"Oh, nothing,—I require nothing!" exclaimed Selina.
"Hur—!" said I, half rising from my chair in ecstasy at her disinterestedness.
"Hem!" coughed Quillit, and took out his toothpick.
"Nothing!" I at length ejaculated. "No, Selina; you shall not be subject to the accidents of fortune. Mr. Quillit, put down two thousand pounds." And so he did.
The day before my intended nuptials I had paid my customary visit to Selina, and it was arranged that the settlement should be executed (what a happy union of terms!) that night. I had left but a few minutes when I missed my handkerchief. I returned for it. The kidney-potato shot out of the house as I turned the corner of the street. I found the door ajar, and, not considering any ceremony necessary, I walked into the parlour. I had put my handkerchief into the left pocket of my coat when I was somewhat startled by a burst of very boisterous male and female merriment. I paused. A child's treble was then heard, and in a moment after a child—a live child entered the room crying most piteously. It ceased on beholding me; and when its astonishment had subsided, it sobbed out,
"I want mamma!"
"Mamma?" said I. "And who's mamma?"
My query was answered from the first floor.
"Come to mamma, dear!" shouted—Selina!
I don't know what the sensations of a humming-top in full spin may be, but I should imagine they are very similar to those which I experienced at this particular moment. When I recovered, I was stretched on the hearth-rug with my head in the coal-scuttle, surrounded by my Selina, her mother, the maid, and I suppose her "brother at sea."