of houses in
Oxford; and declared that he should appreciate the services of such a
guide proportionately. And as an introduction to the whole family was
just the thing he wanted, he at once accepted the invitation with many
thanks. In short, an arrangement was made which pleased all parties;
all, that is, with the exception of Mr Spriggins, the head shopman, who
usually took his meals with the family, but on that day, to his great
disgust, not being considered of quality to meet their unexpected guest,
(not being a principal,) received intimation that his dinner would be
served in the counting-house. The dinner passed off, no doubt, much more
satisfactorily than more formal affairs of the kind. John had a good
appetite and good-humour, and so had the old lady; and no doubt, even in
Miss Hodgett's eyes, the young Oxonian was no bad substitute for Mr
Spriggins. Even that gentleman, could he have foreseen all that was to
follow from this visit, would have exchanged for his blandest smile the
stern glance with which he regarded, from the little back window of the
counting-house, the procession of John, with Miss Hodgett under his arm,
from the drawing-room, to take the seat which should have been his;
would have made him his most obsequious bow, and regarded him as the
best customer that had ever come inside their doors.

But perhaps I am wronging Mr Spriggins in assuming that he thought the
usurper of his rights worthy of a glance at all: and certainly I am
anticipating my story. John dined with the old lady; drank her currant
wine in preference to her port, ate her seed biscuits, and when Mr Mogg,
in pursuance of a message from his mother-in-law, called to renew in his
own person the offer to show his relation's distinguished friend, (Mrs
Hodgett had hinted her suspicions that John Brown was a nobleman,) he
was ready, though rather sleepy, to commence his lionizing. Mr Mogg was
exceedingly civil, showed him every thing worth seeing, from the castle
to the stocking-frames; and by the time they returned together to supper
at the old lady's, they had become very thick indeed. John called the
next day and took his leave of both parties, with a promise not to pass
through Nottingham without renewing his acquaintance, and that he would
not fail to mention to his friend the dean how much he had been
gratified by his reception; both which pledges he scrupulously redeemed.

Mr Hodgett's indignation was unbounded; if the united pow