St. Ivey!
When I gave them fifty pounds apiece--which was rather more than
enough, Mr. Ducie, whatever you may think--the man Todd, who has
the only tongue of the party, struck his staff on the ground.
"Weel," says he, "I aye said he was a gentleman!" "Man, Todd,"
said I, "that was just what Mr St. Ivey said of yourself!"'
'So it was a case of "Compliments fly when gentlefolk meet."'
'No, no, Mr. Ducie, man Todd and man Candlish are gone out of your
life, and a good riddance! They are fine fellows in their way, but
no proper associates for the like of yourself; and do you finally
agree to be done with all eccentricity--take up with no more
drovers, or tinkers, but enjoy the naitural pleesures for which
your age, your wealth, your intelligence, and (if I may be allowed
to say it) your appearance so completely fit you. And the first of
these,' quoth he, looking at his watch, 'will be to step through to
my dining-room and share a bachelor's luncheon.'
Over the meal, which was good, Mr. Robbie continued to develop the
same theme. 'You're, no doubt, what they call a dancing-man?' said
he. 'Well, on Thursday night there is the Assembly Ball. You must
certainly go there, and you must permit me besides to do the
honours of the ceety and send you a ticket. I am a thorough
believer in a young man being a young man--but no more drovers or
rovers, if you love me! Talking of which puts me in mind that you
may be short of partners at the Assembly--oh, I have been young
myself!--and if ye care to come to anything so portentiously
tedious as a tea-party at the house of a bachelor lawyer,
consisting mainly of his nieces and nephews, and his grand-nieces
and grand-nephews, and his wards, and generally the whole clan of
the descendants of his clients, you might drop in to-night towards
seven o'clock.
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