119 



Turning the sidle into a stately sail, with a haughty sort of sneer and 

 toss of the head to her sister, as much as to say, " What are you 

 doing with my man ? " — a sneer that suddenly changed into a sweet 

 smile as her eye encountered Sponge's — she just motioned him off to 

 a sofa, where she commenced a sotto voce conversation in the engaged- 

 couple style. 



The plot then began to thicken. First came Jawleyford, in a 

 terrible stew. 



" Well, this is too bad ! " exclaimed he, stamping and flourishing 

 a scented. note, with a crest and initials at the top. " This is too 

 bad," repeated he ; " people accepting invitations, and then crying 

 off at the last moment." 



" Who is it can't come, papa — the Foozles ? " asked Emily. 



" No — Foozles be hanged," sneered Jawleyford ; " they always 

 come — the Blossomnoses ! " replied he, with an emphasis. 



" The Blossomnoses ! " exclaimed both girls, clasping their hands 

 and looking up at the ceiling. 



" What, all of them ? " asked Emily. 



" All of them" rejoined Jawleyford. 



"Why, that's four," observed Emily. 



" To be sure it is," replied Jawleyford; "five, if you count them 

 by appetites ; for old Blossom always eats and drinks as much as two 

 people." 



" What excuse do they give ? " asked Amelia. 



" Carriage-horse taken suddenly ill," replied Jawleyford ; " as if 

 that's any excuse when there are post-horses within a half-a-dozen 

 miles." 



" He wouldn't have been stopped hunting for want of a horse, I 

 dare say," observed Amelia. 



" I dare say it's all a lie," observed Jawleyford ; adding, " how- 

 ever, the invitation shall go for a dinner, all the same." 



The denunciation was interrupted by the appearance of Spigot, 

 who came looming up the spacious drawing-room in the full magnifi- 

 cence of black shorts, silk stockings, and buckled pumps, followed by 

 a sheepish-looking, straight-haired, red apple-faced young gentleman, 

 whom he announced as Mr. Robert Foozle. Robert was the hope 

 of the house of Foozle ; and it was fortunate his parents were satis- 

 fied with him, for few other people were. He was a young gentle Jian 

 who shook hands with everybody, assented to anything that anybody 

 said, and in answering a question, wherein indeed his conversation 

 chiefly consisted, he always followed the words of the interrogation 

 as much as he could. For instance : " Well, Robert, have you been 

 at Dulverton to-day ? " Answer, " No, I've not been at Dulverton 

 to-day." Question, "Are you going to Dulverton to-morrow?" 

 Answer," No, I'm not going to Dulverton 'to-morrow." Having 

 shaken hands with the party all round, and turned to the fire to warm 



