go." "You will go to Eglantine, and ask him to take a bill for the
amount of this shameful demand--at any date, never mind what. Mind,
however, to see him alone, and I'm sure if you choose you can settle the
business. Make haste; set off directly, and come back, as there may be
more detainers in."
Trembling, and in a great flutter, Morgiana put on her bonnet and
gloves, and went towards the door. "It's a fine morning," said Mr.
Walker, looking out: "a walk will do you good; and--Morgiana--didn't you
say you had a couple of guineas in your pocket?"
"Here it is," said she, smiling all at once, and holding up her face to
be kissed. She paid the two guineas for the kiss. Was it not a mean act?
"Is it possible that people can love where they do not respect?" says
Miss Prim: "_I_ never would." Nobody asked you, Miss Prim: but recollect
Morgiana was not born with your advantages of education and breeding;
and was, in fact, a poor vulgar creature, who loved Mr. Walker, not
because her mamma told her, nor because he was an exceedingly eligible
and well-brought-up young man, but because she could not help it, and
knew no better. Nor is Mrs. Walker set up as a model of virtue: ah, no!
when I want a model of virtue I will call in Baker Street, and ask for a
sitting of my dear (if I may be permitted to say so) Miss Prim.
We have Mr. Howard Walker safely housed in Mr. Bendigo's establishment
in Cursitor Street, Chancery Lane; and it looks like mockery and want of
feeling towards the excellent hero of this story (or, as should rather
be said, towards the husband of the heroine) to say what he might have
been but for the unlucky little circumstance of Baroski's passion for
Morgiana.
If Baroski had not fallen in love with Morgiana, he would not have given
her two hundred guineas' worth of lessons; he would not have so far
presumed as to seize her hand, and attempt to kiss it; if he had not
attempted to kiss her, she would not have boxed his ears; he would not
have taken out the writ against Walker; Walker would have been free,
very possibly rich, and therefore certainly respected: he always said
that a month's more liberty would have set him beyond the reach of
misfortune.
The assertion is very likely a correct one; for Walker had a flashy
enterprising genius, which ends in wealth sometimes; in the King's Bench
not seldom; occasionally, alas! in Van Diemen's Land. He might have been
rich, could he have kept his credit, and h
|