Evan Harrington -- Volume 5

o pass them seriously in review. Always an early bird, and with maxims of her own on the subject of rising and getting the worm, she was standing in a small perch in the corne

e case, and no conversation coming of it, her curiosity was violent. Her aunt's face, too, was an index of something extraordinary. That inflexible woman, instead of alluding to the letter in any way, folded it up, and renewed her dictation. It became a

are stupid this morn

first to unbend, 'I don't know what it is. The figures seem all dazzled

er muttering. Then she cried out: 'Are Harr

That would be difficul

s idling at a country house, and trying to play his father over again! Upon my word, what

nt?' Mrs. Fiske

it was offered. Upon my word, when tailors think of wi

ed Mrs. Fiske, who probably did no

f,' said Mrs. Mel, and

o natural heirs of his body, he did not care for that. What affected him painfully was the news of Evan's doings at a noble house, Beckley Court, to wit, where, according to the report of a rich young gentleman friend, Mr. Raikes (for whose custom Mr. Goren was bound to thank Evan), the youth who should have been learning the science of Tailoring, had actually passed himself off as a lord, or the son of one, or something of the kind

ain she returned her the letter

She understood

arms were crossed, and his countenance was gloomy. He had been promised a holiday that afternoon to give his mistress, Sally, Kilne's cook, an airing, and Dandy knew in his soul that Sally, when she once made up her mind to an excursion, would go, and would not go alone, and that her very force of will endangered her constancy. He had begged humbly to be allowed to stay, but Mrs. Mel could not trust him. She ought to have told him so, perhaps. Explanations were

a rival of Mrs. Sockley of the Green Dragon. She was welcomed by Mrs. Hawksha

ed, indicating Mrs. Mel's

be glad, I dare say, for he's an old gentleman who does you a good turn, if you study him. But there! I'd rather have h

her husband up to the hour of supper, when a short step and a querulous v

up my trunk, ma'

ling to find the growth spontaneous, she returned and begged the

Regularly bedevilled. Gets worse an

hen looked at it. The exertion made him hot, which may account for the

n's a damned pretence. You don't impose upon me. Don't believe in your pothouse nunneries-not a bit. Just li

hotter. He managed to tilt the trunk over, and thus gained a length, and by this method of prog

. She saw him attempt most ridiculously to impel the trunk u

either take it on your s

her. He had the words well-peppered on his mouth, but somehow he stopped, and

ree steps, and took hold of one handle of the trunk, saying: 'There; I think it can

and established a fresh instance of the impertinence, the uselessness and weakness of women. Mrs. Mel topped him by half a head, and in addition stood three steps above him; towering like a giantess. The extreme gravity

for Mrs. Mel to re

s a lock and bolt on him. You've as good as made him a Dolphin- him that was

ar where Dandy had got

is th

his whims, and you'll never want. There's Mrs. Sockley-she 's took ill. He won't go there-that 's how I've caught him, my dear-but he pays her medicine, and she looks to him the same. He hate a sick house: but he pity a sick woman. Now, if I can only please

he eat?' sa

le, now, don't it? And yet they

gs are the worst do

close on the fire, he say, so as to keep in the juice. But he ups and bounces in a minute

chops,' sai

w whom Providence favours by confounding dissentients. She was positive the chops would be ill-cooked: but what could she do? She was not in command here; so she waited serenely for the certain disasters to enthrone her. Not that the matter of the chops occupied her mind particularly: nor could she dream that the pair in qu

responded. 'Send them

m; and what do he do but send 'em travelling back, and here they be; and wha

,' said Mrs. Mel.

sheets are aired. And Mary says he sniffed at the chops; and that gal re

ing in the midst of the

Mel. 'No Christian man should

common Christian,' r

her they intended to give him one at all that night; if not, let them say so, as he like

ou could: I was a fool to try you. It requires at least ten years' ins

plaint, sir?' said Mrs

well done -down it goes: you know that. You can't have a word over it-eh? Thing's done fit to toss on a dungheap, aha! Then

The landlady

The old gentlema

ir!' The landl

a'am, I swe

; and from him a snapping outburst, and from her a sign that she held out still; in fact, had she chosen to battle for that last word, as in other cases she might have done, then would he have exploded, gone to bed in the dark, and insisted upon sleeping: the consequence of which would have been to change this history. Now while Mrs. Hawkshaw was upstairs, Mrs. Mel called the servant, who took her to the kitchen, where she saw a prime loin of mutton;

old as say so; you ought to end it yourself,' said the landlady. 'I can't

e did for him quite,'

s cooked for nothing,

gered. The maid held ba

ut try,'

m, 'stead o' me,' said Mary; 'I

l. 'Has he got his ale? Better

thing certainly followed Mrs. Mel's entrance into the old bear's den. Then silence. Then what might have been question and ans

landlady heard. Mrs. Mel descended,

"There's lovely women in the world, Mrs. Hawkshaw," he'd say, "and there's Duchesses," he'd say, "and there's they that can sing, and can dance, and some," he says,

old me he thought so many a time i

e gone. His relict did not care to converse about the dead, save in their practical aspect as ghosts; but she listened, and that

trouble,' cried the

own the street to the square, and ask for the house of Mr. Coxwell, t

ak the bottle, Dandy. Accidents wi

errand, after an

Mr. Coxwell's compliments. Mrs. Mel examined the cork to see

Let him see there's a man in

ral to you to be mistress where you go. I don't at all min

ewer, who brewed there with his brother, and brewed for himself five miles out of Fallow field,

el. 'And his brot

o speak to him. Why not, indeed? If there's to be no marrying, the sooner we lay down and give up, the better, I think. But that 's his way. He do hate us

time to express solicitude about Dandy. They heard the door open, and old Tom laugh

id Dandy, nodding he

d the door. On her way back she passed old Tom'

the rum,' sai

o-morrow,' said Mrs. Mel. 'G

rrington! Why, he'll snap

ead would require a great d

heard a singular intermittent noise abo

trouble with him? He's

like Dandy, perha

ed the land

inary manner. Now came a pause, as if he had sworn to ta

and him a live fish in it,' said the landlady. 'O

alarming. Mrs.

a

uin to me. To think o' that! Hark at him! It must be. And what's to do? I 've sent

get him to be

all make him fire ou

d stood at Old Tom's door. There they could hear him fuming and muttering imprecations, and ano

en may bring that theirselves; but a b---, that's a stationary, and born of a bed. Don't you hear? The other thing 'd give hi

andlady waited breathlessly for the res

ter?' said Mrs.

ak him fair, and reflect on the

er? Can anything

infamous regarding women when they have a solitary m

the matter wi

twenty live geese inside it's enough-eh? Bed, do y

he was heard stamping

andlady. 'Would it please you, sir,

riments, ma'am-'specia

y, very

u whimpering! You put a man in a beast of a bed-you d

o sorry

a'am, I shall think your

poor Mrs. Hawkshaw. 'Wh

Mrs. Hawksh

essed?' she

comfortable. And in a voice that dispersed armies of innuendoes, she bade him take his choice, either to rest quiet or do her bidding. Had Old Tom

ait a couple of minu

cause of his discomfort. Lumps in his bed: he was bruised by them. He supposed he couldn't ask women to judge for themselves-they'd be shri

t? That's just how I found it. Moment I got

when it had a proverbial cast. On the present occa

ny, and so, no dou

but spoken as a plain fact, and with a grave face, it set O

This is how you manage. Knead down in the middle of the bed. Then

d him that digging his fist into the flock and jumping into the hole- into that hole under his, eyes-was all that was wanted! that he had been making a noise for nothing, and because he had not the wit to hit on a si

, ma'am; that's your idea

rs. Mel. 'Don't forget t

oremost

s lips, silenced if not beaten. Beaten, one might alm

to Mrs. Mel after b

well,

as I directed yo

o, very good. I

ing, only wants a beg

as well as everybody else. Where'

ed to give that poor beast liquor

u where you're go

ing to B

ye say, if we join compan

ce of some sort,'

o a donke

s strong an

donkey-cart stopped in front of the Dolph

wled Old Tom. What do you mean by wearing out the

herself to a p

ch for the don

od. I can't pretend to horses, but my donkey

hall either walk or harn

h Street of Fallow field. Old Tom loo

it. Are yo

e girls and one bo

rt of a

is d

bler, so I go in a donkey-cart. No damned pretences for me. I'm going to marry off a young tailor to a gal he's

ilor's name?'

. 'Now, come, ma'am, don't you feel

sometimes,' said Mrs.

o' me,

't kno

you like 'em? How have you brought up you

ogged the reins and chuckled, and aske

ke me for a ge

ir, at heart. Not from

ppearance

by the di

euce take it, if you ar

d no time

em vehemently, and a fashionably attired young gentleman straining with all his might at the reins. The next instant they were

d the sonorous Mr. Raikes. 'What we have seen we s

exclaimed

flushed. He alighted from the box, and rush

on your plate?' Old

bowed obsequiously and made his friend Franco step down and assist in the