"Heavenlee enchanthress!" says Mulligan, "don't floy at the approach of
the humblest of your sleeves! Reshewm your pleece at that insthrument,
which weeps harmonious, or smoils melojious, as you charrum it! Are you
acqueented with the Oirish Melodies? Can ye play, 'Who fears to talk of
Nointy-eight?' the 'Shan Van Voght?' or the 'Dirge of Ollam Fodhlah?'"

"Who's this mad chap that Titmarsh has brought?" I heard Master Bacon
exclaim to Master Perkins. "Look! how frightened Fanny looks!"

"O poo! gals are ALWAYS frightened," Fanny's brother replied; but Giles
Bacon, more violent, said, "I'll tell you what, Tom: if this goes on,
we must pitch into him." And so I have no doubt they would, when another
thundering knock coming, Gregory rushed into the room and began lighting
all the candles, so as to produce an amazing brilliancy, Miss Fanny
sprang up and ran to her mamma, and the young gentlemen slid down the
banisters to receive the company in the hall.

EVERYBODY BEGINS TO COME, BUT ESPECIALLY MR. MINCHIN.

"It's only me and my sisters," Master Bacon said; though "only" meant
eight in this instance. All the young ladies had fresh cheeks and purple
elbows; all had white frocks, with hair more or less auburn: and so a
party was already made of this blooming and numerous family, before the
rest of the company began to arrive. The three Miss Meggots next came in
their fly: Mr. Blades and his niece from 19 in the square: Captain and
Mrs. Struther, and Miss Struther: Doctor Toddy's two daughters and their
mamma: but where were the gentlemen? The Mulligan, great and active as
he was, could not suffice among so many beauties. At last came a brisk
neat little knock, and looking into the hall, I saw a gentleman taking
off his clogs there, whilst Sir Giles Bacon's big footman was looking on
with rather a contemptuous air.

"What name shall I enounce?" says he, with a wink at Gregory on the
stair.

The gentleman in clogs said, with quiet dignity,--

MR. FREDERICK MINCHIN.

"Pump Court, Temple," is printed on his cards in very small type: and he
is a rising barrister of the Western Circuit. He is to be found at home
of mornings: afterwards "at Westminster," as you read on his back door.
"Binks and Minchin's Reports" are probably known to my legal friends:
this is the Minchin in question.

He is decidedly genteel, and is rather in request at the balls of the
Judges' and Serjeants' ladies: for he dances irreproachably,