Belles and Ringers | Page 8

"I can only stop their talking any more
about this wretched ball, there will be no harm done. Jim, Captain
Braybrooke, and the Sartorises are welcome to go, so long as the rest
stay at home."
Though silent, Pansey Cottrell had been an amused auditor of the
previous conversation. Living, as he habitually had done from his
boyhood, always in society, he derived no little amusement from
watching the foibles and manoeuvres of those around him, and
occasionally indulged himself by gently pulling the strings for his own
diversion. It was a secret that had been penetrated by only a few of his
intimates, but there was lurking in Pansey Cottrell a spirit of mischief
that sometimes urged him to contravene the schemes of his associates.
It was never from any feeling of malice, but from a sheer sense of fun.
The present state of affairs, for instance, tickled him immensely. He
knew that poor Lady Mary had resolutely made up her mind that the
Grange party should have none of this ball, and equally did he foresee
that there was every probability of both herself and all her guests being
present at it. Secondly, she had brought Lionel Beauchamp down here,
far away from rival beauties, so that Miss Blanche might capture him at
her leisure; and such was Lady Mary's malignant star, that an
exceedingly pretty and fascinating stranger immediately appeared upon
the scene. Now this was just one of the little dramas that it so amused
Pansey Cottrell occasionally to exercise his influence in. I do not mean

to say that he would interfere to such an extent as to either make or mar
the wedding; but to take part with the conspirators and coerce Lady
Mary into going to this Commonstone ball was a bit of mischief quite
in his way. He could not resist the temptation of teasing his
fellow-creatures, and what gave such particular zest to such tormenting
was that his victims were always perfectly unconscious that he was at
the bottom of their annoyance.
In the drawing-room Lady Mary expressed her disapproval of the ball
so strongly that Mrs. Sartoris felt quite guilty, and rather repented her
of having volunteered to join Captain Bloxam's party; but when the
gentlemen made their appearance, Lady Mary was doomed to be made
once more uncomfortable by the proceedings of her first-born.
She listened in somewhat distrait fashion to a flood of anecdote and
small-talk that Mr. Cottrell was pouring into her ears; for she felt
intuitively that Jim was canvassing the whole party on the subject of
this abominable ball with an ardour worthy of a better cause. She had
seen him talking and laughing with Mrs. Sartoris, and knew that he had
confirmed that lady in her iniquity. Now he was talking with the Misses
Evesham, and she felt convinced that those flabby-minded damsels had
admitted that they should like to be present, although not half an hour
ago they had assured her that they detested all such "omnium
gatherums." If she could but have got hold of Jim and told him that
there were particular reasons why the Grange party should not attend
upon this occasion! but no, Pansey Cottrell was entertaining her with a
scandalous and apparently interminable narrative of the doings of one
of her friends, and she felt she had been as effectually buttonholed as if
she were the victim of the Ancient Mariner.
Suddenly a "Confound it, Jim, do hold your tongue!" from the
whist-table caught her ear. "You deuced near made me revoke. What
on earth makes you so red hot about this ball?" And the Squire
mechanically looked round to his wife for telegraphic guidance as to
what line he was to take.
By a sudden shifting of Mr. Pansey Cottrell's chair that gentleman's
form intercepted the slight bending of the brows and shake of the head

that replied to her husband's look of inquiry.
"The proper thing to do, sir," resumed Jim; "residents in the vicinity of
Commonstone must support Commonstone festivities. The Todborough
contingent must show up on such an occasion, and the Todborough
contingent must show with its chief at its head. Who knows but you
may want to contest the county again some of these days? and if you
don't, why, perhaps I shall. I assure you I have a very pretty talent for
public speaking--at least, so our fellows all say. Isn't it so,
Braybrooke?"
"Oh, I don't quite know about that," was the reply. "We give you credit
for unlimited 'cheek' when on your legs after supper, and that's about as
far as we can give you a character."
"Well, I don't know; we always do go. I suppose we ought to go this
time; but there's no necessity for all this hurry. The