"Oh! — look there — how odd — how very pretty!"
This exclamation was caused by the apparition of two individuals from the shrubbery, stepping soberly along, one a little in advance of the other, and both wearing a meek air of virtue and duty and goodness which strangely became them. One gently nodded its head up and down as it advanced; the other, on the contrary, held it stiff and straight, merely fixing a pair of soft, dark eyes on the Vicar the moment it saw him. He looked fondly towards them, and said:
"Those are Phoebe and Chloe — my mare and Newfoundland; and huge friends they are, I assure you. Chloe knows when the groom goes to saddle Phoebe, and then she lies down with her nose between her paws, watching him. The minute he has done, up she jumps, the rein is put into her mouth, and she leads Phcebe up to the door as you now see; and not only that, but she follows me in my ride, and when we get home again, I give her the rein and she leads her friend back to her stable. If the lad happens not to be in the way, Chloe barks till he comes. Now, just watch them!"
The round, fat, snow-white cob, with its forelock combed meekly down, and its sagacious, good-tempered eyes, now arrived at the door — exactly in front of it, as neither of the friends stopped till they reached that precise spot; then Chloe, who was also milk-white, sat herself down in front of Phoebe, and wagging her long, feathery tail to and fro on the gravel, brushed it about, whilst she kept her tender eyes steadily ?xed on her master — the cob also looking round at him from time to time.
Mr. Addison expressed his astonishment and admiration, the Vicar looking with proud a?ection at his two pets.
"They're expecting their little treat," he said. "Lyddie! Lyddie! are you in your room — Pussy?"
"Yes, papa!" lisped Lydia, taking two steps backwards.
"Come down, my child! Phoebe and Chloe are waiting for their treat!"
"Yes, papa," and Lydia trod on Jack's open letter. She stooped, picked it up, smoothed it, folded it, put it in her pocket, looked at herself in her oval glass, with its soft muslin furniture, arranged her hair and breast-knot, and then ran lightly down stairs.
Presently the sound of her little footsteps were heard stepping along in her high-heeled shoes, and she appeared at the hall-door, bearing a china plate, on which were a piece of cake and a large slice of bread. At this sight, Phoebe turned her head and stamped with her foot, whilst Chloe's tail brushed very vehemently; but she did not quit her post or let go the rein: Chloe was a very discreet, well-bred canine.
"Come hither, my Lyddie," said Dr. Freeman; "I must make you acquainted with Mr. Addison, our new neighbour md a gentleman of good parts and great understanding, I assure you! — And this, sir, is my little Lydia — my only child — nearly as great a favourite as Phoebe and Chloe! Eh, Pussy?"
Mr. Addison took o? his hat, and bowed to Lydia with the air of a soldier and a courtier, and then, stepping one step back, put his hat under his arm; whilst she blushed, making a pretty little curtsey, without daring to look at him, but noting what a sweet smell of violets emanated from him.
Phoebe and Chloe were very much tantalised by these bows and curtseys; their treat so near at hand, but yet withheld from them.
Lydia ?rst gave Phoebe a bit of bread, which she took very delicately and gently with her velvet lips; then taking the rein from Chloe and putting it into the Vicar's hand, she proceeded to break a piece of cake. No sooner had she taken the rein, than Chloe, with a virtuous, but wistful countenance, sat up and begged, drooping her fore-paws, and holding them very tight against her, till the cake was presented, and taken without any vulgar snapping or noise.
Lydia was very intent on her task, Dr. Freeman very intent on watching his "three pets " as he called them. Mr. Addison therefore seized that opportunity of surveying Lydia, as intently as she had some minutes previously surveyed him.