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"You are our natural ally," he protested. "We need your help now. You know very well that with a slip of the tongue I could change the whole situation." "Somehow," she said, "I do not think that you are likely to make that slip." "Why not?" he protested. "I begin to understand Mannering's firmness now.
Indeed, Mannering's whole behaviour had impressed upon him an opinion that this would be disagreeable; and such was the ascendency which the successful soldier and accomplished gentleman had attained over the young man's conduct, that in no respect would he have ventured to offend him.
And as they passed along the front of the barracks, where a few men were drilling, Chicksands, struck by his companion's silence, turned a sudden look upon him. Mannering's eyes were absently and yet intently fixed on the small squads of drilling men.
'I beg pardon, sir; if I am, as I understand, in Colonel Mannering's house, I should wish first to know if my accidental appearance here gives offence, or if I am welcome? Mannering instantly made an effort. 'Welcome? most certainly, especially if you can point out how I can serve you.
But last night I sat late in. my study, which is immediately under Miss Mannering's apartment, and to my surprise, I not only heard the flageolet distinctly, but satisfied myself that it came from the lake under the window. Curious to know who serenaded us at that unusual hour, I stole softly to the window of my apartment. But there were other watchers than me.
In less than two minutes he washed his face and hands, settled his wig in the glass, and, to Mannering's great surprise, looked quite a different man from the childish Bacchanal he had seen a moment before. 'There are folks, he said, 'Mr. Mannering, before whom one should take care how they play the fool, because they have either too much malice or too little wit, as the poet says.
We found, too, a difficulty in understanding the motives which had prompted Mannering's actions, and, though we often discussed the question, we could never of ourselves have arrived at a satisfactory solution of the problem. On this latter point I must mention the conclusion arrived at by The Speaker.
In less than two minutes he washed his face and hands, settled his wig in the glass, and, to Mannering's great surprise, looked quite a different man from the childish Bacchanal he bad seen a moment before. "There are folks," he said, "Mr. Mannering, before whom one should take care how they play the fool because they have either too much malice, or too little wit, as the poet says.
There are things in connection with it which I feel that I shall never properly be able to understand." She looked at him steadily. Her cheeks were a little whiter, but her tone was deliberate. "I do not wish to hear anything about Mr. Mannering's private life," she said. "You will understand that I am not free or disposed to listen when I tell you that I am going to marry him."
He saw, or thought he saw, in Colonel Mannering's general conduct, an approbation of his attachment to Miss Bertram.