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 however; another occasion at hand; in which I shall be proud to meet him。  Your ball is on the night of the 6th。  Party forgottenbrotherly unioninnocent mirthbeauty; OUR DEAR TOWN'S BEAUTY; our daughters in the joy of their expanding loveliness; our matrons in the exquisite contemplation of their children's bliss can you; can I; can Whig or Tory; can any Briton be indifferent to a scene like this; or refuse to join in this heart…stirring festival? If there BE such let them pardon meI; for one; my dear Heeltap; will be among you on Friday nightay; and hereby invite all pretty Tory Misses; who are in want of a partner。 〃I am here in the very midst of good things; you know; and we old folks like A SUPPER after a dance。  Please to accept a brace of bucks and a turtle; which come herewith。  My worthy colleague; who was so liberal last year of his soup to the poor; will not; I trust; refuse to taste a little of Alderman Birch's'tis offered on my part with hearty goodwill。  Hey for the 6th; and vive la joie!                 〃Ever; my dear Heeltap; your faithful                                  〃W。 PITT SCULLY。 〃P。S。Of course this letter is STRICTLY PRIVATE。  Say that the venison; etc。 came from a WELL…WISHER TO OLDBOROUGH。〃 This amazing letter was published; in defiance of Mr。 Scully's injunctions; by the enthusiastic Heeltap; who said; bluntly; in a preface; 〃that he saw no reason why Mr。 Scully should be ashamed of his action; and he; for his part; was glad to let all friends at Oldborough know of it。〃 The allusion about the Gorgon soup was killing:  thirteen paupers in Oldborough had; it was confidently asserted; died of it。  Lady Gorgon; on the reading of this letter; was struck completely dumb; Sir George Gorgon was wild。  Ten dozen of champagne was he obliged to send down to the 〃Gorgon Arms;〃 to be added to the festival。  He would have stayed away if he could; but he dared not。 At nine o'clock; he in general's uniform; his wife in blue satin and diamonds; his daughters in blue crape and white roses; his niece; Lucy Gorgon; in white muslin; his son; George Augustus Frederick Grimsby Gorgon; in a blue velvet jacket; sugar…loaf buttons; and nankeens; entered the north door of the ballroom; to much cheering; and the sound of 〃God save the King!〃 At that very same moment; and from the south door; issued William Pitt Scully; Esquire; M。P。; and his staff。  Mr。 Scully had a brand…new blue coat and brass buttons; buff waistcoat; white kerseymere tights; pumps with large rosettes; and pink silk stockings。 〃This wool;〃 said he to a friend; 〃was grown on Oldborough sheep; this cloth was spun in Oldborough looms; these buttons were cast in an Oldborough manufactory; these shoes were made by an Oldborough tradesman; this HEART first beat in Oldborough town; and pray Heaven may be buried there!〃 Could anything resist a man like this?  John Perkins; who had come down as one of Scully's aides…de…camp; in a fit of generous enthusiasm; leaped on a whist…table; flung up a pocket…handkerchief; and shrieked〃SCULLY FOR EVER!〃 Heeltap; who was generally drunk; fairly burst into tears; and the grave tradesmen and Whig gentry; who had dined with the Member at his inn; and accompanied him thence to the 〃Gorgon Arms;〃 lifted their deep voices and shouted 〃Hear!〃 〃Good!〃 〃Bravo!〃 〃Noble!〃 〃Scully for ever!〃 〃God bless him!〃 and 〃Hurrah!〃 The scene was tumultuously affecting; and when young Perkins sprang down from the table and came blushing up to the Member; that gentleman said; 〃Thank you; Jack!  THANK you; my boy!  THANK you;〃 in a way which made Perkins think that his supreme cup of bliss was quaffed; that he had but to die:  for that life had no other such joy in store for him。  Scully was Perkins's Napoleonhe yielded himself up to the attorney; body and soul。 Whilst this scene was going on under one chandelier of the ballroom; beneath the other scarlet little General Gorgon; sumptuous Lady Gorgon; the daughters and niece Gorgons; were standing surrounded by their Tory court; who affected to sneer and titter at the Whig demonstrations which were taking place。 〃What a howwid thmell of whithkey!〃 lisped Cornet Fitch; of the Dragoons; to Miss Lucy; confidentially。  〃And thethe are what they call Whigth; are they?  He! he!〃 〃They are drunk; … me;drunk; by …!〃 said the General to the Mayor。 〃WHICH is Scully?〃 said Lady Gorgon; lifting her glass gravely (she was at that very moment thinking of the syllabubs)。  〃Is it that tipsy man in the green coat; or that vulgar creature in the blue one?〃 〃Law; my Lady;〃 said the Mayoress; 〃have you forgotten him?  Why; that's him in blue and buff。〃 〃And a monthous fine man; too;〃 said Cornet Fitch。  〃I wish we had him in our twoophe'th thix feet thwee; if he'th an inch; ain't he; Genewal?〃 No reply。 〃And heavens! Mamma;〃 shrieked the three Gorgons in a breath; 〃see; one creature is on the whist…table。  Oh; the wretch! 〃I'm sure he's very good…looking;〃 said Lucy; simply。 Lady Gorgon darted at her an angry look; and was about to say something very contemptuous; when; at that instant; John Perkins's shout taking effect; Master George Augustus Frederick Grimsby Gorgon; not knowing better; incontinently raised a small shout on his side。 〃Hear! good! bravo!〃 exclaimed he; 〃Scully for ever!  Hurra…a…a…ay!〃 and fell skipping about like the Whigs opposite。 〃Silence; you brute you!〃 groaned Lady Gorgon; and seizing him by the shirt…frill and coat…collar; carried him away to his nurse; who; with many other maids of the Whig and Tory parties; stood giggling and peeping at the landing…place。 Fancy how all these small incidents augmented the heap of Lady Gorgon's anger and injuries!  She was a dull phlegmatic woman for the most part; and contented herself generally with merely despising her neighbours; but oh! what a fine active hatred raged in her bosom for victorious Scully!  At this moment Mr。 Perkins had finished shaking hands with his NapoleonNapoleon seemed bent upon some tremendous enterprise。  He was looking at Lady Gorgon very hard。 〃She's a fine woman;〃 said Scully; thoughtfully; he was still holding the hand of Perkins。  And then; after a pause; 〃Gad! I think I'll try。〃 〃Try what; sir?〃 〃She's a DEUCED fine woman!〃 burst out again the tender solicitor。 〃I WILL go。  Springer; tell the fiddlers to strike up。〃 Springer scuttled across the room; and gave the leader of the band a knowing nod。  Suddenly; 〃God save the King〃 ceased; and 〃Sir Roger de Coverley〃 began。  The rival forces eyed each other; Mr。 Scully; accompanied by his friend; came forward; looking very red; and fumbling two large kid gloves。 〃HE'S GOING TO ASK ME TO DANCE;〃 hissed out Lady Gorgon; with a dreadful intuition; and she drew back behind her lord。 〃D… it; madam; THEN DANCE with him!〃 said the General。  〃Don't you see that the scoundrel is carrying it all his own way!  … him! and … him! and … him!〃  (All of which dashes the reader may fill up with oaths of such strength as may be requisite)。 〃General!〃 cried Lady Gorgon; but could say no more。  Scully was before her。 〃Madam!〃 exclaimed the Liberal Member for Oldborough; 〃in a moment like thisI saythat isthat on the present occasionyour Ladyshipunaccustomed as I ampooh; pshaWILL your Ladyship give me the distinguished honour and pleasure of going down the country…dance with your Ladyship?〃 An immense heave of her Ladyship's ample chest was perceptible。 Yards of blond lace; which might be compared to a foam of the sea; were agitated at the same moment; and by the same mighty emotion。 The river of diamonds which flowed round her Ladyship's neck; seemed to swell and to shine more than ever。  The tall plumes on her ambrosial head bowed down beneath the storm。  In other words; Lady Gorgon; in a furious rage; which she was compelled to restrain; trembled; drew up; and bowing majestically; said; 〃Sir; I shall have much pleasure。〃  With this; she extended her hand。  Scully; trembling; thrust forward one of his huge kid…gloves; and led her to the head of the country…dance。  John Perkinswho I presume had been drinking pretty freely; so as to have forgotten his ordinary bashfulnesslooked at the three Gorgons in blue; then at the pretty smiling one in white; and stepping up to her; without the smallest hesitation; asked her

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