SAWNEYS AND SPOONEYS. 125 



u Hush, Selina.," said Beauchamp, "he will overhear you." 



"So much the better," replied the wayward, high-spirited 

 girl ; " I hate hini equally with Vernon, who is his great ally." 



" Who is that forward, pert young lady dancing with Mr. 

 Beauchamp 1 " inquired Lord Yancourt, who overheard some of 

 her remarks. 



" Miss Markham," replied Blanche. 



"Who is that hook-nosed, monkey-legged fellow dancing 

 with Miss Douglas ? " asked Selina, in return, loud enough for 

 him to hear. 



" Lord Vancourt," whispered Beauchamp. " But pray, Selina, 

 do not be so loud in your remarks." 



"Eh! aw! Lord Vain-court; think he's well named — as 

 Ned says, he has been paying court to every young heiress 

 that has come out in town for the last five seasons, and cannot 

 succeed ; so now he has come down to try the provinces, eh ? 

 'Pon honour, very condescending, indeed ! with my Lord 

 Mervyn for his bear-leader ! " 



" Really, Selina, if you run on in this strain, I must leave 

 you to finish the dance by yourself." 



"Very well, Will Beauchamp, a good riddance of bad 

 company ; for, what with sawneys and spooneys, the young ladies 

 in this neighbourhood have a delightful choice of husbands ! " 



" In which class, pray, have I the honour of being included 1 " 



" In the first," replied Selina ; " you are a decided sawney, 

 Will Beauchamp, and a spooney, too," she whispered, "if you 

 allow that fellow to carry off Blanche." 



" Well, Selina, don't be too severe upon a quiet, inoffensive 

 young man, like myself," said Beauchamp, laughing. 



" You are an arrant donkey, Will, I am sorry to say ; I 

 have no patience with you. You can look hard at your fences, 

 but dare not look a pretty girl in the face." 



" Well, Selina, as that is my failing, I must put on a little 

 more brass for the future ; and now, with many thanks for your 

 hint, I must make my bow to my fair lecturer." 



The more pleasantly time passes, the more quickly it fleets 

 away ; and the ball was now brought to a close by the usual 

 country dance, in which, as agreed upon, Lord Malcolm, Con- 

 stance, Beauchamp, and Blanche joined ; after which, notwith- 

 standing a little impatience exhibited by Mrs. Harcourt, our 

 young fox-hunter persisted in cloaking and handing his fair 

 partner to the carriage. 



