Part 7 (2/2)
”I thought you did,” said Harry.
The Colonel laughed. ”Oh, I am bit, am I? _Tant mieux_. But why the devil do you stay here?”
”Now why the devil do you want to know?” said Harry.
”No, that is not kind, boy.”
”Oh, Oh, are we kind?”
”My dear Harry, I have not seen you for six years, and I have not come now to quarrel.”
”Then why have you come?” said the affectionate son.
”You are a gracious cub.” Colonel Boyce would not be ruffled. ”When I saw you last, Harry--”
”You borrowed a s.h.i.+lling of me. I remember I was glad that I had not another.”
”You can have it back with interest now. There is plenty in the purse, Harry, and half of all mine is yours.”
”You have changed,” Harry said. ”Odds life, Harry, bear no grudges. I dare say I was hard in what you remember of me. Well, things were hard upon me and I lived hard. You shall find me mellow enough now.”
”Hard? I don't know that you were hard. I thought you were as cold as ice. I believe, sir, I am still frozen.”
”Egad, Harry, you must have had a curst childhood.”
”Oh, must we be sympathetic?” said Harry.
”You're right, boy. The past is past. 'Tis your future which is the matter. So again--why do you stay here?”
Harry laughed. ”They give me bed and board, and a s.h.i.+lling or two by the month.”
”Bed?” His father s.h.i.+fted upon it. ”A bag of stones, I think. And for the board--bread of affliction and water of affliction by what I saw of the remains. Egad, Harry, they are savages, these Wavertons.”
”I did not hear you say so to madame. And Geoffrey is not a bad fellow as far as he has understanding.”
”A dolt, eh? He might take a woman's eye, though. These big dreamy fellows, the women hanker after them queerly. Take care, Harry.” He looked knowing. ”Bed and board--bah, you can do better than that. Now what do you think I have been doing?”
”Something profitable, to judge by your genial splendours. Have you turned highwayman?”
”You all talk about highwaymen in this house,” said the Colonel with a frown and a keen glance.
”Damme, no.”
”Why, are you really a colonel?”
”Faith, you may come see my commission,”--Colonel Boyce was not annoyed,--”and, egad, share my pay.” He pulled out a fat purse and thrust some guineas upon Harry. ”Don't deny me now, boy,” he said, with some tenderness.
<script>