Part 32 (2/2)
My daughter has a little bet on the first race, and if I delay longer she will miss seeing it. She has been making impatient signs to me for some time.”
”Father!” exclaimed Agnes, deprecatingly; then turning to Leon, she continued: ”Mr. Grath, you must not lay too much stress upon what my father says, when he is not upon the bench. When acting in his official capacity, his word is law, but at other times----”
”My daughter's is,” interrupted the Judge, with a good-humored laugh.
”At other times,” Agnes resumed, ”he often prevaricates. He is constantly endeavoring to impress people with the idea that I am only a child, and not capable of comprehending serious conversation. Let me a.s.sure you that I have been highly entertained and edified by what you have been saying.”
Leon bowed gravely without a suspicion of a blush, or embarra.s.sment of manner, at thus receiving a compliment for the first time in his life from the lips of beauty. He was very self-reliant, though never obtrusively so. What he said was very simple.
”That you have been pleased to listen to me with attention, was sufficient proof to me, Miss Dudley, that at least I was not trying your patience too far by my speech.”
”Come, Agnes, or we will miss that race, and whether you care or not, I confess that I do.”
Then adieux were made and Dr. Medjora accompanied his guests to the door, where he paused a moment to say a word to the Judge, Leon having remained behind.
”What do you think of the lad?” he asked.
”A promising pupil, Medjora,” replied the Judge. ”He has brains, an uncommon endowment in these days. He is worth training. Do your best with him.”
”I will!” answered the Doctor.
As the carriage bore the Judge and Agnes towards the race-track, the former asked his daughter this question.
”Agnes, what do you think of Mr. Grath?”
”He is bright,” she replied, ”but what he was saying impressed me from the fact that he seems to have convinced himself of the correctness of his theories, rather than from any argument which he offered, which would satisfy another's mind. Nearly all of it I have read.”
When the Doctor returned to the room, he found Leon looking at a book on the table, whereas he had expected to see him at the window watching the departing girl. Therefore he asked:
”What do you think of Miss Dudley?”
”Miss Dudley?” repeated Leon. ”Oh! She has a face which one would not easily forget. I met her once, some years ago, but only for a few minutes. Long enough only to answer some question which she asked, yet also long enough to impress her face upon my recollection indelibly.
But I suppose you mean the girl herself, and all I can say is, that I should never form an opinion after an interview so brief. I would add, however, that she seems to be intellectually superior to her s.e.x.”
He spoke entirely dispa.s.sionately, and Dr. Medjora said no more.
Madame Medjora had quietly left the room while Leon was expounding his views to the Judge.
During the afternoon, the Doctor took Leon down into the city, to show him about, and more especially to have proper clothing prepared for him. They returned to the Villa Medjora, as Madame called their home, just in time to hear the voice of the Doctor's wife raised in anger.
She was enraged because the butler had opened a box and released Lossy.
”It is bad enough to have the beggar boy thrust upon me,” she had exclaimed. ”I will not tolerate the nuisance of having a pest like this about the premises. Put him back in his box, and take him away from here instantly. Do you hear?”
The butler heard, but did not heed. He had learned that the Doctor was the master, and having received explicit orders in relation to the dog, he proceeded to put them into effect, despite the protests of Madame. Thus Lossy was bathed, combed, dried, and fed, Madame watching the performance from a window, and continuing her violent tirade, becoming more and more angered as she realized the impotency of her wrath.
As the Doctor and his _protege_ entered the grounds, Lossy bounded along the walk, barking delightedly at the sight of his master. For one moment the lad's cup of happiness was full, but in the next a dread entered his heart. He distinctly heard Madame say:
”I'll poison that beast!” With which she closed the window and disappeared. Leon looked appealingly at the Doctor, whose brows were knit together in an ominous frown.
”Do not be alarmed, Leon,” said he, ”I will guarantee that Madame will not carry her threat into execution. She is a woman of hasty temper, and often speaks without reflection. She is annoyed because the dog has come, but when she learns that he will not disturb her in any way, her resentment will pa.s.s. Lossy is safe. Let your mind rest easy on that point.” He placed his hand upon Leon's shoulder and looked at him with rea.s.suring kindliness. Leon felt slightly relieved, but when he retired to rest that night, in the room allotted to him, he secretly carried Lossy with him, and the dog slept at the foot of his master's bed.
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