Young Lord
Croesus, whom all maidens and matrons were eager to secure, was astounded
to find that he was utterly indifferent to her, and that she would refuse
him twice or thrice in an evening, and dance as many times with poor Tom
Spring, who was his father's ninth son, and only at home till he could
get a ship and go to sea again. The young women were frightened at her
sarcasm. She seemed to know what fadaises they whispered to their
partners as they paused in the waltzes; and Fanny, who was luring Lord
Croesus towards her with her blue eyes, dropped them guiltily to the
floor when Ethel's turned towards her; and Cecilia sang more out of time
than usual; and Clara, who was holding Freddy, and Charley, and Tommy
round her enchanted by her bright conversation and witty mischief, became
dumb and disturbed when Ethel passed her with her cold face; and old Lady
Hookham, who was playing off her little Minnie now at young Jack Gorget
of the Guards, now at the eager and simple Bob Bateson of the
Coldstreams, would slink off when Ethel made her appearance on the
ground, whose presence seemed to frighten away the fish and the angler.
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