CHAPTER IX. THE BALL

’tmeantosaythatsuchathingcouldreallygiveyoupleasure?Howevercrossor—” “Well,Iknowit’sverywrong—butnevermind!Imeantobegoodsometime—onlydon’tpreachnow,there’sagoodcreature.Ihaven’ttoldyouhalfyet.Letmesee.Oh!IwasgoingtotellyouhowmanyunmistakeableadmirersIhad:—SirThomasAshbywasone,—SirHughMelthamandSirBroadleyWilsonareoldcodgers,onlyfitcompanionsforpapaandmamma.SirThomasisyoung,rich,andgaybutanuglybeast,nevertheless:however,mammasaysIshouldnotmindthatafterafewmonths’acquaintance.Then,therewasHenryMeltham,SirHugh’syoungersonrathergood-looking,andapleasantfellowtoflirtwith:butbeingayoungerson,thatisallheisgoodforthentherewasyoungMr.Green,richenough,butofnofamily,andagreatstupidfellow,amerecountrybooby!andthen,ourgoodrector,Mr.Hatfield:anhumbleadmirerheoughttoconsiderhimselfbutIfearhehasforgottentonumberhumilityamonghisstockofChristianvirtues.” “WasMr.Hatfieldattheball?” “Yes,tobesure.Didyouthinkhewastoogoodtogo?” “Ithoughtbemightconsideritunclerical.” “Bynomeans.Hedidnotprofanehisclothbydancingbutitwaswithdifficultyhecouldrefrain,poorman:helookedasifheweredyingtoaskmyhandjustforonesetand—oh!by-the-by—he’sgotanewcurate:thatseedyoldfellowMr.Blighhasgothislong-wished-forlivingatlast,andisgone.” “Andwhatisthenewonelike?” “Oh,suchabeast!Westonhisnameis.Icangiveyouhisdescriptioninthreewords—aninsensate,ugly,stupidblockhea