“Lots ob nice shady trees an’ bushes, and flowers, an’ fruits, an’ sweet smells ob oranges, an’—”
He waved his arms around, as if to indicate a profusion of delights which his tongue could not adequately describe.
“Quite true, Quash,” replied Lawrence, who was content to play second violin in the duet.
“Is you gwine,” inquired Quashy, after a brief pause, “to de gubner’s ball to-night?”
“No. I did not know there was a governor, or that he intended to give a ball.”
The negro opened his eyes in astonishment.
“You not know ob it!” he exclaimed; “why eberybody knows ob it, an’ a’most eberybody’s agwine—all de ’spectable peepil, I mean, an’ some ob dem what’s not zactly as ’spectable as dey should be. But dey’s all agwine. He’s a liberal gubner, you see, an’ he’s gwine to gib de ball in de inn at de lan’lord’s expense.”
“Indeed; that’s a curiously liberal arrangement.”
“Yes, an’ a bery clebber ’rangement for de lan’lord. He’s a cute man de lan’lord. I s’pose you’s agwine?”
“No, I am not going. I have received no invitation; besides, I have no evening dress.”