"Mr. Sedley was uncommon wild last night, sir," he whispered in

confidence to Osborne, as the latter mounted the stair. "He wanted to

fight the 'ackney-coachman, sir. The Capting was obliged to bring him

upstairs in his harms like a babby." A momentary smile flickered over

Mr. Brush's features as he spoke; instantly, however, they relapsed

into their usual unfathomable calm, as he flung open the drawing-room

door, and announced "Mr. Hosbin."

"How are you, Sedley?" that young wag began, after surveying his

victim. "No bones broke? There's a hackney-coachman downstairs with a

black eye, and a tied-up head, vowing he'll have the law of you."

"What do you mean--law?" Sedley faintly asked.

"For thrashing him last night--didn't he, Dobbin? You hit out, sir,

like Molyneux. The watchman says he never saw a fellow go down so

straight. Ask Dobbin."

"You DID have a round with the coachman," Captain Dobbin said, "and

showed plenty of fight too."

"And that fellow with the white coat at Vauxhall! How Jos drove at him!

How the women screamed! By Jove, sir, it did my heart good to see you.

I thought you civilians had no pluck; but I'll never get in your way

when you are in your cups, Jos."

"I believe I'm very terrible, when I'm roused," ejaculated Jos from the

sofa, and made a grimace so dreary and ludicrous, that the Captain's

politeness could restrain him no longer, and he and Osborne fired off a

ringing volley of laughter.

Osborne pursued his advantage pitilessly. He thought Jos a milksop. He

had been revolving in his mind the marriage question pending between

Jos and Rebecca, and was not over well pleased that a member of a

family into which he, George Osborne, of the --th, was going to marry,

should make a mesalliance with a little nobody--a little upstart

governess. "You hit, you poor old fellow!" said Osborne. "You

terrible! Why, man, you couldn't stand--you made everybody laugh in the

Gardens, though you were crying yourself. You were maudlin, Jos.

Don't you remember singing a song?"

"A what?" Jos asked.

"A sentimental song, and calling Rosa, Rebecca, what's her name,

Amelia's little friend--your dearest diddle-diddle-darling?" And this

ruthless young fellow, seizing hold of Dobbin's hand, acted over the

scene, to the horror of the original performer, and in spite of

Dobbin's good-natured entreaties to him to have mercy.

"Why should I spare him?" Osborne said to his friend's remonstrances,

when they quitted the invalid, leaving him under the hands of Doctor

Gollop. "What the deuce right has he to give himself his patronizing

airs, and make fools of us at Vauxhall? Who's this little schoolgirl

that is ogling and making love to him? Hang it, the family's low enough

already, without HER. A governess is all very well, but I'd rather

have a lady for my sister-in-law. I'm a liberal man; but I've proper

pride, and know my own station: let her know hers. And I'll take down

that great hectoring Nabob, and prevent him from being made a greater

fool than he is. That's why I told him to look out, lest she brought

an action against him."




readonlinefreebook.com Copyright 2016 - 2024