Part 70 (2/2)

”News--what news?”

”Oh, well; no news is good news: you will give her my love, won't you?”

The doctor said that he would. What else could he say? It appeared quite clear to him that some of Mary's fears were groundless.

Frank was again very much altered. It has been said, that though he was a boy at twenty-one, he was a man at twenty-two. But now, at twenty-three, he appeared to be almost a man of the world. His manners were easy, his voice under his control, and words were at his command: he was no longer either shy or noisy; but, perhaps, was open to the charge of seeming, at least, to be too conscious of his own merits. He was, indeed, very handsome; tall, manly, and powerfully built, his form was such as women's eyes have ever loved to look upon. ”Ah, if he would but marry money!” said Lady Arabella to herself, taken up by a mother's natural admiration for her son. His sisters clung round him before dinner, all talking to him at once.

How proud a family of girls are of one, big, tall, burly brother!

”You don't mean to tell me, Frank, that you are going to eat soup with that beard?” said the squire, when they were seated round the table. He had not ceased to rally his son as to this patriarchal adornment; but, nevertheless, any one could have seen, with half an eye, that he was as proud of it as were the others.

”Don't I, sir? All I require is a relay of napkins for every course:”

and he went to work, covering it with every spoonful, as men with beards always do.

”Well, if you like it!” said the squire, shrugging his shoulders.

”But I do like it,” said Frank.

”Oh, papa, you wouldn't have him cut it off,” said one of the twins.

”It is so handsome.”

”I should like to work it into a chair-back instead of floss-silk,”

said the other twin.

”Thank'ee, Sophy; I'll remember you for that.”

”Doesn't it look nice, and grand, and patriarchal?” said Beatrice, turning to her neighbour.

”Patriarchal, certainly,” said Mr Oriel. ”I should grow one myself if I had not the fear of the archbishop before my eyes.”

What was next said to him was in a whisper, audible only to himself.

”Doctor, did you know Wildman of the 9th. He was left as surgeon at Scutari for two years. Why, my beard to his is only a little down.”

”A little way down, you mean,” said Mr Gazebee.

”Yes,” said Frank, resolutely set against laughing at Mr Gazebee's pun. ”Why, his beard descends to his ankles, and he is obliged to tie it in a bag at night, because his feet get entangled in it when he is asleep!”

”Oh, Frank!” said one of the girls.

This was all very well for the squire, and Lady Arabella, and the girls. They were all delighted to praise Frank, and talk about him.

Neither did it come amiss to Mr Oriel and the doctor, who had both a personal interest in the young hero. But Sir Louis did not like it at all. He was the only baronet in the room, and yet n.o.body took any notice of him. He was seated in the post of honour, next to Lady Arabella; but even Lady Arabella seemed to think more of her own son than of him. Seeing how he was ill-used, he meditated revenge; but not the less did it behove him to make some effort to attract attention.

”Was your ladys.h.i.+p long in London, this season?” said he.

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