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"My good man, don't talk rubbish!" said Horace. "I'm talking to you about what I know, and I assert that an Englishman's 'ome is his cashle, and nobody's got the right when his backsh turned to go and make a 'Ummums of it. Not nobody 'asn't!" "Make a what of it?" cried Ventimore. "A 'Ummums that's English, ain't it? A bloomin' Turkish baths!
The limit to which he was authorised to go was two pounds ten; but, so desperately anxious was Ventimore not to return empty-handed, that he had made up his mind to bid an extra sovereign if necessary, and say nothing about it.
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.
'Go to one of the leading men an R.A. and all that sort of thing, you said, 'then you'll be sure of getting your money's worth. But I said, 'No, I like to choose for myself; to ah exercise my own judgment in these matters. And there's a young fellow I have in my eye who'll beat 'em all, if he's given the chance. Didn't I, Ventimore?"
Naturally, Ventimore had not the least objection to swear to be good and true to our Sovereign Lady Queen Victoria, or to be obedient to the Lord Mayor, and warn him of any conspiracies against the Queen's peace which might chance to come under his observation; so he took the oath cheerfully enough, and hoped that this was really the end of the ceremony.
"Certainly not," said Horace, sharply, by no means anxious for the Rapkins to discover the real nature of his treasures. "Don't touch them, either of you. Leave them exactly as they are, do you understand?" "As you please, Mr. Ventimore, sir; only, if they're not to be interfered with, I don't see myself how you're going to set your friends down to dinner to-morrow, that's all."
"I'm sure, Mr. Ventimore, sir," she began, apologetically, "I don't know what you must have thought of me and Rapkin last night, leaving the house like we did!" "It was extremely inconvenient," said Horace, "and not at all what I should have expected from you. But possibly you had some reason for it?" "Why, sir," said Mrs.
Ventimore," said Rapkin, who was not far gone enough to be beyond understanding or obeying. "You leave it entirely to me. I'll unnertake that your friends shall be made comforrable, perfelly comforrable.
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.
However this may be, he has probably learnt a lesson which will render him more careful in future." On a certain evening in May Horace Ventimore dined in a private room at the Savoy, as one of the guests of Mr. Samuel Wackerbath. "Quite a small and friendly party!" said Mr. Wackerbath, looking round on his numerous sons and daughters, as he greeted Horace in the reception-room.
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