PASSAGE IN THE LIFE OF MR. WATKINS TOTTLE. 133 



" I thought you spoke." 

 " No." 

 Oh !" 



' ' There are some books on the sofa, Mr. Tottle, if you would like 

 to look at them/' said Miss Lillerton, after the lapse of another five 

 minutes. 



" No, thank you/' returned Watkins ; and then he added, with a 

 courage which was perfectly astonishing, even to himself, " Madam, 

 that is, Miss Lillerton, I wish to speak to you." 



" To me !" said Miss Lillerton, letting the silk drop from her 

 hands, and sliding her chair back a few paces. " Speak to me !" 



" To you, Madam and on the subject of the state of your affec- 

 tions." The lady hastily rose, and would have left the room ; but 

 Mr. Watkins Tottle gently detained her by the hand, and holding it 

 as far from him as the joint length of their arms would permit, he 

 thus proceeded " Pray do not misunderstand me, or suppose that I 

 am led to address you, after so short an acquaintance, by any feeling 

 of my own merits for merits I have none which could give me a 

 claim to your hand. I hope you will acquit me of any presumption 

 when I explain that I have been acquainted, through Mrs. Parsons, 

 with the state that is, that Mrs. Parsons has told me at least, not 



Mrs. Parsons, but " here Watkins began to wander, but Miss 



Lillerton relieved him. 



" Am I to understand, Mr. Tottle, that Mrs. Parsons has acquainted 

 you with my feeling my affection I mean, my respect for an indi- 

 vidual of the opposite sex ?" 

 She has." 



" Then, what," inquired Miss Lillerton, averting her face, with a 

 girlish air, " what could induce you to seek such an interview as this ? 

 What can your object be ? How can I promote your happiness, Mr. 

 Tottle?" ' 



Here was the time for a flourish. " By allowing me," replied 

 Watkins, falling bump on his knees, and breaking two brace-buttons, 

 and a waistcoat-string, in the act. " By allowing me to be your 

 slave, your servant in short, by unreservedly making me the confi- 

 dant of your heart's feelings may I say, for the promotion of your 

 own happiness may I say, in order that you may become the wife 

 of a kind and affectionate husband ?" 



" Disinterested creature !" exclaimed Miss Lillerton, hiding her 

 face in a white pocket handkerchief with an eyelet-hole border. 



Mr. Watkins Tottle thought that if the lady knew all, she might 

 possibly alter her opinion on this last point. He raised the tip of 

 her middle finger ceremoniously to his lips, and got off his knees as 

 gracefully as he could. " My information was correct?" he tremu- 

 lously inquired, when he was once more on his feet. 



(t It was." Watkins elevated his hands, and looked up to the 

 ornament in the centre of the ceiling, which had been made for a 

 lamp, by way of expressing his rapture. 



" Our situation, Mr. Tottle," resumed the lady, glancing at him 

 through one of the eyelet-holes, " is a most peculiar and delicate 

 one." 



" It is," said Mr. Tottle, 



