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De Blacquaire prided himself, and not without reason, on his own aplomb and self-possession, but he felt now a curious fluttering sensation to which he had hitherto been an entire stranger. Ruth accepted his proffered hand and responded to his salute, and then shook hands with the two brethren.
'You know I could have you court-martialled and shot? 'Like enough, said Polson. Major de Blacquaire swung into the saddle. 'I don't care to take revenge that way, he said. 'I have known you always for an impudent and underbred young cub; but you go by way of pretending to be a gentleman, and I have my punishment in store for you.
There are men who are born to hate each other at sight; and this Major de Blacquaire and Polson, though they had but a slight knowledge of each other, had found time to develop a savage dislike on either side. De Blacquaire was a man with an exasperatingly cold and supercilious fashion of speech. He was a band-box dandy, and went scented like a lady.
And I'll say this for war, sir, as an old Christian man who has spent his life at it. It's the fire of God, to my way of thinking, and it burns out all manner of meannesses, and hypocrisies, and we should have a devil of a lot more to be ashamed of than we have if we didn't get into a solid fight now and again. 'It is a school, sir, said De Blacquaire.
Please do as I have asked you, and leave me, and send the boy along. I don't think that he will leave the same flavour on the palate as the father does. 'I suppose, said Jervase, 'that from your point of view I've been a badish sort of a lot? 'I suppose you have, said Major de Blacquaire. 'But Polly never knew about it, and you've never had any sort of a right to look down on him.
The corporal was back in a minute with a salute to say that Major de Blacquaire was in his own apartment, and would be proud to see General Boswell at once, so the General sent off Polson to Irene and made his way to De Blacquaire's quarters, piloted by the corporal. De Blaequaire received General Boswell with a show of profound respect.
But at last he said, in his Cambridge drawl: 'You're an illimitable old bounder, but you're rather a clever old bounder, when all is said and done, and I suppose I shall have to let you go. 'Major de Blacquaire, said Jervase, 'if ever there was a man mistaken in this world, you're a mistaken man. I don't want your ticket, and I don't want your pardon. I've had two years to think this over in.
But ever since I've heard about you, folks have told me that you pride yourself on being a gentleman; and if a gentleman is going to take it out of a chap who has nearly died for him, when he had every right to leave him alone, and when it was the biggest kind of blunder to rescue him, I'm no judge of what a gentleman ought to be. Major de Blacquaire moved the point of the crutch to and fro on the moist gravel, and made his hieroglyphics in the soil without response for a minute or two.
'I saw him on Lord Raglan's Staff at the Alma, said Polson, 'and I have heard about him since from time to time. De Blacquaire was hobbling away on his crutches towards the hospital, and by this time was barely visible. Jervase in his black broadcloth and shining silk hat brandished his umbrella in the rear, and there was not another soul in sight. 'I knew you, dear, said Polson.
'When we touched at Corfu, said the General, 'I found a letter from my London agents I'd like you to see it, and I shall be glad if you can confirm its contents, or at least a part of them. De Blacquaire took the proffered letter and read: 'Sir, : We are instructed to inform you that a sum of fifty thousand pounds has been deposited with us to your credit by Mr. John Jervase, of Beacon Hargate.
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