Sandra Belloni -- Volume 4

to observation and opinion, went through the ceremony of drinking to one another, upon which they nodded and chuckled: a suspicious eye had the option of divining that they used t

r. Mrs. Champ drew him back. "Nothin' but his legs, my lady," she whispered. "There's n

the bosom of either one of them that exposure was to follow this prelude. Mental resignation was not even demanded of them-merely physical. They did no

glass. 'Pon my hon'r, my lady, ye naver saw s'ch a change in a mortal bein.-Pole, didn't ye go 'ha, ha!' now, and seem to be nut-cracking with your fingers? He did; and if ye aver saw an astonished doctor! 'Why,' says I, 'doctor, ye think ut's maguc! Why, where's the secret? drink with 'm, to be sure! And

this service lightly for him, in the mid

assembly, that they had indeed been

her: Adela he arrested with a look, but she burst the restraint to fulfil a child's dut

uite well," Mr. Pole repeated.

ificant tone, from one of his daughters had instantly plunged him. Mrs. Chu

altogether, sir," Wilfrid greet

d man, returning him what

u are worth more than I reckoned." He talked evenly and simply, and appeared on the surface as composed as an

ut I was just obliged to leave her at the hotel; for Pole can't endure her. He 'bomunates the sight of

figlia," seized Wilfrid's ear. Mr. Pericles bellowed, "Allegro." Two minutes after Braintop felt a touch on his shoulder; and Wilfrid, speaking in a tone of friend to friend, begged him to go to town by the last train and remove Miss Belloni to an hotel, which he named. "Certainly,"

ll my heart," was the reply; and their glasses were filled, and they bowed, and drank. Wilfrid took his seat, drew forth his pocket-book; and while talking affabl

l! You will se

R LO

re was nothing left to discover, "But what is it you concoct down there?" "I!" cried Wilfrid, lifting his hands, and so betraying himself after the fashion of the very innocent. She despised any reading

" said Lady Charlot

dingly

ity," said she; and thought in

I must hope that you will leave this dining-hall as it

posed Laura Tinley;

champagne, which he raised to his mouth, but drank nothing of. Reflection appeared to tell him that his safety lay in drinking, and he drain

Tinley to Arabella; who replied, "I assu

ise us with cards on a

se I have in store," re

e a surprise?

ks to turn 'what it is' into 'what it is

prises sweeter; I'm weak enough to

true!" exc

hat is also true. But, remember, you do not desire the surpr

relieving Freshfield from a se

ra," Laura sm

Runningbrook's

the heads of the women, we shall come; to something," rem

cative of a companion exploration of the spiritual resources of this vintage. She no longer called for it, but lifted a majestic finger (a Siddons or tenth-Muse finger, as Freshfield named it) behind the row of heads; upon which champagne speedily bubbled in the glasses. Laughter at the performance had fairly set in. Arabella glanced nervously round for Mr. Pericles, who looked a

r slaves! will do when the electric hostess rustles. The men present were non-conductors. Arabella knew that she could carry off the women, but such a proceeding would leave her father at the mercy of the wine; and, moreover, the probability was that Mrs. Chump would remain by him, and, sole in a company of males, explode her sex with ridicule, Brookfield in the bargain. So Arabella, under a prophetic sense of evil, waited; and this came of it. Mr

p, letting her eyes roll fondl

We don't swim with corks. And my old friend, Ralph Tinley-he sells iron, and has got a mine. That's simple. But, my God, ma'am, when

eye he's got, Pole," Mrs.

a ruined dog, or a man to hol

hands. "My lady, I naver could abide the name of 't. I'm a kind heart, ye kno

r whose seizures she could never accurately account; and looking round, she perceiv

none!" (he smote the table) "none can say I haven't been a good father! I've educated my girls to marry the best the land can show. I bought a house to marry them out of; it was their own

ked the last words, that seemed

d, stomach regular. I can see, and smell, and hear. Sense of touch is rather lumpy at times, I know; but the doctor say

ye're not talkin' pos't

. C

n in that state-sound and strong as the youngest-but I mean a vexed man-worried man bothered man, he doesn't want a woman to look after him;-I mean, he does-he does! And why won't young girls-

on the table without a change of countenance

hump's lifetime, it appeared, he (Mr. Pole) had thought of Mrs. Chump with a respectful ardour; and albeit she was no longer what she was when Chump broug

undressin' of me before them all," d

Tinley, to keep alive the subject, lai

onal peril?" he i

entered the hall, supported on one side by a charming gentleman (a tenore), who shared her fame and more w

latter turned from her welcome of them. "She is exactly like Emilia-young," was uttered. The thought went with a pang through Wilfrid's breast. When the Signora was

-light he discerned Emilia. "Don't say you have seen me," were her first words. But when he gave her the letter, she drew him aside, and read it by the aid of lighted matches held in Braintop's hat drawing in her fervent breath to a "Yes! yes!" at the close, while she pressed the letter to her throat. Presently the singing began in an upper room, that had shortly before flashed with sudden light. Braintop entreated Emilia to go in, and then rejoiced that s

ing news. He was received by an outburst of

s told by Mr. Pericles to speak what he had to say: and then the guests, who had fallen slightly back, heard a c

erchief was drawn out; and he became engaged, as it were, in wiping a mo

ed down his ear for t

n inserting his thumbs into the pits of his waistcoat. "A

lked

one of those confounded humbugs who wear a mask. Ten-forty! and all for a shrug; it's not human. I tell you, he does that just out of a

ts before I can answer purely fem

a mother to his money. For the moment, he does-for the moment. W

suggested

at. He's a fool. He won't sleep to-night. He'll lie till he gets cold in the feet, and then tuck them up like a Dutch doll, and perspire cold

e little merchant sh

to lift hands to ears. The sight of them brought Mrs. Chump to

ttempting Irish-"Arrah, now! and m

"Ye're not a bit of an Irish

dance," cried

s. Chump led him upstairs, chafing one of his hands, and remarking loud

itten words for fiery nourishment to he

angrily to Braintop, as a great clapping of hands followed a divine

valry with the voice that seemed to be speaking so richly to the man she loved-set her bosom rising and falling. S

d'Itali

te, to be sure that she

peration told Emilia that she had offended taste and her father. He shouted her name, and, striding u

that she was found at last. Braintop, after a short struggle, and an effort at speech, which was loosely shaken in his mou

ongue and in Italian the pa

nt was not seen, as none of the circumstances were at all understood. Wilfrid, however, knew well who had sung those three bars, concerning which the 'Prima donna' questioned Mr. Pericles, and would not be put off by hearing that it w

rid, half bowing to th

cles introduced h

To s

was being obeyed, when

ow, raised

chanical jerk of the neck, at two or three successive faces, and calling, "Somebod

raised his voice for Martha. "Don't let that girl

ilfrid!" he shouted. To the second summons, "Sir" was rep

ng out to he

called

hell," said Mr. Pole, baf

o' that place,"

you shan't do mischief. I mean-there-stop! Don't

ations gave their wei

he had. He heard his Emilia being dragged away to misery-perhaps to be sold to shame. Maddened, he was incapable of und

I ask you whether…(there's one shot at my heart," he added in a swift undertone to one of the

o him, Wilfrid," murm

if you go…" The old man gasped at the un

cause, you wouldn't act like a d-d-I'm not angry; but it is like acting like a-Here's company, Wilfrid; come to me, my boy; do come here. You mayn't ha-

then leavi

and. In a manner that smote his heart with a spasm of gratitude, said; "Don't heed these people. He will bring on a fit if you don'

r back into the arms of Mrs. Chump, whose supplicati