“Who’s this little schoolgirl that is ogling and making love to him? Hang it, the family’s low enough already, without her。 A governess is all very well, but I’d rather have a lady for my sister-in-law。 I’m a liberal man; but I’ve proper pride, and know my own station: let her know hers。 And I’ll take down that great hectoring Nabob, and prevent him from being made a greater fool than he is。 That’s why I told him to look out, lest she brought an action against him。” (Thackeray, 2001: 050)
This shows how badly those who already have a seat in vanity fair treat those who haven’t。 Although Rebecca tried very hard to marry Joseph, her efforts were in vain。 Later on, as a governess in the Crawley family, Rebecca made up her mind to make herself agreeable。 She made herself useful by helping Sir Pitt Crawley run his business, a very tiring task indeed, and teaching Mrs。 Bute’s children play the piano。 And therefore she was received as a member of the noble family。 On the later occasion when Rebecca met George, Rebecca was able to get even with George by taking a revenge on him。 She didn’t beat around the bush but just told George that he could not help the fact that compared to the Crawley family she worked for, George’s family were not noble at all。 This time George lost his mind because what Rebecca had said was quite right, social status was the thing George cherish the most。