Miss B. (aside). Perhaps some match to propose for me! (Aloud). Mr. Bursal, pray before you go to her ladyship, do send my ooman to me to make me presentable.
(Exit Miss Bursal at one door.)
Mr. B. (at the opposite door). “Business of importance!” Hum! I’m glad I’m prepared with a good basin of soup. There’s no doing business well upon an empty stomach. Perhaps the business is to lend cash; and I’ve no great stomach for that. But it will be an honour, to be sure.
(Exit.)
SCENE III.
Landlady’s Parlour.
Landlady—Mr. Finsbury, a man-milliner, with bandboxes—a fancy cap, or helmet, with feathers, in the Landlady’s hand—a satin bag, covered with gold netting, in the man-milliner’s hand—a mantle hanging over his arm. A rough looking Farmer is sitting with his back towards them, eating bread and cheese, and reading a newspaper.
Landlady. Well, this, to be sure, will be the best dressed Montem that ever was seen at Eton; and you Lon’on gentlemen have the most fashionablest notions; and this is the most elegantest fancy cap—
Finsbury. Why, as you observe, ma’m, that is the most elegant fancy cap of them all. That is Mr. Hector Hogmorton’s fancy cap, ma’m; and here, ma’m, is Mr. Saul’s rich satin bag, covered with gold net. He is college salt bearer, I understand, and has a prodigious superb white and gold dress. But, in my humble opinion, ma’m, the marshal’s white and purple and orange fancy dress, trimmed with silver, will bear the bell; though, indeed, I shouldn’t say that,—for the colonel’s and lieutenant’s, and ensign’s, are beautiful in the extreme. And, to be sure, nothing could be better imagined than Mr. Marlborough’s lilac and silver, with a Roman cap. And it must be allowed that nothing in nature can have a better effect than Mr. Drake’s flesh-colour and blue, with this Spanish hat, ma’m, you see.
(The farmer looks over his shoulder from time to time during this speech, with contempt.)