Part 5 (2/2)
”That idleness is the root of all evil; what an evil-disposed person you must be.”
”I was thinking,” replied Flat.
”I suspect it's only lately you've taken to that. Who or what were you thinking about?”
”Well, I believe I was thinking how long it would be before dinner was ready.”
”That's very rude, Mr Flat; you might have said that you were thinking about me,” replied my aunt.
”Well, so I was at first, and then I began to think of dinner-time.”
”Don't be offended, Miss Amelia; Flat pays you a great compliment in dividing his attentions; but I really wish to know why ladies will spoil muslin in such a predetermined manner. Will you explain that, Mrs Keene?”
”Yes, Captain Bridgeman: a piece of work is very valuable to a woman, especially when she finds herself in company with gentlemen like you.
It saves her from looking down, or looking at you, when you are talking nonsense; it prevents your reading in her eyes what is pa.s.sing in her mind, or discovering what effect your words may have upon her; it saves much awkwardness, and very often a blush; sometimes a woman hardly knows which way to look; sometimes she may look any way but the right. Now a bit of muslin with a needle is a remedy for all that, for she can look down at her work, and not look up till she thinks it advisable.”
”I thank you for your explanation, madam; I shall always take it as a great compliment if I see a lady very busy at work when I'm conversing, with her.”
”But you may flatter yourself, Captain Bridgeman,” replied my mother; ”the attention to her work may arise from perfect indifference, or from positive annoyance. It saves the trouble of making an effort to be polite.”
”And pray, may I inquire, Miss Amelia, what feeling may cause your particular attention to your work at this present moment?”
”Perhaps in either case to preserve my self-possession,” replied Amelia; ”or perhaps, Captain Bridgeman, I may prefer looking at a piece of muslin to looking at a marine officer.”
”That's not very flattering,” replied the captain; ”if you spoil the muslin, you're determined not to spoil me.”
”The muslin is of little value,” said Amelia, softly, walking to the other side of the shop, and turning over the books.
”Mr Flat,” said my mother, ”your subscription to the library is out last month; I presume I can put your name down again?”
”Well, I don't know; I never read a book,” replied Mr Flat, yawning.
”That's not at all necessary, Mr Flat,” said my mother; ”in most businesses there are sleeping partners; besides, if you don't read, you come here to talk, which is a greater enjoyment still, and luxuries must be paid for.”
”Well, I'll try another quarter,” replied Mr Flat, ”and then--”
”And then what?” said my aunt Milly, smiling.
”Well, I don't know,” says Flat. ”Is that clock of yours right, Mrs Keene?”
”It is; but I am fearful that your thoughts run faster than the clock, Mr Flat; you are thinking of the dress-bugle for dinner.”
”No, I was not.”
”Then you were thinking of yourself?”
”No, I wasn't, Mrs Keene,” said Flat, rising, and walking out of the shop.
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