MR. SPONGE'S SPORTING TOUR. 231 



Dinner was presently announced ; but bis lordship, instead of 

 choosing- to sit with his back to the fire, took the single chair 

 opposite, which gave him a commanding view of the young ladies. 

 He did not, however, take any advantage of his position during 

 the repast, neither did he talk much, his maxim being to let his 

 meat stop his mouth. The preponderance of his observations, 

 perhaps, were addressed to Amelia, though a watchful observer 

 might have seen that the spectacles were oftener turned upon 

 Emily. Up to the withdrawal of the cloth, however, there was 

 no perceptible advantage on either side. 



As his lordship settled to the sweets, at which he was a great 

 hand at dessert, Amelia essayed to try her influence with the 

 popular subject of a ball. 



" I wish the members of your hunt would give us a ball, my 

 lord," observed she. 



" Ah, hay, hum, ball," replied he, ladling up the syrup of some 

 preserved peaches that he had been eating ; " ball, ball, ball. No 

 place to give it — no place to give it," repeated he. 



" Oh, give it in the town-hall, or the long room at the Angel," 

 replied she. 



" Town-hall — long room at the Angel — Angel at the long room 

 of the town-hall — oh, certainly, certainly, certainly," muttered he, 

 scraping away at the contents of his plate. 



" Then that's a bargain, mind," observed Amelia, significantly. 



" Bargain, bargain, bargain — certainly," replied he ; " and I'll 

 lead off with you, or you'll lead off with me — whichever way it is — 

 meanwhile, I'll trouble you for a piece of that gingerbread." 



Having supplied him with a most liberal slice, she resumed the 

 subject of the ball. 



" Then we'll fix it so," observed she. 



" Oh, fix it so, certainly— certainly fix it so," replied his lord- 

 ship, filling his mouth full of gingerbread. 



" Suppose we have it on the day of the races ? " continued 

 Amelia. 



" Couldn't be better," replied his lordship ; " couldn't be 

 better," repeated he, eyeing her intently through, his formidable 

 specs. 



His lordship was quite in the assenting humour, and would 

 have agreed to anything — anything short of lending one a five- 

 pound note. 



Amelia was charmed with her success. Despite the spot on her 

 nose, she felt she was winning. 



His lordship sat like a target, shot at by all, but making the 

 most of his time, both in the way of eating and staring between 

 questions. 



At length the ladies withdrew, and his lordship having waddled 



