CHAPTER NINE.
As soon as it was ascertained that Mr O'Gallagher was gone, mygrandmother insisted upon my being sent to another school, and on thisoccasion my mother made the inquiries herself, and I was despatched toone much nearer home, and being treated well, not only played fewertricks, but advanced rapidly in my education; so rapidly indeed, that mygrandmother began to think that I was not so bad a boy as I used to be.
As she treated me more kindly, I felt less inclined to teaze heralthough the spirit of mischief was as undiminished as ever, and wasshown in various ways.
I may as well here observe, that out of the many admirers of my auntMilly, there were only two who appeared to be at all constant in theirattention. One was Lieutenant Flat, who was positively smitten, andwould have laid his pay and person at her feet, had he received anythinglike encouragement; but my aunt disliked him in the first place, and,moreover, had a very strong feeling towards Captain Bridgeman.
Mr Flat was certainly a very fine-looking soldier, being tall, erect,and well-made, but he was at the same time not over-brilliant; he was,as an officer, the very sort of person my father Ben was as a private.
But the other party, Captain Bridgeman, did not come forward; heappeared to be in doubt, and not at all able to make up his mind.
The fact was, that my mother being married to a private, made any matchwith the sister objectionable to the whole corps, as it would bederogatory that one sister should be the wife of a private, and theother of an officer. Ben would have been able to say, "Mybrother-in-law, the captain of my division," which would never havedone; and this Captain Bridgeman felt, and therefore resisted, as wellas he could, the inroads which my aunt's beauty and mirth had made intohis heart. My aunt was exactly a person to suit Captain Bridgeman as ahelpmate, had it not been for this unfortunate alliance of my mother's.
Lieutenant Flat was too stupid and indifferent to the opinion of theother officers, to care anything about what they thought; he would havemarried Milly long before, but my aunt, who had made up her mind tomarry an officer, did not yet despair of obtaining the captain; andalthough she would not positively dismiss Lieutenant Flat, she merelykept him as a sort of reserve, to fall back upon when every other chancewas gone.
I should like, if I possibly could, to give the reader some idea of mymother's circulating-library and sort of universal commodity shop: itwas a low-windowed building, one story high, but running a long wayback, where it was joined to a small parlour, in which we generally satduring the day, as it was convenient in case of company or customers,the little parlour having a glass door, which permitted us to look intothe shop.
In the front windows, on one side, were all the varieties of tapers,sealing-wax, inkstands, and every kind of stationery, backed bychildren's books, leather writing-cases, prints, caricatures, andTonbridge ware. In the other windows were ribbons, caps, gloves,scarfs, needles, and other little articles in demand by ladies, andwhich they required independent of their milliners.
At the entrance were sticks and canes; on the counter a case of gold andmore moderate-priced trinkets. On the shelves of the millinery sidewere boxes of gloves, ribbons, buttons, etcetera. On the opposite side,perfumes, cigars, toothbrushes, combs, scented soaps, and otherrequisites for the toilet.
About ten feet on each side of the shop was occupied with the abovearticles; the remainder of the shelves were reserved for thecirculating-library.
At the back of the shop were some seats round a small table, on whichwas laid the newspaper of the day, and on each side of the parlour-doorwere hoops, bats, balls, traps, skittles, and a variety of toys forchildren.
My mother usually attended to the millinery, and my aunt Milly to whatmight be termed the gentlemen's side of the shop; the remainder of thegoods and circulating-library were in the hands of both.
There were few hours of the day in which the chairs at the counter andround the table were not taken possession of by some one or another,either reading the paper or a book, or talking, to pass away the time.In fact, it was a sort of rendezvous, where all who met knew each other,and where the idle of our own sex used to repair to get rid of theirtime. Captain Bridgeman and Mr Flat were certainly the two mostconstantly to be found there, although few of the marine officers were aday without paying us a visit.
Such was the _locale_; to describe the company will be more difficult,but I will attempt it.
My mother, remarkably nicely dressed, is busy opening a parcel of newbooks just arrived. My aunt Milly behind the counter, on thegentlemen's side, pretending to be working upon a piece of muslin aboutfive inches square. Mr Flat sitting near the table, fallen back in hischair, apparently watching the flies on the ceiling. Captain Bridgeman,a very good-looking man, very slight, but extremely active, is sittingat the counter opposite to where my aunt is standing, a small blackcane, with a silver head to it, in his hand, and his gloves peculiarlyclean and well-fitting. He has an eye as sharp as an eagle's, a slighthook to his nose, thin lips, and very white teeth; his countenance is asfull of energy and fire as that of lieutenant Flat is heavy andunmeaning.
"Miss Amelia, if I may take the liberty," said Captain Bridgeman,pointing with his cane to the bit of muslin she is employed upon; "whatare you making? it's too small for any part of a lady's dress."
"It is quite large enough for a cuff, Captain Bridgeman."
"A cuff; then you are making a cuff, I presume?"
"Indeed she is not, Captain Bridgeman," replies my mother; "it is onlyto keep herself out of mischief. She spoils a bit like that every week.And that's why it is so small, Captain Bridgeman; it would be a pity tospoil a larger piece."
"I really was not aware that such a mere trifle would keep you out ofmischief," said the captain.
"You know," replied Aunt Milly, "that idleness is the root of all evil,Captain Bridgeman."
"Flat, do you hear that?" says Captain Bridgeman.
"What?" replies Flat.
"That idleness is the root of all evil; what an evil-disposed person youmust be."
"I was thinking," replied Flat.
"I suspect it's only lately you've taken to that. Who or what were youthinking about?"
"Well, I believe I was thinking how long it would be before dinner wasready."
"That's very rude, Mr Flat; you might have said that you were thinkingabout me," replied my aunt.
"Well, so I was at first, and then I began to think of dinner-time."
"Don't be offended, Miss Amelia; Flat pays you a great compliment individing his attentions; but I really wish to know why ladies will spoilmuslin in such a predetermined manner. Will you explain that, MrsKeene?"
"Yes, Captain Bridgeman: a piece of work is very valuable to a woman,especially when she finds herself in company with gentlemen like you.It saves her from looking down, or looking at you, when you are talkingnonsense; it prevents your reading in her eyes what is passing in hermind, or discovering what effect your words may have upon her; it savesmuch awkwardness, and very often a blush; sometimes a woman hardly knowswhich way to look; sometimes she may look any way but the right. Now abit of muslin with a needle is a remedy for all that, for she can lookdown at her work, and not look up till she thinks it advisable."
"I thank you for your explanation, madam; I shall always take it as agreat compliment if I see a lady very busy at work when I'm conversing,with her."
"But you may flatter yourself, Captain Bridgeman," replied my mother;"the attention to her work may arise from perfect indifference, or frompositive annoyance. It saves the trouble of making an effort to bepolite."
"And pray, may I inquire, Miss Amelia, what feeling may cause yourparticular attention to your work at this present moment?"
"Perhaps in either case to preserve my self-possession," replied Amelia;"or perhaps, Captain Bridgeman, I may prefer looking at a piece ofmuslin to looking at a marine officer."
"That's not very flattering," replied the captain; "if you spoil themuslin, you're determined not to
spoil me."
"The muslin is of little value," said Amelia, softly, walking to theother side of the shop, and turning over the books.
"Mr Flat," said my mother, "your subscription to the library is outlast month; I presume I can put your name down again?"
"Well, I don't know; I never read a book," replied Mr Flat, yawning.
"That's not at all necessary, Mr Flat," said my mother; "in mostbusinesses there are sleeping partners; besides, if you don't read, youcome here to talk, which is a greater enjoyment still, and luxuries mustbe paid for."
"Well, I'll try another quarter," replied Mr Flat, "and then--"
"And then what?" said my aunt Milly, smiling.
"Well, I don't know," says Flat. "Is that clock of yours right, MrsKeene?"
"It is; but I am fearful that your thoughts run faster than the clock,Mr Flat; you are thinking of the dress-bugle for dinner."
"No, I was not."
"Then you were thinking of yourself?"
"No, I wasn't, Mrs Keene," said Flat, rising, and walking out of theshop.
"I'll tell you," said he, turning round as he went out, "what I wasthinking of, Mrs Keene; not of myself,--I was thinking of my bull pup."
My mother burst out a laughing as the lieutenant disappeared. "I wasnot far wrong when I said he was thinking of himself," said she, "for a_calf_ is a sort of _bull pup_."
At this sally Captain Bridgeman laughed, and danced about the shop; atlast he said, "Poor Flat! Miss Amelia, he's desperately in love withyou."
"That's more than I am with him," said Amelia, calmly.
Here two ladies came in.
Captain Bridgeman made a most polite bow. "I trust Mrs Handbell isquite well and Miss Handbell--I hardly need ask the question with thecharming colour you have?"
"Captain Bridgeman, you appear to live in this library; I wonder MrsKeene don't take you into partnership."
"If I were not honoured with the custom of Mrs Handbell and otherladies; I fear that my shop would have little attraction for gentlemen,"replied my mother, with a courtesy.
"Mrs Keene is quite correct in her surmise, Miss Handbell," saidCaptain Bridgeman, "now that I have seen you, I shall not think mymorning thrown away."
"If report says true, Captain Bridgeman," replied Mrs Handbell, "youwould be quite as often here, even if no ladies were to be customers ofMrs Keene. Mrs Keene, have you any of that narrow French ribbonleft?"
"I think I have, madam; it was off this piece, was it not?"
"Yes; but I really don't know exactly how much I require; perhaps youwill measure it and allow me to return what is left?"
"Certainly, madam; will you take it with you, or shall I send it?"
"I wish for it directly; will you be very long in measuring it, for Iought to be home now?"
"Perhaps you'll have the kindness to measure what you take off yourself,madam," replied my mother, "and then you need not wait."
"You put confidence in me, I observe, Mrs Keene," replied MrsHandbell; "well, I will do you justice."
My mother smiled most graciously, put the piece of ribbon in paper, andhanded it to Mrs Handbell, who, bowing to Captain Bridgeman, quittedthe shop.
"I wonder whether you would trust me in that way?" said CaptainBridgeman to my mother.
"I don't think I should; Amelia says you will help yourself to cigarsand that she is sure you cheat when you count them."
"Does she really say that? Well, I did think that if there was any onewho would have upheld my character, it would have been Miss Amelia."
"Perhaps, Captain Bridgeman, she is getting tired of so doing."
"Or tired of me, Mrs Keene, which would be worse still. Here comes afair young lady--Miss Evans, if I mistake not; I believe she is a goodcustomer to your library?"
"She reads a great deal, and is therefore only a customer to thelibrary."
"Ladies who are fond of reading are seldom fond of working."
"Good morning Miss Evans," said Captain Bridgeman; "you come for morefood for the mind, I presume?" (Miss Evans gave a bob, and turned to mymother.)
"Have you anything new, Mrs Keene? I have brought back the threevolumes of Godolphin."
"Yes, miss, I have some books down to-day."
While Miss Evans was selecting from the new books, enter Mr Jones, MrSmith, and Mr Claville, of the marine corps, for cigars. Amelia comesout to attend them--they purchase a few articles, and are talking veryloud, when three more ladies enter the shop, all for books.
It being now about three o'clock, the customers and loungers come infast. Captain Bridgeman saunters away in company with his brotherofficers; other parties enter, who are succeeded by fresh claimants forbooks or the other articles to be procured in the repository.
This demand continues till about five o'clock, when the library becomesempty; I come home from school, my father slinks in from barracks, andmy mother and sister return to the back parlour, where they find mygrandmother, as usual, very busy with her knitting.
Such is a fair sample of what took place at our shop every succeedingday. My mother made few bad debts, and rapidly added to her savings.My aunt Milly still balancing between the certainty of Lieutenant Flatand the chance of Captain Bridgeman, and I dividing my time and talentsbetween learning and contriving mischief.
Percival Keene Page 9