Part 2 (1/2)
”I alad to hear it, sir,” said his majesty with evident disbelief
”Charles, I understand that Squire Scroope is going to load for the gentleman, which I hope he kno to do with safety His lordshi+p's orders are that you accoes And, Charles, you will please keep count of the nu runners I'm sick of theiven in a portentous stage aside which ere not supposed to hear They caused Scroope to snigger and Charles to grin, but in nation
I took one of the guns and looked at it It was a costly and beautifully made weapon of the period, with an under-lever action
”There's nothing wrong with the gun, sir,” ruht it will do the rest But keep the muzzle up, sir, keep it up, for I knohat the bore is without studying the same with my eye Also perhaps you won't take it anall we hates a low pheasant I n parts--he was French, he was--shot nothing all day but one hen bird sitting just on the top of the brush, two beaters, his lordshi+p's hat, and a starling”
At this point Scroope broke into a roar of idiotic laughter Charles, from whom Fortune decreed that I was not to escape, after all, turned his back and doubled up as though seized with sudden pain in the storew absolutely furious
”Confound it, Mr Keeper,” I explained, ”what do youme? Attend to your business, and I'll attend to mine”
At this le of soun-roonall himself I could see that he had overheard the conversation, for he looked angry
”Jenkins,” he said, addressing the keeper, ”do what Mr Quatermain has said and attend to your own business Perhaps you are not aware that he has shot ame than you have cats
But, however that may be, it is not your place to try to instruct hio and see to the beaters”
”Beg pardon, my lord,” ejaculated Jenkins, his face, that was as florid as his waistcoat, turning quite pale; ”no offence meant, my lord, but elephants and lions don't fly, round varmin are apt to shoot low, my lord Beaters all ready at the Hunt Copse, ht Lord Ragnall watched hiize to you, Mr Quatermain That silly old fool was part of my inheritance, so to speak; and the joke of it is that he is hierous shot I ever saever, on the other hand, he is the best rearer of pheasants in the county, so I put up with hiuns and cartridges”
So Scroope and I were taken through a side entrance into the big hall and there introduced to the otherat the castle They were famous shots Indeed, I had read of the prowess of some of them in _The Field_, a paper that I always took in Africa, although often enough, when I was on my distant expeditions, I did not see a copy of it for a year at a time
To entlemen We had not, it is true, et a face, and I was sure that I could not be mistaken in this instance That rey eyes, that red, pointed nose could belong to nobody except Van Koop, so faantic and most successful frauds that the law seemed quite unable to touch, of which frauds I had been one of the e sum for me
The last time we met there had been a stor in my wrath that if I caht Perhaps that was one of the reasons why Mr
van Koop vanished from South Africa, for I may add that he was a cur of the first water I believe that he had only just entered the roo driven over fronall
At any rate, he knew nothing of my presence at this shoot Had he known I am quite sure that he would have been absent He turned, and seeing me, ejaculated: ”Allan Quatermain, by heaven!” beneath his breath, but in such a tone of astonishnall, as standing near
”Yes, Mr van Koop,” I answered in a cheerful voice, ”Allan Quaterlad to see me as I am to see you”
”I think there is so at us ”This is Sir Junius Fortescue, who used to be Mr Fortescue”
”Indeed,” I replied ”I don't know that I ever re called by that particular nanall h he did not wish to continue the conversation, which no one else had overheard, and Van Koop sidled up to me
”Mr Quatered with ather,” I replied; ”but mine have remained much the same, and if it is convenient to you to repay ed If not, I think I have a good story to tell about you”
”Oh, Mr Quatermain,” he answered with a sort of smile which made me feel inclined to kick him, ”you know I dispute that debt”
”Do you?” I exclaimed ”Well, perhaps you will dispute the story also
But the question is, will you be believed when I give the proofs?”