borne down by the
ponderous weight of Miss Boulder and her partner.

'You did not come to grief with Harry!' muttered the discomfited boy.

'No more did the lamb damage the eagle; but remember the fate of the
jackdaw, Mr. Gray-coat! I deserve some ice for my exertions, so come
into the hall and get some, and tell me if you have had better luck
elsewhere.'

'I have had no partner but Minna Ward, and she trips as if one was a
dancing-master.'

'And how has Tom been managing?'

'Stunningly civil! He began with Ave Ward, in the Lancers, and it was
such fun--he chaffed her in his solemn way, about music I believe it
was, and her harmonium. I could not quite hear, but I could see she
was in a tremendous taking, and she won't recover it all the evening.'

'What a shame it is of Tom!'

'Oh! but it is such fun! And since that he has been parading with Pug.'

'She has not danced!'

'Oh no! She got an audience into Meta's little sitting-room--Henry
Ward, Harvey Anderson, and some of the curates; they shut the door, and
had some music on their own hook.'

'Was Richard there!'

'At first; but either he could not bear to see Meta's piano profaned,
or he thought it too strong when they got to the sacred line, for he
bolted, and is gone home.'

'There's Harry dancing with Fanny Anderson. He has not got Miss Ward
all this time.'

'Nor will,' said Aubrey. 'Tom had put her in such a rage that she did
not choose to dance with that cousin of hers, Sam Axworthy, so she was
obliged to refuse every one else; and I had to put up with that child!'

'Sam Axworthy! He does not belong to our corps. How does he come
here?'

'Oh! the old man has some houses in the borough, and an omnium gatherum
like this was a good time to do the civil thing to him. There he is;
peep into the card-room, and you'll see his great porpoise back, the
same old man that Harry in his benevolence assisted to a chair. He
shook hands with Leonard, and told him there was a snug desk at the
Vintry Mill for him.'

'I dare say!'

'And when Leonard thanked him, and said he hoped to get off to
Cambridge, he laughed that horrid fat laugh, and told him learning
would never put him in good case. Where shall I find you a place to
sit down? Pug and her tail have taken up all the room,' whispered
Aubrey, as by the chief of the glittering tables in the hall, he saw
Mrs. Pugh, drinking tea, surrounded by her attendant gentlemen, and
with her aunt and Ell