CHAPTER I Chiswick Mall While the present century was in its teens , and on one sunshiny morning in June , there drove up to the great iron gate of Miss Pinkerton 's academy for young ladies , on Chiswick Mall , a large family coach , with two fat horses in blazing harness , driven by a fat coachman in a three-cornered hat and wig , at the rate of four miles an hour .
A black servant , who reposed on the box beside the fat coachman , uncurled his bandy legs as soon as the equipage drew up opposite Miss Pinkerton 's shining brass plate , and as he pulled the bell at least a score of young heads were seen peering out of the narrow windows of the stately old brick house .
Nay , the acute observer might have recognized the little red nose of good-natured Miss Jemima Pinkerton herself , rising over some geranium pots in the window of that lady 's own drawing-room .
" It is Mrs. Sedley 's coach , sister , " said Miss Jemima .
" Sambo , the black servant , has just rung the bell ; and the coachman has a new red waistcoat . "
" Have you completed all the necessary preparations incident to Miss Sedley 's departure , Miss Jemima ? "
asked Miss Pinkerton herself , that majestic lady ; the Semiramis of Hammersmith , the friend of Doctor Johnson , the correspondent of Mrs. Chapone herself .
" The girls were up at four this morning , packing her trunks , sister , " replied Miss Jemima ; " we have made her a bow-pot . "
" Say a bouquet , sister Jemima , 't is more genteel . "
" Well , a booky as big almost as a haystack ; I have put up two bottles of the gillyflower water for Mrs. Sedley , and the receipt for making it , in Amelia 's box . "
" And I trust , Miss Jemima , you have made a copy of Miss Sedley 's account .
This is it , is it ?
Very good -- ninety-three pounds , four shillings .
Be kind enough to address it to John Sedley , Esquire , and to seal this billet which I have written to his lady . "
In Miss Jemima 's eyes an autograph letter of her sister , Miss Pinkerton , was an object of as deep veneration as would have been a letter from a sovereign .
Only when her pupils quitted the establishment , or when they were about to be married , and once , when poor Miss Birch died of the scarlet fever , was Miss Pinkerton known to write personally to the parents of her pupils ; and it was Jemima 's opinion that if anything could console Mrs. Birch for her daughter 's loss , it would be that pious and eloquent composition in which Miss Pinkerton announced the event .
In the present instance Miss Pinkerton 's " billet " was to the following effect : -- The Mall , Chiswick , June 15 , 18 MADAM , -- After her six years ' residence at the Mall , I have the honour and happiness of presenting Miss Amelia Sedley to her parents , as a young lady not unworthy to occupy a fitting position in their polished and refined circle .
Those virtues which characterize the young English gentlewoman , those accomplishments which become her birth and station , will not be found wanting in the amiable Miss Sedley , whose INDUSTRY and OBEDIENCE have endeared her to her instructors , and whose delightful sweetness of temper has charmed her AGED and her YOUTHFUL companions .
In music , in dancing , in orthography , in every variety of embroidery and needlework , she will be found to have realized her friends ' fondest wishes .
In geography there is still much to be desired ; and a careful and undeviating use of the backboard , for four hours daily during the next three years , is recommended as necessary to the acquirement of that dignified DEPORTMENT AND CARRIAGE , so requisite for every young lady of FASHION .
In the principles of religion and morality , Miss Sedley will be found worthy of an establishment which has been honoured by the presence of THE GREAT LEXICOGRAPHER , and the patronage of the admirable Mrs. Chapone .
In leaving the Mall , Miss Amelia carries with her the hearts of her companions , and the affectionate regards of her mistress , who has the honour to subscribe herself , Madam , Your most obliged humble servant , BARBARA PINKERTON P.S. -- Miss Sharp accompanies Miss Sedley .
It is particularly requested that Miss Sharp 's stay in Russell Square may not exceed ten days .
The family of distinction with whom she is engaged , desire to avail themselves of her services as soon as possible .
This letter completed , Miss Pinkerton proceeded to write her own name , and Miss Sedley 's , in the fly-leaf of a Johnson 's Dictionary -- the interesting work which she invariably presented to her scholars , on their departure from the Mall .
On the cover was inserted a copy of " Lines addressed to a young lady on quitting Miss Pinkerton 's school , at the Mall ; by the late revered Doctor Samuel Johnson . "
In fact , the Lexicographer 's name was always on the lips of this majestic woman , and a visit he had paid to her was the cause of her reputation and her fortune .
Being commanded by her elder sister to get " the Dictionary " from the cupboard , Miss Jemima had extracted two copies of the book from the receptacle in question .
When Miss Pinkerton had finished the inscription in the first , Jemima , with rather a dubious and timid air , handed her the second .
" For whom is this , Miss Jemima ? "
said Miss Pinkerton , with awful coldness .
" For Becky Sharp , " answered Jemima , trembling very much , and blushing over her withered face and neck , as she turned her back on her sister .
" For Becky Sharp : she 's going too . "
" MISS JEMIMA ! "
exclaimed Miss Pinkerton , in the largest capitals .
" Are you in your senses ?
Replace the Dixonary in the closet , and never venture to take such a liberty in future . "
" Well , sister , it 's only two-and-ninepence , and poor Becky will be miserable if she do n't get one . "
" Send Miss Sedley instantly to me , " said Miss Pinkerton .
And so venturing not to say another word , poor Jemima trotted off , exceedingly flurried and nervous .
Miss Sedley 's papa was a merchant in London , and a man of some wealth ; whereas Miss Sharp was an articled pupil , for whom Miss Pinkerton had done , as she thought , quite enough , without conferring upon her at parting the high honour of the Dixonary .
Although schoolmistresses ' letters are to be trusted no more nor less than churchyard epitaphs ; yet , as it sometimes happens that a person departs this life who is really deserving of all the praises the stone cutter carves over his bones ; who IS a good Christian , a good parent , child , wife , or husband ; who actually DOES leave a disconsolate family to mourn his loss ; so in academies of the male and female sex it occurs every now and then that the pupil is fully worthy of the praises bestowed by the disinterested instructor .
Now , Miss Amelia Sedley was a young lady of this singular species ; and deserved not only all that Miss Pinkerton said in her praise , but had many charming qualities which that pompous old Minerva of a woman could not see , from the differences of rank and age between her pupil and herself .
For she could not only sing like a lark , or a Mrs. Billington , and dance like Hillisberg or Parisot ; and embroider beautifully ; and spell as well as a Dixonary itself ; but she had such a kindly , smiling , tender , gentle , generous heart of her own , as won the love of everybody who came near her , from Minerva herself down to the poor girl in the scullery , and the one-eyed tart-woman 's daughter , who was permitted to vend her wares once a week to the young ladies in the Mall .
She had twelve intimate and bosom friends out of the twenty-four young ladies .
Even envious Miss Briggs never spoke ill of her ; high and mighty Miss Saltire ( Lord Dexter 's granddaughter ) allowed that her figure was genteel ; and as for Miss Swartz , the rich woolly-haired mulatto from St. Kitt 's , on the day Amelia went away , she was in such a passion of tears that they were obliged to send for Dr. Floss , and half tipsify her with salvolatile .
Miss Pinkerton 's attachment was , as may be supposed from the high position and eminent virtues of that lady , calm and dignified ; but Miss Jemima had already whimpered several times at the idea of Amelia 's departure ; and , but for fear of her sister , would have gone off in downright hysterics , like the heiress ( who paid double ) of St. Kitt 's .
Such luxury of grief , however , is only allowed to parlour-boarders .
Honest Jemima had all the bills , and the washing , and the mending , and the puddings , and the plate and crockery , and the servants to superintend .
But why speak about her ?
It is probable that we shall not hear of her again from this moment to the end of time , and that when the great filigree iron gates are once closed on her , she and her awful sister will never issue therefrom into this little world of history .
But as we are to see a great deal of Amelia , there is no harm in saying , at the outset of our acquaintance , that she was a dear little creature ; and a great mercy it is , both in life and in novels , which ( and the latter especially ) abound in villains of the most sombre sort , that we are to have for a constant companion so guileless and good-natured a person .
As she is not a heroine , there is no need to describe her person ; indeed I am afraid that her nose was rather short than otherwise , and her cheeks a great deal too round and red for a heroine ; but her face blushed with rosy health , and her lips with the freshest of smiles , and she had a pair of eyes which sparkled with the brightest and honestest good-humour , except indeed when they filled with tears , and that was a great deal too often ; for the silly thing would cry over a dead canary-bird ; or over a mouse , that the cat haply had seized upon ; or over the end of a novel , were it ever so stupid ; and as for saying an unkind word to her , were any persons hard-hearted enough to do so -- why , so much the worse for them .
Even Miss Pinkerton , that austere and godlike woman , ceased scolding her after the first time , and though she no more comprehended sensibility than she did Algebra , gave all masters and teachers particular orders to treat Miss Sedley with the utmost gentleness , as harsh treatment was injurious to her .