MR. sponge's SPORTING TOUR. 221 



" That's a fine nosegay ! " exclaimed he, staring and running his 

 snub nose into the midst of it. 



" Let me give you a piece," replied Amelia, proceeding to detach 

 some of the best. 



" Do," replied his lordship, banging one hand against the other ; 

 adding, " I'll wear it next my heart of hearts." 



In sidled Miss Emily just as his lordship was adjusting it in his 

 button-hole, and the inconstant man immediately chopped over to 

 her. 



" Well, now, that is a beautiful nosegay ! " exclaimed he, turning 

 upon her in precisely the same way, with a bang of the hand and a 

 dive of his nose into Emily's. 



She did not offer him any, and his lordship continued his atten- 

 tion to her until Mrs. Jawleyford entered. 



Dinner was presently announced ; but his 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 ad- 

 dressed to Amelia, though a watchful observer might have seen that 

 the spectacles were oftener turned upon Emily. Up to the with- 

 drawal 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 

 subjeet 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, 111 trouble you for a piece of that gingerbread." 



Raving 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 lordship, 

 filling his mouth full of gingerbread. 



