第111章

’IstayedathomewithmyparentsuntilIwasabouteighteen，assistingmyfatherinvariousways。IthenwenttoliveattheSquire’s，partlyasgroom，partlyasfootman。Afterlivinginthecountrysometime，IattendedthefamilyinatripofsixweekswhichtheymadetoLondon。Whilstthere，happeningtohavesomewordswithanoldill-temperedcoachman，whohadbeenforagreatmanyyearsinthefamily，mymasteradvisedmetoleave，offeringtorecommendmetoafamilyofhisacquaintancewhowereinneedofafootman。Iwasgladtoaccepthisoffer，andinafewdayswenttomynewplace。Mynewmasterwasoneofthegreatgentry，abaronetinParliament，andpossessedofanestateofabouttwentythousandayear；hisfamilyconsistedofhislady，ason，afineyoungmanjustcomingofage，andtwoverysweetamiabledaughters。

Ilikedthisplacemuchbetterthanmyfirst，therewassomuchmorepleasantnoiseandbustle-somuchmoregrandcompany，andsomanymoreopportunitiesofimprovingmyself。Oh，howIlikedtoseethegrandcoachesdriveuptothedoor，withthegrandcompany；

andthough，amidstthatcompany，thereweresomewhodidnotlookverygrand，therewereothers，andnotafew，whodid。Someoftheladiesquitecaptivatedme；therewastheMarchionessof-inparticular。Thisyoungladyputsmemuchinmindofher；itistrue，theMarchioness，asIsawherthen，wasaboutfifteenyearsolderthanthisyounggentlewomanisnow，andnotsotallbysomeinches，butshehadtheverysamehair，andmuchthesameneckandshoulders-nooffence，Ihope？Andthensomeoftheyounggentlemen，withtheircool，haughty，care-for-nothinglooks，struckmeasbeingveryfinefellows。Therewasoneinparticular，whomI

frequentlyusedtostareat，notaltogetherunlikesomeoneIhaveseenhereabouts-hehadaslightcastinhiseye，and……butI

won’tenterintoeveryparticular。Andthenthefootmen!Oh，howthosefootmenhelpedtoimprovemewiththeirconversation。Manyofthemcouldconversemuchmoregliblythantheirmasters，andappearedtohavemuchbettertaste。Atanyrate，theyseldomapprovedofwhattheirmastersdid。Irememberbeingoncewithoneinthegalleryoftheplay-house，whensomethingofShakspeare’swasbeingperformed：someoneinthefirsttierofboxeswasapplaudingveryloudly。“That’smyfoolofagovernor，“saidhe；

“heisweakenoughtolikeShakspeare-Idon’t；-he’ssoconfoundedlylow，buthewon’tlastlong-goingdown。Shakspeareculminated“-Ithinkthatwastheword-“culminatedsometimeago。“

’Andthentheprofessorofelocution，ofwhommygovernorsusedtotakelessons，andofwhichlessonsIhadmyshare，bylisteningbehindthedoor；butforthatprofessorofelocutionIshouldnotbeabletoroundmyperiods-anexpressionofhis-inthemannerIdo。

’AfterIhadbeenthreeyearsatthisplacemymistressdied。Herdeath，however，madenogreatalterationinmywayofliving，thefamilyspendingtheirwintersinLondon，andtheirsummersattheiroldseatinS-asbefore。Atlast，theyoungladies，whohadnotyetgothusbands，whichwasstrangeenough，seeing，asItoldyoubefore，theywereveryamiable，proposedtoourgovernoratravellingexpeditionabroad。Theoldbaronetconsented，thoughyoungmasterwasmuchagainstit，sayingtheywouldallbemuchbetterathome。Asthegirlspersisted，however，heatlastwithdrewhisopposition，andevenpromisedtofollowthemassoonashisparliamentarydutieswouldpermit；forhewasjustgotintoParliament，and，likemostotheryoungmembers，thoughtthatnothingcouldbedoneintheHousewithouthim。Sotheoldgentlemanandthetwoyoungladiessetoff，takingmewiththem，andacoupleofladies’maidstowaituponthem。Firstofall，wewenttoParis，wherewecontinuedthreemonths，theoldbaronetandtheladiesgoingtoseethevarioussightsofthecityandtheneighbourhood，andIattendingthem。Theysoongottiredofsight-

seeing，andofParistoo；andsodidI。However，theystillcontinuedthere，inorder，Ibelieve，thattheyoungladiesmightlayinastoreofF