“Isn't that boy of Norcott's going it to-night?” I heard a man say as I swung past in a polka, and I turned fiercely to catch the speaker's eye, and show him I meant to call him to book.
“Eccles, your pupil is a credit to you!” cried another.
“I'm a Dutchman if that fellow does n't rival his father.”
“He 'll be far and away beyond him,” muttered another; “for he has none of Norcott's crotchets,—he's a scamp 'ur et simple.'”
“Where are you breaking away from me, Digby?” said Pauline, as I tried to shake myself free of her.
“I want to follow those men. I have a word to say to them.”
“You shall do no such thing, dearest,” muttered she. “You have just told me I am to be your little wife, and I 'm not going to see my husband rushing into a stupid quarrel.”
“And you are mine, then,” cried I, “and you will wear this ring as a betrothal? Come, let me take off your glove.”
“That will do, Digby; that's quite enough for courtesy and a little too much for deference,” whispered Eccles in my ear; for I was kissing her hand about a hundred times over, and she laughing at my raptures as an excellent joke. “I think you 'd better lead the way to supper.”
Secretly resolving that I would soon make very short work of Mr. Eccles and his admonitions, I gave him a haughty glance and moved on. I remember very little more than that I walked to the head of the table and placed Pauline on my right I know I made some absurd speech in return for their drinking my health, and spoke of us and what we—Pauline and myself—felt, and with what pleasure we should see our friends often around us, and a deal of that tawdry trash that conies into a brain addled with noise and heated with wine. I was frequently interrupted; uproarious cheers at one moment would break forth, but still louder laughter would ring out and convulse the whole assembly. Even addled and confused as I was, I could see that some were my partisans and friends, who approved of all I said, and wished me to give a free course to my feelings; and there were others—two or three—who tried to stop me; and one actually said aloud, “If that boy of Nor-cott's is not suppressed, we shall have no supper.”