"
"Madam," said Trip, recovering a grain of pomp, "singular as it may
appear, I remember the young person; she was very engaging. I trust no
harm hath befallen her, for methought I discovered, in spite of her
brogue, a beautiful nature in her."
"Go along wid yer blarney," answered a rich brogue; "an' is it the
comanther ye'd be putting on poor little Peggy?"
"Oh! oh gracious!" gasped Triplet.
"Yes," was the reply; but into that "yes" she threw a whole sentence of
meaning. "Fine cha-ney oranges!" chanted she, to put the matter beyond
dispute.
"Am I really so honored as to have patted you on that queen-like head!"
and he glared at it.
"On the same head which now I wear," replied she, pompously. "I kept it
for the convaynience hintirely, only there's more in it. Well, Mr.
Triplet, you see what time has done for me; now tell me whether he has
been as kind to you. Are you going to speak to me, Mr. Triplet?"
As a decayed hunter stands lean and disconsolate, head poked forward like
a goose's, but if hounds sweep by his paddock in full cry, followed by
horses who are what he was not, he does, by reason of the good blood that
is and will be in his heart, _dum spiritus hoss regit artus,_ cock his
ears, erect his tail, and trot fiery to his extremest hedge, and look
over it, nostril distended, mane flowing, and neigh the hunt onward like
a trumpet; so Triplet, who had manhood at bottom, instead of whining out
his troubles in the ear of encouraging beauty, as a sneaking spirit
would, perked up, and resolved to put the best face upon it all before so
charming a creature of the other sex.
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