Part 21 (1/2)

CHAPTER XXIII.

”IT'S ALL UP, MR. RICHARDS, IT'S ALL UP!”

”The busy crew the sails unbending, The s.h.i.+p in harbour safe arrived; Jack Oak.u.m, all his perils ending, Has made the port where Kitty lived.”

DIBDIN.

We return now to the day before Sir Digby's ball.

Richards lived in chambers, and in no great state. He never cared for it. Had you gone straight into his sitting-room from the fresh air, what would have struck you most would have been the smell of strong tobacco smoke; and I believe you would have come to the conclusion that the princ.i.p.al furniture consisted of tobacco-pipes. They were of all sorts and sizes, and hung in rows and racks, and lay on shelves and on the mantlepiece. Well, what did it matter? honest Richards was a bachelor, and not once in a blue moon did a lady look in to see him.

But one afternoon, shortly before Sir Digby's great ball, a lady did; and that lady was Mary herself.

”Which I've been dying to see you, sir,” she began.

”Sit down, my dear, sit down.”

Mary sat down, and proceeded,--

”It's all up, Mr. Richards, it's all up!”

The poor girl was crying now bitterly.

”Missus is as good as sold. She's goin' to the ball, and Sir Digby's goin' to propose. She told me, and Sir Digby kissed me and told me. Oh, oh, what ever shall I do?”

Richards lit a huge pipe, and walked about smoking for fully five minutes. Then he went over and took Mary's hand, and Mary looked up innocently in his face, and said innocently through her tears,--

”Do you want to kiss me too, sir?”

”Well, I wasn't thinking about that; but there, Mary, there. Now, I'll tell you what you've got to do; and I do believe it will all come right, even yet.”

So Mary and Richards had a long ”confab” together, and she went back home happy and smiling.

After she had gone Richards lit another pipe, threw himself on a rocking-chair, and smoked long and thoughtfully. Then he got up and took a rapid turn or two up and down the floor. Presently he paused, and gazed curiously at himself in a mirror.

”Old Richards,” he said, shaking his fist at his reflection, ”I didn't think it was in you. You're a designing, unscrupulous old lawyer. Never mind; it's all for my baby's sake. I'll do it. Hang me if I don't.”

An hour after this, Richards had called a carriage--a luxury he indulged in very seldom indeed. He first visited the lawyer who had transacted the business of the Grantley Hall mortgage for him. With this gentleman he was closeted for some considerable time. Then he drove to a fas.h.i.+onable tailor's, then to a jeweller's, and next to a wine-merchant's, and as all those individuals showed him to his carriage with many gracious smiles and bows, it was evident that his business with them had been of a very agreeable kind indeed--to them. Richards drove to other places which I need not name; and when he got back home at last, he sank into his rocking-chair with a tired but happy sigh, and immediately lit his biggest pipe.

He was smiling to himself. ”I've done it,” he said half aloud, ”and my baby's safe for a time. But if his rich old brother comes to the rescue, my game is spoiled. Poor Jack! I wonder what he is doing at this moment.”

On the night of the great ball, Sir Digby Auld was very much with Miss Gordon; and everybody said how well matched they were, which certainly was paying no compliment to Sir Digby. He gave her many dances, and he said many soft and pretty things to her, which caused her to bend down her painted face and pretend to blush.

In the course of the evening he forgathered with D'Orsay. D'Orsay lifted his brows and smiled.

”Getting on famously?” he said.

”I've been trying; but, D'Orsay, 'pon my life I can't. And look you here: I may be a fool, I may be mad, but to-morrow forenoon I go to Keane's and throw myself at Gerty's feet. There! the die is cast.”

A servant in livery at this moment approached him. ”Beg parding, sir.

Two gentlemen wants to speak to you a moment in the library.”