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A SHABBY GENTEEL STORY 5
skirts of genteel society; Mrs. Crabb, a sharp woman, rather
respected her daughter's superior rank ; and Mrs. Macarty did not
quarrel so much as heretofore with her mamma, on whom herself
and her two children were entirely dependent.
While affairs were at this juncture, it happened that a young
Englishman, James Gann, Esq., of the great oil-house of Gann,
Blubbery and Gann (as he took care to tell you before you had been
an hour in his company),—it happened, I say, that James Gann,
Esq., came to Brussels for a month, for the purpose of perfecting
himself in the French language ; and while in that capital went to
lodge at the very boarding-house which contained Mrs. Crabb and
her daughter. Gann was young, weak, inflammable : he saw and
adored Mrs. Wellesley Macarty; and she, who was at this period
all but engaged to a stout old wooden-legged Scotch regimental
surgeon, pitilessly sent Dr. M'Lint about his business, and accepted
the addresses of Mr. Gann. How the young man arranged matters
with his papa the senior partner, I don't know ; but it is certain
that there was a quarrel, and afterwards a reconciliation ; and it is
also known that James Gann fought a duel with the surgeon,—
receiving the Æsculapian fire, and discharging his own bullet into
the azure skies. About nine thousand times in the course of his
after years did Mr. Gann narrate the history of the combat ; it
enabled him to go through life with the reputation of a man of
courage, and won for him, as he said with pride, the hand of his
Juliana : perhaps this was rather a questionable benefit.
One part of the tale, however, honest James never did dare to
tell, except when peculiarly excited by wrath or liquor ; it was this :
that on the day after the wedding, and in the presence of many
friends who had come to offer their congratulations, a stout nurse,
bearing a brace of chubby little ones, made her appearance ; and
these rosy urchins, springing forward at the sight of Mrs. James
Gann, shouted affectionately, "Maman ! maman ! " at which the
lady, blushing rosy red, said, " James, these two are yours;" and
poor James well-nigh fainted at this sudden paternity so put upon
him. " Children !" screamed he, aghast ; " whose children ?" at
which Mrs. Crabb, majestically checking him, said, "These, my
dear James, are the daughters of the gallant and good Ensign
Macarty, whose widow you yesterday led to the altar. May you
be happy with her, and may these blessed children " (tears) " find
in you a father, who shall replace him that fell in the field of
glory!"
Mrs. Crabb, Mrs. James Gann, Mrs. Major Lolly, Mrs. Piffler,
and several ladies present, set up a sob immediately ; and James
Gann, a good-humoured, soft-hearted man, was quite taken aback.