CHAPTER XXXI

In Which Jos Sedley Takes Care of His Sister

Thus all the superior officers being summoned on duty elsewhere, Jos

Sedley was left in command of the little colony at Brussels, with

Amelia invalided, Isidor, his Belgian servant, and the bonne, who was

maid-of-all-work for the establishment, as a garrison under him. Though

he was disturbed in spirit, and his rest destroyed by Dobbin's

interruption and the occurrences of the morning, Jos nevertheless

remained for many hours in bed, wakeful and rolling about there until

his usual hour of rising had arrived. The sun was high in the heavens,

and our gallant friends of the --th miles on their march, before the

civilian appeared in his flowered dressing-gown at breakfast.

About George's absence, his brother-in-law was very easy in mind.

Perhaps Jos was rather pleased in his heart that Osborne was gone, for

during George's presence, the other had played but a very secondary