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16 A SHABBY GENTEEL STORY
"Well, dear, what?" said Mrs. Gann.
"'Miss Bell,' says he, looking at me, and with such eyes!
'I'll keep everything: the red wax, because it's like your lips;
the black wax, because it's like your hair; and the satin paper,
because it's like your skin !' Wasn't it genteel ?"
" Law, now !" exclaimed Mrs. Gann.
" Upon my word, I think it's very rude !" said Miss Lindy;
"and if he'd said so to me, I'd have slapped his face for his
imperence!" And much to her credit, Miss Lindy went to his
room ten minutes after to see if he would say anything to her.
What Mr. Brandon said, I never knew; but the little pang of
envy which had caused Miss Lindy to retort sharply upon her
sister, had given place to a pleased good-humour, and she allowed
Bella to talk about the new lodger as much as ever she liked.
And now if the reader is anxious to know what was Mr.
Brandon's character, he had better read the following letter from
him. It was addressed to no less a person than a viscount ; and
given, perhaps, with some little ostentation to Becky, the maid,
to carry to the post. Now Becky, before she executed such
errands, always showed the letters to her mistress or one of the
young ladies (it must not be supposed that Miss Caroline was a
whit less curious on these matters than her sisters); and when
the family beheld the name of Lord Viscount Cinqbars upon the
superscription, their respect for their lodger was greater than ever
it had been.
" MARGATE : February 1835.
" MY DEAR VISCOUNT,—For a reason I have, on coming down
to Margate, I with much gravity informed the people of the ' White
Hart' that my name was Brandon, and intend to bear that honourable
appellation during my stay. For the same reason (I am a
modest man, and love to do good in secret), I left the public hotel
immediately, and am now housed in private lodgings, humble,
and at a humble price. I am here, thank Heaven, quite alone.
Robinson Crusoe had as much society in his island, as I in this
of Thanet. In compensation I sleep a great deal, do nothing, and
walk much, silent, by the side of the roaring sea, like Calchas,
priest of Apollo.
" The fact is, that until papa's wrath is appeased, I must live
with the utmost meekness and humility, and have barely enough
money in my possession to pay such small current expenses as fall
on me here, where strangers are many and credit does not exist.
I pray you, therefore, to tell Mr. Snipson the tailor, Mr. Jackson
the bootmaker, honest Solomonson the discounter of bills, and all