The Beamishes were overawed by the visitor's town-bred airs and
the genteel elegance of her dress; Polly was a mere crumpled rose-leaf
of pink confusion; Mahony too preoccupied with ring and licence to take
any but his formal share in the proceedings.
"Come and see you?" echoed Miss Sarah playfully: the knot was tied; the
company had demolished the good things laid out by Mrs. Beamish in the
private parlour of an hotel, and emptied a couple of bottles of
champagne; and Polly had changed her muslin frock for a black silk
travelling-gown. "Come and SEE you? Why, of course I will, little
silly!"--and, with her pretty white hands, she patted the already
perfect bow of Polly's bonnet-strings. Miss Sarah had no great opinion
of the match her sister was making; but she had been agreeably surprised
by Mahony's person and manners, and had said so, thus filling Polly's
soul with bliss. "Provided, of course, little goosey, you have a SPARE
ROOM to offer me.--For, I confess," she went on, turning to the rest of
the party, "I confess I feel inordinately curious to see, with my own
eyes, what these famous diggings are like. From all one hears, they must
be MARVELLOUSLY entertaining.--Now, I presume that you, Mr. Smith,
never touch at such RUDE, OUT-OF-THE-WORLD places in the course of YOUR
travels?"
Purdy, who had discreetly concealed the fact that he was but a
poverty-stricken digger himself, quibbled a light evasion, then changed
the subject, and offered his escort to the steam-packet by which Miss
Sarah was returning to Melbourne.
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