Pickwick Abroad: A Companion to the Pickwick Papers — page 320: what you’re looking at

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ot, =) % regiment: and would have proposed picquet to him that very evening, but Miss Crawley absolutely forbade any gambling in her house; so that the young lieutenant’s purse was not lightened by his gallant patron, for that day at least. However, they made an engage- ment for the next, somewhere: to look ata horse that Crawley had to sell, and to try him in the park; and to dine together, and to pass the evening with some jolly fellows. ‘¢'That is, if you’re not on duty to that pretty Miss Sedley,” Crawley said, with a knowing wink. ‘Monstrous nice girl, pon my honor, though, Osborne,” he was good enough to add. ‘+ Lots of tin, I suppose, eh ?” Osborne wasn’t on duty; he would join Crawley with pleasure : and the latter, when they met the next day, praised his new friend’s horsemanship—as he might with perfect honesty—and introduced him to three or four young men of the first fashion, whose acquaintance immensely elated the simple young officer. ‘‘ How’s little Miss Sharp, by-the-by,” Osborne inquired of his friend over their wine, with a dandified air. ‘* Good-natured little girl that. Does she suit you well at Queen’s Crawley? Miss Sedley liked her a good deal last year.” Captain Crawley looked savagely at ‘the lieutenant out of his little blue eyes, and watched him when he went up to resume his acquaintance with the fair governess. Her conduct must have relieved Crawley, if there was any jealousy in the bosom of that life-guardsman. When the young men went up-stairs, and after Osborne’s introduction to Miss Craw- ley, he walked up to Rebecca with a patron- izing, easy swagger. He was going to be kind to her and protect her. He would even shake hands with her, as a friend of Amelia’s ; and saying, ‘*Ah, Miss Sharp! how-dy-doo ?” held out his left hand toward her, expecting that she would be quite con- founded at the honor. Miss Sharp put out her right fore-finger, and gave him a little nod, so cool and killing, that Rawdon Crawley, watching the opera- tions from the other room, could hardly restrain his laughter as he saw the lieuten- ant’s entire discomfiture ; the start he gave, the pause, and the perfect clumsiness with which he at length condescended to take the finger which was offered for his embrace. ‘She’d beat the devil, by Jove !” the cap- tain said, in a rapture; and the lieutenant, by way of beginning the conversation, agree- ably asked Rebecea how she liked her new place. “My place?” said Miss Sharp, coolly, ‘¢how kind of you to remind me of it! It’s a tolerably good place: the wages are pretty good—not so good as Miss Wirt’s, I believe, with your sisters in Russell-square. How are those young ladies? not that I ought to ask.” A NOVEL WITHOUT A HERO. 71 “Why not?” Mr. Osborne said, amazed. ‘Why, they never condescended to speak to me, or to ask me into their house, while I was staying with Amelia; but we poor governesses, you know, are used to slights of this sort.” ‘‘ My dear Miss Sharp !’’ Osborne ejacu- lated. ‘¢At least in some families,’? Rebecca continued. ‘+ You can’t think what a differ- ence there is, though. We are not so wealthy in Hampshire as you lucky folks of the city. But then I am in a gentleman’s family—good old English stock. I suppose you know Sir Pitt’s father refused a peer- age. And you see howlamtreated. Iam pretty comfortable. Indeed, it is rather a good place. But how very good of you to inguire !”’ Osborne was quite savage. The little governess patronized him and persifléd him until this young British Lion felt quite un- easy ; nor could he muster sufficient pres- ence of mind to find a pretext for backing out of this most delectable conversation. “T thought you liked the city families pretty well,” he said, haughtily. ‘‘ Last year, you mean, when I was fresh from that horrid, vulgar school? Of course I did. Doesn't every girl like to come home for the holidays? And how was I to know any better? But oh, Mr. Osborne, what a difference eighteen months’ experience makes !—eighteen months spent, pardon me for saying so, with gentlemen. As for dear Amelia, she, I grant you, is a pearl, and would be charming any where. ‘There now, I see you are beginning to be ina good humor; but oh, these queer, odd city peo- ple! And Mr. Jos—how is that wonderful Mr. Joseph?” ‘It seems to me you didn’t dislike that wonderful Mr. Joseph last year,” Osborne said kindly. ‘¢ How severe of you! Well, entre nous, I didn’t break my heart about him; yet if he had asked me to do what you mean by your looks (and very expressive and kind they are, too), | wouldn’t have said no.” Mr. Osborne gave a look as much as to say, *‘ Indeed, how very obliging !”’ ‘* What an honor to have had you for a brother-in-law, you are thinking? ‘T’o be sis- ter-in-law to George Osborne, Esquire, son of John Osborne, Esquire, son of—what was your grandpapa, Mr. Osborne? Well, don’t be angry. You can’t help your pedigree, and I quite agree with you that I would have married Mr. Joe Sedley ; for could a poor penniless girl do better? Now you know the whole secret. J’m frank and open; and, considering all things, it was very kind of you to allude to the circumstance—very kind and polite. Amelia dear, Mr. Osborne and I were talking about your poor brother Joseph. How is he?” 99 Go NOOlKS (-) (CO