Part 52 (2/2)

So saying, he made a sort of flank movement, so adroitly conceived and carried out that, in the twinkling of an eye, he had driven Sir Tiglath to the side of Madame and hustled Mr. Sagittarius into the immediate neighbourhood of Mrs. Merillia. Nor had more than two minutes elapsed before the whole party found themselves--they scarce knew how--arranged around the dining table and being served with clear soup by Mr.

Ferdinand and the astounded Gustavus, whose naturally round eyes began to take an almost oblong form as he attended to the wants of Mrs.

Merillia's very unfamiliar guests, whose outlying demeanour and architectural manners evidently filled him with the most poignant dismay.

As to Mrs. Merillia and Lady Julia, the foregoing scene had so reduced them that they were almost betrayed into some hysterical departure from the rules of exquisite good breeding which they had unconsciously observed from the cradle. Indeed, the latter, strong in the belief that the terms outside broker and raving maniac were interchangeable, twice dropped her spoon into her soup-plate before she could succeed in lifting it to her mouth, and was unable to prevent herself from whispering to the Prophet,--

”Pray, Mr. Vivian, tell me the worst--is he absolutely dangerous?”

”No, no,” whispered back the Prophet, rea.s.suringly. ”It's all his play.”

”Play!” murmured Lady Julia, glancing at Mr. Sagittarius, who was holding back the right sleeve of Mr. Ferdinand's coat with his left hand in order to have the free use of his dinner limb.

”Yes,” whispered the Prophet. ”He's the most harmless, innocent creature. A child might stroke him. I mean he wouldn't hurt a child.”

”Yes, but we are not children,” said Lady Julia, still in great apprehension.

Meanwhile Sir Tiglath, concerned with his dinner, took no heed of Mr.

Sagittarius for the moment, and that gentleman, slightly rea.s.sured, endeavoured to make himself agreeable to Mrs. Merillia.

”You are very pleasantly situated here, ma'am,” he began.

Mrs. Merillia thought he meant because she was at his elbow, and answered politely,--

”Yes, very pleasantly situated.”

”It is indeed a blessing to be within such easy reach of the Stores,”

added Mr. Sagittarius, finis.h.i.+ng his soup, and permitting Mr.

Ferdinand's sleeves to flow down once more over his hands.

”The Stores!” said Mrs. Merillia.

”_O festum dies beatus illa_!” e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Madame, a.s.suming an expression of profound and almost pa.s.sionate sentiment. ”Happy indeed the good lady who dwells in the central districts!”

She permitted a gigantic sigh to leave her bosom and to wander freely among the locks of those at the table. Sir Tiglath, who, on being a.s.saulted by her learning, had shown momentary symptoms of apoplexy, now gave a loud grunt, while the Prophet, perceiving that his grandmother and Lady Julia were quite unequal to the occasion, hastily replied,--

”Yes, Berkeley Square is very convenient in may ways.”

”Ah!” said Mr. Sagittarius, keeping a wary eye on Sir Tiglath and re-addressing himself to Mrs. Merillia, ”the Berkeley Square. But if you lived in the one behind Kimmins's Mews, it would be quite another pair of boots, would it not, ma'am?”

Lady Julia, who was sitting next to Mr. Sagittarius, s.h.i.+fted her chair nearer to the Prophet, and whispered, ”I'm sure he is dangerous, Mr.

Vivian!” while Mrs. Merillia, in the greatest perplexity, replied,--

”The one behind Mr. Kimmins's Mews?”

”Ay, over against Brigwell's Buildings, just beyond the Pauper Lunatic Asylum.”

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