The captain was ordered to Woolwich; and Lord John having left Dover, Sophy could not, at parting, help evincing to poor Mills a little of the partiality which she felt. Such was the position of affairs when Mr. Miggins, who had no notion of men (nor lords neither) being shilly shally, as he called it, was determined to bring matters to a crisis. He therefore, after much serious cogitation, wrote the letter which has been confidentially exhibited to the reader; and also another, requiring infinitely less forethought, which he dispatched to Captain Mills. "What day of the month is it?" said Lord John to his valet, after perusing the epistle of his Dover correspondent. "The twenty-first, my lord." "The twenty-first!" exclaimed his lordship finishing his coffee.--"Wednesday, I declare!--and Sunday is Christmas-day! If I go at all, I must go on Saturday at latest." "My lord?" "I must go to Dover, Friday or Saturday." "Oh! on your way to the Continent? I think it would be advisable, my lord." "The Continent! no:--why advisable?" "Why, my lord; _may_ I speak?" inquired Faddle, as he removed breakfast. "Certainly: what have you to say?" "Why, the tradespeople, my lord:--just at Christmas-time the bills do fall in like a shower of paper-snow in a stage-play." "Oh! and you think I must get out of the way, and let the storm blow over, eh?" "I do, indeed, my lord; for I'm sorry to say it's very threatening." "Oh, well! we'll go as far as Dover; there's no occasion to cross that odious channel." "If I may make bold to ask, why will your lordship be safer at Dover than in London?" "Don't you remember that pretty girl, Faddle? the girl with the rich father,--Miss Miggins?" "Oh! _marriage!_" said Faddle, with a very deep sigh. "Yes, Faddle, marriage." "And here's a billet from May-fair!" "Ah! let me see;" and Lord John opened an elegant little note, penned on a rose-leaf,--at least, in colour and fragrance it resembled one. "She acts to-night, and desires me to dine with her on Christmas-day. Leave me, Faddle. Give me pen, ink, and paper; send me the _coiffeur_ directly. I must speak to Tightfit's man at one; appoint Heeltap at two, and Gimcrack and Shine a quarter of an hour later." "To speak about their bills, my lord?" "Oh dear, no; to elongate their bills. But _they_ are too distinguished in their respective lines to breathe a hint about the _trifles_. As to the _canaille_ of tradesmen, mention my intended marriage." "Oh! it's settled?" "Why, to be sure; you don't suppose I've anything to do _but to go_!" The valet bowed, and left the noble lord to his meditations. At three he was in his cab,--at five in May-fair,--at eight in the green-room.