Pickwick Abroad: A Companion to the Pickwick Papers — page 323: what you’re looking at

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74 to go back to Queen’s Crawley, and take care of the children, and of you as formerly, when you said you were pleased with the services of your little Rebecca. When I think of what you have just offered me, my heart fills with gratitude—indeed it does. I can’t be your wife, sir; let me—let me be your daughter !” Saying which, Rebecca went down on her knees in a most tragical way, and, taking Sir Pitt’s horny, black hand between her own two (which were very pretty and white, and as soft as satin), looked up in his face with an expression of exquisite pathos and confidence, when-—when the door opened, and Miss Crawley sailed in. Mrs. Firkin and Miss Briggs, who hap- pened by chance to be at the parlor-door soon after the baronet and Rebecca entered the apartment, had also seen, accidentally, throngh the key-hole, the old gentleman prostrate before the governess, and had heard the generous proposal which he made her. It was scarcely out of his mouth, when Mrs. Firkin and Miss Briggs had streamed up the stairs, had rushed into the drawing-room where Miss Crawley was reading the French novel, and had given that old lady the astounding intelligence that Sir Pitt was on his knees, proposing to Miss Sharp. And if you calculate the time for the above dialogue to take place—the time for Briggs and Firkin to fly to the drawing- room—the time for Miss Crawley to be as- tonished, and to drop her volume of Pigault le Brun—and the time for her to come down stairs—you will see how exactly accurate this history is, and how Miss Crawley must have appeared at the very instant when Re- becca had assumed the attitude of humility. ‘Tt is the lady on the ground, and not the gentleman,” Miss Crawley said, with a look and voice of great scorn. ‘They told me that you were on your knees, Sir Pitt: do kneel once more, and let me see this pretty couple !” “T have thanked Sir Pitt Crawley, ma’am,” Rebecca said, rising, and have told him that—that I never can become Lady Crawley.” ‘¢ Refused him!’ Miss Crawley said, more bewildered than ever. the door opened the eyes of astonishment and the lips of wonder. ‘+ Y es—refused,’’ Rebecca continued, with a sad, tearful voice. ‘¢ And am I to credit my ears that you ab- solutely proposed to her, Sir Pitt ?” the old lady asked. ‘¢ Kes,’’ said the baronet, ‘* I did.”’ ‘s And she refused you as she says ?”’ ‘Kes,’ Sir Pitt said, his features on a broad grin. ‘Tt does not seem to break your heart, at any rate,” Miss Crawley remarked. ‘‘Nawt a bit,”” answered Sir Pitt, with a| Briggs and Firkin at es VANITY FAIR. coolness and good-humor which set Miss Crawley almost mad with bewilderment. That an old gentleman of station should fall on his knees to a penniless governess, and burst out laughing because she refused to marry him—that a penniless governess should refuse a baronet with four thousand a year—these were mysteries which Miss Crawley could never comprehend. It sur- passed any complications of intrigue in her favorite Pigault le Brun. ‘ 1’m glad you think it good sport, broth- er,’ she continued, groping wildly through this amazement. ‘+ Vamous,”’ said Sir Pitt. ‘* Who’d ha’ thought it! what a sly little devil! what a little fox it waws!” he muttered to himself, chuckling with pleasure. ‘Who'd have thought what ?” cries Miss Crawley, stamping with her foot. ‘+ Pray, Miss Sharp, are you waiting for the Prince Regent’s divorce, that you don’t think our family good enough for you?” ‘“* My attitude,” Rebecca said, ‘* when you came in, ma’aim, did not look as if I despised such an honor as this good—this noble man has deigned to offer me. Do you think I have no heart? Have you allloved me. and been so kind to the poor orphan—deserted —girl, and am Jf to feel nothing? O my friends! O my benefactors! may not my love, my life, my duty, try to repay the con- fidence you have shown me? Do you grudge me even gratitude, Miss Crawley ? It is too much—my heart is too full ;” and she sank down in a chair so pathetically, that most of the audience present were perfectly . melted with her sadness. ‘‘ Whether you marry me or not, you’re a good little girl, Becky, and ’'m your vriend, mind,’ said Sir Pitt, and putting on his crape-bound hat, he walked away—greatly to Rebecca’s relief; for it was evident that her secret was unrevealed to Miss Crawley, and she had the advantage of a brief reprieve. Putting her handkerchief to her eyes, and nodding away honest Briggs, who would have followed her up-stairs, she went up to her apartment; while Briggs and Miss Craw- ley, in a high state of excitement, remained to discuss the strange event, and Firkin, not less moved, dived down into the kitchen re- gions, and talked of it with all the male and temale company there. And so impressed was Mrs. Firkin with the news, that she thought proper to write off by that very night’s post, ‘‘ with her humble duty to Mrs. Bute Crawley and the family at the Recto- ry, and Sir Pitt- has been and proposed for to marry Miss Sharp, wherein she has re- fused him, to the wonder of all.” The two ladies in the dining-room (where worthy Miss Briggs was delighted to be ad- mitted once more to a confidential conversa- tion with her patroness) wondered to their hearts’ content at Sir Pitt’s offer, and Re- GOMIIGdoOoOks (C(©) mn