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Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
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Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
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161 of which pledge the miller’s daughter, when her engagement was formed, came out express, at eleven o’clock at night as the corn- factor’s son made an offer of his hand and heart at twenty-five minutes past ten by the Dutch clock in the kitchen, and rushed into Miss Squeers’s bedroom with the gratifying intelligence. Now, Miss Squeers being five years older, and out of her teens (which is also a great matter), had, since, been more than commonly anxious to return the compliment, and possess her friend with a similar secret; but, either in consequence of finding it hard to please herself, or harder still to please anybody else, had never had an opportunity so to do, inasmuch as she had no such secret to disclose. The little interview with Nicholas had no sooner passed, as above described, however, than Miss Squeers, putting on her bonnet, made her way, with great precipitation, to her friend’s house, and, upon a solemn renewal of divers old vows of secrecy, revealed how that she was--not exactly engaged, but going to be--to a gentleman’s son--(none of your corn-factors, but a gentleman’s son of high descent)--who had come down as teacher to Dotheboys Hall, under most mysterious and remarkable circumstances--indeed, as Miss Squeers more than once hinted she had good reason to believe, induced, by the fame of her many charms, to seek her out, and woo and win her. ‘Isn’t it an extraordinary thing?’ said Miss Squeers, emphasising the adjective strongly. ‘Most extraordinary,’ replied the friend. ‘But what has he said to you?’ ‘Don’t ask me what he said, my dear,’ rejoined Miss Squeers. ‘If you had only seen his looks and smiles! I never was so overcome in all my life.’ |
