Islington. But the fact is, he had another and a previous appointment to keep. If the truth must be told, Dick Sparrow was, in the most innocent sense in which so discreditable an epithet may be applied, a "gay Lothario." However profound the depth, and however sincere the truth of his love for Maria Wilcocks Garton, his shallower and less constant predilections occasionally took random and vagrant rambles after other young ladies. It so happened that, about a week previously, his friend Frank Townsend had imparted to him the fact of his having made the acquaintance of two "nice girls," sisters, whose love of sight-seeing was so tremendous, and whose confidence in the efficiency of his protection was so unbounded, that they absorbed the whole of his spare time, during which each arm was constantly kept at right angles. He had appointed, therefore, Dick Sparrow to meet him this very evening at seven o'clock, under the portico of the Lyceum Theatre, that he might there and then be introduced, and be thenceforth duly qualified to take one of them-which of the two he pleased-off his hands, or rather his elbows; his friend Frank averring that they were the most delightful and ethereal beings extant, but cautiously withholding the fact, that when these sylph-like figures glided past a box-keeper, or honoured a stool in a pastry-cook's, they were, to all intents and purposes, a source of as grave expense as though they were the most corporeal couple that ever trudged into a theatre, or made icecreams vanishing quantities. "I'll just go and make my bow to the two young women," said Dick musingly, "because I promised Frank I would. If they want to go into the promenade concert, it's only two bob to my share, and I can easily get away. I mustn't do these things, though, when I'm once married. I wonder what Maria would say if she knew it. Wouldn't she go on at me, that's all!" Thus paltering with fearful fancies, he turned into a familiar tobacconist's shop; for he suddenly remembered that Garton was an inveterate smoker, and that, by the time he arrived at his house, the vapour of cigars was likely to be in the ascendant. The girl behind the counter did not at first know our young friend, so splendid was his appearance, and so "distingwy" was his air. When, however, she did recognise him, she asked, lifting the old accustomed little mahogany lid, "A penny Pickwick, sir?” Dick returned a sort of deaf look from a kind of unintelligent eye, which made the girl titter, and, quietly raising another lid, he selected half a dozen of the finest woodvilles, taking good care that the ring should flame amazement from his little finger the while, and, throwing down two shillings with the utmost apparent indifference, he received his small packet, and stalked with dignity out of the shop. When he reached the portico of the Lyceum, behold there was no Frank Townsend with his fair charges awaiting him. What, then, was to be done but to place himself in an imposing attitude, one arm akimbo, the other outstretched, and supported gracefully on his cane, and give his friend the benefit of the difference of clocks? He did so; and, although somewhat molested by importunate applications that he should take a programme of the performances, he had his reward in attracting a very fair share of attention, considering that the ladies who passed, and smiled upon him, were immediately bent upon recreating their ears inside the theatre, and not upon gratifying their eyes outside. From the crown of his gossamer to the lowest mother-of-pearl button on his elegant jean boots, he felt himself to be the complete thing,-a right-down-and-no-mistake smiter of the weaker vessels,—and he smiled. But wherefore tarry thus, and here? He waxed impatient. "I'll lay a guinea," said he at length, "Frank's gone in with his girls, and I shall see him as large as life gallivanting them round and round. I'll go in, however: it is but a bob." Drawing a shilling forth manfully, he went and paid it down, and was admitted; but no Frank with his fair ones was to be seen, although Dick made a diligent search after them. "It's low-water mark with Franky, I'm thinking," said Dick with a leer of superior scorn; "he won't show his nose here this night. He'll have to come the tea-garden and pint-of-ale move with his girls, I shouldn't wonder. Well, I'll just hear a tune or two, and cut. That's Monsieur Jullien-that's him. What a slap-up front and wrist-bands! He may well turn up his eyes in gratitude. A precious sight of bobs he'll collar to-night. They 're going to strike up." Refreshing to the vital principle encased in Dick's bosom were the "tunes" that greeted him, for he was "uncommon fond" of music. He had ejected a vexed and impatient "bother!" while the orchestra performed a growling overture; but when it gave out strains of Elysium, strains "framed to make women waltz," his imagination was sent whirling and spinning about with young countesses; and, wrapt in dreams of aristocratic companionship, he stood in the most unsophisticated manner staring at the conductor with his mouth open. The first part ended, Dick relapsed into his proprieties of attitude and expression, and began to peer about after beauty's fascination. And there, sure enough, in a dress-box, between two elderly ladies of staid demeanour, sat one of Nature's paragons, a young creature of exceeding loveliness. She attracted Dick's attention on the instant. "Hullo!" he murmured, "that's a nonpril, and no mistake. Maria's a fool to her. I wonder what sphere of life she moves about in! Maria can't come anear her." - With this, he himself drew so nigh, that if the young lady should chance to look down, her eyes must inevitably descend upon the upturned countenance of her admirer. And now his hand began to expatiate over his face. If the ring could but be brought to bear, it were as good as an introduction, and would, without question, establish his high respectability. He drummed upon his lips, he scratched his cheek with the jewelled finger; he suddenly thought of something, and his hand went up to his forehead; he waved his hand in the air, intimating that what he had thought upon was idle, or not to the purpose; and all the while his gaze was fixed upon the girl, who, looking down, at length met the earnest glance of her admirer, and suddenly averted her head with a look of seeming displeasure. "That's the way with 'em all," thought Dick; "as though every one doesn't know they like it, when a young fellow casts his goggles at 'em!" And so he plied again and again, and the girl blushed redder and redder, till at last, his heart knocking about the four sovereigns in his waistcoat pocket, he ventured upon a wink, and then straight way bestowed his attention upon his ring, thereby considerately giving the girl time to divine the full import of that telegraphic communication, and to return a suitable and sentimental reply. But there was a slight commotion where the young lady sat; and when Dick once again raised his eyes, there was a black-haired, black-whiskered, black-bearded, tiger-eyed fellow, something like a captain of brigands in private clothes, leaning half over the box, and glaring about him, as suddenly projected as though he had been shot from a catapulta. "You'd better be off, my friend," said a gentleman to the astounded Dick, who was well nigh distilled to jelly by the act of fear at the sight of this furious champion. "Why, what harm have I done?" pleaded Dick innocently. "I saw you staring and winking rudely at the young lady," returned the other. "The gentleman 'll be after you, rely upon it." "Had I better cut my stick, d'ye think?" inquired Dick in trembling accents. But at that moment the hairy-visaged phenomenon darted out of the box-door with histrionic energy; and, seized with panic, amid the blaring and blasting of ophocleides, and cornets-à-piston, and the rolling of drums, for a battle-sinfonia had just commenced, Dick fled ignominiously out of the pit. And now, to those who laugh derisively at the threats of Prince de Joinville, and know of what stuff the hearts of Britons are composed, it had been a degrading, ay, a damning sight, to have beheld Dick Sparrow, holding his breath, his shoulders up to his ears, his delicate jean boots twinkling with double quick alertness, fly down the entrance-steps of the Lyceum Theatre, and disembogue himself into the street. Whether a sense of shame would have seized Dick himself had he known that his friend Frank Townsend with his two girls were witnesses of his retreat and of its cause, which appeared in the shape of an excited foreigner, shaking his fist on the stair-head,-whether, I say, this circumstance would have caused Dick to blush for himself, I cannot tell; but certain it is, when he had run far enough to assure himself he was safe, and had recovered his breath, he remarked, with no apparent self-abasement, "I'm precious glad I cut my lucky in time. If that fellow had caught me, I should have napt it, and no mistake. Wouldn't he have cooked my goose?" He now reminded himself that it was almost time he should be at Garton's, if he meant to make one of the party at supper, and he bent his steps in the direction of the New Road: but he suddenly bethought himself that it would be "the ticket" to be drawn up before Garton's very gate in a cab. "It'll have such a look with it," he said definitively, as he came to a stand, upon which, however, only a solitary hackney-coach was plying. 'Coach, sir!-d'ye want a coach?" No, a cab, of course. Bother!" "I'll take you for the same money. I want a fare. Get in, sir. Where to?" "I don't know that I shall, Master Jarvey, The same money? No gammon, now? Well, let down the steps. Delta Villas, somewhere near Camden Town. You'll see two great stone lions sitting outside the door." "I knows them lions," said the coachman, drawing down the steps. Now, sir." Now it so happened that the steps were old and crazy, the springs of the coach were delusively elastic, and the fastening of the opposite door was a misnomer, so that when Dick, emulous to imitate a gentleman getting into his own carriage, made a bounding plunge upon the middle step, threw his other foot into the vehicle, and was about to sink gracefully into his seat, he did not perform the last operation, but made his backward exit from the off door, and the moment after felt that he lay sprawling in the road. Ere he could think of his aunt Reddish, to whom his thoughts ever turned in his tribulations, and before he could shriek for assistance, a good Samaritan pounced upon him, and lifted him to his feet. "Much hurt, sir? What a blessed capsize! Ribs not staved in, sir? Haven't wrenched your sides, sir?" Such were the hurried questions asked by the benevolent man, as he tenderly applied his hands to the parts of Dick's frame indicated by his inquiries. "This way, sir,-lean on me. Let me lead you." And, throwing his arm round the waist of the sufferer, he walked him into a ginger-beer shop, and sat him on a stool, saying to the woman of the shop with humane emphasis, "The young gentleman's had a blessed tumble out of a coach, marm." Dick now drew a prolonged breath. "Can do that, sir, without its hurting you?" inquired the tenderhearted stranger. "Does it pain you much-gently, though-here, sir, just here?" "No, it don't," replied Dick with sudden animation, who was very little hurt, but hitherto had been unable to speak. "No, it don't; and just please to leave my ribs alone, will you? That's where Í keep my tin. There aint much, but what there is I want." And with this he made an outward application to his waistcoat pocket, and assured himself that his four sovereigns lay snugly there imbedded. "Well, no offence, mister. I meant no harm." And the Samaritan abruptly withdrew, with the air of a man to whom the doing of a worthy action is its own sufficient reward. 66 "What did that fellow mean by poking and pawing me about so, mum?" said Dick to the woman. Can you give a guess? Let me have a bottle of pop. Why, mum," he added presently, setting down the glass, "he was a prig, and thought me precious green; but I'm wide awake." Having uttered these words smilingly, but with a dash of satire in the intonation, he laid twopence on the counter, and issued into the street, where he confronted the coachman, who had come to look after him. "I say, Master Jarvey," said he, "that vehicle o' yours ain't a patent safety by no means. It aint fit for two horses' tails to be turned to it. No-no-I won't get into it again." "That be blowed!" cried the other. "You're not a-goin' to come that, after hirin' on me! Pay me my fare." "I sha'n't do no such a thing!" returned Dick, and walked briskly away; but, looking round, and seeing a detaining hand about to be placed upon him, he took to his heels with amazing rapidity, and was soon lost in the distance. He had made considerable progress towards his destination, — indeed, he was not very far from Delta Villas, when it occurred to him that his roll into the road might have tarnished his apparel. An inspection of his gossamer elicited the fact that the brim had taken an upward direction in front; and, on applying the corner of his cambric handkerchief to his face, he discovered that that attractive combination of features had been soiled to an exigence of soap and water. "I'll go into that little public-house," said he, "and set myself to rights. It won't do to show myself at Garton's in this dishabill. Cuss it, I'm precious unlucky; but it'll be all the same a hundred years hence. Cut along!" Cheered by these philosophical stimulants, he entered the house, and made it his request to the landlady in the bar that she would permit him to set himself to rights. The landlady heard this request with little apparent sympathy for the occasion of it, for it seemed to her that Dick Sparrow was not likely to approve himself an absorbent. She, however, called to a girl, and bade her take the young man into the kitchen; but presently recollecting herself, added, "No, I shall want to come there myself. Take him up to the second floor back;"-and Dick followed his guide upstairs, and was ushered into a room. And here he found, after an inspection of himself in the glass, and a diligent scrutiny of his garments, that he had a longer job cut out for him than he had anticipated, a job rendered the more tedious from the untoward circumstance that there was no brush in the room. "The old woman looked so precious sour, and was so busy with the mixed liquors, that I shouldn't like to ask her for a brush," mused Dick. "Never mind; I'll rub my clothes with the inside of that counterpane. No one'll be the wiser." He now set to work in right earnest, and, his labours just completed, had walked into the corner for his cane, when he thought he heard a light step at the door; and, turning round, was just in time to see a female head withdrawn before the door was closed and locked. "Here's a blessed move!" said Dick, staring about him. “Dash'd if they haven't fastened me in! Thought I'd bolted; and I sha'n't be able to make 'em hear in a month. I'll try, though." He was just about to lift up his voice, and to propel it through the keyhole, when a sound as of two men ascending greeted his ears. "They 're coming to let me out, to be sure. Bother that fool of a girl!" The two men halted close to the door. "Well," said one, "what I've brought you up here for, and want to know is, D'ye think he'll come out?" "To be sure he will," answered the other," if you kick him.” 'Well, I'll give him a little time, and then knock him down for one," observed the first speaker. "Good: and if that won't do, we'll stick it into him, and no mistake." |