“‘Walk in, Sir,’ said she, ‘and I will see,’ and she backed and backed before me, not out of deference to me, but to the onfastened hooks of her gown, and threw a door open. On the opposite side was a large room filled with galls, peeping and looking over each other’s shoulders at me, for it was intermission.
“‘Are these your pupils?’ sais I; and before she could speak, I went right past into the midst of ’em. Oh, what a scuddin’ and screamin’ there was among them! A rocket explodin’ there couldn’t a done more mischief. They tumbled over chairs, upsot tables, and went head and heels over each other like anything, shouting out, ‘A man! a man!’
“‘Where—where?’ sais I, a chasin’ of them, ‘show him to me, and I’ll soon clear him out. What is he a doing of?’
“It was the greatest fun you ever see. Out they flew through the door at the other eend of the room, some up and some down-stairs, singing out, ‘A man! a man!’ till I thought they would have hallooed their daylights out. Away I flew after them, calling out, ‘Where is he? show him to me, and I’ll soon pitch into him!’ when who should I see but Miss Liddy in the entry, as stiff and as starch as a stand-up shirt collar of a frosty day. She looked like a large pale icicle, standing up on its broad end, and cold enough to give you the ague to look at her.
“‘Mr Slick,’ said she, ‘may I ask what is the meaning of all this unseemly behaviour in the presence of young ladies of the first families in the State?’
“Says I, ‘Miss Adam,’ for as she used the word Mr as a handle to me, I thought I’de take a pull at the Miss,’ some robber or housebreaker has got in, I rather think, and scared the young feminine gender students, for they seemed to be running after somebody, and I thought I would assist them.’
“‘May I ask, Sir,’ a drawin’ of herself up to her full height, as straight and as prim as a Lombardy poplar, or rather, a bull-rush, for that’s all one size. ‘May I ask, Sir, what is the object of your visit here—at a place where no gentlemen are received but the parents or guardians of some of the children.’
“I was as mad as a hatter; I felt a little bit vain of the embassy to London, and my Paris dress, particularly my boots and gloves, and all that, and I will admit, there is no use talkin’, I rather kinder sorter thought she would be proud of the connection. I am a good-natured man in a general way when I am pleased, but it ain’t safe to ryle me, I tell you. When I am spotty on the back, I am dangerous. I bit in my breath, and tried to look cool, for I was determined to take revenge out of her.
“‘Allow me to say, Sir,’ said she, a perkin’ up her mouth like the end of a silk purse, ‘that I think your intrusion is as unwelcome as it is unpardonable. May I ask the favour of you to withdraw? if not, I must introduce you to the watchman.’
“‘I came,’ sais I, ‘Miss Adam, having heard of your distinguished college in the saloons of Paris and London, to make a proposal to you; but, like a bull—’