Page:The Adventures of David Simple (1904).djvu/229

 in Cynthia's mind prevented her entering into any conversation, or even so much as hearing what her companions said; till at the dawn of day a grave gentleman, who sat opposite to her, broke forth in so fine an exclamation on the beauties of the creation, and made such observations on seeing the rising sun, as awakened all her attention, and gave her hopes of meeting with improvement and pleasure in her journey. The two other gentlemen employed themselves, the one in groaning out a disapprobation, and the other in yawning from a weariness at every word the third spoke. At last, he who yawned, from a desire of putting an end to what he undoubtedly thought the dullest stuff he ever heard, turned about to Cynthia, and swearing he never studied any other beauties of nature but those by the fair sex, offered to take her by the hand; but she knew enough of the world to repulse such impertinence, without any great difficulty; and, by her behaviour, made that spark very civil to her the remainder of the time she was obliged to be with him. The very looks and dresses of the three men were sufficient to let her into their different characters: the grave man, whose discourse she had been so pleased with, was dressed in the plainest, though in the neatest manner; and, by the cheerfulness of his countenance, plainly showed a mind filled with tranquillity and pleasure. The gentleman who sat next him was as dirty as if he had sat up two or three nights together in the same clothes he then had on; one side of his face was beaten black and blue by falls he had had in his drink and skirmishes he had met with by rambling about. In short, everything without was an indication of the confusion within, and he was a perfect object of horror. The spark who admired nothing but the ladies had his hair pinned up in blue papers, a