Mr. Rawdon
spoke very freely of the wealth he had in the hand and in the bush, of
his readiness to make allowance for Madame Du Plessis, if that "haffable
hold gent," her brother in law, was not prepared to provide for her.
When they reached the house, they found that no one was at home but
Tryphena, who was confined to the kitchen by culinary duties. They,
therefore, occupied the parlour, the Grinstun man seeing no impropriety
in being there alone with a young lady whom he had met for the first
time. Indeed, he was much gratified to find that the lady was not at all
stiff and offish, as he had feared, but as "haffable as her huncle and
more." The lady laughed, and blushed at loud compliments, as loud as the
check of Mr. Rawdon's clothes, and asked flattering questions, which he
answered with a jolliky and recklessness that almost astonished himself.
Was there no romance, no spice of daring in his occupation? she had
asked, and he, remembering that he was talking to a soldier's daughter,
who would, doubtless, appreciate courage, replied enigmatically that the
grinstun business was about the riskiest business on earth, and required
'eroism of no hordinary kind.
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