the heart
of a man is depressed with fears, the mist is dispelled when Miss
Wackles appears; she's a very nice girl. She's like the red red rose
that's newly sprung in June--there's no denying that--she's also like a
melody that's sweetly played in tune. It's really very sudden. Not that
there's any need, on account of Fred's little sister, to turn cool
directly, but its better not to go too far. If I begin to cool at all I
must begin at once, I see that. There's the chance of an action for
breach, that's another. There's the chance of--no, there's no chance of
that, but it's as well to be on the safe side.'

This undeveloped was the possibility, which Richard Swiveller sought to
conceal even from himself, of his not being proof against the charms of
Miss Wackles, and in some unguarded moment, by linking his fortunes to
hers forever, of putting it out of his own power to further their
notable scheme to which he had so readily become a party. For all these
reasons, he decided to pick a quarrel with Miss Wackles without delay,
and casting about for a pretext determined in favour of groundless
jealousy. Having made up his mind on this important point, he
circulated the glass (from his right hand to left, and back again)
pretty freely, to enable him to act his part with the greater
discretion, and then, after making some slight improvements in his
toilet, bent his steps towards the spot hallowed by the fair object of
his meditations.

The spot was at Chelsea, for there Miss Sophia Wackles resided with her
widowed mother and two sisters, in conjunction with whom she maintained
a very small day-school for young ladies of proportionate dimensions; a
circumstance which was made known to the neighbourhood by an oval board
over the front first-floor windows, whereupon appeared in circumambient
flourishes the words 'Ladies' Seminary'; and which was further
published and proclaimed at intervals between the hours of half-past
nine and ten in the morning, by a straggling and solitary young lady of
tender years standing on the scraper on the tips of her toes and making
futile attempts to reach the knocker with spelling-book. The several
duties of instruction in this establishment were this discharged.
English grammar, composition, geography, and the use of the dumb-bells,
by Miss Melissa Wackles; writing, arithmetic, dancing, music, and
general fascination, by Miss Sophia Wackles; the art of needle-work,
marking, and samplery, by M