334? DINING, AS IT IS PRACTISED ABOUT BEDFORD SQUARE. 



though we do want it all to be sure, with nine children to provide 

 for !" " But then there's a great deal in good managing/' observed 

 Mrs. Marsden, " and you always had such a way with you. Now, 

 how much table-beer do you allow your servants ? I never could 

 tolerate any ale in our house, for even if the man has not enough to 

 get drunk, the maid-servants do get so uppish there's no bearing 

 them !" Mrs. Oldfield having satisfied her friend as to her arrange- 

 ments in this matter, Mrs. Marsden proceeded : " Well now, that is 

 liberal, very liberal, too liberal I think ; but they are so difficult to 

 please, and then, if you'd believe them, they have always too much 

 work. There's my housemaid (you know I took her from Mrs. 

 Henry), she complains, forsooth ! To be sure she waits on me ; but 

 then there's very little scrubbing up stairs, and what's the drawing- 

 room ? nothing, for I always git in the parlour; it keeps the room 

 above clean, and one's nearer the servants. I must tell you a story 

 about that slut Sally " " Ahem !" murmured Mrs. Dewitt, with a 

 warning gesture, as the conversation of the gentlemen was evidently 

 about to flag. A dead pause ensued : Dewitt was uneasy, but in a 

 few moments a bright idea occurred to him, and turning to Mr. Jus- 

 tice Melbourne, he said, " Apropos, of the old new trials " The 

 words had scarcely passed his lips, when Mrs. Marsden, under cover 

 of the fertile topic thus started, prepared to open her batteries upon 

 " that slut Sally ;" but Mrs. Dewitt, anxious to start a more re- 

 fined subject, dexterously cut in before her. " I hope you like my 



schallis, Mrs. Oldfield/' said she : " Madame D says it's just 



come from Paris." " Very pretty, I must say," replied Mrs. O. ; 

 " but that's a lady to beware of; indeed I never go near the French 

 milliners." " Oh, I never could employ any other," saidplrs. D. ; "I 

 am sure that you patronize them, Miss Melbourne ; that gown looks 

 like it." Here Mrs. Marsden interposed, " Why, black velvet is 

 very genteel to be sure ; but it's all up with it if you sit much." 



Mrs. Dewitt, having now ascertained that Mrs. Oldfield had taken 

 enough wine, gave the usual bow with much intended grace, and the 

 ladies withdrew. For the next hour we had plenty of argument, lots 

 of law, a few professional jokes, and some remarks on fees. Mr. 

 Justice Melbourne wondered that they had not fallen with other 

 things : it astonished him to see gentlemen at the bar still getting 

 war prices. He thought they should have been reduced. He felt 

 satisfied that the attention of suitors would soon be arouzed on the 

 subject, and that a change must ensue. Mr. Dewitt certainly felt dis- 

 posed to favour the abolition of half-guinea fees, for the signature of 

 counsel as a mere matter of form to motion papers. Mr. King ven- 

 tured to object, because young barristers principally subsisted on the 

 proceeds of silent motions. Serjeant Oldfield pared an apple, and 

 Mr. Marsden' s mouth was overflowing with orange. Mr. Wallace 

 attempted to bring in the opera, but it was coldly received, and soon 

 withdrawn. Marsden, with more success, started the subject of pro- 

 motions, public and private; and this lasted until coffee was de- 

 clared. 



On entering the drawing-room a little in advance of the other gen- 

 tlemen, I found Mrs. D. and her fair guests congregated on the 



