That interesting stranger, on the contrary, had by this time joined Lilias and Devereux, who had returned toward the dancers, and was talking again with Miss Walsingham.  Gertrude’s beau was little Puddock, who was all radiant and supremely blest.  But encountering rather a black look from Aunt Becky as they drew near, he deferentially surrendered the young lady to the care of her natural guardian, who forthwith presented her to the dowager; and Puddock, warned off by another glance, backed away, and fell, unawares, helplessly into the possession of Miss Magnolia, a lady whom he never quite understood, and whom he regarded with a very kind and polite sort of horror.

So the athletic Magnolia instantly impounded the little lieutenant, and began to rally him, in the sort of slang she delighted in, with plenty of merriment and malice upon his tendre for Miss Chattesworth, and made the gallant young gentleman blush and occasionally smile, and bow a great deal, and take some snuff.

‘And here comes the Duchess of Belmont again,’ said the saucy Miss Magnolia, seeing the stately approach of Aunt Becky, as it seemed to Puddock, through the back of her head.  I think the exertion and frolic of the dance had got her high blood up into a sparkling state, and her scorn and hate of Aunt Rebecca was more demonstrative than usual.  ’Now you’ll see how she’ll run against poor little simple me, just because I’m small.  And this is the way they dance it,’ cried she, in a louder tone; and capering backward with a bounce, and an air, and a grace, she came with a sort of a courtesy, and a smart bump, and a shock against the stately Miss Rebecca; and whisking round with a little scream and a look of terrified innocence, and with her fingers to her heart, to suppress an imaginary palpitation, dropped a low courtesy, crying—­

’I’m blest but I thought ‘twas tall Burke, the gunner.’

‘You might look behind before you spring backward, young gentlewoman,’ said Aunt Becky, with a very bright colour.

’And you might look before you before you spring forward, old gentlewoman,’ replied Miss Mag, just as angry.

‘Young ladies used to have a respect to decorum,’ Aunt Becky went on.

‘So they prayed me to tell you, Madam,’ replied the young lady, with a very meek courtesy, and a very crimson face.

‘Yes, Miss Mac—­Mag—­Madam—­it used to be so,’ rejoined Aunt Rebecca, ’’twas part of my education, at least, to conduct myself in a polite company like a civilised person.’

‘"I wish I could see it,” says blind Hugh,’ Magnolia retorted; ’but ‘twas a good while ago, Madam, and you’ve had time to forget.’

’I shall acquaint your mother, Mrs.—­Mug—­Mac—­Macnamara, with your pretty behaviour to-morrow,’ said Miss Rebecca.

’To-morrow’s a new day, and mother may be well enough then to hear your genteel lamentation; but I suppose you mean to-morrow come never,’ answered Magnolia, with another of her provoking meek courtesies.