THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



gentleman ; and although it could not have been said of him, 

 what Shakespeare says of the dancing-master, that ' his grace 

 was only in his heels,' he had taken some pains to improve 

 himself in the elegant and fascinating art. But who was the 

 object of his choice at this gay ball, where were assembled all 

 the youth and beauty of the neighbourhood, that the higher 

 class of society could boast of ? Was it a young lady in her 

 teens, about his own age, and one who, like himself, had just 

 made her debut in the world ? It was not. He had selected 

 a young and beautiful married woman for his partner, and 

 who, although of character pure and spotless, seemed some- 

 what pleased by the choice. The dance concluded, he led 

 her to her seat, and again made his election. But there was 

 something in his manner, at this moment, that might not have 

 been regarded by a common observer, but which attracted the 

 eye of Lady Charlotte, and also of his ci-devant tutor, who 

 happened to be seated by her side. There did not appear 

 to be that gaiety in his demeanour, that earnest admiration 

 of his partner, young and elegant as she was, that he had 

 exhibited whilst standing opposite to Mrs. Denham — for that 

 was the young matron's name ; neither was he seen approach- 

 ino- her, as in the other case, for the purpose of exchanging 

 words, or we might perhaps say, thoughts. All this, however, 

 would have been passed over, but for some after-occurrences 

 which had less chance of escaping the notice of his lynx-eyed 

 observers — for such are all mothers, if not all tutors, over young 

 persons of both sexes at a ball. 



In the dance previous to entering the supper-room, our hero 

 was aoain seen leading out Mrs. Denham, and afterwards 

 appeared seated by her at the supper-table. Neither did his 

 attentions stop here. When her carriage w^as ordered, it was he 

 who handed her into it, and that of his own family being the 

 next in the rank of those about to depart, he entered it with 

 these words on his lips : — 



' Well, Lady Charlotte (to his mother), I dare say you will be 

 o-lad to get home, for you have had a fatiguing day of it. But, 

 Emma (to his sister), was it not a delightful ball ? Is not that 

 Mrs. Denham a beautiful creature ? I am so glad Sir John 

 introduced me to her.' 



' She is,' replied Lady Charlotte, ' and ' — laying some 

 emphasis on the lirst epithet — ' as good as she is beautiful,' 



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