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A SHABBY GENTEEL STORY 13
apothecary, too, had been smitten by her charms; but to live in
a shop was beneath the dignity of a Wellesley Macarty, and she
waited for better things. Lieutenant Swabber, of the coast-guard
service, had lodged two months at Gann's; and if letters, long
walks, and town-talk could settle a match, a match between him
and Isabella must have taken place. Well, Isabella was not
married; and the lieutenant, a colonel in Spain, seemed to have
given up all thoughts of her. She meanwhile consoled herself with
a gay young wine-merchant, who had lately established himself at
Brighton, kept a gig, rode out with the hounds, and was voted
perfectly genteel; and there was a certain French marquess, with
the most elegant black mustachios, who had made a vast impression
upon the heart of Rosalind, having met her first at the circulating
library, and afterwards, by the most extraordinary series of chances,
coming upon her and her sister daily in their walks upon the pier.
Meek little Caroline, meanwhile, trampled upon though she was,
was springing up to womanhood; and, though pale, freckled, thin,
meanly dressed, had a certain charm about her which some people
might prefer to the cheap splendours and rude red and white of the
Misses Macarty. In fact we have now come to a period of her
history when, to the amaze of her mamma and sisters, and not a
little to the satisfaction of James Gann, Esquire, she actually
inspired a passion in the breast of a very respectable young man.