DINING, AS IT IS PRACTISED ABOUT BEDFORD SQUARE. 333 



gave some slight signs of disdain across the table to her brother ; and 

 a few inquiring glances were actually directed towards me to ascertain 

 if I had any claims to her attention. 



Mr. Justice Melbourne being engaged in stating a very interesting 

 nisi prius case to Marsden, while Serjeant Oldfield was evidently 

 pleasing Miss Melbourne by a dissertation on rural delights, I made 

 a foolish attempt to hear both ; listening attentively to the Judge and 

 the Serjeant. Of course I gathered nothing but detached and incom- 

 prehensible scraps of discourse for my pains ; and had, therefore, de- 

 termined on devoting both ears to the Serjeant, when Dewitt 

 exclaimed, " What's that Oldfield what was your last remark ?" 

 " I was only saying," replied the Serjeant, " a few words in favour 

 of a country life, such as this young lady usually leads, when con- 

 trasted with the work-a-day world in which we are compelled to 

 toil." " Ah ! but you are overstating the case, my good friend," 

 said Dewitt; " I must shew Miss Melbourne the right points of it, 

 or rather perhaps I had better leave it in the hands of some younger 

 advocate. eh, Wallace? surely you are able to conduct it yourself, 

 and to lay before Miss Melbourne the joys of a lawyer's life, and of 

 a lawyer's lady too ; eh, my dear Sarah ?" Mrs. D. arisw r ered the 

 appeal with a languid smile, which could not have been very satis- 

 factory to her good-natured husband ; but Mrs. Oldfield came in to 

 his support, and to the relief of Mr. Wallace, whose gallantry had 

 been converted into sheepishness by so sudden an appeal. " Indeed, 

 I think," said she, " there can be few situations so comfortable ; the 

 gentlemen always out of the way, as they ought to be, in the morn- 

 ing ; and then so glad to see one at dinner, and no interfering with 

 the children, except to play with them when they have time ! To be 

 sure one does want a little air for them, poor little things, sometimes ; 

 but then comes the long vacation, which sets all to rights. Pray, 

 where do you go next autumn, Mr. Marsden ?" The words which 

 Mr. Marsden uttered in reply were almost the first which had 

 escaped his lips since he had sat down to table, and indeed I per- 

 ceived that his fair lady had done him no wrong, when she informed 

 us of his capacity for consuming a large share of good cheer, a talent 

 which is rarely evinced in the profession, as, excepting on the happy 

 Saturdays, they dare not cultivate one so inconsistent with mental 

 labour. 



The subject of the long vacation not only lasted throughout the 

 remainder of the repast, but for some time after its close. The ladies 

 at length gave it up, and Mrs. Marsden said to the fair hostess in 

 subdued tones, " Well, my dear Mrs. Dewitt, I must say that a more 

 elegant dinner I never saw set out Pray, where did you get those mag- 

 nificent silver side-dishes ? Marsden, he says that I shall never have 

 a bit of plate, more than spoons and forks, till he gets a silk gown, and 

 that will be soon, I do hope." " I really cannot exactly remember 

 about the side-dishes," replied Mrs. Dewitt. " I only recollect that 

 I made it a point with Mr. D. to have every thing in proper style." 

 " You had better luck than some of us," said Mrs. Oldfield ; " the 

 Serjeant was not a very rich man when I married him, but now I be- 

 lieve nobody has better business in the Commons Pleas than he has ; 



