Part 48 (2/2)

Very wonderful and very amusing was it all, and much laughter did it occasion; and the minutes flitted by on rapid wings, until my mother discovered that it was time for us to start on our walk to the cottage, a mode of progression of which Sir John by no means approved; he therefore rang the bell, and ordered the carriage. While they were getting it ready Harry's absence was for the first time observed, and commented on.

”Did anybody see when he left the room?” inquired Sir John.

”Yes,” replied I, ”he went away just as Lawless began his performances.”

”Dear me! I hope he was not feeling ill,” said my mother.

”Ill, ma'am!” exclaimed Ellis, ”impossible; you don't know Mr. Oaklands'

const.i.tution as well as I do, or such an idea could never have occurred to you; besides, you can't for a moment suppose he would think of being taken suddenly ill without having consulted me on the subject. I must go and see after him, ma'am, directly, but it's quite impossible that he should be ill;” and as he spoke he left the room with hurried steps.

”My dear f.a.n.n.y, how you made me jump! I hope you haven't done any mischief,” exclaimed my mother, as f.a.n.n.y, moving suddenly, knocked down the card-box, and scattered the contents on the carpet.

”I am sadly awkward,” returned f.a.n.n.y, stooping to pick up the box; ”I do not think it is injured.”

”My dear child, it does not in the least signify,” said Sir John, taking her kindly by the hand; ”why, you have quite frightened yourself, you silly little thing; you are actually trembling; sit down, my dear, sit down--never mind the cards. Frank, if you'll ring the bell, Edmunds will see to that.”

-329-- ”No, no! we'll pick 'em up,” exclaimed Lawless, going down on all fours; ”don't send for the butler; he's such a pompous old boy; if I were to see him stooping down here, I should be pus.h.i.+ng him over, or playing him some trick or other. I shouldn't be able to help it, he's so jolly fat. What a glorious confusion! kings and queens and little fishes all mixed up together!--here's the knave of clubs--hail-fellow-well-met with a thing that looks like a salmon with a swelled face! Well, you have been and gone and done it this time, Miss Fairlegh--I could not have believed it of you, Miss Fairlegh, oh!”

”Mind you pick them up properly,” retorted f.a.n.n.y; ”if you really were such a conjurer as you pretended to be just now, you would only have to say 'hocus pocus,' and the cards would all jump into the box again in proper order.”

”Then I should lose the pleasure of going on my knees in your service.

There's a pretty speech for you, eh! I'll tell you what--you'll make a lady's man of me now, before you've done with me. I'm polis.h.i.+ng rapidly--I know I am.”

”It's all right!” exclaimed Ellis, entering. ”I found Mr. Oaklands lying on the sofa in the library; he says he feels a little knocked up by his walk this morning, and desired me to apologise for his absence, and wish everybody good-night for him. I say, Fairlegh,” continued he, drawing me a little on one side, ”has anything happened to annoy him?”

”Nothing particular, that I know of,” replied I; ”why do you ask?”

”I thought he looked especially cross; and he called our friend Lawless an intolerable puppy, and wondered how any woman of common sense could contrive to put up with him--that's all,” rejoined Ellis.

”f.a.n.n.y refused to play chess with him, because she thought it too late in the evening;--that cannot have annoyed him?”

”Oh, no!” was the reply. ”I see exactly what it is now: since the granulating process has been going on so beautifully in the side, his appet.i.te has returned, and as he must not take any very active exercise just yet, the liver is getting torpid. I must throw in a little blue pill, and he'll be as good-tempered as an angel again; for, naturally, there is not a man breathing with a finer disposition, or a more excellent const.i.tution, than Mr. Oaklands. Why, sir, the other day, when I had been relating a professional anecdote to him, he called me a 'bloodthirsty butcher,' and I honoured him for it--no hypocrisy there, sir.”

-330-- At this moment the carriage was announced, and we proceeded to take our departure, Lawless handing f.a.n.n.y in, and then standing chattering at the window, till I was obliged to give him a hint that Sir John would not like to have the horses kept standing in the cold.

”You've made a conquest, Miss Fan,” said I, as we drove off: ”I never saw Lawless pay such attention to any woman before; even Di Clapperton did not produce nearly so strong an effect, I can a.s.sure you.”

”I am quite innocent of any intention to captivate,” replied f.a.n.n.y. ”Mr.

Lawless amuses me, and I laugh sometimes at, and sometimes with, him.”

”Still, my dear, you should be careful,” interposed my mother; ”though it's play to you, it may be death to him, poor young man! I got into a terrible sc.r.a.pe once in that way myself, when I was a girl; laughing and joking with a young gentleman in our neighbourhood, till he made me an offer one morning, and I really believe I should have been persuaded into marrying him, though I did not care a bit about him, if I had not been attached to your poor dear father at the time: now you have nothing of that sort to save you; so, as I said before, my dear, mind what you are about.”

”I don't think Mr. Lawless's heart will be broken while there is a pack of hounds within reach, mamma dear,” replied f.a.n.n.y, glancing archly at me as she spoke.

As we were about to proceed to our several rooms for the night, I contrived to delay my mother for a moment under pretext of lighting a candle for her, and closing the door, I said:--

”My dear mother, if, by any odd chance, f.a.n.n.y should be inclined to like Lawless, don't you say anything against it. Lawless is a good fellow; all his faults lie on the surface, and are none of them serious; he is completely his own master, and might marry any girl he pleased tomorrow, and I need not tell you would be a most excellent match for f.a.n.n.y.

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