ng
gentleman newly arrived in the town, that this incorrigible flirt would
set her nets and baits to draw in. If Esmond remonstrated, the little
rebel would say--"Who are you? I shall go my own way, sirrah, and that way
is towards a husband, and I don't want _you_ on the way. I am for your
betters, colonel, for your betters: do you hear that? You might do if you
had an estate and were younger; only eight years older than I, you say!
pish, you are a hundred years older. You are an old, old Graveairs, and I
should make you miserable, that would be the only comfort I should have in
marrying you. But you have not money enough to keep a cat decently after
you have paid your man his wages, and your landlady her bill. Do you think
I'm going to live in a lodging, and turn the mutton at a string whilst
your honour nurses the baby? Fiddlestick, and why did you not get this
nonsense knocked out of your head when you were in the wars? You are come
back more dismal and dreary than ever. You and mamma are fit for each
other. You might be Darby and Joan, and play cribbage to the end of your
lives."

"At least you own to your worldliness, my poor Trix," says her mother.

"Worldliness--O my pretty lady! Do you think that I am a child in the
nursery, and to be frightened by Bogey? Worldliness, to be sure; and pray,
madam, where is the harm of wishing to be comfortable? When you are gone,
you dearest old woman, or when I am tired of you and have run away from
you, where shall I go? Shall I go and be head nurse to my Popish
sister-in-law, take the children their physic, and whip 'em, and put 'em
to bed when they are naughty? Shall I be Castlewood's upper servant, and
perhaps marry Tom Tusher? _Merci!_ I have been long enough Frank's humble
servant. Why am I not a man? I have ten times his brains, and had I worn
the--well, don't let your ladyship be frightened--had I worn a sword and
periwig instead of this mantle and commode, to which nature has condemned
me--(though 'tis a pretty stuff, too--cousin Esmond! you will go to the
Exchange to-morrow, and get the exact counterpart of this ribbon, sir, do
you hear?)--I would have made our name talked about. So would Graveairs
here have made something out of our name if he had represented it. My Lord
Graveairs would have done very well. Yes, you have a very pretty way, and
would have made a very decent, grave speaker;" and here she began to
imitate Esmond's way of carrying himself, and speaking to