, and take you in among them."

All this time, Mr Silky was engaged in distributing a comprehensive bow
to everybody about him--an ordeal which, in any circumstances, to a
nervous man like him, was no joke. But his agitation had the finishing
touch given it by Mrs Greenwood's facetious observation as to the ladies
_taking him_ IN _among them_. The blood rushed to his temples, and he
subsided into a vacant chair, with a remark, directed to nobody in
particular, as to how very warm the room was. Attention having been once
drawn to this interesting fact, it became the topic of conversation for
some five minutes, which gave Mr Simon Silky time to cool down, and to
look about him a little. In the course of his survey, his eyes alighted
on Miss Jemima Linton, who just at that moment happened to be
scrutinising his outward man. Their eyes met; a glance of quick
intelligence passed between them. The lady lowered hers, blushing up to
them as she did so; and the enraptured Simon muttered to himself, "What
charming confusion!" He felt a novel sensation gathering about his
heart. Could it be love? At first sight, too. Many deny it, but we say
that all genuine love is at first sight.

"He never loved, who loved not at first sight."

Mr Simon Silky was a reader of the Beauties of Shakspere. This line took
possession of his head, and he mused and looked, looked and mused, till
he was roused from his reverie by Mrs Greenwood calling upon him to
assist in handing round the "cups which cheer but not inebriate." He
started up, with a very vague notion of what he was to be about, and
grasping a tea-cup, which his hostess informed him was Miss Jemima
Linton's, in one hand, and a plate of cheesecakes in the other, he
stumbled up to the lady, and consigning the cakes to her outstretched
hand, held out the tea-cup to Miss Eggemon, who sat next, inquiring if
she would please to be helped to a little cake. Miss Eggemon tittered,
and exclaimed,

"Well, I never!"

"Gracious! the like of that, you know!" simpered Miss Silliman, burying
her face in Miss Eggemon's neck.

"How very absurd!" sneered Miss Gingerly, who was verging to
old-maidishness, and had a temper in which vinegar was the principal
ingredient.

"Bless me, Mr Silky! what _are_ you about?" cried Mrs Greenwood.

"Oh--why--yes--no--I see--beg pardon--dear me!" stammered poor Silky,
reddening like an enraged turkey-cock, as he handed Miss Linton the cup,
out of which the great