quite determined to be taught to dance, and so I went to Mr. Turveydrop's Academy in Newman Street.
" And was it there, my dear " I began.
" Yes, it was there," said Caddy, " and I am engaged to Mr. Turveydrop. There are two Mr. Turveydrops, father and son. My Mr. Turveydrop is the son, of course. I only wish I had been better brought up, and was likely to make him a better wife ; for I am very fond of him."
" I am sorry to hear this," said I, " I must confess."
" I don't know why you should be sorry," she retorted a little anxiously, " but I am engaged to Mr. Turveydrop, whether or no, and he is very fond of me. It's a secret as yet, even on his side, because old Mr. Turveydrop has a share in the connexion, and it might break his heart, or give him some other shock, if he was told of it abruptly. Old Mr. Turveydrop is a very gentlemanly man indeed—very gentlemanly."
" Does his wife know of it ? " asked Ada.
" Old Mr. Turveydrop's wife, Miss Clare ? " returned Miss Jelly by, opening her eyes. " There's no such person. He is a widower."
We were here interrupted by Peepy, whose leg had undergone so much on account of his sister's unconsciously jerking it like a bell-rope whenever she was emphatic, that the afflicted child now bemoaned his sufferings with a very low-spirited noise. As he appealed to me for compassion, and as I was only a listener, I undertook to hold him. Miss Jellyby proceeded, after begging Peepy's pardon with a kiss, and assuring him that she hadn't meant to do it.
" That's the state of the case," said Caddy. " If I ever blame myself, I still think it's Ma's fault. We are to be married whenever we can, and then I shall go to Pa at the office and write to Ma. It won't much agitate Ma : I am only pen and ink to her. One great comfort is," said Caddy, with a sob, " that I shall never hear of Africa after I am married. Young Mr. Turveydrop hates it for my sake ; and if old Mr. Turveydrop knows there is such a place, it's as much as he does,"
" It was he who was very gentlemanly, I think ? " said I.
" Very gentlemanly, indeed," said Caddy. " He is celebrated, almost everywhere, for his Deportment."
" Does he teach ?" asked Ada.
" No, he don't teach anything in particular," replied Caddy. " But his Deportment is beautiful."
Caddy went on to say, with considerable hesitation and reluctance, that there was one thing more she wished us to know, and felt we ought to know, and which she hoped would not offend us. It was, that she had improved her acquaintance with Miss Flite, the little crazy old lady ; and that she frequently went there early in the morning, and met her lover for a few minutes before breakfast—only for a few minutes, " I go there, at other times," said Caddy, " but Prince does not come then. Young Mr. Turveydrop's name is Prince ; I wish it wasn't, because it sounds like a dog, but of course he didn't christen himself. Old Mr. Turveydrop had him christened Prince, in remembrance of the Prince Regent. Old Mr. Turveydrop adored the Prince Regent on account of his Deportment. I hope you won't think the worse of me for having made these little appointments at Miss Flite's, where I first went with you ; because I like the poor thing for her own sake and I believe she likes
