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Come, let's be off, they'll be up here in a moment." But they were intercepted by Muchross and his friends in a saloon where Sally and Battlemoor were drinking with various singers, waiting their turns. "Where are you going? You aren't going off like that?" cried Muchross, catching her by her sleeve. "Yes, I am; I am going home." "Let me see you home," whispered Dicky.
"What a toff he is," thought Kitty, full of the pride of her love. Bessie, whom dear Laura had successfully chaperoned into well-kept estate, sat with Dicky on the box; Laura sat with Harding in the back seat; Muchross and Snowdown sat opposite them. The middle of the coach was taken up by what Muchross said were a couple of bar-girls and their mashers.
Her husband had left in despair, leaving Muchross to bring her home safely to Notting Hill. As the day broke even the "bluest" stories failed to raise a laugh. At last some left, then the lords left; ten minutes after Mike, Frank, Harding, and Thompson were alone. "Those infernal fellows wouldn't go, and now I'm not a bit sleepy." "I am," said Thompson. "Come on, Harding; you are going my way."
The principal contributors to the Pilgrim had been invited, and a selection had been made from the fast and fashionable gang those who could be trusted neither to become drunk or disorderly. It had been decided, but not without misgivings, to ask Muchross and Snowdown. The doors were open, servants could be seen passing with glasses and bottles.
Muchross had just entered at the head of his gang; his lieutenants, Snowdown and Dicky the driver, stood beside him. They stood under the gallery bowing to the courtesans in the boxes, and singing "Two lovely black eyes Oh! what a surprise, Two lovely black eyes." "I wish we could avoid those fellows," said Kitty; "they'll only bother me with questions.
Milly, poor little woman, had stuck to him almost to the last. He had had his last drink there. Muchross and Dicky had carried him out." The day was filled with fair remembrances of summer, and the earth was golden and red; and the sky was folded in lawny clouds, which the breeze was lifting, revealing beautiful spaces of blue.
Mike asked Lady Helen to come into the dancing-room, but she did not appear to hear, and her laughter encouraged Muchross to further excesses. The riot had reached its height and dancers were beginning to come from the drawing-room to ask what it was all about. "All about!" shouted Muchross; "I don't care any more about nymphs I only care about getting drunk and singing. 'What cheer, 'Ria!"
The conversation fell in silence, full of consternation; and all wondered if the two ladies in front had understood, and they were really bar-maids. Be this as it may, they maintained their unalterable reserve; and with suppressed laughter, Mike persuaded Dicky, who had resumed the ribbons, to turn into the lodge-gates. "Who is this Johnny?" shouted Muchross.
Pass on the hat quick; quick, you devil, pass it on. What have you got, Kitty?" "Just like my luck," cried Muchross; "I've got eight." "And I've seven," said Snowdown; "never have I won yet. In the autumn I get sevens and eights, in the summer ones and twos. Damn!" "I've got five," said Kitty, "and Mike has got two; always the lucky one.
Muchross, Snowdown, Dicky the driver, and others were grouped about the end of the table, and a waiter who styled them "most amusing gentlemen," supplied fresh bottles of champagne. Muchross had made several speeches, and now jumping on a chair, he discoursed on the tapestry, drawing outrageous parallels, and talking unexpected nonsense.
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