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Therefore Barnabas shook his head, and answered airily enough: "We are not exactly acquainted, madam."
Smivvle stooped to set a cushion beneath the restless head, he started suddenly back, staring wide-eyed and pointing with a shaking finger. "My God!" he whispered, "what's that? Look look at his coat." "Yes," said Barnabas, "we must have it off." "No, no it's too awful!" whimpered Mr. Smivvle, shrinking away, "see it's it's all down the front!"
Priscilla sat beside him with a bottle from which she offered to replenish the mug after each sip. Lady Isabel, looking frightened but obstinate, stood opposite him, holding the Reverend Barnabas Pennefather by the hand. "To Miss Martha Rutherford, Sponge Department, British Museum, London.
The gentleman stared at Barnabas through suddenly narrow lids, and laughed softly, and Barnabas thought his laugh worse than his frown. "Ha! d' you mean to say you won't go?" "With all the humility in the world, I do, sir." "Why, you cursed, interfering yokel! must I thrash you?"
"Oh, dooce take me, I forgot!" exclaimed the Marquis, looking about; "queer cove, doocid touchy, looks as if he might fib though. Ah, there he is! talking to the rough-looking customer over yonder;" and he pointed to Barnabas, who stood with his coat thrown open, and the objectionable neckcloth in full evidence.
"If it be a coat as you're wanting, sir, there be one as you wore at the race," said Martin, "I keep it upstairs in my room. It be a bit tore, sir, but " "It will do," said Barnabas, nodding, "only hurry, Martin!"
Indeed, he had been wont to regard the "Coursing Hound" as the very embodiment of what an English inn should be but now! Barnabas sighed which was a new thing for him. "Was the change really in the old inn, or in himself?" he wondered. Hereupon he sighed again, and turning, went on down the hill. But now, as he went, his step lagged and his head drooped.
"Sir, I'm vastly relieved to hear you say so," retorted Barnabas, with a profound obeisance. Then taking out his purse, he beckoned his new groom to approach. "What is your name?" he inquired, as he counted out a certain sum. "Gabriel Martin, sir." "Then, Martin, pray give the fellow his money." "Sir?" "I mean the red-faced man in the dirty jacket, Martin," added Barnabas.
Now, in a while, Barnabas saw before him a wide street flanked on either hand by cottages, and with an ancient church beyond. And, as he looked at this church with its great, square tower outlined against the starry heaven, there came, borne to his ears, the fretful wailing of a sleepless child; therefore he checked his going and, glancing about, espied a solitary lighted window.
Thither Barnabas had gone as their spiritual guide; but he soon found out that among the Greeks of that luxurious and elegant city there were demanded greater learning, wisdom, and culture than he himself possessed.
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