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398 THE ADVENTURES OF PHILIP
" Hullo!" piped the other. " Who wants you to overhear my
conversation ? Dammy, I say! I ________ "
Philip put out that hand with the torn glove. The glove was
in a dreadful state of disruption now. He worked the hand well
into his kinsman's neck, and twisting Ringwood round into a proper
position, brought that poor old broken boot so to bear upon the
proper quarter, that Ringwood was discharged into the little font,
and lighted amidst the flowers, and the water, and the oil-lamps,
and made a dreadful mess and splutter amongst them. And as
for Philip's coat, it was torn worse than ever.
I don't know how many of the brass buttons had revolted and
parted company from the poor old cloth, which cracked and split,
and tore under the agitation of that beating angry bosom. I blush
as I think of Mr. Firmin in this ragged state, a great rent all across
his back, and his prostrate enemy lying howling in the water,
amidst the splutteriug crashing oil-lamps at his feet. When
Cinderella quitted her first ball, just after the clock struck twelve,
we all know how shabby she looked. Philip was a still more
disreputable object when he slunk away. I don't know by what
side door Mr. Lowndes eliminated him. He also benevolently took
charge of Philip's kinsman and antagonist, Mr. Ringwood Twysden.
Mr. Twysden's hands, coat-tails, &c, were very much singed and
scalded by the oil, and cut by the broken glass, which was all
extracted at the Beaujon Hospital, but not without much suffering
on the part of the patient. But though young Lowndes spoke up
for Philip, in describing the scene (I fear not without laughter), his
Excellency caused Mr. Firmin's name to be erased from his party
lists : and I am sure no sensible man will defend Philip's conduct for
a moment.
Of this lamentable fracas which occurred in the hotel garden,
Miss Baynes and her parents had no knowledge for a while.
Charlotte was too much occupied with her dancing, which she
pursued with all her might; papa was at cards with some sober
male and female veterans, and mamma was looking with delight at
her daughter, whom the young gentlemen of many embassies were
charmed to choose for a partner. When Lord Headbury, Lord
Estridge's son, was presented to Miss Baynes, her mother was so
elated that she was ready to dance too. I do not envy Mrs. Major
MacWhirter, at Tours, the perusal of that immense manuscript
in which her sister recorded the events of the ball. Here was
Charlotte, beautiful, elegant, accomplished, admired everywhere,
with young men, young noblemen of immense property and expectations,
wild about her ; and engaged by a promise to a rude, ragged,
presumptuous, ill-bred young man, without a penny in the world—