Part 56 (1/2)
”--Was disgraced. A vastly fine achievement, surely. But where are you to stop? You will be shaming the King next by outwalking him. Pray, how did the duke appear as he was going into the Serpentine?”
”You have heard?” I exclaimed, the trick she had played me dawning upon me.
”Upon my word, Richard, you are more of a simpleton than I thought you.
Have you not seen your newspaper this morning?”
I explained how it was that I had not. She took up the Chronicle.
”'This Mr. Carvel has made no inconsiderable noise since his arrival in town, and yesterday crowned his performances by defeating publicly a n.o.ble duke at a riding match in Hyde Park, before half the quality of the kingdom. His Lords.h.i.+p of March and Ruglen acted as umpire.' There, sir, was I not right to beg Sir John Fielding to put you in safe keeping until your grandfather can send for you?”
I made to seize the paper, but she held it from me.
”'If Mr. Carvel remains long enough in England, he bids fair to share the talk of Mayfair with a certain honourable young gentleman of Brooks's and the Admiralty, whose debts and doings now furnish most of the gossip for the clubs and the card tables. Their names are both connected with this contest. 'Tis whispered that the wager upon which the match was ridden arose--'” here Dolly stopped shortly, her colour mounting, and cried out with a stamp of her foot. ”You are not content to bring publicity upon yourself, who deserve it, but must needs drag innocent names into the newspapers.”
”What have they said?” I demanded, ready to roll every printer in London in the kennel.
”Nay, you may read for yourself,” said she. And, flinging the paper in my lap, left the room.
They had not said much more, Heaven be praised. But I was angry and mortified as I had never been before, realizing for the first time what a botch I had made of my stay in London. In great dejection, I was picking up my hat to leave the house, when Mrs. Manners came in upon me, and insisted that I should stay for dinner. She was very white, and seemed troubled and preoccupied, and said that Mr. Manners had come back from York with a cold on his chest, but would insist upon joining the party to Vauxhall on Monday. I asked her when she was going to the baths, and suggested that the change would do her good. Indeed, she looked badly.
”We are not going, Richard,” she replied; ”Dorothy will not hear of it. In spite of the doctor she says she is not ill, and must attend at Vauxhall, too. You are asked?”
I said that Mr. Storer had included me. I am sure, from the way she looked at me, that she did not heed my answer. She appeared to hesitate on the verge of a speech, and glanced once or twice at the doors.
”Richard, I suppose you are old enough to take care of yourself, tho'
you seem still a child to me. I pray you will be careful, my boy,” she said, with something of the affection she had always borne me, ”for your grandfather's sake, I pray you will run into no more danger. I--we are your old friends, and the only ones here to advise you.”
She stopped, seemingly, to weigh the wisdom of what was to come next, while I leaned forward with an eagerness I could not hide. Was she to speak of the Duke of Chartersea? Alas, I was not to know. For at that moment Dorothy came back to inquire why I was not gone to the cudgelling at the Three Hats. I said I had been invited to stay to dinner.
”Why, I have writ a note asking Comyn,” said she. ”Do you think the house will hold you both?”
His Lords.h.i.+p came in as we were sitting down, bursting with some news, and he could hardly wait to congratulate Dolly on her recovery before he delivered it.
”Why, Richard,” says the dog, ”what do you think some wag has done now?
They believe at Brooks's 'twas that jackanapes of a parson, Dr. Warner, who was there yesterday with March.” He drew a clipping from his pocket.
”Listen, Miss Dolly:
”On Wednesday did a carter see His Grace, the Duke of Ch-rt--s-a, As plump and helpless as a bag, A-straddle of a big-boned nag.
”Lord, Sam!” the carter loudly yelled, On by this wondrous sight impelled, ”We'll run and watch this n.o.ble gander Master a steed, like Alexander.”
But, when the carter reached the Row, His Grace had left it, long ago.
Bucephalus had leaped the green, The duke was in the Serpentine.
The fervent wish of all good men That he may ne'er come out again!'”
Comyn's impudence took my breath, tho' the experiment interested me not a little. My lady was pleased to laugh at the doggerel, and even Mrs.
Manners. Its effect upon Mr. Marmaduke was not so spontaneous. His smile was half-hearted. Indeed, the little gentleman seemed to have lost his spirits, and said so little (for him), that I was encouraged to corner him that very evening and force him to a confession. But I might have known he was not to be caught. It appeared almost as if he guessed my purpose, for as soon as ever the claret was come on, he excused himself, saying he was promised to Lady Harrington, who wanted one.