160 HORATIO SPARKTNS. 



"Well perhaps it does," said Mr. Frederick; "I didn't see it 

 before." 



" I don't exactly see it now/' thought the grocer ; " but I suppose 

 it's all right." 



" How wonderfully clever he is !" whispered Mrs. Malderton to 

 her daughters as they retired to the drawing-room. 



" Oh ! he's quite a love," said both the young ladies together, 

 " he talks like a second Pelham. He must have seen a great deal of 

 life." 



The gentlemen being left to themselves a pause ensued, during 

 which everybody looked very grave, as if they were quite overcome 

 by the profound nature of the previous discussion. Flamwell, who 

 had made up his mind to find out who and what Mr. Horatio Spar- 

 kins really was, first broke silence. 



" Excuse me, sir," said that distinguished personage. " I presume 

 you have studied for the bar ; I thought of entering once myself 

 indeed I'm rather intimate with some of the highest ornaments of 

 that distinguished profession. 



"No no !" said Horatio, with a little hesitation, "not exactly." 



"But you have been much among the silk gowns, or I mistake?" 

 inquired Flamwell, deferentially. 



" Nearly all my life," returned Sparkins. 



The question was thus pretty well settled in the mind of Mr. 

 Flamwell. He was a young gentleman " about to be called." 



" I shouldn't like to be a barrister," said Tom, speaking for 

 the first time, and looking round the table to find somebody who 

 would notice the remark. 



No one made any reply. 



" I shouldn't like to wear a wig," added Tom, hazarding another 

 observation. 



" Tom, I beg you'll not make yourself ridiculous/' said his father. 

 " Pray listen, and improve yourself by the conversation you hear, 

 and don't be constantly making these absurd remarks." 



" Very well, father," replied the unfortunate Tom, who had not 

 spoken a word since he had asked for another slice of beef at a quar- 

 ter past five o'clock p. M., and it was then eight. 



" Well, Tom," observed his good-natured uncle, " never mind ; 

 I think with you. / shouldn't like to wear a wig 1 ; I'd rather wear 

 an apron." 



Mr. Malderton coughed violently. Mr. Barton resumed " For 

 if a man's above his business " 



The cough returned with tenfold violence, and did not cease until 

 the unfortunate cause of it, in his alarm, had quite forgotten what 

 he intended to say. 



" Mr. Sparkins," said Flamwell, returning to the charge ; " do 

 you happen to know Mr. Delafontaine of Bedford-square?" 



" I have exchanged cards with him ; since which, indeed, I had 

 an opportunity of serving him considerably," replied Horatio, slightly 

 colouring, no doubt at having been betrayed into making the ac- 

 knowledgment. 



