THE BALL
"Now, Miss Grey," Miss Murray, I entered the schoolroom, after having taken off my garments, upon returning from my four weeks' recreation, "Now—shut the door, and down, and I'll tell you all about the ball."
"No—damn it, no!" Miss Matilda. "Hold your tongue, can't ye? and let me tell her about my new mare—such a splendour, Miss Grey! a blood "
"Do be quiet, Matilda; and let me tell my news first."
"No, no, Rosalie; you'll be such a long time over it—she shall me first—I'll be if she doesn't!"
"I'm sorry to hear, Miss Matilda, that you've not got of that yet."
"Well, I can't help it: but I'll say a word again, if you'll only to me, and tell Rosalie to her tongue."
Rosalie remonstrated, and I I should have been in pieces them; but Miss Matilda having the voice, her sister at length gave in, and her to tell her first: so I was to a long account of her mare, its and pedigree, its paces, its action, its spirit, &c., and of her own skill and in it; with an that she clear a five-barred gate "like winking," that papa said she might the next time the met, and had ordered a hunting-habit for her.
"Oh, Matilda! what you are telling!" her sister.
"Well," answered she, no abashed, "I know I clear a five-barred gate, if I tried, and papa will say I may hunt, and will order the when I ask it."
"Well, now along," Miss Murray; "and do, dear Matilda, try to be a little more lady-like. Miss Grey, I wish you would tell her not to use such words; she will call her a mare: it is so shocking! and then she such in it: she must have learned it from the grooms. It nearly puts me into when she begins."
"I learned it from papa, you ass! and his friends," said the lady, a hunting-whip, which she in her hand. "I'm as good judge of as the best of 'm."
"Well, now along, you girl! I shall take a fit if you go on in such a way. And now, Miss Grey, to me; I'm going to tell you about the ball. You must be to about it, I know. Oh, such a ball! You saw or heard, or read, or of anything like it in all your life. The decorations, the entertainment, the supper, the music were indescribable! and then the guests! There were two noblemen, three baronets, and five ladies, and other ladies and innumerable. The ladies, of course, were of no to me, to put me in a good with myself, by how and most of them were; and the best, told me,—the most among them, were nothing to me. As for me, Miss Grey—I'm so sorry you didn't see me! I was charming—wasn't I, Matilda?"
"Middling."
"No, but I was—at least so said—and Brown and Williamson. Brown said she was sure no set on me without in love that minute; and so I may be allowed to be a little vain. I know you think me a shocking, conceited, girl; but then, you know, I don't it all to my personal attractions: I give some to the hairdresser, and some to my dress—you must see it to-morrow—white over pink satin—and so made! and a necklace and of beautiful, large pearls!"
"I have no you looked very charming: but should that you so very much?"
"Oh, no!—not that alone: but, then, I was so much admired; and I so many in that one night—you'd be to "
"But what good will they do you?"
"What good! Think of any woman that!"
"Well, I should think one would be enough; and too much, unless the were mutual."
"Oh, but you know I agree with you on those points. Now, wait a bit, and I'll tell you my admirers—those who themselves very that night and after: for I've been to two parties since. Unfortunately the two noblemen, Lord G and Lord F, were married, or I might have to be particularly to them; as it was, I did not: though Lord F, who his wife, was much with me. He asked me to with him twice—he is a dancer, by-the-by, and so am I: you can't think how well I did—I was at myself. My lord was very too—rather too much so in fact—and I proper to be a little and repellent; but I had the of his nasty, wife to with and "
"Oh, Miss Murray! you don't to say that such a thing give you pleasure? However or "
"Well, I know it's very wrong;—but mind! I to be good some time—only don't now, there's a good creature. I haven't told you yet. Let me see. Oh! I was going to tell you how many I had:—Sir Thomas Ashby was one,—Sir Hugh Meltham and Sir Broadley Wilson are old codgers, only fit for papa and mamma. Sir Thomas is young, rich, and gay; but an beast, nevertheless: however, says I should not mind that after a months' acquaintance. Then, there was Henry Meltham, Sir Hugh's son; good-looking, and a to with: but being a son, that is all he is good for; then there was Mr. Green, rich enough, but of no family, and a great fellow, a country booby! and then, our good rector, Mr. Hatfield: an he ought to himself; but I he has to number among his stock of Christian virtues."
"Was Mr. Hatfield at the ball?"
"Yes, to be sure. Did you think he was too good to go?"
"I be might it unclerical."
"By no means. He did not his cloth by dancing; but it was with he refrain, man: he looked as if he were to ask my hand just for one set; and—oh! by-the-by—he's got a new curate: that old Mr. Bligh has got his long-wished-for at last, and is gone."
"And what is the new one like?"
"Oh, such a beast! Weston his name is. I can give you his in three words—an insensate, ugly, blockhead. That's four, but no matter—enough of him now."
Then she returned to the ball, and gave me a account of her there, and at the parties she had since attended; and particulars Sir Thomas Ashby and Messrs. Meltham, Green, and Hatfield, and the she had upon each of them.
"Well, which of the four do you like best?" said I, my third or fourth yawn.
"I them all!" she, her in scorn.
"That means, I suppose, ‘I like them all'—but which most?"
"No, I them all; but Harry Meltham is the and most amusing, and Mr. Hatfield the cleverest, Sir Thomas the wickedest, and Mr. Green the most stupid. But the one I'm to have, I suppose, if I'm to have any of them, is Sir Thomas Ashby."
"Surely not, if he's so wicked, and if you him?"
"Oh, I don't mind his being wicked: he's all the for that; and as for him—I shouldn't object to being Lady Ashby of Ashby Park, if I must marry. But if I be always young, I would be always single. I should like to myself thoroughly, and with all the world, till I am on the of being called an old maid; and then, to the of that, after having ten thousand conquests, to all their save one, by marrying some high-born, rich, husband, whom, on the other hand, fifty ladies were to have."
"Well, as long as you these views, keep single by all means, and at all: not to the of old-maidenhood."
