Bracebridge Hall, or The HumoristsIrving, Washington
General
Bracebridge Hall, or The Humorists
Irving, Washington
England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction; National characteristics, English -- Fiction
I am told, moreover, that young Jack Tibbets was so touched by the
wedding ceremony, at which he was present, and so captivated by the
sensibility of poor Phoebe Wilkins, who certainly looked all the
better for her tears, that he had a reconciliation with her that very
day, after dinner, in one of the groves of the park, and danced with
her in the evening; to the complete confusion of all Dame Tibbets'
domestic politics. I met them walking together in the park, shortly
after the reconciliation must have taken place. Young Jack carried
himself gayly and manfully; but Phoebe hung her head, blushing, as I
approached. However, just as she passed me, and dropped a curtsy, I
caught a shy gleam of her eye from, under her bonnet; but it was
immediately cast down again. I saw enough in that single gleam, and in
the involuntary smile that dimpled about her rosy lips, to feel
satisfied that the little gipsy's heart was happy again.
What is more, Lady Lillycraft, with her usual benevolence and zeal in
all matters of this tender nature, on hearing of the reconciliation of
the lovers, undertook the critical task of breaking the matter to
Ready-Money Jack. She thought there was no time like the present, and
attacked the sturdy old yeoman that very evening in the park, while
his heart was yet lifted up with the Squire's good cheer. Jack was a
little surprised at being drawn aside by her ladyship, but was not to
be flurried by such an honour: he was still more surprised by the
nature of her communication, and by this first intelligence of an
affair which had been passing under his eye. He listened, however,
with his usual gravity, as her ladyship represented the advantages of
the match, the good qualities of the girl, and the distress which she
had lately suffered: at length his eye began to kindle, and his hand
to play with the head of his cudgel. Lady Lillycraft saw that
something in the narrative had gone wrong, and hastened to mollify his
rising ire by reiterating the soft-hearted Phoebe's merit and
fidelity, and her great unhappiness; when old Ready-Money suddenly
interrupted her by exclaiming, that if Jack did not marry the wench,
he'd break every bone in his body! The match, therefore, is considered
a settled thing: Dame Tibbets and the housekeeper have made friends,
and drank tea together; and Phoebe has again recovered her good looks
and good spirits, and is carolling from morning till night like a
lark.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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