Part 17 (1/2)

”But I cannot sit here patiently and see you behave in so rude a way to those four ladies who honour you by being your tenants.”

”Say I feel greatly surprised that the rent was not sent over yesterday, my dear,” says Sir John, without taking any notice of his son.

”Yes, uncle,” says Miss Virginia. She always called him ”uncle,” though he wasn't any relation.

”It's shameful!” cried Mr Barclay. ”The result will be that they will give you notice and go.”

”Good job, too,” said Sir John. ”I don't like them, and I wish they had not come.”

”How can you be so unreasonable, father?” cried the young man hotly.

”Look here, Bar,” says Sir John--(”Fold that letter and seal it with my seal, 'Ginny”)--”look here, Bar.”

I glanced at the young man, and saw him pa.s.s his hand across his forehead so roughly that the big signet ring he wore--the old-fas.h.i.+oned one Sir John gave him many years before, and which fitted so tightly now that it wouldn't come over the joint--made quite a red mark on his brow.

”I don't know what you are going to say, father,” cried Mr Barclay quickly; ”but, for Heaven's sake, don't treat me as a boy any longer, and I implore you not to send that letter.”

There was a minute's silence, during which I could hear Mr Barclay breathing hard. Then Sir John began again. ”Look here, sir,” he said.

”Over and over again, you've wanted to go away and travel, and I've said I didn't want you to go. During the past three months you've altered your mind.”

”Altered my mind, sir?” says the young man sharply.

”Yes, sir; and I've altered mine. That's fair. Now, you don't want to go, and I want you to.”

”Uncle!”

”Have you done that letter, my pet?--Yes? That's well. Now, you stand there and take care of me, for fear Mr Barclay should fly in a pa.s.sion.”

”Sir, I asked you not to treat me like a boy,” says Mr Barclay bitterly.

”I'm not going to,” says Sir John, as he sat playing with Miss Virginia's hand, while I could see that the poor darling's face was convulsed, and she was trying to hide the tears which streamed down.

”I'm going to treat you as a man. You can have what money you want. Be off for a year's travel. Hunt, shoot, go round the world, what you like; but don't come back here for a twelvemonth.--Burdon, take that letter over to the Misses Mimpriss, and wait for an answer.”

I took the note across, wondering what would be said while I was gone, and knowing why Sir John wanted his son to go as well as he did, and Miss Virginia too, poor thing. The knocker seemed to make the house opposite echo very strangely, as I thumped; but when the door was opened in a few minutes, everything in the hall seemed very proper and prim, while the maid who came looked as stiff and disagreeable as could be.

”For Miss Mimpriss, from Sir John Drinkwater,” I said; ”and I'll wait for an answer.”

”Very well,” says the woman shortly.

”I'll wait for an answer,” I said, for she was shutting the door.

”Yes; I heard,” she says, and the door was shut in my face.

”Hang all old maids!” I said. ”They needn't be afraid of me;” and there I waited till I heard steps again and the door was opened; and the ill-looking woman says in a snappish tone: ”Miss Adela Mimpriss's compliments, and she'll come across directly.”

”Any one would think I was a wild beast,” I said to myself, as I went back and gave my message, finding all three in the room just as I had left them when I went away.