Part 2 (1/2)
That hour and twenty minutes went like a flash, for we had so s anted to say
For instance, I began to tell her about King Solo story; and she to tell me what happened after we parted on the shores of the Red Sea At least the first hour and a quarter went, when suddenly the door opened and Alfred in a sohtened voice announced--”Mr and Mrs Atterby-Smith, the Misses Atterby-Sht sight of his mistress's eye and fled
I looked and felt inclined to do likewise if only there had been another door But there wasn't and that which existed was quite full In the forefront ca the herd Indeed his appearance was bull-like asfrom the expanse of white shi+rt-front (they were all dressed for dinner) to his red and massive countenance surmounted by two horn-like tufts of carroty hair, inforlance Followed Mrs A-S, the British matron incarnate
Literally there seemed to be acres of her; black silk below and white skin above on which set in filigree floated big green stones, like islands in an ocean Her countenance too, though stupid was very stern and frightened eny of this forirls, whose age I could not guess in the least, were exactly like each other, which was not strange as afterwards I discovered that they were twins They had pale blue eyes and soreen and wore topaz necklaces The young man who seemed to be about one or two and twenty, had also pale blue eyes, in one of which he wore an eye-glass, but his hair was sandy as though it had been bleached, parted in the middle and oiled down flat
For a moment there was a silence which I felt to be dreadful Then in a big, pompous voice A-S _pere_ said,
”How do you do, my dear Luna? As I ascertained froone to dress, I insisted upon his leading us here for a little private conversation after we have been parted for so many years
We wished to offer you our condolences in person on your and our still recent loss”
”Thank you,” said Lady Ragnall, ”but I think we have corresponded on the subject which is painful toparty, Tho at the air for all the world like a suspicious aniarette which she held between her fingers
”Yes,” said Lady Ragnall ”Won't you have one? Mr Quatermain, hand Mrs
Smith the box, please”
I obeyed auto it to the lady who nearly withered lance, and then to each to each in turn Toman took one
”Archibald,” said histo make your sisters' dresses sered and replied,
”A little more smoke will not make any difference in this roo,” said Mrs A-S and was straightway seized with a fit of asthma
After this I a about its being time to dress, I rushed from the room and wandered about until I could find soered until I heard the dinner-bell ring But even this retreat was not without disaster, for inlady's dresses; I don't knohether it was Dolly's or Polly's (they were named Dolly and Polly) and heard a dreadful crack about her iggled again and Dolly and Polly reether,
”Oh! clu downstairs and strayed to and fro like a lost lareen baize door which re at it till suddenly a vision arose before h that very door in the darkness of the night when in search for the late Mr Savage upon a certain urgent occasion Yes, there could be no doubt about it, for look! there was the wire, and strange it seeain Curiosity led me to push the door open just to ascertain if ht about the exact locality of the rooht into the arms of either Polly or Dolly
”Oh!” said she, ”I've just been sewn up”
I reflected that this was my case also in another sense, but asked feebly if she knew the way downstairs
She didn't; neither of us did, till at length weto look for her
If I had been a burglar she could not have regarded raver suspicions But at any rate _she_ knew the way downstairs And there to my joy I found rown stout and elderly, but as jolly as ever, after which the Smith family ceased to trouble me
Also there was the rector of the parish, Dr Jeffreys and an absurdly young ho with round eyes and a cheerful, perky ether looked exactly like a turkey-cock and a chicken I reh and to nall, when she had hastily invited hi Lastly there was the curate, a dark, youngover the secrets of ti about his dinner or the next day's services