The Three Cutters | Page 5

to see
the property--Miss Percival, I should say--it may be too soon--suppose
we put it off till October.'
"`October--I shall be down at Melton.'

"`Pray, sir, may I then inquire what portion of the year is not, with you,
dog-days?'
"`Why, uncle, next April, now--I think that would do.'
"`Next April! Eleven months, and a winter between. Suppose Miss
Percival was to take a cold and die.'
"`I should be excessively obliged to her,' thought William.
"`No! No!' continued Mr Ponsonby: `there is nothing certain in this
world, William.'
"`Well, then, uncle, suppose we arrange it for the first hard frost.'
"`We have had no hard frosts, lately, William. We may wait for years.
The sooner it is over the better. Go back to town, buy your horse, and
then come down here, my dear William, to oblige your uncle--never
mind the dog-days.'
"`Well, sir, if I am to make a sacrifice, it shall not be done by halves;
out of respect for you I will even marry in July, without any regard to
the thermometer.'
"`You are a good boy, William. Do you want a cheque?'
"`I have had one to-day,' thought William, and was almost at fault. `I
shall be most thankful, sir--they sell horse-flesh by the ounce
now-a-days.'
"`And you pay in pounds. There, William.'
"`Thank you, sir, I'm all obedience; and I'll keep my word, even if there
should be a comet. I'll go and buy the horse, and then I shall be ready to
take the ring-fence as soon as you please.'
"`Yes, and you'll get over it cleverly, I've no doubt. Five thousand acres,
William, and--a pretty wife!'

"`Have you any further commands, uncle?' said William, depositing the
cheque in his pocket-book.
"`None, my dear boy: are you going?'
"`Yes, sir; I dine at the Clarendon.'
"`Well, then, good-bye. Make my compliments and excuses to your
friend Seagrove. You will come on Tuesday or Wednesday.'
"Thus was concluded the marriage between William Ponsonby and
Emily Percival, and the junction of the two estates, which formed
together the great desideratum--five thousand acres in a ring-fence."
Mr Seagrove finished, and he looked round for approbation.
"Very good, indeed, Seagrove," said his lordship; "you must take a
glass of wine after that."
"I would not give much for Miss Percival's chance of happiness,"
observed the elder Miss Ossulton.
"Of two evils choose the least, they say," observed Mr Hautaine. "Poor
Ponsonby could not help himself."
"That's a very polite observation of yours, Mr Hautaine--I thank you in
the name of the sex," replied Cecilia Ossulton.
"Nay, Miss Ossulton; would you like to marry a person whom you
never saw?"
"Most certainly not; but when you mentioned the two evils, Mr
Hautaine, I appeal to your honour, did you not refer to marriage or
beggary?"
"I must confess it, Miss Ossulton; but it is hardly fair to call on my
honour to get me into a scrape."
"I only wish that the offer had been made to me," observed Vaughan; "I

should not have hesitated as Ponsonby did."
"Then I beg you will not think of proposing for me," said Mrs Lascelles,
laughing; for Mr Vaughan had been excessively attentive.
"It appears to me, Vaughan," observed Seagrove, "that you have
slightly committed yourself by that remark."
Vaughan, who thought so too, replied: "Mrs Lascelles must be aware
that I was only joking."
"Fie! Mr Vaughan," cried Cecilia Ossulton; "you know it came from
your heart."
"My dear Cecilia," said the elder Miss Ossulton, "you forget yourself--
what can you possibly know about gentlemen's hearts?"
"The Bible says that they are `deceitful and desperately wicked,' aunt."
"And cannot we also quote the Bible against your sex, Miss Ossulton?"
replied Seagrove.
"Yes, you could, perhaps, if any of you had ever read it," replied Miss
Ossulton, carelessly.
"Upon my word, Cissy, you are throwing the gauntlet down to the
gentlemen," observed Lord B---; "but I shall throw my warder down,
and not permit this combat a l'outrance.--I perceive you drink no more
wine, gentlemen, we will take our coffee on deck."
"We were just about to retire, my lord," observed the elder Miss
Ossulton, with great asperity: "I have been trying to catch the eye of
Mrs Lascelles for some time, but--"
"I was looking another way, I presume," interrupted Mrs Lascelles,
smiling.
"I am afraid that I am the unfortunate culprit," said Mr Seagrove. "I
was telling a little anecdote to Mrs Lascelles--"

"Which, of course, from its being communicated in an undertone, was
not proper for all the company to hear," replied the elder Miss Ossulton;
"but if Mrs Lascelles is now ready," continued she, bridling up, as she
rose from her chair.
"At all events, I can hear the remainder of it on deck," replied Mrs
Lascelles. The ladies rose and