按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
perfectly well； but vowed that he had totally
forgotten it。
〃Well； do you remember coming down in a gig to Dr。
Swishtail's to see me； before you went to India； and
giving me half a guinea and a pat on the head？ I always
had an idea that you were at least seven feet high； and
was quite astonished at your return from India to find
you no taller than myself。〃
〃How good of Mr。 Sedley to go to your school and
give you the money！〃 exclaimed Rebecca； in accents of
extreme delight。
〃Yes； and after I had cut the tassels of his boots too。
Boys never forget those tips at school； nor the givers。〃
〃I delight in Hessian boots；〃 said Rebecca。 Jos Sedley；
who admired his own legs prodigiously； and always
wore this ornamental chaussure； was extremely pleased
at this remark； though he drew his legs under his chair
as it was made。
〃Miss Sharp！〃 said George Osborne； 〃you who are
so clever an artist； you must make a grand historical
picture of the scene of the boots。 Sedley shall be
represented in buckskins； and holding one of the
injured boots in one hand； by the other he shall have
hold of my shirt…frill。 Amelia shall be kneeling near him；
with her little hands up； and the picture shall have a
grand allegorical title； as the frontispieces have in the
Medulla and the spelling…book。〃
〃I shan't have time to do it here；〃 said Rebecca。 'I'll
do it whenwhen I'm gone。〃 And she dropped her voice；
and looked so sad and piteous； that everybody felt how
cruel her lot was； and how sorry they would be to
part with her。
〃O that you could stay longer； dear Rebecca；〃 said
Amelia。
〃Why？〃 answered the other； still more sadly。 〃That
I may be only the more unhapunwilling to lose you？〃
And she turned away her head。 Amelia began to give
way to that natural infirmity of tears which； we have
said； was one of the defects of this silly little thing。 George
Osborne looked at the two young women with a touched
curiosity； and Joseph Sedley heaved something very like
a sigh out of his big chest； as he cast his eyes down
towards his favourite Hessian boots。
〃Let us have some music； Miss SedleyAmelia；〃 said
George； who felt at that moment an extraordinary；
almost irresistible impulse to seize the above…mentioned
young woman in his arms； and to kiss her in the face of
the company； and she looked at him for a moment； and
if I should say that they fell in love with each other at
that single instant of time； I should perhaps be telling
an untruth； for the fact is that these two young people
had been bred up by their parents for this very purpose；
and their banns had； as it were； been read in their
respective families any time these ten years。 They went
off to the piano； which was situated； as pianos usually
are； in the back drawing…room； and as it was rather dark；
Miss Amelia； in the most unaffected way in the world；
put her hand into Mr。 Osborne's； who； of course； could
see the way among the chairs and ottomans a great deal
better than she could。 But this arrangement left Mr。
Joseph Sedley tete…a…tete with Rebecca； at the
drawing…room table； where the latter was occupied
in knitting a green silk purse。
〃There is no need to ask family secrets；〃 said Miss
Sharp。 〃Those two have told theirs。〃
〃As soon as he gets his company；〃 said Joseph； 〃I
believe the affair is settled。 George Osborne is a capital
fellow。〃
〃And your sister the dearest creature in the world；〃
said Rebecca。 〃Happy the man who wins her！〃 With
this； Miss Sharp gave a great sigh。
When two unmarried persons get together； and talk
upon such delicate subjects as the present； a great deal
of confidence and intimacy is presently established
between them。 There is no need of giving a special report
of the conversation which now took place between Mr。
Sedley and the young lady； for the conversation； as may
be judged from the foregoing specimen； was not especially
witty or eloquent； it seldom is in private societies； or
anywhere except in very high…flown and ingenious novels。
As there was music in the next room； the talk was
carried on； of course； in a low and becoming tone； though；
for the matter of that； the couple in the next apartment
would not have been disturbed had the talking been ever
so loud； so occupied were they with their own pursuits。
Almost for the first time in his life； Mr。 Sedley found
himself talking； without the least timidity or hesitation；
to a person of the other sex。 Miss Rebecca asked him a
great number of questions about India； which gave him
an opportunity of narrating many interesting anecdotes
about that country and himself。 He described the balls
at Government House； and the manner in which they
kept themselves cool in the hot weather； with punkahs；
tatties； and other contrivances； and he was very witty
regarding the number of Scotchmen whom Lord Minto；
the Governor…General； patronised； and then he described
a tiger…hunt； and the manner in which the mahout of his
elephant had been pulled off his seat by one of the
infuriated animals。 How delighted Miss Rebecca was at
the Government balls； and how she laughed at the stories
of the Scotch aides…de…camp； and called Mr。 Sedley a
sad wicked satirical creature； and how frightened she was
Joseph Sedley tete…a…tete with Rebecca； at the
drawing…room table； where the latter was occupied
in knitting a green silk purse。
〃There is no need to ask family secrets；〃 said Miss
Sharp。 〃Those two have told theirs。〃
〃As soon as he gets his company；〃 said Joseph； 〃I
believe the affair is settled。 George Osborne is a capital
fellow。〃
〃And your sister the dearest creature in the world；〃
said Rebecca。 〃Happy the man who wins her！〃 With
this； Miss Sharp gave a great sigh。
When two unmarried persons get together； and talk
upon such delicate subjects as the present； a great deal
of confidence and intimacy is presently established
between them。 There is no need of giving a special report
of the conversation which now took place between Mr。
Sedley and the young lady； for the conversation； as may
be judged from the foregoing specimen； was not especially
witty or eloquent； it seldom is in private societies； or
anywhere except in very high…flown and ingenious novels。
As there was music in the next room； the talk was
carried on； of course； in a low and becoming tone； though；
for the matter of that； the couple in the next apartment
would not have been disturbed had the talking been ever
so loud； so occupied were they with their own pursuits。
Almost for the first time in his life； Mr。 Sedley found
himself talking； without the least timidity or hesitation；
to a person of the other sex。 Miss Rebecca asked him a
great number of questions about India； which gave him
an opportunity of narrating many interesting anecdotes
about that country and himself。 He described the balls
at Government House； and the manner in which they
kept themselves cool in the hot weather； with punkahs；
tatties； and other contrivances； and he was very witty
regarding the number of Scotchmen whom Lord Minto；
the Governor…General； patronised； and then he described
a tiger…hunt； and the manner in which the mahout of his
elephant had been pulled off his seat by o