Part 12 (1/2)
”Do you want to _squat_ in this wretched country, Sir Roger?” demanded Dora angrily.
A faint smile played round Sir Roger's lips.
”You're the only one who's in a hurry.” he remarked.
”No, I'm not. Mr. Ellerton is in just as much of a hurry.”
”Then he bears disappointment better.”
”What in the world did papa and--well, and Lady Deane, you know--want to stop here for?”
”You don't seem to understand how interesting Ma.r.s.eilles is. Let me read you a pa.s.sage. 'Ma.r.s.eilles was a colony founded about 600 B.C.'--What? Oh, all right! We'll skip a bit. 'In 1792 hordes of galley-slaves were sent hence to Paris, where they committed frightful excesses.' That's what Maud and your father are going to do. 'It was for them that Rouget--' I say, what's the matter, Miss Dora?”
”I don't know why you should enjoy teasing me, but you _have_ nearly made me cry, so perhaps you'll be happy now.”
”You tried to take me in. I pretended to be taken in. That's all.”
”Well, it was very unkind of you.”
”So, after all, it's not a matter of indifference to you at what rate we travel, as you said in the train to-day?”
”Oh, I had to. I--I couldn't let papa see.”
”And why are you in a hurry?”
”I can't tell you; but I must--oh, I must!--be in England in four days.”
”You'll hardly get your father to give up a day at Avignon.”
”Well, one day there; then we should just do it, if we only slept in Paris.”
”Yes, but my wife----”
”Oh, you can stay. Don't say anything about Paris yet. Help me to get there. I'll make papa go on. Please do, Sir Roger. I shall be so awfully obliged to you; so will Mr. Ellerton.”
”Charlie Ellerton? Not he! He's in no hurry.”
”What do you mean? Didn't you hear him to-day urging papa to travel straight through?”
”Oh, yes, I heard that.”
”Well?”
”You were there then.”
”What of that?”
”He's not so pressing when you're away.”
”I don't understand. Why should he pretend to be in a hurry when he isn't?”