She had just foalded up into its proper triangular
slm)e the noat transcribed abuff, and I was jest on the
point of saying, according to my master's orders, "Miss,
if you please, the Honrabble Mr. Deuceace would be
very much ableaged to you to keep the seminary which

is to take place to-morrow a profound se ," when

my master's father entered, and I fell back to the door,
without a word, rusht into his arms, bust into



MR. DEUCEACE. IB'J



teers agin, as was her reglar way (it must be confest she
was of a very mist constitution), and shewing to him
his son's note, cried, " Look, my dear lord, how nobly
your Algernon, our Algernon, writes to me. Who can
doubt after this of the purity of his matchless aflfection 1''

My lord took the letter, read it, seamed a good deal
amyoused, and returning it to its owner, said, very much
to my sm-prise, "My dear Miss Griffin, he certainly
does seem in earnest ; and if you choose to make this
match without the consent of your mother-in-law, you
know the consequence, and are of course your own mis-
tress."

" Consequences ! — for shame, my lord ! A little
money, more or less, what matters it to two hearts hke
ours 1"

"Hearts are very pretty things, my sweet young
lady, but three per cents, are better."

" Nay, have we not an ample income of our own,
without the aid of Lady Griffin 2"

My lord shrugged his shoulders. "Be it so, my
love," says he. " I'm sure I can have no other reason
to prevent a union which is founded upon such disinter-
ested affection."

And here the conversation dropt. Miss retu-ed,
clasping her hands, and making play with the whites
of her i's. My lord began trotting up and down thp
room, with his fat hands stuck in his britches pockits,
his countnince lighted up with igstream joy, and sing-
ing, to my inordnit igstonishment :

"See tlie conquering hero comes I
■Eddy diddy doU— tiddydoU, doll, dolL"



158 THE TELLOWPLUSH PAPERS.
