"John, indeed!
I'm sure, aunt, John encourages me in all my _unfeminine_ pursuits, as
you call them; and if he has been telling tales or setting you against
me, I'll soon let him know what I think of such conduct. I'll soon
tell him that I'm not going to be accountable to him; indeed, that I'm
not going to----"

"Hush, my dear," said Aunt Deborah; "there is no occasion for all this
animosity against John. After all, it is very natural, poor fellow,
that he should feel aggrieved and annoyed. There's that Captain
Lovell: I don't mean to say that he's not an agreeable, well-informed
young man, but there he is coming to see you at all hours, riding with
you in the Park, whispering to you at the Opera, bringing you new
music and _old_ china and fresh flowers, and conducting himself
altogether as if he was either your accepted suitor or mine--and I
don't think the latter very likely, Kate--whereas, you know, John----"
My aunt stopped short. The ringing of the bell and loud exclamations
of "Trotter's Heath! Trotter's Heath! All out for Sheepshanks,
Fleecyfold, and Market Muddlebury!" announced that we had arrived at
the Muddlebury Junction; and the opportune entrance into the carriage
of a stranger, who seemed extremely anxious concerning the safety of a
brace of pointers that accompanied him, effectually prevented my aunt
from proceeding with her discourse; while the dead silence which
followed the renewed puffing of the engine, and the vibration of the
train, gave me an opportunity of studying attentively the person and
features of our new fellow-traveller.

I don't think I ever saw a man so freckled in my life. Even the backs
of his hands (for he wore no gloves--I should think didn't even know
_his number_!) were studded with spots till you could have hardly put
a pin's point on a place free from this horrid disfigurement. His
face, too, was like a plum-pudding on which the fruit had been
showered with a most liberal hand; but the features were good, and had
it not been for his red hair, a little grizzled, and his stiff red
whiskers, the bright-blue eyes and white teeth would almost have
entitled him to be considered "handsome." He had a strong, stiff-built
figure, about the middle size, well made for everything but dancing,
and large, _useful_ feet encased in the stoutest double-soled shooting
shoes. The latter articles of costume proved him at once to be a
country gentleman. Every one must have remarked this peculiarity