A CONVIVIAL PARTY. 203 



is room for you at our table, Melville, if you will join our 

 party." 



" Most •willingly, Beauchamp," was the reply ; and in this 

 order, Mrs. Gordon having Beauchamp's arm, they descended 

 the stairs to the supper-room, when Melville whispered to 

 Blanche, " I do not now regret the interruption to our dance, 

 as it has afforded me the enviable position of sitting near you 

 and basking in the sunshine of -Chose smiles I value beyond all 

 price." 



"Pray spare me such fulsome compliments, Captain Mel- 

 ville," said Blanche, loud enough for Beauchamp to hear ; " I do 

 not like fine speeches ; " which stopped the Captain from any 

 further attempts in that line. 



CHAPTER XXII. 



Four long tables were arranged in the supper-room for the 

 members of the four hunts, at the head of which each master 

 presided; and Will Beauchamp took his place, with Mrs. 

 Gordon on one hand, and Blanche on the other, at the head of 

 his table : the old squire sitting next to Blanche, and Malcolm 

 on the other side, below Mrs. Gordon ; next in succession came 

 Sir Lionel Markham, with his party, Sir Francis Burnett, 

 Gwynne, and other members of the hunt, Bob Conyers facing 

 William Beauchamp as vice-president at the lower end, around 

 whom all the youngsters (as Bob called them) were congregated 

 with their partners. Of eatables and potables there was a grand 

 display; with a profusion of game, wild fowl, &c, with the usual 

 accompaniments of confectionary exhibited on such occasions, to 

 which, when the company had paid ample attention, the toasts 

 of the evening succeeded. The health of the ladies was of 

 course received with rapturous applause, for which Bob Conyers 

 returned thanks on their behalf in a very humorous and gallant 

 speech, being the oldest bachelor of the company, jocosely 

 taking his date from the age of George the Second. 



"You behold, ladies and gentlemen," said Bob, "in your 

 humble servant a true specimen of the bashful man, who has 

 had the misfortune to be in love ever since entering his teens, 

 and who has now advanced very deep into the ties, without 

 being tied up himself; the fact is, ladies, I never could muster 



