“I don’t know how that may be, sir,” said Charley, with a sort of simpering consciousness; “but this at least I can say, that he’ll be a devilish lucky man who gets her.”
“Yes,” responded Mr Edward Fitzgerald, with a bitter sigh; “she is in truth a beautiful girl. Such animation!”
“And such a fine fortune!” continued Charley, rubbing his hands with triumph.
“Amiable, excellent, fascinating!” said the doleful Mr Fitzgerald; and a pause ensued of most lugubrious silence, during which his eyes were fastened on the letter, seemingly unconscious of the presence of its bearer.
“Excuse me,” said Charley at last; “you are impatient to read it, so I’ll be off. Good morning.”
The young man rose with all the amiability he could summon, and quitted the apartment with him to show him the way.
“Thunder and turf, sir!” ejaculated Charley; “is it out on the skylight you want to send me?” And, certainly, the direction in which the gentleman pointed would have led to some such exit.
“Oh! pardon me,” exclaimed the other, covered with confusion; “I really forgot—your way is down stairs, not up.”
“All right—all right,” chuckled Charley to himself as he sprang down, taking a flight at each bound; “this is some fellow that she used to care for before she saw me; and now, to have every thing fair and straight, the gipsy has sent him his dismissal in form. Poor devil! he seems disposed to take it to heart very much. Right—right! Best to be off with the old love before you be on with the new, as the song says. I declare I like her the better for it; and to save the poor fellow’s feelings, she never even hinted to me what the letter was about.” And laying this flattering unction to his soul, he went about his business in the best of good humour with himself and all the world besides.
“Well, Charley,” said Lucy to him on his return to the country, “I know beforehand you forgot all about my letter; so give it back to me, if you have not lost it. I should not like my billet-doux to remain with the rest of your good intentions; give it back to me now, like a good fellow, and I’ll forgive you. It’s not your fault, but your misfortune.”