He thought to
have met Alice an ignorant country girl, whom he might play upon; but he
found himself completely mistaken, because, fortunately for herself, he
had taken her upon one of her strong points. As it was, however, whilst
he could not help admiring the pertinence of her replies, neither could
he help experiencing something of a bitter feeling against her, because
she indulged in them at his own expense; whilst against O'Connor, who
bantered him with such spirit and success, and absolutely turned
him into ridicule in her presence, he almost entertained a personal
resentment. His only hope now was in her parents, who seemed as anxious
to entertain his proposals with favor as Alice was to reject them with
disdain. As for Alice herself, her opinion of him is a matter with which
the reader is already acquainted.
Our hero was about half way home when he overtook a thin, lank old man,
who was a rather important character in the eyes of the ignorant people
at the period of which we write. He was tall, and so bare of flesh, that
when asleep he might pass for the skeleton of a corpse.
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