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She hunted for her handkerchief and wiped her eyes, and then at last she spoke: "I am engaged to be married," she said in a low voice, "I am engaged to Mr. Cossey." Then, for about the first time in his life, Harold Quaritch swore violently in the presence of a lady. "Oh, damn it all!" he said.
Harold Quaritch watched him go and then stalked off home, reflecting, not without sadness, upon the drama which was opening up before him, that most common of dramas in these days of depression, the break up of an ancient family through causes beyond control.
Of course you can write what you like to Colonel Quaritch, and I shall write to him, too." Her father made no answer beyond sitting down at his table and grabbing viciously at a pen. So she left the room, indignant, indeed, but with as heavy a heart as any woman could carry in her breast.
There are pages on pages of titles of works any one of which would be a snug little property if turned into money at its catalogue price. Why will not our multimillionaires look over this catalogue of Mr. Quaritch, and detain some of its treasures on this side of the Atlantic for some of our public libraries?
"I bet you a pair of gloves that Colonel Quaritch will shoot more driven partridges than you do." "Done," said Edward Cossey sharply. "Now, do you hear that, Colonel Quaritch?" went on Ida. "I have bet Mr. Cossey a pair of gloves that you will kill more partridges this afternoon than he will, so I hope you won't make me lose them." "Goodness gracious," said the Colonel, in much alarm.
"Colonel Quaritch and I are attached to each other, and we hope one day to be married." "Confound that Quaritch," growled the Squire beneath his breath. Edward winced visibly at this outspoken statement. "Ida," he said, "I make one last appeal to you.
If you become thoroughly conversant with priced catalogues, you will make fewer mistakes than most private buyers. Not only catalogues of notable collections, with the prices obtained at auction, but the large and very copious catalogues of such London book-dealers as Quaritch and Sotheran, are accessible in the great city libraries.
"It's a diary," said I, "written in Spanish, or to be more accurate, Catalan; and," I added rather maliciously, "I'm afraid you won't get much of a fortune out of Quaritch for it, as there seems to be nothing here except the merest tittle-tattle." His face lengthened for a moment at the idea, but the old cocksure manner came back again, and he pooh-poohed my valuation with lofty superiority.
Besides, if Ida's society had charms for Colonel Quaritch, his society had almost if not quite as much charm for her. It may be remembered that on the night when they first met she had spoken to herself of him as the kind of man whom she would like to marry.
As soon as her father had gone, Ida rose and suggested that if Colonel Quaritch had done his wine they should go into the drawing-room, which they accordingly did. This room was much more modern than either the vestibule or the dining-room, and had an air and flavour of nineteenth century young lady about it.
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