where the parlour-boarders go.
noblemen have been rather scarce at birch's—but the heir of a great prince has been living with the doctor for some years.—he is lord george gaunt's eldest son, the noble plan-tagenet gaunt gaunt, and nephew of the most honourable the marquis of steyne.
they are very proud of him at the doctor's—and the two misses and papa, whenever a stranger comes down whom they want to dazzle, are pretty sure to bring lord steyne into the conversation, mentioning the last party at gaunt house, and cursorily remarking that they have with them a young friend who will be in all human probability marquis of steyne and earl of gaunt, &c.
plantagenet does not care much about these future honours: provided he can get some brown sugar on his bread and butter, or sit with three chairs and play at coach and horses, quite quietly by himself, he is tolerably happy. he saunters in and out of school when he likes, and looks at the masters and other boys with a listless grin. he used to be taken to church, but he laughed and talked in odd places, so they are forced to leave him at home now. he will sit with a bit of string and play cats-cradle for many hours. he likes to go and join the very small children at their games. some are frightened at him, but they soon cease to fear, and order him about. i have seen him go and fetch tarts from mrs. ruggles for a boy of eight years old; and cry bitterly if he did not get a piece. he cannot speak quite plain, but very nearly; and is not more, i suppose, than three-and-twenty.
of course at home they know his age, though they never come and see him. but they forget that miss rosa birch is no longer a young chit as she was ten years ago, when gaunt was brought to the school. on the contrary, she has had no small experience in the tender passion, and is at this moment smitten with a disinterested affection for plantagenet gaunt.
next to a little doll with a burnt nose, which he hides away in cunning places, mr. gaunt is very fond of miss rosa too. what a pretty match it would make! and how pleased they would be at gaunt house, if the grandson and heir of the great marquis of steyne, the descendant of a hundred gaunts and tudors, should marry miss birch, the schoolmaster's daughter! it is true she has the sense on her side, and poor plantagenet is only an idiot: but there he is, a zany, with such expectations and such a pedigree!
if miss rosa would run away with mr. gaunt, she would leave off bullying her cousin, miss anny raby. shall i put her up to the notion, and offer to lend her the money to run away? mr. gaunt is not allowed money. he had some once, but bullock took him into a corner, and got it from him. he has a moderate tick opened at the tart-woman's. he stops at rodwell regis through the year, school-time and holiday time; it is all the same to him. nobody asks about him, or thinks about him, save twice a year, when the doctor goes to gaunt house, and gets the amount of his bills, and a glass of wine in the steward's room.
and yet you see somehow that he is a gentleman. his manner is different to that of the owners of that coarse table and parlour at which he is a boarder, (i do not speak of miss r. of course, for her manners are as good as those of a duchess). when he caught miss rosa boxing little fiddes's ears, his face grew red, and he broke into a fierce, inarticulate rage. after that, and for some days, he used to shrink from her; but they are reconciled now. i saw them this afternoon in the garden, where only the parlour-boarders walk. he was playful, and touched her with his stick. she raised her handsome eyes in surprise, and smiled on him very kindly.
the thing was so clear, that i thought it my duty to speak to old zoe about it. the wicked old catamaran told me she wished that some people would mind their own business, and hold their tongues—that some people were paid to teach writing, and not to tell tales and make mischief: and i have since been thinking whether i ought to communicate with the doctor.
