'What!' said Horatio, who became more metaphysical, and more argumentative, as he saw the female part of the family listening in wondering delight - 'what! Is effect the consequence of cause? Is cause the precursor of effect?'
'That's the point,' said Flamwell.
'To be sure,' said Mr. Malderton.
'Because, if effect is the consequence of cause, and if cause does precede effect, I apprehend you are wrong,' added Horatio.
'Decidedly,' said the toad-eating Flamwell.
'At least, I apprehend that to be the just and logical deduction?'
said Sparkins, in a tone of interrogation.
'No doubt of it,' chimed in Flamwell again. 'It settles the point.'
'Well, perhaps it does,' said Mr. Frederick; 'I didn't see it before.'
'I don't exactly see it now,' thought the grocer; 'but I suppose it's all right.'
'How wonderfully clever he is!' whispered Mrs. Malderton to her daughters, as they retired to the drawing-room.
'Oh, he's quite a love!' said both the young ladies together; 'he talks like an oracle. He must have seen a great deal of life.'
The gentlemen being left to themselves, a pause ensued, during which everybody looked very grave, as if they were quite overcome by the profound nature of the previous discussion. Flamwell, who had made up his mind to find out who and what Mr. Horatio Sparkins really was, first broke silence.
'Excuse me, sir,' said that distinguished personage, 'I presume you have studied for the bar? I thought of entering once, myself -indeed, I'm rather intimate with some of the highest ornaments of that distinguished profession.'
'N-no!' said Horatio, with a little hesitation; 'not exactly.'
'But you have been much among the silk gowns, or I mistake?'
inquired Flamwell, deferentially.
'Nearly all my life,' returned Sparkins.
The question was thus pretty well settled in the mind of Mr.
Flamwell. He was a young gentleman 'about to be called.'
'I shouldn't like to be a barrister,' said Tom, speaking for the first time, and looking round the table to find somebody who would notice the remark.
No one made any reply.
'I shouldn't like to wear a wig,' said Tom, hazarding another observation.
'Tom, I beg you will not make yourself ridiculous,' said his father. 'Pray listen, and improve yourself by the conversation you hear, and don't be constantly ****** these absurd remarks.'
'Very well, father,' replied the unfortunate Tom, who had not spoken a word since he had asked for another slice of beef at a quarter-past five o'clock, P.M., and it was then eight.
'Well, Tom,' observed his good-natured uncle, 'never mind! I think with you. I shouldn't like to wear a wig. I'd rather wear an apron.'
Mr. Malderton coughed violently. Mr. Barton resumed - 'For if a man's above his business - '
The cough returned with tenfold violence, and did not cease until the unfortunate cause of it, in his alarm, had quite forgotten what he intended to say.
'Mr. Sparkins,' said Flamwell, returning to the charge, 'do you happen to know Mr. Delafontaine, of Bedford-square?'
'I have exchanged cards with him; since which, indeed, I have had an opportunity of serving him considerably,' replied Horatio, slightly colouring; no doubt, at having been betrayed into ****** the acknowledgment.
'You are very lucky, if you have had an opportunity of obliging that great man,' observed Flamwell, with an air of profound respect.
'I don't know who he is,' he whispered to Mr. Malderton, confidentially, as they followed Horatio up to the drawing-room.
'It's quite clear, however, that he belongs to the law, and that he is somebody of great importance, and very highly connected.'
'No doubt, no doubt,' returned his companion.
The remainder of the evening passed away most delightfully. Mr.