Part 3 (1/2)
Again she laughed ”Do you remember the _Taduki_ herb?” she asked ”I have plenty of it safe upstairs, and not long ago I took a whiff of it, only a whiff because you know it had to be saved”
”And what did you see?”
”Never mind The question is what shall we _both_ see?”
”Nothing,” I said fir again”
”Except me,” shethe house You can't, there are no Sunday trains Besides you won't if I ask you not”
”'In vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird,'” I replied, firht?”
At that an to bellow so at his hostess from the other end of the table and our conversation came to an end
”I say, old chap,” whispered Scroope in my ear e stood up to see the ladies out ”I suppose you are thinking of lanced at the glittering forh the doorway behind her guests
”Shut up, you idiot!” I replied indignantly
”Why?” he asked with innocence ”Marriage is an honourable estate, especially when there is lots of the latter I reo and at this table, when as it happened you also took in her ladyshi+p Only there was George in the wind then; now it has carried hilass and went to sit down between the canon and the Bull of Bashan
CHAPTER III ALLAN GIVES HIS WORD
Mr Atterby-Smith proved on acquaintance to be even worse than unfond fancy painted hiood fa been added to secure a moderate fortune left to hinall was not close and through the mother's side For the rest he lived in so-place and fancied himself a sportsman because he had on various occasions hired a Scottishnor earned a shi+lling during all his life and was bringing his family up to follow in his useless footsteps The chief note of his character was that intolerable vanity which so oftenwhatsoever about which to be vain Also he had a great idea of his rights and as due to hiround I could not in the least understand, the reversal of all the Ragnall properties and wealth I do not think I need say any more about him, except that he bored lass of port
Perhaps, however, the son orse, for he asked questions without number and when at last I was reduced to silence, lecturedYes, this callow youth as at Sandhurst, instructed me, Allan Quatermain, how to kill elephants, he who had never seen an elephant except when he fed it with buns at the Zoo At last Mr Sreat amusement had taken the end of the table and assunal to -room
I don't knohat had happened but there we found the atmosphere distinctly stor herself, which caused the barbaric ornaments she wore to clank upon her fat arm
Upon either side of her, pale and indeter to read a book Somehow the three of thehtmare, British Matron _sejant_ with Modesty and Virtue as supporters Opposite, on the other side of the fire and evidently very angry, stood Lady Ragnall, _regardant_
”Do I understand you to say, Luna,” I heard Mrs A-S ask in resonant tones as I entered the room, ”that you actually played the part of a heathen Goddess aes, clad in a transparent bed-robe?”
”Yes, Mrs Atterby-Shtcap of feathers I will put it on for you if you won't be shocked Or perhaps one of your daughters----”
”Oh!” said both the young ladies together, ”please be quiet Here coentlemen”
After this there was a heavy silence broken only by the stifled giggles in the background of Mrs Scroope and the canon's fluffy-headed wife, who to do her justice had so, or rather that part of it did not last long, since presently Mrs
Atterby-S while with a cold eye, rose
Afterwards I ascertained fro herself by taking away my character in every possible manner for the benefit of her connections, ere left with a general impression that I was the chief of a native tribe soht attire surrounded by the usual accessories No wonder, therefore, that Mrs A-S thought it best to re reach
Then the Scroopes went away, having arranged for me to lunch with theh I heard Lady Ragnall mutter--”Mean!” beneath her breath With the, as they said, ”early birds with duties to perfor to bed, having instructed Moxley to show us to the sht, ”I hope you will enjoy yourself”