82 MR. SPONGE'S SPORTING TOUR. 



But Jawleyford's thoughts were far from his book. He was sitting 

 on thorns lest there might not be a proper guard of honour to 

 receive Mr. Sponge at the entrance. 



Jawleyford, as we said before, was not the man to entertain 

 unless he could do it " properly ; " and, as we all have our pitch- 

 notes of propriety up to which we play, we may state that Jawley- 

 ford's note was a butler and two footmen. A butler and two 

 footmen he looked upon as perfectly indispensable to receiving 

 company. He chose to have two footmen to follow the butler, 

 who followed the gentleman to the spacious flight of steps leading 

 from the great hall to the portico, as he mounted his horse. The 

 world is governed a good deal by appearances. 



Mr. Jawleyford started life with two most unimpeachable Johns. 

 They were nearly six feet high, heads well up, and legs that might 

 have done for models for a sculptor. They powdered with the 

 greatest propriety, and by two o'clock each day were silk-stockinged 

 and pumped in full-dress Jawleyford livery ; sky-blue coats with 

 massive silver aiguillettes, and broad silver seams down the front 

 and round their waistcoat-pocket flaps -, silver garters at their 

 crimson plush breeches' knees : and thus attired, they were ready 

 to turn out with the butler to receive visitors, and conduct them 

 back to their carriages. Gradually they came down in style, but 

 not in number, and, when Mr. Sponge visited Mr. Jawleyford, he 

 had a sort of out-of-door man-of-all-work who metamorphosed 

 himself into a second footman at short notice. 



" My dear Mr. Sponge ! — I am delighted to see you ! " exclaimed 

 Mr. Jawleyford, rising from his easy chair, and throwing his 

 Disraeli's " Bentinck" aside, as Mr. Spigot, the butler, in a deep 

 sonorous voice, announced our worthy friend. " This is, indeed, 

 most truly kind of you," continued Jawleyford, advancing to meet 

 him ; and getting our friend by both hands, he began working 

 his arms up and down like the under man in a saw-pit. "This is, 

 indeed, most truly kind," he repeated ; " I assure you I shall 

 never forget it. It's just what I like — it's just what Mrs. Jawley- 

 ford likes — it's just what we all like — coming without fuss or 

 ceremony. Spigot ! " he added, hailing old Pomposo as the latter 

 was slowly withdrawing, thinking what a humbug his master was 

 — " Spigot ! " he repeated in a louder voice ; " let the ladies know 

 Mr. Sponge is here. Come to the fire, my dear fellow," continued 

 Jawleyford, clutching his guest by the arm, and drawing him 

 towards where an ample grate of indifferent coals was crackling 

 and spluttering beneath a magnificent old oak mantelpiece of the 

 richest and costliest carved work. " Come to the fire, my dear 

 fellow," he repeated, " for you feel cold ; and I don't wonder at it, 

 for the day is cheerless and uncomfortable, and you've had a long 

 ride. Will you take anything before dinner ? " 



