Chapter 72
went slowly down his throat.
'H'm--well, fairish. The Princess is rather more to my taste. I like
'em blonde and queenly and elegant, don't you know.'
'Yes, Jo is too lively; might as well dance with a grasshopper. I've
tried her, and she's one too many for me. Miss Perry is a nice,
easy-going girl. Got her for the german.'
'You'll never be a dancing man. Too lazy. Now I'll undertake to steer
any girl and dance down any fellow you please. Dancing's my forte.'
And Dolly glanced from his trim feet to his flashing gem with the
defiant air of a young turkey-cock on parade.
'Miss Grey is looking for you. Wants more grub. Just see if Miss
Nelson's plate is empty, there's a good fellow. Can't eat ice in a
hurry.' And George remained in his safe corner, while Dolly struggled
through the crowd to do his duty, coming back in a fume, with a
splash of salad dressing on his coat-cuff.
'Confound these country chaps! they go blundering round like so many
dor-bugs, and make a deuce of a mess. Better stick to books and not
try to be society men. Can't do it. Beastly stain. Give it a rub, and
let me bolt a mouthful, I'm starved. Never saw girls eat such a lot.
It proves that they ought not to study so much. Never liked co-ed,'
growled Dolly, much ruffled in spirit.
'So they do. 'Tisn't ladylike. Ought to be satisfied with an ice and
a bit of cake, and eat it prettily. Don't like to see a girl feed. We
hard-working men need it, and, by Jove, I mean to get some more of
that meringue if it's not all gone. Here, waiter! bring along that
dish over there, and be lively,' commanded Stuffy, poking a young man
in a rather shabby dress-suit, who was passing with a tray of
glasses.
His order was obeyed promptly; but George's appetite was taken away
the next moment by Dolly's exclaiming, as he looked up from his
damaged coat, with a scandalized face:
'You've put your foot in it now, old boy! that's Morton, Mr Bhaer's
crack man. Knows everything, no end of a "dig", and bound to carry
off all the honours. You won't hear the last of it in a hurry.' And