"No," said she, yawning, "no more shall I,--I don"t choose."
"Don"t you?" said Captain Bouchier, dryly, "why not?
"Why, because I don"t like it."
"O fie!" cried he; "consider how cruel that is."
"I must consider myself," said she, pertly; "for I don"t choose to heat myself this hot weather."
Just then a young man came forward, and requested her hand. She coloured, looked excessively silly, and walked off with him to join the dancers. When, between the dances, she came our way, he plagued her, a la Sir Clement.[128]
"Well," cried he, "so you have been dancing this hot night! I thought you would have considered yourself better?"
"Oh," said she, "I could not help it--I had much rather not;--it was quite disagreeable to me."
"No, no,--pardon me there!" said he, maliciously; "I saw pleasure dance first in your eyes; I never saw you look more delighted: you were quite the queen of smiles!"
She looked as if she could have killed him; and yet, from giddiness and good-humour, was compelled to join in the laugh.
After this we went to tea. When that was over, and we all returned to the ball-room, Captain Bouchier followed me, and again took a seat next mine, which he kept, without once moving, the whole night.
He again applied to me to dance, but I was more steady than Charlotte; and he was called upon, and reproached by Captain Brisbane and others for sitting still when there were so few dancers; but he told them he could not endure being pressed into the service, or serving at all under the master of the ceremonies.
Well, I have no more time for particulars, though we had much more converse; for so it happened that we talked all the evening almost together, as Mrs. Thrale and Mrs. Byron were engaged with each other: Miss Thrale, who did not dance, was fairly jockeyed out of her place next me by Captain Bouchier, and the other young ladies were with their partners. Before we broke up, this captain asked me if I should be at the play next night?--"Yes," I could not but say, as we had had places taken some time; but I did not half like it, for his manner of asking plainly implied, "If you go, why I will!"
When we made our exit, he saw me safe out of the rooms, with as much attention as if we had actually been partners. As we were near home we did not get into chairs; and Mr. Travell joined us in our walk.
"Why, what a flirtation," cried Mrs. Thrale; "why, Burney, this is a man of taste!--Pray, Mr. Travell, will it do? What has he."
"Twenty thousand pounds, ma"am," answered the beau.
"O ho! has he so?--Well, well, we"ll think of it."
Finding her so facetious, I determined not to acquaint her with the query concerning the play, knowing that, if I did, and he appeared there, she would be outrageous in merriment. She is a most dear creature, but never restrains her tongue in anything, nor, indeed, any of her feelings:--she laughs, cries, scolds, sports, reasons, makes fun,--does everything she has an inclination to do, without any study of prudence, or thought of blame; and pure and artless as is this character, it often draws both herself and others into sc.r.a.pes, which a little discretion would avoid.
FURTHER FLIRTATIONS.
Sat.u.r.day morning I spent in visiting. At dinner we had Mrs. Lambart and Colonel Campbell. All the discourse was upon Augusta Byron"s having made a conquest of Captain Brisbane, and the match was soon concluded upon,--at least, they all allowed it would be decided this night, when she was to go with us to the play; and if Captain Brisbane was there, why then he was in for it, and the thing was done.
Well--Augusta came at the usual time; Colonel Campbell took leave, but Mrs. Lambart accompanied us to the play: and, in the lobby, the first object we saw was Captain Brisbane. He immediately advanced to us, and, joining our party, followed us into our box.
Nothing could equal the wickedness of Mrs. Thrale and Mrs. Lambart; they smiled at each other with such significance! Fortunately, however, Augusta did not observe them.
Well, we took our seats, and Captain Brisbane, by getting into the next box, on a line with ours, placed himself next to Augusta:[129] but hardly had Mrs. T. and L. composed their faces, ere I heard the box-door open. Every one looked round but me, and I had reasons for avoiding such curiosity,--reasons well enough founded, for instantly grins, broader than before, widened the mouths of the two married ladies, while even Miss Thrale began a t.i.tter that half choaked her, and Augusta, nodding to me with an arch smirk, said, "Miss Burney, I wish you joy!"
To be sure I could have no doubt who entered, but, very innocently, I demanded of them all the cause of their mirth. They scrupled not explaining themselves; and I found my caution, in not mentioning the query that had been put to me, availed me nothing, for the captain was already a marked man in my service!
He placed himself exactly behind me, but very quietly and silently, and did not, for some minutes, speak to me; afterwards, however, he did a little,--except when my favourite, Mr. Lee, who acted Old Norval, in "Douglas," was on the stage, and then he was strictly silent. I am in no cue to write our discourse; but it was pleasant and entertaining enough at the time, and his observations upon the play and the players were lively and comical. But I was prodigiously worried by my own party, who took every opportunity to inquire how I was entertained and so forth,--and to sn.i.g.g.e.r.
Two young ladies, who seemed about eighteen, and sat above us were so much shocked by the death of Douglas, that both burst into a loud fit of roaring, like little children,--and sobbed on, afterwards, for almost half the farce! I was quite astonished; and Miss Weston complained that they really disturbed her sorrows; but Captain Bouchier was highly diverted, and went to give them comfort, as if they had been babies, telling them it was all over, and that they need not cry any more.
_Monday._--At breakfast, Mrs. Thrale said,
"Ah, you never tell me your love-secrets, but I could tell you one if I chose it!"
This produced entreaties---and entreaties thus much further--
"Why, I know very well who is in love with f.a.n.n.y Burney!"
I told her that was more than I did, but owned it was not difficult to guess who she meant, though I could not tell what.
"Captain Bouchier," said she. "But you did not tell me so, nor he either; I had it from Mr. Tyson, our master of the ceremonies, who told me you made a conquest of him at the ball; and he knows these matters pretty well; "tis his trade to know them."
"Well-a-day!" quoth I--""tis unlucky we did not meet a little sooner, for this very day he is ordered away with his troop into Norfolk."
BATH EASTON AND SCEPTICAL MISS W----
_Thursday, June 8._--We went to Bath Easton. Mrs. Lambart went with us.
The house is charmingly situated, well fitted up, convenient, and pleasant, and not large, but commodious and elegant. Thursday is still their public day for company, though the business of the vase is over for this season.
The room into which we were conducted was so much crowded we could hardly make our way. Lady Miller came to the door, and, as she had first done to the rest of us, took my hand, and led me up to a most prodigious fat old lady, and introduced me to her. This was Mrs. Riggs, her ladyship"s mother, who seems to have Bath Easton and its owners under her feet.
I was smiled upon with a graciousness designedly marked, and seemed most uncommonly welcome. Mrs. Riggs looked as if she could have shouted for joy at sight of me! She is mighty merry and facetious, Sir John was very quiet, but very civil.
I saw the place appropriated for the vase, but at this time it was removed. As it was hot, Sir John Miller offered us to walk round the house, and see his greenhouse, etc. So away we set off, Harriet Bowdler accompanying me, and some others following.
We had not strolled far ere we were overtaken by another party, and among them I perceived Miss W-- my new sceptical friend. She joined me immediately, and I found she was by no means in so sad a humour as when I saw her last, on the contrary, she seemed flightily gay.
"Were you never here before?" she asked me.
"No."
"No? why what an acquisition you are then! I suppose you will contribute to the vase?"
"No, indeed!"
"No more you ought; you are quite too good for it."
"No, not that; but I have no great pa.s.sion for making the trial. You, I suppose, have contributed?"