Part 3 (1/2)
Again she laughed. ”Do you remember the _Taduki_ herb?” she asked. ”I have plenty of it safe upstairs, and not long ago I took a whiff of it, only a whiff because you know it had to be saved.”
”And what did you see?”
”Never mind. The question is what shall we _both_ see?”
”Nothing,” I said firmly. ”No earthly power will make me breathe that unholy drug again.”
”Except me,” she murmured with sweet decision. ”No, don't think about leaving the house. You can't, there are no Sunday trains. Besides you won't if I ask you not.”
”'In vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird,'” I replied, firm as a mountain.
”Is it? Then why are so many caught?”
At that moment the Bull of Bashan--I mean Smith, began to bellow something at his hostess from the other end of the table and our conversation came to an end.
”I say, old chap,” whispered Scroope in my ear when we stood up to see the ladies out. ”I suppose you are thinking of marrying again. Well, you might do worse,” and he glanced at the glittering form of Lady Ragnall vanis.h.i.+ng through the doorway behind her guests.
”Shut up, you idiot!” I replied indignantly.
”Why?” he asked with innocence. ”Marriage is an honourable estate, especially when there is lots of the latter. I remember saying something of the sort to you years ago and at this table, when as it happened you also took in her ladys.h.i.+p. Only there was George in the wind then; now it has carried him away.”
Without deigning any reply I seized my gla.s.s and went to sit down between the canon and the Bull of Bashan.
CHAPTER III. ALLAN GIVES HIS WORD
Mr. Atterby-Smith proved on acquaintance to be even worse than unfond fancy painted him. He was a gentleman in a way and of good family whereof the real name was Atterby, the Smith having been added to secure a moderate fortune left to him on that condition. His connection with Lord Ragnall was not close and through the mother's side. For the rest he lived in some south-coast watering-place and fancied himself a sportsman because he had on various occasions hired a Scottish moor or deer forest. Evidently he had never done anything nor earned a s.h.i.+lling during all his life and was bringing his family up to follow in his useless footsteps. The chief note of his character was that intolerable vanity which so often marks men who have nothing whatsoever about which to be vain. Also he had a great idea of his rights and what was due to him, which he appeared to consider included, upon what ground I could not in the least understand, the reversal of all the Ragnall properties and wealth. I do not think I need say any more about him, except that he bored me to extinction, especially after his fourth gla.s.s of port.
Perhaps, however, the son was worse, for he asked questions without number and when at last I was reduced to silence, lectured me about shooting. Yes, this callow youth who was at Sandhurst, instructed me, Allan Quatermain, how to kill elephants, he who had never seen an elephant except when he fed it with buns at the Zoo. At last Mr. Smith, who to Scroope's great amus.e.m.e.nt had taken the end of the table and a.s.sumed the position of host, gave the signal to move and we adjourned to the drawing-room.
I don't know what had happened but there we found the atmosphere distinctly stormy. The ample Mrs. Smith sat in a chair fanning herself, which caused the barbaric ornaments she wore to clank upon her fat arm.
Upon either side of her, pale and indeterminate, stood Polly and Dolly each pretending to read a book. Somehow the three of them reminded me of a coat-of-arms seen in a nightmare, British Matron _sejant_ with Modesty and Virtue as supporters. Opposite, on the other side of the fire and evidently very angry, stood Lady Ragnall, _regardant_.
”Do I understand you to say, Luna,” I heard Mrs. A.-S. ask in resonant tones as I entered the room, ”that you actually played the part of a heathen G.o.ddess among these savages, clad in a transparent bed-robe?”
”Yes, Mrs. Atterby-Smith,” replied Lady Ragnall, ”and a nightcap of feathers. I will put it on for you if you won't be shocked. Or perhaps one of your daughters----”
”Oh!” said both the young ladies together, ”please be quiet. Here come the gentlemen.”
After this there was a heavy silence broken only by the stifled giggles in the background of Mrs. Scroope and the canon's fluffy-headed wife, who to do her justice had some fun in her. Thank goodness the evening, or rather that part of it did not last long, since presently Mrs.
Atterby-Smith, after studying me for a long while with a cold eye, rose majestically and swept off to bed followed by her offspring.
Afterwards I ascertained from Mrs. Scroope that Lady Ragnall had been amusing herself by taking away my character in every possible manner for the benefit of her connections, who were left with a general impression that I was the chief of a native tribe somewhere in Central Africa where I dwelt in light attire surrounded by the usual accessories. No wonder, therefore, that Mrs. A.-S. thought it best to remove her ”Twin Pets,” as she called them, out of my ravening reach.
Then the Scroopes went away, having arranged for me to lunch with them on the morrow, an invitation that I hastily accepted, though I heard Lady Ragnall mutter--”Mean!” beneath her breath. With them departed the canon and his wife and the curate, being, as they said, ”early birds with duties to perform.” After this Lady Ragnall paid me out by going to bed, having instructed Moxley to show us to the smoking room, ”where,”
she whispered as she said good night, ”I hope you will enjoy yourself.”
Over the rest of the night I draw a veil. For a solid hour and three-quarters did I sit in that room between this dreadful pair, being alternately questioned and lectured. At length I could stand it no longer and while pretending to help myself to whiskey and soda, slipped through the door and fled upstairs.
I arrived late to breakfast purposely and found that I was wise, for Lady Ragnall was absent upstairs, recovering from ”a headache.” Mr.