'Beautiful madam,' such were his words, 'if I have made any mistake with
regard to your family or connections, I humbly beseech you to pardon me.
If I supposed you to be related to Foreign Powers or Native Boards,
it is because you have a manner, a carriage, a dignity, which you will
excuse my saying that none but yourself (with the single exception
perhaps of the tragic muse, when playing extemporaneously on the barrel
organ before the East India Company) can parallel. I am not a youth,
ma'am, as you see; and although beings like you can never grow old, I
venture to presume that we are fitted for each other.'
'Really, Kate, my love!' said Mrs Nickleby faintly, and looking another
way.
'I have estates, ma'am,' said the old gentleman, flourishing his right
hand negligently, as if he made very light of such matters, and speaking
very fast; 'jewels, lighthouses, fish-ponds, a whalery of my own in the
North Sea, and several oyster-beds of great profit in the Pacific Ocean.
If you will have the kindness to step down to the Royal Exchange and
to take the cocked-hat off the stoutest beadle's head, you will find my
card in the lining of the crown, wrapped up in a piece of blue paper.
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