CHAPTER I. THE MISTRESS OF CANEMA.

irinwar?Don'ttheytriflewithusgirls,everychancetheyget—andsitupsopompousintheirrooms,andsmokecigars,andtalkusover,asiftheyonlyhadtoputouttheirfingerandsay,'Comehere,'togetanyofus?Itellyou,it'sfuntobringthemdown!—Now,there'sthathorridGeorgeEmmons—Itellyou,ifhedidn'tflirtallwinterwithMaryStephens,andgoteverybodytolaughingabouther!—itwassoevident,yousee,thatshelikedhim—shecouldn'thelpshowingit,poorlittlething!—andthenmylordwouldsettlehiscollar,andsayhehadn'tquitemadeuphismindtotakeher,andallthat.Well,Ihaven'tmadeupmymindtotakehim,either—andsopoorEmmaisavenged.Astotheoldbach—thatsmooth-dickyman—yousee,hecan'tbehurtforhisheartisrubbedassmoothandhardashisdicky,withfallinginloveandoutagain.He'sbeenturnedoffbythreegirls,nowandhisshoessqueakasbriskasever,andhe'sjustasjolly.Yousee,hedidn'tusetobesorich.Lately,he'scomeintoasplendidpropertyso,ifIdon'ttakehim,poorman,thereareenoughthatwouldbegladofhim." "Well,then,butastothatotherone?" "What!mylordLofty?Oh,hewantshumbling!—itwouldn'thurthim,intheleast,tobeputdownalittle.He'sgood,too,andafflictionsalwaysimprovegoodpeople.IbelieveIwasmadeforameansofgraceto'emall." "MissNina,whatifallthreeofthemshouldcomeatonce—oreventwoofthem?" "Whatadrollidea!Wouldn'titbefunny?Justtothinkofit!Whatacommotion!Whatascene!Itwouldreallybevastlyentertaining." "Now,MissNina,Iwanttospeakasafriend." "No,youshan't!itisjustwhatpeoplesaywhentheyaregoingtosaysomethingdisagreeable.ItoldClayton,onceforall,thatIwouldn'thavehimspeakasafriendtome." "Pray,howdoeshetakeallthis?" "Takeit!Why,justashemust.HecaresagreatdealmoreformethanIdoforhim."Hereaslightlittlesighescapedthefairspeaker."AndIthinkitfuntoshockhim.Youknowheisoneofthefatherlysort,whoisalwaysadvisingyounggirls.Letitbeunderstoodthathisstandardoffemalecharacteriswonderfullyhigh,andallthat.Andthen,tothinkofhisbeingtrippedupbeforeme!—it'stoofunny!"Thelittlespriteheretookoffheropera-hat,andcommencedwaltzingafewsteps,and,stoppingmidwhirl,exclaimed:"Oh,doyouknowwegirlshavebeentryingtolearnthecachucha,andI'vegotsomecastanets?Letmesee—wherearethey?"Andwiththissheproceededtoupsetthetrunk,fromwhichflewameteoricshowerofbracelets,billets-doux,FrenchGrammars,drawing-pencils,interspersedwithconfectioneryofvariousdescriptions,andalltheetceterasofaschool-girl'sdepository."There,uponmyword,therearethebillsyouwereaskingfor.There,takethem!"throwingapackageofpapersattheyoungman."Takethem!Canyoucatch?" "MissNina,thesedonotappeartobebills." "Oh,blessme!thosearelove-letters,then.Thebillsaresomewhere."Andthelittlehandswentpawingamongtheheapmakingthefancifulcollectionflyineverydirectionoverthecarpet."Ah!Ibelievenowinthisbonbon-boxIdidputthem.Takecareofyourhead,Harry!"And,withtheword,thegildedmissileflewfromthelittlehand,andopeningontheway,showeredHarrywithaprofusionofcrumpledpapers."Nowyouhavegotthemall,exceptone,thatIusedforcurl-paperstheothernight.Oh,don'tlooksosoberaboutit!Indeed,Ikeptthepieces—heretheyare.Andnowdon'tyousay,Harry,don'tyoutellmethatIneversavemybills.Youdon'tknowhowparticularIhavebeen,andwhattroubleIhavetaken.But,there—there'saletterClaytonwrotetome,onetimewhenwehadaquarrel.Justaspecimenofthatcreature!"