Part 46 (2/2)
Now, when they were alone, the Viscount gazed at Barnabas, chin in hand, and with twinkling eyes.
”My dear Bev,” said he, ”you can hang me if I know what to make of you. Egad, you're the most incomprehensible fellow alive; you are, upon my soul! If I may ask, what the deuce did it all mean--about this house of yours?”
”Simply that until this moment I wasn't sure if I had one yet.”
”But--your fellow--”
”Yes. I sent him out this morning to buy me one.”
”To buy you--a house?”
”Yes; also horses and carriages, and many other things, chief among them--a tailor.”
The Viscount gasped.
”But--my dear fellow--to leave all that to your--servant! Oh, Gad!”
”But, as the Marquis remarked, Peterby is an inestimable fellow.”
The Viscount eyed Barnabas with brows wrinkled in perplexity; then all at once his expression changed.
”By the way,” said he, ”talking of Carnaby, he's got the most beautiful eye you ever saw!”
”Oh?” said Barnabas, beginning to tuck in the ends of his neckerchief.
”And a devil of a split lip!”
”Oh?” said Barnabas again.
”And his coat had been nearly ripped off him; I saw it under his cape!”
”Ah?” said Barnabas, still busy with his neckcloth.
”And naturally enough,” pursued the Viscount, ”I've been trying to imagine--yes, Bev, I've been racking my brain most d.a.m.nably, wondering why you--did it?
”It was in the wood,” said Barnabas.
”So it _was_ you, then?”
”Yes, d.i.c.k.”
”But--he didn't even mark you?”
”He lost his temper, d.i.c.k.”
”You thrashed--Carnaby! Gad, Bev, there isn't a milling cove in England could have done it.”
”Yes--there are two--Natty Bell, and Glorious John.”
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