332 DINING, AS IT IS PRACTISED ABOUT BEDFORD BQUARE. 



Miss Melbourne with Miss Wallace, and thinking of the advantage 

 of beauty without vulgarity, and of good breeding without affectation, 

 when Sergeant and Mrs. Oldfield were introduced. While Mrs. Old- 

 field (a neat and spruce-looking little woman) was whispering to 

 Mrs. Dewitt, an excuse for her late arrival, some little nursery anec- 

 dote not intended for the public ear, the proper functionary pro- 

 claimed dinner. 



Dewitt led off Mrs. Oldfield, the Serjeant had the honour of sup- 

 porting Mrs. Marsden's portliness, and then came (as I had been 

 carefully calculating) Mrs. Marsden's turn : I trembled, for I thought 

 there could be no doubt as to the event ; but the beauty stood forward 

 to assert her claim, and Mr. Marsden seemed to think himself happy 

 to uphold it. They marched on ; Miss Melbourne drew nearer to 

 me, but just then the insufferable and presuming dandy thrust him- 

 self forward, and bore her off! Mr. Justice Melbourne and Mrs. 

 Dewitt followed, and I disconsolately brought up the rear with Mr. 

 King. The coxcomb who had done me was my senior at the bar by 

 a few months, and thus had right on his side. 



With some degree of confusion and eagerness the whole party 

 took their places, and the business of the day began. The two at- 

 tendants, of whom I have already made honourable mention, had 

 been reinforced by two others, and if noise and bustle constituted the 

 art of serving, they certainly performed their part to admiration. 

 " Do you take soup or fish/" reiterated Mrs. Dewitt to every one in 

 succession (a question which by-the-bye I always think rather dis- 

 agreeable, as implying that one is not entitled to both of those preli- 

 minaries) ; and while I was awaiting my turn, I 'had leisure to look 

 around me. I found myself placed near the languishing Mrs. 

 Dewitt and the merry Mrs. Marsden, but I had also the advantage 

 of being almost opposite Miss Melbourne, whose supporters were the 

 beauty's brother and Serjeant Oldfield. The beau was assiduous in 

 his devoirs, but notwithstanding the superiority of his costume, he 

 found to his mortification that his fair neighbour was more inclined, 

 to give her attention to Serjeant Oldfield. 



The joys of feasting were now at their zenith. " Pray, allow me 

 to offer you some turkey, Mrs. Oldfield," said Mrs. Dewitt, elevating 

 her voice somewhat above the subdued pitch to which she had 

 hitherto confined it ; ft you do seem to be making a very poor dinner 

 of it !" " Why, really that mock-turtle of yours," said Mrs. Mars- 

 den, " is so very stuffing, one can't relish any thing else after : 

 Marsden, he would make nothing of two good helps of it." Mr. King's 

 tragical voice next attracted my attention : with the most profound 

 gravity he inquired if he might offer Miss Wallace a glass of cham- 

 pagne. By looking beyond the intervening heads I had a full view 

 of the bow which followed. He still held it essential for a well- 

 dressed gentleman to have the chin firmly propped up. This cer- 

 tainly might add to the dignity of his appearance, but it did not faci- 

 litate the manoeuvre which he was now going through, and the pro- 

 longed bend of his whole person contrasted oddly with the slight 

 nod or rather toss which Miss Wallace vouchsafed him. Indeed, I 

 soon perceived that his homage was but ill repaid ; the lady even 



