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Now we were back at Mrs. Handsomebody's having tea with a double portion of jam; being scrubbed and brushed, and warned of our behaviour, sliding on the slippery soles of new boots; sniffing the fresh linen of clean handkerchiefs; watching Mrs. Handsomebody tie her bonnet strings with trembling fingers.
"What a plucky little shaver you are, John," he said. "I know she's a corker, but I think you and I are a match for her, eh?" I strode beside him breathless. I felt taller, stronger, than ever before. By contrast with our masculinity Mrs. Handsomebody seemed a rather pitiful old woman.
The Seraph shot an imploring glance at Angel. "I fink," he hedged, "it's some of the gwavy fwom dinner left over." Mrs. Handsomebody turned to Angel and me. "Stand up," she commanded, sternly, "and we shall sift this matter to the root." "Yes," admitted Angel, nonchalantly. "It was licorice root made into a drink." "Licorice root," repeated our governess, in a tone of disgust.
Together we sailed those "perilous seas in faery lands forlorn," dabbling our hands in the fountain, while the golden August sunshine kissed our necks. I said not a word of this at tea. I munched my bread and butter in a sort of haze, scarcely conscious of the subdued conversation led by Mrs. Handsomebody, until I heard her say, "A little great-niece of Bishop Torrance is visiting next door.
Was she thinking of that brother on whom the Scotch mist was falling so remorselessly? The Seraph was speaking. "It's a vewy bad fing to be dead," he was saying reminiscently , "you can't eat, you can't dwink, an' you jus' fly awound lookin' for somefing to light on!" I trembled for him, but Mrs. Handsomebody, lost in thought, gave no heed to him. At last she raised her eyes.
Handsomebody said in a voice of cold fury: "Mary Ellen, kindly cease that ribald screaming. John, Alexander, face me!" We did so tremblingly. "Now," said Mrs. Handsomebody, "you three boys go up to your bedroom not to the schoolroom, mind and don't let me hear another sound from you today! You shall get no dinner. At four I will come and discuss your disgraceful conduct with you. Now march!"
Handsomebody and Mary Ellen, with her hair in curl-papers, and, close behind them, Mr. and Mrs. Mortimer Pegg, scantily attired, the gentleman carrying a revolver. "David! John! Alexander!" gobbled Mrs. Handsomebody. "Now what d'ye think of that!" came from Mary Ellen. "Father! Have you gone quite mad?" cried Mrs. Pegg. And "Oh, I say Governor " stammered the gentleman with the revolver.
Dazzled by the vision of a herd of rainbow-coloured ponies we suffered ourselves to be led in silence from the dining-room. Outside, father said, still with the look of Mrs. Handsomebody in his eye: "I have to make a call on a lady in Argyle Road, my godmother. Do you feel prepared to come, and be good boys, or shall I send you back to your governess?" "Argyle Road!" exclaimed Angel.
Handsomebody should observe my swollen nose, for the big boy's fist had somewhat enlarged that unobtrusive feature. "Jist say ye've a bit of feverish cold if she remarks it," she cautioned, "people often swells up wid colds." We ate our bread and strawberry jam and milk from one end of the dining table. We heaped the bread with sugar, and stirred the jam into our milk.
Handsomebody, triumphantly, "you have made yourselves liable to a heavy fine, or even imprisonment, by detaining what is, I presume, a very valuable beast. Argyle Road a very good locality is not too great a distance for you to walk. In the morning, we shall return that dog and her er young, and I see nothing amiss in your accepting a suitable reward. Not a word now! No insubordination, mind.
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