Part 52 (2/2)
At the end of the three weeks, Rufus returned to London.
Once again, he and Toff confronted each other on the threshold of the door. This time, the genial old man presented an appearance that was little less than dazzling. From head to foot he was arrayed in new clothes; and he exhibited an immense rosette of white ribbon in his b.u.t.ton-hole.
”Thunder!” cried Rufus. ”Here's Mr. Frenchman going to be married!”
Toff declined to humour the joke. He stood on his dignity as stiffly as ever. ”Pardon me, sir, I possess a wife and family already.”
”Do you, now? Well--none of your know-nothing answers this time. Has Amelius come back?”
”Yes, sir.”
”And what's the news of Sally?”
”Good news, sir. Miss Sally has come back too.”
”You call that good news, do you? I'll say a word to Amelius. What are you standing there for? Let me by.”
”Pardon me once more, sir. My master and Miss Sally do not receive visitors today.”
”Your master and Miss Sally?” Rufus repeated. ”Has this old creature been liquoring up a little too freely? What do you mean,” he burst out, with a sudden change of tone to stern surprise--”what do you mean by putting your master and Sally together?”
Toff shot his bolt at last. ”They will be together, sir, for the rest of their lives. They were married this morning.”
Rufus received the blow in dead silence. He turned about, and went back to his hotel.
Reaching his room, he opened the despatch box in which he kept his correspondence, and picked out the long letter containing the description by Amelius of his introduction to the ladies of the Farnaby family. He took up the pen, and wrote the indors.e.m.e.nt which has been quoted as an integral part of the letter itself, in the Second Book of this narrative:--
”Ah, poor Amelius! He had better have gone back to Miss Mellicent, and put up with the little drawback of her age. What a bright lovable fellow he was! Goodbye to Goldenheart!”
Were the forebodings of Rufus destined to be fulfilled? This question will be answered, it is hoped, in a Second Series of The Fallen Leaves.
The narrative of the married life of Amelius presents a subject too important to be treated within the limits of the present story--and the First Series necessarily finds its end in the culminating event of his life, thus far.
THE END
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