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Rapkin had wooed and married her when they were both in service, and he still took occasional jobs as an outdoor butler, though Horace suspected that his more staple form of industry was the consumption of gin-and-water and remarkably full-flavoured cigars in the basement parlour. "Shall you be dining in this evening, sir?" inquired Mrs. Rapkin. "I don't know.
"I won't deny, sir, that Rapkin mayn't have been quite hisself, as a very little upsets him after he's spent an afternoon studying the papers and what-not at the libery. But I see the niggers too, Mr. Ventimore, and no one can say I ever take more than is good for me." "I don't suggest that for a moment, Mrs.
As he spoke, the night wind bore across the square the sound of Big Ben striking the quarters in Westminster Clock Tower, and then, after a pause, the solemn boom that announced the first of the small hours. "To-morrow," thought Ventimore, "I'll speak to Mrs. Rapkin, and get her to send for a doctor and have him put under proper care the poor old boy really isn't fit to go about alone!"
Where were these waiters Rapkin had spoken of? Ought he to go and bring in his visitors himself?
Rapkin; but his wife expressed such confidence in her husband's proving equal to all emergencies, that Ventimore waived the point, and left it to her to hire extra help if she thought fit. "Now, what soup can you give us?" he inquired, as Mrs. Rapkin stood at attention and quite unmollified.
Rapkin, in some bewilderment; and then, remembering that he was given to untimely flippancy, she gave a tolerant little cough. "I'll be shot if they aren't camels!" said Horace. "What do you make of 'em, Mrs. Rapkin?" Out of the faint mist which hung over the farther end of the square advanced a procession of tall, dust-coloured animals, with long, delicately poised necks and a mincing gait.
"I shouldn't wonder if you were right, Mrs. Rapkin," said Horace blandly; "you see, you had been exerting yourself over the cooking, and no doubt were in an over-excited state, and, as you say, those camels had taken hold of your imagination until you were ready to see anything that Rapkin saw, and he was ready to see anything you did. It's not at all uncommon.
If I have to put everything back in its former state, I will, at my own expense. So don't bother any more about that." "You're a gen'l'man, Mr. Ventimore," said Rapkin, cautiously regaining his feet. "There's no mishtaking a gen'l'man. I'm a gen'l'man." "Of course you are," said Horace genially, "and I'll tell you how you're going to show it.
Rapkin's studies had been lightened by copious refreshment "pull yourself together, man, and listen to me." "I respeckfully decline to pull myshelf togerrer f'r anybody livin'," said Mr. Rapkin, with a noble air. "I shtan' 'ere upon my dignity as a man, sir. I shay, I shtand 'ere upon " Here he waved his hand, and sat down suddenly upon the marble floor.
"There was a vawse come late last night, sir; I don't know if it's that, it's old-fashioned enough." "Then will you bring it up at once, please? I want to see it." Mrs. Rapkin retired, to reappear presently with the brass bottle.
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