CHAPTER XXXV
Sir Louis Goes Out to Dinner
The next day Joe did not make his appearance, and Sir Louis, withmany execrations, was driven to the terrible necessity of dressinghimself. Then came an unexpected difficulty: how were they to get upto the house? Walking out to dinner, though it was merely throughthe village and up the avenue, seemed to Sir Louis to be a thingimpossible. Indeed, he was not well able to walk at all, andpositively declared that he should never be able to make his way overthe gravel in pumps. His mother would not have thought half as muchof walking from Boxall Hill to Greshamsbury and back again. At last,the one village fly was sent for, and the matter was arranged.
When they reached the house, it was easy to see that there was someunwonted bustle. In the drawing-room there was no one but Mr MortimerGazebee, who introduced himself to them both. Sir Louis, who knewthat he was only an attorney, did not take much notice of him, butthe doctor entered into conversation.
"Have you heard that Mr Gresham has come home?" said Mr Gazebee.
"Mr Gresham! I did not know that he had been away."
"Mr Gresham, junior, I mean." No, indeed; the doctor had not heard.Frank had returned unexpectedly just before dinner, and he was nowundergoing his father's smiles, his mother's embraces, and hissisters' questions.
"Quite unexpectedly," said Mr Gazebee. "I don't know what has broughthim back before his time. I suppose he found London too hot."
"Deuced hot," said the baronet. "I found it so, at least. I don'tknow what keeps men in London when it's so hot; except those fellowswho have business to do: they're paid for it."
Mr Mortimer Gazebee looked at him. He was managing an estate whichowed Sir Louis an enormous sum of money, and, therefore, he could notafford to despise the baronet; but he thought to himself, what a veryabject fellow the man would be if he were not a baronet, and had nota large fortune!
And then the squire came in. His broad, honest face was covered witha smile when he saw the doctor.
"Thorne," he said, almost in a whisper, "you're the best fellowbreathing; I have hardly deserved this." The doctor, as he took hisold friend's hand, could not but be glad that he had followed Mary'scounsel.
"So Frank has come home?"
"Oh, yes; quite unexpectedly. He was to have stayed a week longer inLondon. You would hardly know him if you met him. Sir Louis, I begyour pardon." And the squire went up to his other guest, who hadremained somewhat sullenly standing in one corner of the room. He wasthe man of highest rank present, or to be present, and he expected tobe treated as such.
"I am happy to have the pleasure of making your acquaintance,Mr Gresham," said the baronet, intending to be very courteous."Though we have not met before, I very often see your name in myaccounts--ha! ha! ha!" and Sir Louis laughed as though he had saidsomething very good.
The meeting between Lady Arabella and the doctor was ratherdistressing to the former; but she managed to get over it. She shookhands with him graciously, and said that it was a fine day. Thedoctor said that it was fine, only perhaps a little rainy. And thenthey went into different parts of the room.
When Frank came in, the doctor hardly did know him. His hair wasdarker than it had been, and so was his complexion but his chiefdisguise was in a long silken beard, which hung down over his cravat.The doctor had hitherto not been much in favour of long beards, buthe could not deny that Frank looked very well with the appendage.
"Oh, doctor, I am so delighted to find you here," said he, coming upto him; "so very, very glad:" and, taking the doctor's arm, he ledhim away into a window, where they were alone. "And how is Mary?"said he, almost in a whisper. "Oh, I wish she were here! But, doctor,it shall all come in time. But tell me, doctor, there is no newsabout her, is there?"
"News--what news?"
"Oh, well; no news is good news: you will give her my love, won'tyou?"
The doctor said that he would. What else could he say? It appearedquite clear to him that some of Mary's fears were groundless.
Frank was again very much altered. It has been said, that thoughhe was a boy at twenty-one, he was a man at twenty-two. But now,at twenty-three, he appeared to be almost a man of the world. Hismanners were easy, his voice under his control, and words were at hiscommand: he was no longer either shy or noisy; but, perhaps, was opento the charge of seeming, at least, to be too conscious of his ownmerits. He was, indeed, very handsome; tall, manly, and powerfullybuilt, his form was such as women's eyes have ever loved to lookupon. "Ah, if he would but marry money!" said Lady Arabella toherself, taken up by a mother's natural admiration for her son. Hissisters clung round him before dinner, all talking to him at once.How proud a family of girls are of one, big, tall, burly brother!
"You don't mean to tell me, Frank, that you are going to eat soupwith that beard?" said the squire, when they were seated round thetable. He had not ceased to rally his son as to this patriarchaladornment; but, nevertheless, any one could have seen, with half aneye, that he was as proud of it as were the others.
"Don't I, sir? All I require is a relay of napkins for every course:"and he went to work, covering it with every spoonful, as men withbeards always do.
"Well, if you like it!" said the squire, shrugging his shoulders.
"But I do like it," said Frank.
"Oh, papa, you wouldn't have him cut it off," said one of the twins."It is so handsome."
"I should like to work it into a chair-back instead of floss-silk,"said the other twin.
"Thank'ee, Sophy; I'll remember you for that."
"Doesn't it look nice, and grand, and patriarchal?" said Beatrice,turning to her neighbour.
"Patriarchal, certainly," said Mr Oriel. "I should grow one myself ifI had not the fear of the archbishop before my eyes."
What was next said to him was in a whisper, audible only to himself.
"Doctor, did you know Wildman of the 9th? He was left as surgeon atScutari for two years. Why, my beard to his is only a little down."
"A little way down, you mean," said Mr Gazebee.
"Yes," said Frank, resolutely set against laughing at Mr Gazebee'spun. "Why, his beard descends to his ankles, and he is obliged to tieit in a bag at night, because his feet get entangled in it when he isasleep!"
"Oh, Frank!" said one of the girls.
This was all very well for the squire, and Lady Arabella, and thegirls. They were all delighted to praise Frank, and talk about him.Neither did it come amiss to Mr Oriel and the doctor, who had both apersonal interest in the young hero. But Sir Louis did not like itat all. He was the only baronet in the room, and yet nobody took anynotice of him. He was seated in the post of honour, next to LadyArabella; but even Lady Arabella seemed to think more of her ownson than of him. Seeing how he was ill-used, he meditated revenge;but not the less did it behove him to make some effort to attractattention.
"Was your ladyship long in London, this season?" said he.
Lady Arabella had not been in London at all this year, and itwas a sore subject with her. "No," said she, very graciously;"circumstances have kept us at home."
Sir Louis only understood one description of "circumstances."Circumstances, in his idea, meant the want of money, and heimmediately took Lady Arabella's speech as a confession of poverty.
"Ah, indeed! I am very sorry for that; that must be very distressingto a person like your ladyship. But things are mending, perhaps?"
Lady Arabella did not in the least understand him. "Mending!" shesaid, in her peculiar tone of aristocratic indifference; and thenturned to Mr Gazebee, who was on the other side of her.
Sir Louis was not going to stand this. He was the first man in theroom, and he knew his own importance. It was not to be borne thatLady Arabella should turn to talk to a dirty attorney, and leave him,a baronet, to eat his dinner without notice. If nothing else wouldmove her, he would let her know who was the real owner of theGreshamsbury title-deeds.
"I think I saw your ladyship out to-day, taking a ride." LadyArabella had driven through
the village in her pony-chair.
"I never ride," said she, turning her head for one moment from MrGazebee.
"In the one-horse carriage, I mean, my lady. I was delighted with theway you whipped him up round the corner."
Whipped him up round the corner! Lady Arabella could make no answerto this; so she went on talking to Mr Gazebee. Sir Louis, repulsed,but not vanquished--resolved not to be vanquished by any LadyArabella--turned his attention to his plate for a minute or two, andthen recommenced.
"The honour of a glass of wine with you, Lady Arabella," said he.
"I never take wine at dinner," said Lady Arabella. The man wasbecoming intolerable to her, and she was beginning to fear that itwould be necessary for her to fly the room to get rid of him.
The baronet was again silent for a moment; but he was determined notto be put down.
"This is a nice-looking country about here," said he.
"Yes; very nice," said Mr Gazebee, endeavouring to relieve the ladyof the mansion.
"I hardly know which I like best; this, or my own place at BoxallHill. You have the advantage here in trees, and those sort of things.But, as to the house, why, my box there is very comfortable, very.You'd hardly know the place now, Lady Arabella, if you haven't seenit since my governor bought it. How much do you think he spent aboutthe house and grounds, pineries included, you know, and those sort ofthings?"
Lady Arabella shook her head.
"Now guess, my lady," said he. But it was not to be supposed thatLady Arabella should guess on such a subject.
"I never guess," said she, with a look of ineffable disgust.
"What do you say, Mr Gazebee?"
"Perhaps a hundred thousand pounds."
"What! for a house! You can't know much about money, nor yet aboutbuilding, I think, Mr Gazebee."
"Not much," said Mr Gazebee, "as to such magnificent places as BoxallHill."
"Well, my lady, if you won't guess, I'll tell you. It cost twenty-twothousand four hundred and nineteen pounds four shillings andeightpence. I've all the accounts exact. Now, that's a tidy lot ofmoney for a house for a man to live in."
Sir Louis spoke this in a loud tone, which at least commanded theattention of the table. Lady Arabella, vanquished, bowed her head,and said that it was a large sum; Mr Gazebee went on sedulouslyeating his dinner; the squire was struck momentarily dumb in themiddle of a long chat with the doctor; even Mr Oriel ceased towhisper; and the girls opened their eyes with astonishment. Beforethe end of his speech, Sir Louis's voice had become very loud.
"Yes, indeed," said Frank; "a very tidy lot of money. I'd havegenerously dropped the four and eightpence if I'd been thearchitect."
"It wasn't all one bill; but that's the tot. I can show the bills:"and Sir Louis, well pleased with his triumph, swallowed a glass ofwine.
Almost immediately after the cloth was removed, Lady Arabellaescaped, and the gentlemen clustered together. Sir Louis foundhimself next to Mr Oriel, and began to make himself agreeable.
"A very nice girl, Miss Beatrice; very nice."
Now Mr Oriel was a modest man, and, when thus addressed as to hisfuture wife, found it difficult to make any reply.
"You parsons always have your own luck," said Sir Louis. "You get allthe beauty, and generally all the money, too. Not much of the latterin this case, though--eh?"
Mr Oriel was dumbfounded. He had never said a word to any creature asto Beatrice's dowry; and when Mr Gresham had told him, with sorrow,that his daughter's portion must be small, he had at once passed awayfrom the subject as one that was hardly fit for conversation, evenbetween him and his future father-in-law; and now he was abruptlyquestioned on the subject by a man he had never before seen in hislife. Of course, he could make no answer.
"The squire has muddled his matters most uncommonly," continued SirLouis, filling his glass for the second time before he passed thebottle. "What do you suppose now he owes me alone; just at one lump,you know?"
Mr Oriel had nothing for it but to run. He could make no answer, norwould he sit there to hear tidings as to Mr Gresham's embarrassments.So he fairly retreated, without having said one word to hisneighbour, finding such discretion to be the only kind of valour leftto him.
"What, Oriel! off already?" said the squire. "Anything the matter?"
"Oh, no; nothing particular. I'm not just quite--I think I'll go outfor a few minutes."
"See what it is to be in love," said the squire, half-whispering toDr Thorne. "You're not in the same way, I hope?"
Sir Louis then shifted his seat again, and found himself next toFrank. Mr Gazebee was opposite to him, and the doctor opposite toFrank.
"Parson seems peekish, I think," said the baronet.
"Peekish?" said the squire, inquisitively.
"Rather down on his luck. He's decently well off himself, isn't he?"
There was another pause, and nobody seemed inclined to answer thequestion.
"I mean, he's got something more than his bare living."
"Oh, yes," said Frank, laughing. "He's got what will buy him breadand cheese when the Rads shut up the Church:--unless, indeed, theyshut up the Funds too."
"Ah, there's nothing like land," said Sir Louis: "nothing like thedirty acres; is there, squire?"
"Land is a very good investment, certainly," said Mr Gresham.
"The best going," said the other, who was now, as people say whenthey mean to be good-natured, slightly under the influence of liquor."The best going--eh, Gazebee?"
Mr Gazebee gathered himself up, and turned away his head, looking outof the window.
"You lawyers never like to give an opinion without money, ha! ha! ha!Do they, Mr Gresham? You and I have had to pay for plenty of them,and will have to pay for plenty more before they let us alone."
Here Mr Gazebee got up, and followed Mr Oriel out of the room. He wasnot, of course, on such intimate terms in the house as was Mr Oriel;but he hoped to be forgiven by the ladies in consequence of theseverity of the miseries to which he was subjected. He and Mr Orielwere soon to be seen through the dining-room window, walking aboutthe grounds with the two eldest Miss Greshams. And Patience Oriel,who had also been of the party, was also to be seen with the twins.Frank looked at his father with almost a malicious smile, and beganto think that he too might be better employed out among the walks.Did he think then of a former summer evening, when he had half brokenMary's heart by walking there too lovingly with Patience Oriel?
Sir Louis, if he continued his brilliant career of success, wouldsoon be left the cock of the walk. The squire, to be sure, couldnot bolt, nor could the doctor very well; but they might be equallyvanquished, remaining there in their chairs. Dr Thorne, during allthis time, was sitting with tingling ears. Indeed, it may be saidthat his whole body tingled. He was in a manner responsible for thishorrid scene; but what could he do to stop it? He could not take SirLouis up bodily and carry him away. One idea did occur to him. Thefly had been ordered for ten o'clock. He could rush out and send forit instantly.
"You're not going to leave me?" said the squire, in a voice ofhorror, as he saw the doctor rising from his chair.
"Oh, no, no, no," said the doctor; and then he whispered the purposeof his mission. "I will be back in two minutes." The doctor wouldhave given twenty pounds to have closed the scene at once; but he wasnot the man to desert his friend in such a strait as that.
"He's a well-meaning fellow, the doctor," said Sir Louis, when hisguardian was out of the room, "very; but he's not up to trap--not atall."
"Up to trap--well, I should say he was; that is, if I know what trapmeans," said Frank.
"Ah, but that's just the ticket. Do you know? Now I say Dr Thorne'snot a man of the world."
"He's about the best man I know, or ever heard of," said the squire."And if any man ever had a good friend, you have got one in him; andso have I:" and the squire silently drank the doctor's health.
"All very true, I dare say; but yet he's not up to trap. Now lookhere, squire--"
"If you don't mind, sir," said Frank, "I've got something veryparticular--perhaps, however--"
"Stay till Thorne returns, Frank."
Frank did stay till Thorne returned, and then escaped.
"Excuse me, doctor," said he, "but I've something very particular tosay; I'll explain to-morrow." And then the three were left alone.
Sir Louis was now becoming almost drunk, and was knocking his wordstogether. The squire had already attempted to stop the bottle; butthe baronet had contrived to get hold of a modicum of Madeira, andthere was no preventing him from helping himself; at least, none atthat moment.
"As we were saying about lawyers," continued Sir Louis. "Let's see,what were we saying? Why, squire, it's just here. Those fellows willfleece us both if we don't mind what we are after."
"Never mind about lawyers now," said Dr Thorne, angrily.
"Ah, but I do mind; most particularly. That's all very well for you,doctor; you've nothing to lose. You've no great stake in the matter.Why, now, what sum of money of mine do you think those d---- doctorsare handling?"
"D---- doctors!" said the squire in a tone of dismay.
"Lawyers, I mean, of course. Why, now, Gresham; we're all tottednow, you see; you're down in my books, I take it, for pretty near ahundred thousand pounds."
"Hold your tongue, sir," said the doctor, getting up.
"Hold my tongue!" said Sir Louis.
"Sir Louis Scatcherd," said the squire, slowly rising from his chair,"we will not, if you please, talk about business at the presentmoment. Perhaps we had better go to the ladies."
This latter proposition had certainly not come from the squire'sheart: going to the ladies was the very last thing for which SirLouis was now fit. But the squire had said it as being the onlyrecognised formal way he could think of for breaking up thesymposium.
"Oh, very well," hiccupped the baronet, "I'm always ready for theladies," and he stretched out his hand to the decanter to get a lastglass of Madeira.
"No," said the doctor, rising stoutly, and speaking with a determinedvoice. "No; you will have no more wine:" and he took the decanterfrom him.
"What's all this about?" said Sir Louis, with a drunken laugh.
"Of course he cannot go into the drawing-room, Mr Gresham. If youwill leave him here with me, I will stay with him till the flycomes. Pray tell Lady Arabella from me, how sorry I am that this hasoccurred."
The squire would not leave his friend, and they sat together till thefly came. It was not long, for the doctor had dispatched hismessenger with much haste.
"I am so heartily ashamed of myself," said the doctor, almost withtears.
The squire took him by the hand affectionately. "I've seen a tipsyman before to-night," said he.
"Yes," said the doctor, "and so have I, but--" He did not express therest of his thoughts.