330 DINING, AS IT IS PRACTISED ABOUT BEDFORD SQUARE. 



suggestion. '* I suppose Mr. Dewitt is perpetually busy at this time 

 of the year ; at least he always appears so when I see him in court." 

 " Indeed," answered the lady, with an expression which proved to 

 me that I had not been fortunate in my topic, " I believe that he has 

 a great deal to do, for I see but little of him : but fortunately for me, 

 although our house is not exactly in the situation which I have been 

 accustomed to, it is out of the reach of that tiresome business. But, 

 by the bye," added she, smiling graciously, " I ought not to disgust 

 you with the profession. You are a novice in these things, as I was a 

 few months ago, and I can enter into your feelings." 



Just as this sympathy of souls was established between us, I was 

 prevented from exhibiting my sense of it, by the entrance of her hus- 

 band. He hurried into the room, rubbing his hands, and looking 

 like a boy released from school. My hand, and indeed my whole 

 arm, immediately received a dislocating swing. " Here you are, 

 H ! punctual as usual. I saw you make your appearance in court 

 to-day, just as the Chancellor came in. A great many remarks upon 

 your wig, I can tell you. You youngsters have time to study the 

 becoming, but you won't always -I prophecy that." 



Two other guests were at this moment announced ; and the mode 

 in which they were welcomed, assured me that they were intimate 

 friends of Dewitt. " Well, Marsden," said he, inflicting on him as 

 severe a shake as the one he had bestowed on me, " this is friendly. 

 I was afraid those heavy papers in Pringle and Hopkins, would have 

 taken up all your time, and kept you from us." The gentleman thus 

 addressed was an elderly person, with a short, square figure, and a 

 complexion that spoke plainly of long attendance in unwholesome 

 courts. He had a voice and manner that would have tired the pa- 

 tience of Sir William Grant himself. He answered in a most delibe- 

 rate tone, which contrasted strongly with the smart, eager manner of 



my friend. " Indeed the case is a very complicated one " " But," 



interrupted the heavy barrister's companion, " we were determined 

 not to miss coming to your very first dinner, whatever might be the 

 consequences." The last speaker was a fat, elderly lady, with a face 

 and manner as jolly and unrestrained, as her husband's were solemn 

 and measured. Her dress (for a lady's mind betrays itself in her 

 dress, and I am, therefore, a careful observer of it) appeared to have 

 seen many changes of fashion before it had arrived at its present am- 



C 1 fied condition: an immense structure, between a cap and a tur- 

 i, surmounted her head, and a huge black prunella foot protruded 

 from beneath her orange silk petticoat. 



To do the lady justice, she did not appear to bestow more thought 

 upon her attire than was sufficient to prompt an occasional hasty and 

 coachman-like shrug of her shoulders, when her rebellious garments 

 seemed disposed to fall off. In this respect she formed a striking 

 contrast with Mrs. Dewitt, who looked as if cut out of the Court 

 Magazine, and was ever and anon occupied in the contemplation or 

 unrequired arrangement of her toilette. Her smiles were soon called 

 up for the reception of a new guest. The moment he appeared, I 

 perceived that the poor young gentleman had been despoiled of his 

 hat; and he twisted his unhappy, unoccupied fingers about most 



