SWAMP HALL. 291 



Mr. Penny gave a deep groan Mrs. Penny uttered a slight hysteric 

 shriek the friend of the family looked as if his face was suddenly frost- 

 bitten and Master Frankenstein Penny, with the sweet unconscious- 

 ness of childhood, proceeded to read the days of meeting, and the names 

 of the bankrupt's attornies. After the first shock, Mr. Penny looked at 

 " his old friend Rogers' letter," which, according to the date, should 

 have come to hand three days before. Some men, not wholly bigots to 

 ceremony, would have kicked their adviser into the street. Not so, Mr. 

 Penny ; for though he looked as if his neckcloth was doing the work of 

 a bow-string, all he said was but the words came writhing through his 



teeth " I knew I was right 1 " and he dashed down a chair, with 



a vigour that, to the friend of the family, appeared something like a 

 liberty. Mr. Penny continued to grumble: "friends! humph! 

 friends!" with other significant syllables, broke from him; and we 

 know not to what extent his abuse for that was the term given it by 

 Mr. Solon would have gone, had not the cause of this violence at once 

 asserted his dignity, and offered consolation to the enraged, but still 

 polite, Mr. Penny. " There was no doubt that the dividend would be 

 very handsome very handsome." (Mr. Penny ventured a " pish !") 

 " However, such was the reward of friendship :" and Mr. Solon rose, 

 and positively prepared to put on his gloves. " If, however, the divi- 

 dend came short of the debt, he thanked his stars, he yet had property 

 and where people shewed such ingratitude, he would again and again 

 sell Swamp Hall." The string was struck Mrs. Penny again put on 

 one of her imploring looks even Mr. Penny felt he had gone too far ; 

 and as the husband and wife lowered in their tone and manner, of course 

 Mr. Solon rose in his injuries ; until, at length, it was the friend of the 

 family who had been wronged whose property had been sacrificed : 

 it was he who had been swindled by the " old friend" Rogers. How- 

 ever, after much exertion, on the part of man and wife, the proprietor 

 of Swamp Hall took off his gloves, and was again seated in the easy 

 chair. He had ceased to reproach, and was now gathered up in calm 

 dignity. Luncheon was spoken of the tray was brought up and once 

 more Mr. Solon was the friend of the family. The approaching mar- 

 riage of Mary was talked of Mr. Solon declaring, that the firm in 

 which Edmund Wilkins was junior partner, was built on sand ; that, in 

 fact, he was little better than a sharper, with an eye to the " poor girl's 

 money;" whereas, the Hon. Frederick Rustingtoii was a man of birth 

 and rank, with great connexions in the colonies ; a circumstance not to 

 be lost sight of by the father of three intelligent boys. Mrs. Penny 

 bridled up at this, and Mr. Penny listened somewhat more complacently, 

 when Edmund Wilkins 'was again stigmatised as an adventurer and a 

 sharper. Thus went on the time, and Mr. Solon had raised a glass of 

 champagne to his lips, when a shriek, a loud shrill shriek, pierced 

 through the house, and Becky rushed in, wringing her hands; and with 

 her eyes starting from her head, and her round face as ghastly as death, 

 half screamed, and half sobbed " Master ! the child Nic Nic " 

 At last, with a convulsive throe, she delivered herself of the word . 

 " drowned !" 



Mrs. Penny screamed, and went off in a fit ; Becky ran to her assistance, 

 and chafed her hands and temples. The friend of the family, with his 

 mouth open, his face the colour of a new slate, aghast his knees knocking 



