The Steam-Packet: A Tale of the River and the Ocean — page 349: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

268 THE STEAM PACKET. made comments, when your name was mentioned. I begin to think he is a dangerous, inquisitive, tattling old fellow.” “‘T fancy he is eccentric, but not dangerous,” observed the captain. — « Let us join the ladies in the private sitting-room.”’ This proposal was agreed to. The moment Captain Pentonville entered the parlour, he perceived Buckram and Belinda sitting in the window-seat together. The tailor appeared somewhat confused when he made his appearance, and Belinda had lost much of that volubility, which, whether the natural result of exuberant spirits, or the offspring of a mistaken affection, had hitherto invariably characterised her. The ottomans remained unleapt over ;—her mamma complained of her ‘‘ poor head”’ without eliciting a syllable of jocularity ; and Miss Sarah remained unsolicited to repair to another room to have a “‘game of romps.” The captain saw that some scheme, on the part of Buckram, was afloat, and he determined to counteract it. He was a man of consi- derable firmness, and was now as resolute to persevere in a correct line as he had ever before been self-willed in following the wrong course. Without appearing to observe the proceedings of the tailor, he watched each glance, each step, each movement; and as time drew on, he felt more convinced than at first that Buckram had devised some plan to carry out his own designs. The dinner hour arrived, and to the table-d’hote room did the party adjourn. Mr. Smith dined at the same board; and an accident—or, at least, if there were any design in the arrangement, it was entirely on his part—placed him next to Captain Pentonville, on whose right was the charming Aramintha. The old gentleman ate with a good appetite, and yet found time to utter a few remarks, half pleasant and half sar- castic, in the midst of his apician occupation. Buckram whispered a great deal to Belinda, who appeared quite melancholy and thought- ful; but on his part, Captain Pentonville was as gay and entertaining as ever. Whether this flow of spirits were quite natural, or the result of an effort originating in motives of prudence, the reader must decide - for himself. The dinner hour passed away, and Mr. Smith now grew repaaieaie amusing as the champagne circulated. He drank sparingly, it is true; but the little that did pass his lips appeared to waken the brightest scintillations of a great genius. His information was vast and varied: every remark called forth an illustrative anecdote or pertinent fact ; and yet he neither developed his kr.owledge with pedantry nor effort. He did not for one moment fatigue a single soul present with his dis- course, unless indeed it were Buckram, who was wearied with the } Gomicbooks. co