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"I will serve my guv'nor for nothing," he decided. "When a man is avenged, he's well paid." Chupin decided upon this course because he could think of no better plan. Still, if he had been master of events he would have acted otherwise. He would have quietly presented the government with this inheritance which he found M. Wilkie so unworthy of.
"Excuse me, Cousin Sam," said Kate, in a laughter-wearied tone, "I could not help it; turkeys and sentimentality do not agree always!" adding the last word maliciously, as I sprang out to open the farm-house gate, and disclosed Melindy, framed in the buttery window, skimming milk; a picture worthy of Wilkie. I delivered over my captives to Joe, and stalked into the kitchen to give Mrs.
Copeland, in fact, was making paper fans out of the official note-paper in front of him. "What's the matter with Washington and Wilkie?" inquired Blake, attentively regarding his cigar. "They 're just where we are at a standstill," acknowledged the Commissioner. "And that's where we 'll stay!" heavily contended the Second Deputy. The entire situation was an insidiously flattering one to Blake.
M. Wilkie had been compelled to attend to Pompier de Nanterre, that famous steeplechaser, of which he owned one-third part, and he had, moreover, to give orders to the jockey, whose lord and master he was to an equal extent. These were sacred duties, since Wilkie's share in a race-horse constituted his only claim to a footing in fashionable society.
Sir Moses promised him to speak on the subject to Rechid Pasha before leaving Constantinople. The following is the account, as given in Sir Moses' diary, of his audience with the Sultan: "Wednesday, October 28th. Sir David Wilkie, Mr Pisani, and George Samuel dined with us, and at seven afterwards we set out.
"My son! my son!" she repeated; "to have you with me again, after all these years!" Unfortunately, no whirlwind of passion was capable of carrying M. Wilkie beyond himself. His emotion was now spent and his mind had regained its usual indifference. He flattered himself that he was a man of mettle and he remained as cold as ice beneath his mother's kisses.
So he did warn him; and Wilkie was instructed exactly what to do and say, how to answer any questions, and what position to take up according to circumstances. Moreover, he was especially enjoined to distrust tears, and not to let himself be put out of countenance by haughty airs.
Madame d'Argeles did not even hear him. "Perhaps destiny is weary of afflicting us," she continued; "perhaps a new life is about to begin. Through you, Wilkie. I can again be happy. I, who for years have lived without even hope. But will you have courage to forget?" "What?" She hung her head, and in an almost inaudible voice replied, "The past, Wilkie."
Sir David Wilkie, who was present at the coronation, wrote simply, "The Queen looked most interesting, calm, and unexcited; and as she sat upon the chair with the crown on, the sun shone from one of the windows bright upon her." Leslie, another painter who witnessed the scene, remarked, "I was very near the altar, and the chair on which the Queen was crowned, when she signed the coronation oath.
Thus they were rescued, put on board the large boat, and carried on shore; but no sooner did the keel grate on the sand, than Wilkie, who had never spoken a word, and who appeared half stupefied, bounded on shore and ran off at full speed. It is a curious fact, which no one has ever been able to account for, that this man was never more heard of!
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