MR. SPONGE'S SPORTING TOUR. 93 



it, ever wanted an offer while he was in the way, for he would 

 accommodate her at the second or third interview : and always 

 pressed for an immediate fulfilment, lest the " cursed lawyers " 

 should interfere and interrupt their felicity. Somehow or other, 

 the " cursed lawyers " always had interfered : and as sure as they 

 walked in, Mr. Sponge walked out. He couldn't bear the idea of 

 their coarse, inquisitive inquiries. He was too much of a gentle- 

 man ! 



Love, light as air, at sight of human ties 

 Spreads his light wings and in a moment flies. 



So Mr. Sponge fled, consoling himself with the reflection that 

 there was no harm done, and hoping for " better luck next time." 



He roved from flower to flower like a butterfly, touching here, 

 alighting there, but always passing away with apparent indiffe- 

 rence. He knew if he couldn't square matters at short notice, he 

 would have no better chance with an extension of time ; so, if he 

 saw things taking the direction of inquiry, he would just laugh 

 the offer off, pretend he was only feeling his way — saw he was not 

 acceptable — sorry for it — and away he would go to somebody else. 

 He looked upon a woman much in the light of a horse ; if she 

 didn't suit one man, she would another, and there was no harm in 

 trying. So he puffed and smoked, and smoked and puffed — 

 gliding gradually into wealth and prosperity. 



A second cigar assisted his comprehension considerably — just as 

 a second bottle of wine not only helps men through their 

 difficulties, but shows them the way to unbounded wealth. Many 

 of the bright railway schemes of former days, we make no doubt, 

 were concocted under the inspiring influence of the bottle. Sponge 

 now saw everything as he wished. All the errors of his former 

 days were apparent to him. He saw how indiscreet it was 

 confiding in Miss Trickery's cousin, the major ; why the rich 

 widow at Chesterfield had chassccd him ; and how he was done 

 out of the beautiful Miss Rainbow, with her beautiful estate, with 

 its lake, its heronry, and its perpetual advowson. Other mishaps 

 he also considered. 



Having disposed of the past, he then turned his attention to the 

 future. Here were two beautiful girls apparently full of money, 

 between whom there wasn't the toss-up of a halfpenny for choice. 

 Most exemplary parents, too, who didn't seem to care a farthing 

 about money. 



He then began speculating on what the girls would have. 

 "Great house — great establishment — great estate, doubtless. 

 Why, confound it," continued he, casting his heavy eye lazily 

 around, " here's a room as big as a field in a cramped country ! 

 Can't have less than fifty thousand a-piece, I should say, at the 

 least. Jawleyford, to be sure, is young," thought he ; " may live a 



