Chapter 10: Private and Confidential

Amelia Sedley

Gentle and social; she is depicted by Rebecca as being happy and surrounded by loved ones in London. The recipient of Rebecca's letter; she is mentioned as having attended a ball at the Perkins's.

Rebecca Crawley

Observant, cynical, and socially adaptable; she mocks her employers in private while maintaining a facade of obedience. She writes a long letter to Amelia detailing her miserable journey and her observations of the dysfunctional Crawley household.

Miss Pinkerton

Pompous, authoritative, and easily outmaneuvered by Rebecca's defiance. She is described in flashbacks as having been defeated by Rebecca's refusal to teach music and her use of French to mock her.

Sambo

Cheerful and helpful servant. He delivers the 'death-warrant' note from Joseph to Amelia and is mentioned as being in love with the cook.

Miss Swartz

A wealthy, emotional, and generous parlour-boarder from St. Kitt's. She is devastated by Amelia's departure, falling into a fit of hysterical tears that requires medical attention.

Mrs. Sedley

Good-natured but socially conscious; she initially worries about Joseph marrying beneath his station. She is eventually persuaded to support the match but is later embarrassed and avoids Rebecca during the parting.

Miss Briggs

An envious pupil. Mentioned as someone who, despite her envy, never spoke ill of Amelia.

Joseph Sedley

Grinning and sulky. He identifies Sir Pitt to the stagecoach driver and helps load the baggage.

George Osborne, Junior (the baby)

Arrogant, class-conscious, and free-handed; he possesses a 'proper pride' regarding his social station. He protects Amelia at Vauxhall but actively sabotages Rebecca's chances with Joseph because he considers her an 'upstart' and a 'nobody.'

Sir Pitt Crawley

Vulgar, miserly, illiterate in speech, and frequently intoxicated; he treats his servants and family with harshness. He forces Rebecca to ride outside the coach to save money, mocks his brother, and enforces strict rules about candles in his house.

Captain William Dobbin

Unselfish, modest, and protective; he finds joy in the happiness of his friends rather than his own interests. He acts as the 'shawl-bearer' and payer for the party at Vauxhall, later rescuing the intoxicated Joseph and tending to him during his hangover.

Lady Crawley

Passive, timid, and faded; she was an ironmonger's daughter and is now dominated by her husband and stepson. She welcomes Rebecca to the house and spends her time knitting in a state of perpetual sadness.

Lady Southdown

Pompous, religious, and formal; he is described as looking like an undertaker and is obsessed with propriety and sermons. He leads the family in long graces and sermons, corrects his father's grammar, and treats Rebecca with cold formality.

Mr. Horrocks

A grave butler who seems to be a confidant of Sir Pitt. He serves dinner, translates the menu into mock-French, and laughs with Sir Pitt at Rebecca's expense.

Betsy Horrocks

A servant who is overdressed and shows open disdain for Rebecca. She attends family prayers and gives Rebecca a scornful look.

Reverend Bute Crawley

A parson who is currently ill and at odds with his brother, Sir Pitt. Mentioned in conversation between Sir Pitt and Hodson regarding his health and tithes.

Manager of the Performance

Self-aware and critical; he views himself as a fellow sinner among his audience. He interrupts the narrative to explain his authorial philosophy and his intent to punish his 'villainous' characters.

Tom Fool

A weary performer and family man who works as a tumbler. He is seen washing off his face paint and eating dinner with his family behind the scenes.

Jack Puddings

A child performer belonging to a family of tumblers. He sits behind the canvas with Tom Fool during dinner.

Becky Puppet

Described as uncommonly flexible in the joints and lively on the wire. Mentioned by the Manager as one of the lead puppets in the upcoming show.

Amelia Doll

Carved and dressed with great care, though she has a smaller circle of admirers than Becky. Mentioned by the Manager as a carefully crafted figure in the performance.

Wicked Nobleman

A richly dressed figure representing high-status villainy. Mentioned as a character who will be taken away by Old Nick at the end of the play.

Old Nick

A figure representing the devil or a collector of souls. Mentioned as the one who will fetch away the Wicked Nobleman.

Miss Jemima Pinkerton

Good-humored, foolishly kind, and generous. She is mentioned as the target of Rebecca's mockery despite her previous kindness.

Laura Martin

A young orphan student who is deeply attached to Amelia. She follows Amelia around and promises to call her 'Mamma' in her letters.

Miss Saltire

A high-born but somewhat shabby and haughty student. She asks Amelia to send letters to her via her grandfather to save on postage.

Doctor Johnson

A famous historical figure whose past visit to the school is the source of Miss Pinkerton's prestige. Mentioned as the author of the dictionary and the school's patron spirit.

Mr. Sharp

A clever, dissolute artist, prone to drunkenness and debt. Described in backstory as the man who taught Rebecca her wit and social survival skills before dying of delirium tremens.

Rebecca's Mother

A French opera dancer of humble origins. Mentioned as the source of Rebecca's French fluency and the subject of Rebecca's lies about noble Gascon ancestry.

Reverend Mr. Crisp

Infatuated and easily led. Mentioned in a backstory regarding a scandalous intercepted note he sent to Rebecca.

Bonamy

A member of the service in India. Mentioned by Joseph as an excuse to leave the house and avoid the ladies.

Mulligatawney

A magistrate at Budgebudge and a friend of Joseph. Mentioned in Joseph's story about a past romantic pursuit in India.

Mrs. Blenkinsop

Observant and protective of the family; she harbors a deep distrust of governesses. She gossips about the potential marriage and later informs Amelia of Rebecca's suspicious behavior, such as reading private letters.

Dr. Gollop

The family apothecary. Mentioned as attending to Joseph's severe hangover.

Reginald Cuff

A dashing, athletic, and arrogant school bully who is talented in Latin and French but uses his status to tyrannize younger boys. He bullies George Osborne and is subsequently defeated by Dobbin in a thirteen-round boxing match, later showing magnanimity by taking the blame.

Dr. Swishtail

The headmaster of the academy, described as somewhat intimidated by his top students. He presides over the school and awards Dobbin a prize-book for his academic progress.

Lady Dobbin

Socially active wife of the Alderman. Mentioned by Mrs. Sedley as being at Highbury with her daughters.

Mr. Brush

Solemn, correct, and grave; possesses the 'gravity of an undertaker.' He attends to the hungover Joseph and reports his master's wild behavior to George Osborne.

Pinner

Observant servant. Mentioned by Mrs. Blenkinsop as having seen Rebecca snooping through drawers.

Simpson

A well-known, simple-minded figure at Vauxhall. Mentioned as the presiding spirit of Vauxhall Gardens.

Mrs. Salmon

A singer. Mentioned as performing a cantata at the gardens.

Mrs. Tinker

Sullen, blunt, and accustomed to the Baronet's miserly ways; she acts as a servant and temporary companion to Sir Pitt. She fetches tobacco for Sir Pitt, shares a meal with him, and chaperones Rebecca during her night in London.

Walpole Crawley

A former Baronet involved in political peculation. Mentioned in the family history; his marble bust is seen in the dining room.

Miss Rose Crawley

A thin, insignificant young girl of ten. One of Rebecca's new pupils; she shows Rebecca around the estate and the stables.

Miss Violet Crawley

A thin, insignificant young girl of eight. One of Rebecca's new pupils; she introduces Rebecca to the family's black pig.

Young Cantab

A student from Cambridge who is friendly and enjoys mocking Sir Pitt. He offers Rebecca his coat during the rain and takes over driving the coach to spite Sir Pitt.

Mr. Hodson

Sir Pitt's hind or farm manager. He rides in the carriage with Sir Pitt, discusses farm business, and whips two local boys for gathering sticks.

Russell Square

The large, gloomy, and respectable residence of Mr. Osborne, filled with expensive plate and mournful echoes.

Great Gaunt Street

A gloomy London street characterized by tall houses with hatchments, where death seems to reign perpetual.

Queen's Crawley

The family estate of the Crawleys, featuring an old library filled with 18th-century literature and extensive grounds including shrubberies and farms.

Mudbury

A location four miles from Queen's Crawley where the family carriage meets the stagecoach.

Vanity Fair

Chiswick Mall

Miss Pinkerton's Academy

Soho

Boggley Wollah

Vauxhall

Dr. Swishtail’s Academy

Thames Street

Vauxhall Gardens

Joseph Sedley's Lodgings

The Trafalgar Coach

Leakington