Part 9 (2/2)
As soon as Coleman and I had in some degree recovered from our surprise and consternation (for the anger of Oaklands once roused was a fearful thing to behold), we ran to the other window, just in time to see Lawless, who had alighted among some stunted shrubs, turn round and shake his fist at Oaklands (who merely smiled), ere he regained his feet, and rang the bell in order to gain admittance. A minute afterwards we heard him stride upstairs, enter his bedroom, and close the door with a most sonorous bang. Affairs remained in this position nearly a quarter of an hour, no one feeling inclined to be the first to speak. At length the silence was broken by Oaklands, who, addressing himself to c.u.mberland, said:--
”I am afraid this absurd piece of business has completely marred the harmony of the evening. Get up, Mr. Mullins,” he continued, removing his legs, and a.s.sisting him to rise; ”I hope I did not hurt you just now.”
In reply to this Mullins grumbled out something intended as a negative, and, shambling across the room, placed himself in a corner, as far as possible from Oaklands, where he sat rubbing his knees, the very image of sulkiness and terror. c.u.mberland, who appeared during the whole course of the affair absorbed in a book, though, in fact, not a single word or look had escaped him, now came forward and apologised, in a quiet, gentlemanly manner (which, when he was inclined, no one could a.s.sume with greater success), for Lawless's impertinence, which had only, he said, met with its proper reward.
”You must excuse me, Mr. c.u.mberland, if I cannot agree with you,”
replied Oaklands; ”since I have had time to cool a little, I see the matter in quite a different light. Mr. Lawless was perfectly right; the carelessness of my manner must naturally have seemed as if I were purposely giving myself airs, but I can a.s.sure you such was not the case.”
He paused for a moment, and then continued, with a half-embarra.s.sed smile:--
-57--”The fact is, I am afraid that I have been spoiled at home; my mother died when I was a little child, and my dear father, having n.o.body else to care about, thought, I believe, that there was no one in the world equal to me, and that nothing was too good for me. Of course, all our servants and people have taken their tone from him, so that I have never had any one to say to me, 'Nay,' and am therefore not at all used to the sort of thing. I hope I do not often lose my temper as I have done this evening; but really Mr. Lawless appears quite an adept in the art of ingeniously tormenting.”
”I am afraid you must have found so much exertion very fatiguing,”
observed Coleman, politely.
”A fair hit, Mr. Coleman,” replied Oaklands, laughing. ”No! those are not the things that tire me, somehow; but in general I am very easily knocked up--I am indeed--most things are so much trouble, and I hate trouble; I suppose it is that I am not strong.”
”Wretchedly weak, I should say,” rejoined Coleman; ”it struck me that you were so just now, when you chucked Lawless out of the window like a cat.”
”Be quiet, Freddy,” said c.u.mberland, reprovingly.
”Nay, don't stop him,” said Oaklands; ”I delight in a joke beyond measure, when I have not the trouble of making it myself. But about this Mr. Lawless, I am exceedingly sorry that I handled him so roughly; would you mind going to tell him so, Mr. c.u.mberland, and explaining that I did not mean anything offensive by my manner?”
”Exactly, I'll make him understand the whole affair, and bring him down with me in five minutes,” said c.u.mberland, leaving the room as he spoke.
”What makes c.u.mberland so good-natured and amiable to-night?” whispered I to Coleman.
”Can't you tell?” was the reply. ”Don't you see that Oaklands is a regular top-sawyer, a fish worth catching; and that by doing this, c.u.mberland places him under an obligation at first starting? Not a bad move to begin with, eh? Besides, if a regular quarrel between Lawless and Oaklands were to ensue, c.u.mberland would have to take one side or the other; and it would not exactly suit him to break with Lawless, he knows too much about him; besides,” added he, sinking his voice, ”he owes him money, more than I should like to owe anybody a precious deal, I can tell you. Now, do you _twig_?”
”Yes,” said I, ”I comprehend the matter more clearly, if that is what you mean by _twigging_; but how shocking -58--it all is! why, c.u.mberland is quite a swindler--gambling, borrowing money he can't pay, and----”
”Hus.h.!.+” interrupted Coleman, ”here they come.”
Coleman was not mistaken: c.u.mberland had been successful in his emba.s.sy, and now entered the room, accompanied by Lawless, who looked rather crestfallen, somewhat angry, and particularly embarra.s.sed and uncomfortable, which, as Coleman whispered to me, was not to be wondered at, considering how thoroughly he had been _put out_ just before., Oaklands, however, appeared to see nothing of all this; but, rising from his seat as they entered, he approached Lawless, saying:--
”This has been a foolish piece of business, Mr. Lawless; I freely own that I am thoroughly ashamed of the part I have taken in it, and I can only apologise for the intemperate manner in which I behaved”.
The frank courtesy with which he said this was so irresistible, that Lawless was completely overcome, and, probably for the first time in his life, felt himself thoroughly in the wrong. Seizing Oaklands' hand, therefore, and shaking it heartily, he replied:--
”I'll tell you what it is, Oaklands--we don't Mr. each other here--you are a right good fellow--a regular brick, and no mistake; and as to your shoving me out of the window, you served me quite right for my abominable impertinence. I only wonder you did not do it ten minutes sooner, that's all; but you really ought to be careful what you do with those arms of yours; I was like a child in your grasp; you are as strong as a steam engine.”
”I can a.s.sure you I am not,” replied Oaklands; ”they never let me do anything at home, for fear I should knock myself up.”
”You are more likely to knock other people down, I should say,” rejoined Lawless; ”and, by the way, that reminds me--Mullins! come here, stupid, and beg Mr. Oaklands' pardon, and thank him for knocking you down.”
A sulky, half-muttered ”shan't,” was the only reply.
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