and in particular caused a very long
gentleman who was dancing with a very short scholar, to stand quite
transfixed by wonder and admiration. Even Mrs Wackles forgot for the
moment to snub three small young ladies who were inclined to be happy,
and could not repress a rising thought that to have such a dancer as
that in the family would be a pride indeed.

At this momentous crisis, Miss Cheggs proved herself a vigourous and
useful ally, for not confining herself to expressing by scornful smiles
a contempt for Mr Swiveller's accomplishments, she took every
opportunity of whispering into Miss Sophy's ear expressions of
condolence and sympathy on her being worried by such a ridiculous
creature, declaring that she was frightened to death lest Alick should
fall upon, and beat him, in the fulness of his wrath, and entreating
Miss Sophy to observe how the eyes of the said Alick gleamed with love
and fury; passions, it may be observed, which being too much for his
eyes rushed into his nose also, and suffused it with a crimson glow.

'You must dance with Miss Chegs,' said Miss Sophy to Dick Swiviller,
after she had herself danced twice with Mr Cheggs and made great show
of encouraging his advances. 'She's a nice girl--and her brother's
quite delightful.'

'Quite delightful, is he?' muttered Dick. 'Quite delighted too, I
should say, from the manner in which he's looking this way.'

Here Miss Jane (previously instructed for the purpose) interposed her
many curls and whispered her sister to observe how jealous Mr Cheggs
was.

'Jealous! Like his impudence!' said Richard Swiviller.

'His impudence, Mr Swiviller!' said Miss Jane, tossing her head. 'Take
care he don't hear you, sir, or you may be sorry for it.'

'Oh, pray, Jane--' said Miss Sophy.

'Nonsense!' replied her sister. 'Why shouldn't Mr Cheggs be jealous if
he likes? I like that, certainly. Mr Cheggs has a good a right to be
jealous as anyone else has, and perhaps he may have a better right soon
if he hasn't already. You know best about that, Sophy!'

Though this was a concerted plot between Miss Sophy and her sister,
originating in humane intentions and having for its object the inducing
Mr Swiviller to declare himself in time, it failed in its effect; for
Miss Jane being one of those young ladies who are prematurely shrill
and shrewish, gave such undue importance to her part that Mr Swiviller
retired in dudgeon, resigning his mistress to Mr Cheggs and conveying