“Freddy,” began I, “I did not mean to startle you so; but is anything the matter, old fellow?”
“You've frightened me out of six months' growth,” was the reply; “matter! what should make you think that?”
“Well, if you must know,” returned Lawless, “I told him I thought there was a screw loose with you, and I haven't changed my mind about it yet either. Any unsoundness shown itself at home, eh? I thought your governor looked rather puffy about the pasterns the last time I saw him, besides being touched in the wind, and your mother has got a decided strain of the back sinews.”
“No, they're well enough,” replied Freddy with a faint smile.
“Then you've entered your affections for some maiden stakes, and the favourite has bolted with a cornet of horse?”
“That's more like it,” returned Coleman, “though you've not quite hit it yet—but I'll tell you, man, if it's any satisfaction to you to hear that others are as unlucky as yourself, or worse, for what I know. I'm not greatly given to the lachrymose and sentimental, in a general way, but I must confess this morning to a little touch of the heartache. You see, Frank,” he continued, turning to me, “there's my cousin Lucy Markham, the little girl with the black eyes—”
“You forget that she was staying with us last week,” interrupted I.
“To be sure she was,” resumed Freddy; “this vile letter has put everything out of my head—well, she and I—we've known each other since we were children—in fact, for the last four or five years she has nearly lived with us, and there's a great deal in habit, and propinquity, and all that sort of thing. 'Man was not made to live alone,' and I'm sure woman wasn't either, for they would have nobody to exercise their tongues upon, and would die from repletion of small-talk, or a pressure of gossip on the brain, or some such thing; and so a complication of all these causes led us in our romantic moments to indulge in visions of a snug little fireside, garnished with an intelligent household cat, and a bright copper tea-kettle, with ourselves seated one in each corner, regarding the scene with the complacent gaze of proprietors; and we were only waiting till my father should fulfil his promise of taking me into partnership, to broach the said scheme to the old people, and endeavour to get it realised. But lately there has been a fat fool coming constantly to our house, who has chosen to fancy Lucy would make him a good fooless; and although the dear girl has nearly teased, snubbed, and worried him to the borders of insanity, he has gone on persevering with asinine obstinacy, till he has actually dared to pop the question.”
“Well, let her say 'no' as if she meant it,” said Lawless; “women can, if they like, eh? and then it will all be as right as ninepence. Eh! don't you see?”
“Easier said than done, Lawless, unfortunately,” replied Coleman; “my fat rival is the son of an opulent drysalter, and last year he contrived to get rid of his father.”