RALPH MAKES LOVE TO MISS SALLIANNA.
We shall now return to Miss Sallianna, and see what effect the viper
tendencies of Mr. Verty had produced upon that young lady.
The hysterics did not last long.. Miss Sallianna had a large and
useful assortment of feminine weapons of this description, and was
proficient in the use of all--from the embarrassed, simpering laugh
and maiden blush, with down-cast eyes, raised suddenly, at times,
toward the "beloved object," then abased again--to the more artistic
and effective weapons of female influence, tears, sobs, convulsions,
hysterics and the rest. In each and all of these accomplishments was
Miss Sallianna versed.
The hysterics, therefore, did not last long; the eyes grew serene
again very soon; and contenting herself with a few spiteful looks
toward the group in the garden, which glances she accompanied with a
determined and vigorous rubbing of her antique nose, Miss Sallianna
gently raised her fan, and seeing a cavalier approaching from the
town, assumed her habitual air of languishing and meditative grace.
This cavalier was our friend Ralph, who, having deposited Mr. Jinks
upon the earth before they emerged from the willows in sight of the
Bower of Nature, now came on, laughing, and ready for any adventure
which should present itself.
Ralph drew up before the house, tied his horse, and entered.
Miss Sallianna rose graciously, smiling.
"Good morning, sir," said the lady, rolling her eyes toward the
ceiling, and leaning her head on her right shoulder, "we have a
charming day."
"Oh, charming! but that is not all, madam," said Ralph, smiling
satirically, as he bent profoundly over the hand given to him.
"Not all, sir?" sighed the lady.
"There is something still more charming."
"What is that?"
"The dear companion with whom good fortune blesses me."
This was so very direct, that Miss Sallianna actually blushed.
"Oh, no--" she murmured.
"Yes, yes!"
"You men--"
"Are sincere--"
"Oh, no! such flatterers."
"Flatterers, madam?" said Ralph, laughing, "that is true of some
of us, but not of me; I am so perfectly sincere, and clad in the
simplicity of my nature to that degree, that what I say is the pure
out-gushing of my heart--ahem!"
The lady smiled, and motioned toward a settee.
"The beauties of nature--"
"Yes, my dear madam."
"Are--ahem!"
"Yes, yes."
"So much more beautiful than those of art," sighed Miss Sallianna,
contemplating the ceiling, as though nature had taken up her post
there to be gazed at.
"I fully agree with you," said Ralph, "they are."
"Oh, yes--they are--I knew you would--you are so--so remarkable--"
"No, no, Miss Sallianna!"
"Yes, you are--for your intrinsic perspicuity, sir--la!"
And Miss Sallianna ogled her visitor.
"This," said Ralph, with enthusiasm, "is the proudest moment of my
life. The beautiful Sallianna--"
"Oh, Mr. Ashley."'
"Yes, madam!" said Ralph, "torture would not make me change the word."
"La! Mr. Ashley!"
"The beautiful Miss Sallianna has declared that I am possessed
of intrinsic perspicuity! I need nothing more. Now let the fates
descend!"
With which heroic words Mr. Ralph Ashley wiped his brow with solemn
dignity, and chuckled behind his handkerchief.
"I always admired perspicuity," said Miss Sallianna, with a languid
glance.
"And I, beauty, madam."
"La! sir."
"Admiration is a weak word, Miss Sallianna."
"Opprobrium?" suggested the lady.
"Yes, yes! that is the word! Thank you, Miss Sallianna. I am not as
strong in philology as you are. I should have said opprobrium--that is
what I have always regarded beauty, such as yours, all my life."
Miss Sallianna covered her face with her fan. Here was an opportunity
to supply the place of the faithless Verty and the odious Jinks.
As the thought occurred to her, Miss Sallianna assumed an awful
expression of favor and innocent fondness. Ralph shuddered as he
caught sight of it.
"Are you fond of ladies, sir?" asked Miss Sallianna, smiling.
"Yes, Miss Sallianna, devotedly," said Ralph, recovering, in some
degree.
"I should think so."
"Why, madam?"
"From your visits."
"My visits?"
"Oh, yes--you are very sly!"
"Sly?--I?"
"Yes, sir!"
"Never!"
"I think you have grown fond of--"
"Yourself, madam?"
"La--no. I fear--"
"As I do--"
"That such a thing--"
"Is more than I could presume to do," said Ralph, laughing.
Miss Sallianna bestowed upon the young gentleman a look from her
maiden eyes, which seemed to say that he might presume to grow fond of
her, if it had really become necessary to his peace of mind.
"But I meant Fanny," she said.
"Fanny!"
"Yes, your cousin."
"A mere baby!" said Ralph, with nonchalance.
"I agree with you."
"Which I consider a circumstance of great encouragement, Miss
Sallianna. The fact is, Fanny is very well in her way, and in course
of time will make, no doubt, a very handsome woman. But at present I
only call to see her because I have nothing else to do."
"Indeed?"
"I am just from college."
"Yes."
"And consequently very innocent and inexperienced. I am sure you will
take charge of my education."
"La! Mr. Ashley."
"I mean, Miss Sallianna, the education, not of my mind--that is
finished and perfect: Oh, no! not that! The education of my heart!"
Ralph was getting on at headlong speed.
"Do you consent?" he said.
"La--really--indeed--"
"Why not, oh, beautiful lady--"
"How can I ever--so inexperienced--so innocent a person as myself can
scarcely--"
And Miss Sallianna fell into a flutter.
"Then Fanny must."
"Oh, no!" observed Miss Sallianna, with vivacity.
"Why not?" said Ralph.
"She could not--"
"Could not!"
"She is too young, and then besides--"
"Besides, Miss Sallianna?"
"She is already taken up with her affair with Mr. Verty."
"What!" cried Ralph, beginning to have the tables turned upon him, and
to suffer for his quizzing.
"She is evidently in love with Mr. Verty," said Miss Sallianna,
compassionately; "that is, the child fancies that she feels a rare and
inexpressive delight in his presence. Such children!"
"Yes, madam!" said Ralph, frowning.
"Especially that silly young man."
"Verty?"
"Yes; he is very presumptuous, too. Just think that he presumed
to--to--make love to me this morning;" and Miss Sallianna's
countenance was covered with a maiden blush. "I could scarcely
persuade him that his attentions were not agreeable."
And Miss Sallianna looked dignified and ladylike.
"Fanny in love with him," said Ralph, reflecting.
"Look through the window," said Miss Sallianna, smiling.
Ralph obeyed, and beheld Verty and Fanny sitting on a knoll, in the
merriest conversation;--that is to say, Fanny was thus talking. Young
ladies always begin to converse very loud when visitors arrive--for
what reason has not yet been discovered. Verty's absent look in the
direction of Fanny's face might very well have been considered the
stare of a lover.
"Do you doubt any longer?"
"Oh, no!"
"Then, Mr. Ashley--"
"Yes, madam."
"In future you will--"
"Care nothing for--"
"The person--"
"Who seems to me the concentration of folly and everything of that
description--no, madam! In future I will carefully avoid her!"
And with this ambiguous speech, Mr. Ralph rose, begged Miss Sallianna
to excuse him for a short time, and making her a low and devoted bow,
took his way into the garden, and toward the spot where Fanny and
Verty were sitting.