One sunny morning in June, early in the 1800s, Miss Amelia Sedley and Miss Rebecca Sharp left school. The carriage which took them away from Miss Pinkerton's school for young ladies was filled with gifts and flowers for Amelia, for everyone loved her; but nobody cried when Rebecca left.

We are going to see a great deal of Amelia, so there is no harm in saying straight away that she was a dear little creature. She is not a heroine because her nose was rather short and her face was too round, though it shone with rosy health. She had a lovely smile and her eyes were bright with good humour, except when they were filled with tears, which happened a great deal too often because she had the kindest heart in the world. And when she left school she did not know whether to cry or not. She was glad to go home, but she was very sad to leave her friends at school.

Well, at last the goodbyes were over and the carriage drove away. In her hand Amelia held a letter from Miss Pinkerton, the school's headmistress, which was full of praise for Amelia's educational achievements and the sweetness of her nature.

Amelia's companion, Miss Rebecca Sharp, had no letter from Miss Pinkerton, and was not at all sad to leave school. Indeed, she was delighted.

"I hate the place," she said. "I never want to see it again! I wish it were at the bottom of the river, with Miss Pinkerton too."

Amelia was shocked. "Oh, Rebecca!" she cried. "How can you have such wicked thoughts?"

As you will guess, Rebecca was not a kind or forgiving person. She said that the world treated her very badly -- though it was quite possible that she deserved the treatment she got.

Her father was an artist, who had given drawing lessons to the young ladies at Miss Pinkerton's school. He was a clever man and a pleasant companion, but was always in debt and had too great a fondness for the bottle. When he was drunk, he used to beat his wife and daughter. He had married a French dancer, who had taught her daughter to speak perfect French. She had died young, leaving Rebecca to her father's care.

And when Rebecca was seventeen, her father died. On his deathbed he wrote to Miss Pinkerton, begging her to look after his orphan daughter. So Miss Pinkerton employed Rebecca to speak French to the young ladies. In return, Rebecca lived in the school, was paid a few pounds a year, and was allowed to attend classes when she was free.

Rebecca, or Becky, as she was often called, was small and thin, with a pale face and light red hair. She usually kept her head down, but when she looked up, her green eyes were large and attractive, especially to men. Next to the tall, healthy young ladies in the school, Becky Sharp looked like a child. But being poor and in debt had taught her many adult lessons. She knew how to deal with angry shopkeepers demanding their money, and how to charm them into providing one more meal. Her father, who was very proud of her lively mind, had liked to have her at his drinking parties, though the conversation of his wild friends was hardly suitable for a young girl. But she had never been a girl, she said; she had been a woman since she was eight years old.

Rebecca hated the school. She argued and fought with Miss Pinkerton, and was jealous of the young ladies there. After the freedom of her father's house, the school felt like a prison, and she was soon making plans for her escape.

Her only friend was Amelia Sedley, and when Amelia left school at the age of seventeen, Rebecca, now aged nineteen, left school too. She had obtained a post as a governess to the daughters of Sir Pitt Crawley, to whose house she would go after spending a few weeks with Miss Sedley's family.

By the time the carriage arrived at the Sedleys' house in Russell Square, Amelia had forgotten her sadness and was happy to be home again. She took great pleasure in showing Rebecca every room in the house, her piano, all her books, her dresses, her jewellery, and the wonderful presents which her brother Joseph had brought back for her from India.

"It must be delightful to have a brother," said Rebecca. "He's very rich, I expect, if he's been in India. Is his wife very pretty?"

"Oh yes, Joseph is wealthy, but he isn't married," Amelia said.

"Oh, what a pity!" said Rebecca. "I was sure you said he was married, and I was hoping to meet your nieces and nephews."

But the thought that was really going through Rebecca's mind was this: "If Mr Joseph Sedley is rich and unmarried, why shouldn't I marry him? I have only a few weeks, to be sure, but there's no harm in trying."

Should we blame Miss Sharp for her marriage ambitions? No, for we must remember that poor Rebecca had no kind mother to arrange this delicate business for her, and that if she did not get a husband for herself, there was no one else to do it for her.

So Rebecca became even more affectionate to Amelia, thanking her with tears in her eyes for the presents which her dear friend had given her. And when the dinner-bell rang, she went downstairs with her arm round her friend's waist, as is the habit of young ladies who love each other dearly.

In the drawing-room they found a large, fat man, fashionably dressed in bright colours, sitting by the fire reading the newspaper. As the young ladies entered, he stood up quickly, and his face went red in alarm and embarrassment.

"It's only your sister, Joseph," said Amelia, laughing. "I've finished school, you know, and this is my friend, Miss Sharp. You've heard me talk about her."

"No, never," said Joseph in great confusion. "That is, yes -- what very cold weather we're having, Miss --", and he began to stir up the fire, although it was the middle of June.

"He's very handsome," Rebecca whispered, rather loudly.

"Oh, do you think so?" said Amelia. "I'll tell him."

"No, please don't!" cried Miss Sharp, stepping back and keeping her eyes fixed modestly on the carpet.

Joseph Sedley was twelve years older than his sister, and worked in Bengal, in a very isolated place, for the East India Company. But he became ill, and was sent back to London, where he decided to enjoy all the pleasures he had missed when he went to India. So he had his own apartment, drove his horses in the park, ate in fashionable restaurants, and went to the theatre. But he had no friends. He was fat, lazy, and vain, and the sight of a lady frightened him tremendously.

Becky Sharp would have to be very clever indeed to catch such a man for a husband. Her first moves, though, showed considerable skill. "I must be very quiet," she thought, "and very interested in India." And all through dinner, she paid great attention to everything Joseph said.

After dinner, when the ladies had gone up to the drawing-room, old Mr Sedley laughed, and said to his son, "Take care, Jos. That girl is planning to catch you for a husband."

"Nonsense!" Joseph replied. But he could not help thinking about her and the way she had looked at him with her beautiful green eyes when he had picked up her handkerchief. "She dropped it twice," he thought. "And is that her singing now in the drawing-room? Shall I go up and see?"

But his shyness overcame him, and he quietly slipped away from the house. From the window Mrs Sedley saw him go. "Miss Sharp has frightened him away," she remarked.

It was three days before Joseph returned to the house, and during that time Rebecca never mentioned his name. She was full of grateful respect for Mrs Sedley, laughed at all Mr Sedley's jokes, and was delighted with every excursion. When Amelia had a headache, Rebecca would not go out without her. Her green eyes filled with tears. "Dear, dear Emmy," she said. "How could I go out and leave you? You have shown a poor orphan what happiness and love are for the first time in her life."

In fact, Becky Sharp won the hearts of all the family.

On the day that Joseph reappeared, Amelia reminded her brother that he had promised to take her to the Royal Gardens at Vauxhall, which was a very popular place of entertainment.

"The young ladies must have a gentleman each," said Amelia's father. "Jos will forget all about Emmy if he's looking after Miss Sharp. Ask George Osborne if he'll come."

He and his wife exchanged little smiles, and Amelia looked down and blushed as only a young girl of seventeen can blush -- and as Miss Rebecca Sharp had never blushed in her life.

But on the night of the Vauxhall party, it rained heavily, and the young people had to postpone their excursion. They spent a comfortable evening at home instead. The Sedleys had known George Osborne all his life, and it was accepted in both families that he and Amelia would marry one day. In fact, the marriage settlement had already been agreed between the two fathers.

So it was a very informal evening, and when Amelia and George went off to the piano in the back drawing-room, Becky and Joseph were left alone. Joseph was surprised to find that he could talk to Becky quite easily. She asked him many questions about India and listened admiringly to all his stories.

"Promise me that you will never go on one of those dreadful tiger hunts," she begged him, her green eyes filled with fear.

Joseph laughed bravely. "Nonsense, Miss Sharp. The danger only makes it more exciting." He had only once been on a tiger hunt, when he had indeed nearly died -- of terror.

Later, Rebecca, whose singing was as excellent as her French, sang a song about an orphan, her voice trembling a little over the sad ending. Everyone was reminded of Rebecca's own orphan state and her uncertain future in life.

"Such a beautiful song, dear Miss Sharp," said Joseph Sedley. "It almost made me cry."

"That's because you have a kind heart, Mr Joseph," came the soft reply, accompanied by an even softer glance.

Becky's efforts were not wasted. Joseph's mind was full of thoughts of marriage. "She'll make a fine little wife," he said to himself. "I'll ask the question at Vauxhall. Yes, I will!"

George Osborne came to lunch on the day of the Vauxhall party and said to Mrs Sedley, "I hope you don't mind, but I've asked Dobbin to come here tonight and go with us to Vauxhall."

Lieutenant George Osborne and Captain William Dobbin had been at school together. Dobbin, a quiet, modest boy, had saved Osborne from a beating, and from then on the two had been good friends. They were now both in the same regiment in the army and had not long returned from service in the West Indies.

"Of course he can come," said Mrs Sedley. "I remember Dobbin very well. Is he still as awkward and plain as ever?"

"I'll always like him," Amelia said, "however awkward he is." But her reason for liking Dobbin was that he was George's friend.

"He's a fine fellow," said George, "even if he's not very good-looking." And he glanced towards the mirror, admiring his own handsome face and curly black hair. He blushed a little when he saw Rebecca watching him, and Rebecca thought, "And you certainly know what a fine fellow you are, don't you!"

That evening, when Amelia came into the sitting-room, singing happily, and as fresh as a rose in a pretty white dress, a very tall awkward gentleman in uniform stepped forward. He had large hands and feet, and bowed clumsily.

He had arrived very quietly, and the ladies upstairs did not know that he was there. Otherwise Amelia would not have come into the room singing. As it was, the fresh little voice went straight to William Dobbin's heart -- and stayed there. "What a lucky fellow George Osborne is," he thought.

On the way to Vauxhall Gardens, Rebecca sat next to Joseph in the carriage and George Osborne sat between Amelia and Dobbin. Though nothing was said, everybody in the carriage was sure that Joseph would propose to Becky that evening. And when they stepped down from the carriage, Joseph took her on his arm, and George and Amelia went off together.

Dobbin paid for them all, and then walked behind, content in his generous and unselfish way to see Amelia and George so happy together. They had all promised to stay together, but within ten minutes, of course, they had separated, and Rebecca found herself alone with Joseph on one of the side walks. Now, she thought, was the moment for Joseph to ask the question. A few minutes earlier somebody had rudely pushed past Rebecca, and she had fallen back with a little cry, into Mr Sedley's arms. This made him feel very loving towards her, and he told her several of his Indian stories again -- for the sixth time.

"How I should like to see India!" breathed Rebecca.

"Would you really?" Joseph asked eagerly, and the important question must have been trembling on his lips, because he was breathing very heavily. Rebecca placed her little hand on his heart and she could feel it beating wildly.

Just at this interesting moment, however, the bell rang for the start of the fireworks, and the lovers were surrounded by crowds of hurrying people, and were forced to go with them.

Captain Dobbin walked round the Gardens alone. He thought of joining the others for supper, but saw, when he passed in front of their table, that they were all talking happily to each other, and that their table was prepared for four only. They had forgotten all about him, so he went away again. When he returned later, he realized that Joseph had drunk too much, for he was talking and laughing and singing very loudly. He had attracted a crowd of people, who were gathering round to watch. In fact, George was just about to hit one man who wanted to join the party, but Dobbin arrived at that moment and sent the crowd away.

"Good heavens! Where have you been, Dobbin?" said George. Then, without waiting for a reply, he added, "Make yourself useful. Look after Joseph, and I'll take the ladies home."

That night as she went up to bed, Rebecca said to herself, "He must propose tomorrow. He called me his darling four times. He must propose tomorrow."

But wine can be the ruin of marriage plans. The next day Joseph had a terrible headache, and his condition was not improved by a visit from George Osborne, who laughed at him most unkindly. "What a fool you made of yourself last night, Jos! Singing love songs, and crying all over Miss Sharp's hand!"

George had been thinking about Joseph and Becky Sharp. If he, George, was going to marry into the Sedley family, he did not want his brother-in-law to marry a governess, a little nobody, without money or social position. And so George continued to laugh at Joseph and make cruel jokes about him.

The result of all this was that Joseph decided that he was too ill to visit the young ladies, and the next day he sent a letter to his sister, saying that when he recovered he planned to go to Scotland for several months.

It was the death of Rebecca's hopes. Kind-hearted Amelia was very sad for her friend and cried a great deal, but it was now clear to the rest of the Sedley family that the time had come for Rebecca to leave. She made her preparations, and accepted all Amelia's parting gifts with just the right amount of hesitation. Even George Osborne gave Rebecca a present, but he had made too many unkind jokes about Joseph and the Vauxhall party.

"I'm so grateful to him!" Rebecca told Amelia, but in her heart she was thinking, "George Osborne prevented my marriage." So we can imagine just how grateful she was to George Osborne.

And so the final parting came. After many tears and promises of undying friendship, both sincere and insincere, Rebecca and Amelia said goodbye.