Indeed, Joseph Sedley, affected by the humble position in which he found his relations, and in the expansiveness and overflowing of heart occasioned by the first meeting, declared that they should never suffer want or discomfort any more, that he was at home for some time at any rate, during which his house and everything he had should be theirs: and that Amelia would look very pretty at the head of his table--until she would accept one of her own.
She shook her head sadly and had, as usual, recourse to the waterworks. She knew what he meant. She and her young confidante, Miss Mary, had talked over the matter most fully, the very night of the Major's visit, beyond which time the impetuous Polly could not refrain from talking of the discovery which she had made, and describing the start and tremor of joy by which Major Dobbin betrayed himself when Mr. Binny passed with his bride and the Major learned that he had no longer a rival to fear. "Didn't you see how he shook all over when you asked if he was married and he said, 'Who told you those lies?' Oh, M'am," Polly said, "he never kept his eyes off you, and I'm sure he's grown grey athinking of you."
But Amelia, looking up at her bed, over which hung the portraits of her husband and son, told her young protegee never, never, to speak on that subject again; that Major Dobbin had been her husband's dearest friend and her own and George's most kind and affectionate guardian; that she loved him as a brother--but that a woman who had been married to such an angel as that, and she pointed to the wall, could never think of any other union. Poor Polly sighed: she thought what she should do if young Mr. Tomkins, at the surgery, who always looked at her so at church, and who, by those mere aggressive glances had put her timorous little heart into such a flutter that she was ready to surrender at once,--what she should do if he were to die? She knew he was consumptive, his cheeks were so red and he was so uncommon thin in the waist.

Indeed, Joseph Sedley, affected by the humble position in which he found his relations, had declared that they should never suffer want or discomfort any more; that his house and everything he had should be theirs: and that Amelia would look very pretty at the head of his table - until she should accept one of her own.
She shook her head sadly and had, as usual, recourse to the waterworks. She knew what he meant. She and young Polly Clapp had talked very fully on the night of the Major's visit, and Polly could not refrain from telling her of the discovery which she had made, and how Major Dobbin had betrayed himself by his tremor of joy when Mr. Binny passed with his bride.
"Oh, Ma'am," she said, "he never kept his eyes off you, and I'm sure he's grown grey athinking of you."
But Amelia, looking up at the portraits of her husband and son, told her never to speak on that subject again; that Major Dobbin had been her husband's dearest friend and her own kind guardian; that she loved him as a brother - but that a woman who had been married to such an angel as that could never think of another union.
Poor Polly sighed: she thought of young Mr. Tomkins, at the surgery, whose glances at church put her timorous little heart into a flutter - what would she do if he were to die? She knew he was consumptive, his cheeks were so red and he was so thin.
