Belles and Ringers | Page 9

ball is not until the
day after to-morrow." And the Squire again looked anxiously round for
instructions from his wife; but Pansey Cottrell was now standing
between Lady Mary and the card-table, and such inspiration as might
be derived from his back was sole response to the inquiry.
"Excuse me," said Jim, "we can't have people making up their mind
about ball-going on Sundays. Ball-dresses, however perfect, nearly
always want a little something doing to them at the last, don't they, Mrs.
Sartoris? Besides, vacillation spoils slumber. I am only anxious that
you shall lay your head tranquilly on your pillow, like myself, with
your mind made up to do a good and virtuous action."
"Come, I say," cried the Squire, chuckling, "that's rather tall talk, you
know. I never heard going to a ball called a 'good and virtuous action'
before."
"Well, perhaps not," replied Jim; "but it is, comparatively, you know,
when you think of the many worse things you might do;--Stay at home
here, for instance, trump your partner's thirteenth, revoke, lose your
money and your temper."

"You make out a good case, Jim," said the Squire, laughing. "I suppose
we must go, lest, as you say, worse should come to us."
As these two latter speeches reached her ears, Lady Mary felt that she
could have boxed those of her son with exceeding satisfaction, and so
wandered in her attention to Pansey Cottrell's narrative as to occasion
that gentleman, who was perfectly aware of the disturbing influence,
infinite amusement. As a causeur of some repute in his own estimation,
he considered himself in duty bound to take vengeance for such
negligence, and spun out his story to its extreme attenuation before
suffering his hostess to escape. At length released, Lady Mary crosses
to the whist-table; but the conversation has dropped. Jim has moved to
another part of the room; and that the Todborough Grange party shall
go to the ball is an accepted fact. To revive the subject now Lady Mary
felt would be useless, but she made up her mind somewhat spitefully
that her lord should hear a little more about it before he slept.
"Rather a sudden change in the wind," said Lionel Beauchamp, as he lit
Miss Bloxam's candle in the hall: "instead of being dead against, it
seems to be blowing quite a gale in the direction of the Commonstone
ball. I suppose you will go too, if the rest do?"
"Yes," she replied mendaciously. "I don't care in the least about it, but
suppose, like all minorities, I shall have to recant my opinion, or, what
is the same thing, do as the others do; and I shall expect you to do the
same, Mr. Beauchamp, and not, after the manner of some shameless
London men whom we have had here, plead a bad cold, and then spend
the evening tranquilly in the smoking-room, over much tobacco and a
French novel."
"Not I, Miss Bloxam," replied Lionel, laughing. "I can assure you I am
very fond of a country ball. My objection is to a country ball with all
the attraction left out."
"Thank you," said Blanche, making him a little mock curtsey, "that is a
very pretty speech to send me to sleep upon; and now good night. O
Jim, Jim!" she whispered, as she passed her brother, "how could you?
Had you been yet in your childhood, bread and water and dungeons

dark would be punishment quite inadequate to your offending."
"Why, good Heavens! what have I done?"
"Couldn't you see that mamma is dead against any of us going to this
ball, and have you not been canvassing us all as if you had been a
steward?"
"Go to bed, you arrant little humbug," replied Jim, with a perceptible
quiver of his right eye. "What the madre's reasons may be for setting
her face against this bit of jollity I don't know; but you and she needn't
go, you know. Mrs. Sartoris has kindly undertaken the charge of all us
young people."
Blanche merely smiled, nodded, and then tripped up the staircase. I
think there was an unspoken understanding between these two on the
subject of the Commonstone ball. Jim Bloxam had before known his
sisters take part with the authorities against their private likings and
convictions.
Lady Mary, when she had gained the privacy of her own chamber, felt,
to speak figuratively, that the horses had got a little out of her hand;
that her party, or at all events the larger portion of them, would attend
this ball whether she liked it or not. Of course she herself could stay at
home and keep Blanche with her; but it would be a little too marked to
attempt to retain Mr. Beauchamp when all the rest of the party