United States or Monaco ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"I have his majesty's order to invite your Excellency to dinner to-morrow," said the grand Mareschal coming up at this instant. I bowed my acknowledgments, and turned again to Lord Callonby, whose surprise now seemed to have reached the climax. "Why Lorrequer, I never heard of this? when did you adopt this new career?"
"Mille pardons, Jane, but his Excellency must take another occasion to explain the quadruple alliance, for mamma has been waiting in the carriage these ten minutes." I followed them to the door, placed them in the carriage, and was turning again towards the house, when Lady Callonby said "Oh, Mr. Lorrequer, we count upon you you must not desert us." I muttered something about not feeling well.
After breakfast Lord Callonby consigned me to the guidance of his son, and we sallied forth to deal destruction amongst the pheasants, with which the preserves were stocked; and here I may observe, 'en passant', that with the single exception of fox-hunting, which was ever a passion with me, I never could understand that inveterate pursuit of game to which some men devote themselves thus, grouse-shooting, and its attendant pleasures, of stumping over a boggy mountain from day-light till dark, never had much attraction for me; and, as to the delights of widgeon and wild-duck shooting, when purchased by sitting up all night in a barrel, with your eye to the bung, I'll none of it no, no!
The suddenness of this rash declaration absolutely stunned them both, and then recovering at the same moment, their eyes met. "Fairly caught, Guy" said Lord Callonby, "a bold stroke if it only succeeds." "And it shall, by G ," said my uncle, "Elton is yours, Harry, and with seven thousand a year, and my nephew to boot, Callonby won't refuse you."
I at once promised my assistance, saying, at the same time, that if Kilkee really was strongly attached, and had also reason to suppose that the Lady liked him, it was not exactly fair; that in short, if the matter had gone beyond flirtation, any interference of mine would be imprudent, if not impertinent. Lord Callonby smiled slightly as he replied,
Expressing my deep sense of the Christian-like forbearance of the party, I pleaded fatigue, and bidding him good night, adjourned to my bed-room; and here, although the arrangements fell somewhat short of the luxurious ones appertaining to my late apartment at Callonby, they were most grateful at the moment; and having "addressed myself to slumber," fell fast asleep, and only awoke late on the following morning to wonder where I was: from any doubts as to which I was speedily relieved by the entrance of the priest's bare-footed "colleen," to deposit on my table a bottle of soda water, and announce breakfast, with his reverence's compliments.
My old and worthy friend, Lord Callonby, who passed through here yesterday, has so warmly interested himself in your behalf, that I feel disposed to do all in my power to serve you; independently of my desire to do so on your own account. Come over here, then, as soon as possible, and let us talk over your plans together. "Believe me, most truly yours, "Henry Carden. "Barracks, 10 o'clock."
After some commonplaces about the roads, the weather, and the season, his majesty said, "My Lord Callonby has been residing some time here. You know him?" And then, not waiting for a reply, added, "Pleasant person well informed like him much, and his daughters, too, how handsome they are." Here I blushed, and felt most awkwardly, while the king continued.
Just as I had got so far, I caught Lady Jane's eye, for the first time since we had left the drawing-room. What I read there, I could not, for the life of me, say; but, instead of finishing my sentence, I got into the carriage, and drove off, very much to the surprise of Lady Callonby, who, never having studied magnetism, knew very little the cause of my sudden recovery.
"Sprained my wrist," said Loman, to whom, alas! so easy is the downward path when once entered on a lie had become an easy thing to utter. "How did you manage that?" exclaimed Callonby. "Mind you get it right by to-morrow, or we shall be in a fix." This little piece of flattery pleased Loman, who said, "I'm afraid I shan't be able to play." "What!
Word Of The Day