Richard Carvel -- Volume 02

allow her at the assemblies, a request which Mrs. Manners most sensibly refused. Mr. Marmaduke had given his consent, I believe, for he was more impatient than Dolly for the days whe

d my lady knew it. She would be lingering in the drawing-room in her best bib and tucker, or strolling in the garden as Dr. C

inner in Prince George Street, "I know every twist and turn of your nature. The

h and carry, and amusing when I walked t

you,-Jennie and Bess Fotheringay, and Betty Tayloe, and Heaven knows how many others. They are actually accusing me of k

unt of coaxing from Mr. Allen and my Uncle Grafton. My uncle seemed in particular anxious that I should make a good appearance, and reminded me that I should dress as became the heir of the Carvel house. I took counsel with Patty Swain, and then went to see Betty Tayloe, and the Fotheringay girls, and the Dulany girls, nea

o marry you, Richard," says she at supper one Sun

ch good sense, my dear," says h

and did not join in tha

of the Restoration, of simple and massive oak blackened by age, which I ever fancied better than the Frenchy baubles of tables and chairs with spindle legs, and cabinets of glass and gold lacquer which were then making their way into the fine mansions of our town. The house was full of twists and turns, and steps up and down, and nooks and passages and queer hiding-places which we children knew, and in parts queer leaded windows of bulging glass set high in the wall, and older than the reign of Hanover. Here was the shrine of cleanliness, whose high

, my little one?" asked Mr. Carvel again. For some time he could get nothing out of her; but at length she explained, with much coaxing, that her big brother Tom had deserted her. My grandfather wished that Tom were his brother, that he might be punished as he deserved. He commanded young Harvey to lift the child into the coach, chestnuts and all, and there she sat primly between us. She was not as pretty as Dorothy, so I thought, but her clear gray eyes and simple ways impressed me by their very honesty, as they did Mr. Carvel. What must he do but drive her home to Green Street, where Mr. Swain then lived in a

rounds, and to make my way along the narrow green lane left there for perhaps a hundred paces of a lad, to come to the gate in the wooden paling. In return I used to hoist Patty over the wall, and we would pla

"He may have a mansion of his own and he chooses. He can better afford it than

id the girl. "Sometimes we have grand gentlemen come to see father in their coaches, but the

er by laughi

never may, Patty

f. They were derived, of course, from Mr. Marmaduke. But the day of reckoning arrived. Patty and I were romping beside the back wall when suddenly a stiff little figure in a starched frock appeared through the trees in the direction of the house, followed by Master Will Fotheringay in his visiting clothes

asks Miss Manners, poi

ust as good as you or me, and better." I was quite red in the face, and an

ved to carry the matter out with a bold front.

atty was good to look upon. Dolly glanced at her

I shall never forgive myself!

art," said W

," said I. Wh

s. Will's arguments and mine availed nothing. I must lift her over the wall again, and she went home. When we reached the garden we

t. I hear he is becoming wealthy. And I have no doubt," the shrewd old gentleman added, "that when Patty grows up she will be going to the assemblies, though it was not so in my time." So liberal was he that he used to laugh at my lifting her across the wall, and in his leisure delight to listen to my accounts of her childish housekeeping. Her

have Patty Swain

s nonsense about you. She is a good girl, i' faith, and more of a lady now than many who call themselves such. And you shall have your present

He arrived half an hour ahead of time, arrayed like Solomon, and without his sister! I had to go for Patty, indeed, after the party had begun, and to get the key to the wic

had predicted. But her chief pleasure seemed ever her duty. Whether or no such characters make them one and the same, who can tel

so had old Mr. Dulany. Our family at home was the equal of his." All of which was true, and more. He would deride Patty for sewing and baking, vowing that they had servants enough now to do the work twice over. She bore with him with a patience to be marvelled at; and I could never get it through my head why Mr. Swain indulged him, though he was the elder, an

d her mother had got their sewing, he would talk by the hour on the legality of our resistance to the King, and discuss the march of affairs in England and the other colonies. He found me a ready listener, and took pains to teach me clearly the right and wrong of the situation. 'Twas his religion, even as loy

ll in love with her when Dolly began to use me so outrageously. But a lad of eighteen is scarce a rational creature. I went and sat

e, "can't you see that s

when she told you to

Miss Dolly now, you are

it better

o Prince George Street, and vowed Jenny had never looked prettier than when she went past the house. Thi

or her to be ang

rtainly,

to me you have done this to please her, for she warned you at the beginning it would p

ittle comfort out