to hearing the Major praised by Becky, and brought the conversation round to Dobbin twenty times a day.
Becky easily won the favour of Georgy and the servants. Amelia's maid supported the Major, and was reconciled to Becky as his champion. In the evening when Miss Payne was brushing Amelia's hair, she always put in her word for that dear good Major Dobbin.
Amelia did not object to this either. She made George write to Dobbin constantly and persisted in sending Mamma's kind love in a postscript. And as she looked at her husband's portrait, it no longer reproached her; perhaps she reproached it, now William was gone.
