Miss Margland, excessively affronted, turned her back to him; and
Camilla made an offer of her own seat; but, as she had been dancing, and
would probably dance again, Miss Margland would not let her rise.
'Shall I call to one of those Barbarians, those Goths, those Vandals?'
cried the same gentleman, who now was spirting lavender water all about
him, with grimaces that proclaimed forcibly his opinion of the want of
perfume in the room: 'Do pray let me harangue them a little for you upon
their inordinate want of sensibility.'
Miss Margland deigned not any answer; but of that he took no notice, and
presently called out, though without raising his voice, 'Here, Mr.
Waiter! Purveyor, Surveyor, or whatsoever other title "_please thine
ear_," art thou deaf? why dost not bring this lady a chair? Those people
are most amazing hard of hearing! Shall I call again? Waiter, I say!'
still speaking rather lower than louder; 'Don't I stun you by this
shocking vociferation?'
'Sir, you're vastly--obliging!' cried Miss Margland, unable longer to
hold silence, yet with a look and manner that would much better have
accorded with vastly--_impertinent_.
She then pursued a waiter herself, and procured a chair.
Casting his eyes next upon Camilla, he examined her with much attention.
Abashed, she turned away her head; but not choosing to lose his object,
he called it back again, by familiarly saying, 'How is Sir Hugh?'
A good deal surprised, she exclaimed, 'Do you know my uncle, sir?'
'Not in the least, ma'am,' he coolly answered.
Camilla, much wondering, was then forced into conversation with Miss
Margland: but, without paying any regard to her surprise, he presently
said, 'It's most extremely worth your while to take a glance at that
inimitably good figure. Is it not exquisite? Can you suppose any thing
beyond it?'
Camilla, looking at the person to whom he pointed, and who was
sufficiently ludicrous, from an air of vulgar solemnity, and a dress
stiffly new, though completely old-fashioned, felt disposed to join in
his laugh, had she not been disconcerted by the mingled liberty and
oddity of his attack.
'Sir,' said Miss Margland, winking at her to be silent, though eager to
answer in her stead, 'the mixt company one always meets at these public
balls, makes them very unfit for ladies of fashion, for there's no
knowing who one may either dance with or speak to.'
'Vastly true, ma'am,' cried he, superciliously dropping his eyes, not to
look at her.
Miss Margland, perceiving this, bridled resentfully, and again talked on
with Camilla; till another exclamation interrupted them. 'O pray,' cried
he, 'I do entreat you look at that group! Is it not past compare? If
ever you held a pencil in your life, I beg and beseech you to take a
memorandum of that tall may-pole. Have you ever seen any thing so
excessively delectable?'