登陆注册
5197700000018

第18章

A footman, in a handsome livery, came forwards and respectfully touched his hat."The carriage is here, my Lady," he said, taking from her the wraps and small articles she was carrying: and Lady Muriel, after shaking hands and bidding me "Good-night!" with a pleasant smile, followed him.

It was with a somewhat blank and lonely feeling that I betook myself to the van from which the luggage was being taken out: and, after giving directions to have my boxes sent after me, I made my way on foot to Arthur's lodgings, and soon lost my lonely feeling in the hearty welcome my old friend gave me, and the cozy warmth and cheerful light of the little sitting-room into which he led me.

"Little, as you see, but quite enough for us two.Now, take the easy-chair, old fellow, and let's have another look at you! Well, you do look a bit pulled down!" and he put on a solemn professional air.

"I prescribe Ozone, quant.suff.Social dissipation, fiant pilulae quam plurimae: to be taken, feasting, three times a day!""But, Doctor!" I remonstrated."Society doesn't 'receive' three times a day!""That's all you know about it!" the young Doctor gaily replied.

"At home, lawn-tennis, 3 P.M.At home, kettledrum, 5 P.M.

At home, music (Elveston doesn't give dinners), 8 P.M.Carriages at 10.

There you are!"

It sounded very pleasant, I was obliged to admit."And I know some of the lady-society already," I added."One of them came in the same carriage with me""What was she like? Then perhaps I can identify her.""The name was Lady Muriel Orme.As to what she was like--well, Ithought her very beautiful.Do you know her?""Yes--I do know her." And the grave Doctor coloured slightly as he added "Yes, I agree with you.She is beautiful.""I quite lost my heart to her!" I went on mischievously."We talked--""Have some supper!" Arthur interrupted with an air of relief, as the maid entered with the tray.And he steadily resisted all my attempts to return to the subject of Lady Muriel until the evening had almost worn itself away.Then, as we sat gazing into the fire, and conversation was lapsing into silence, he made a hurried confession.

"I hadn't meant to tell you anything about her," he said (naming no names, as if there were only one 'she' in the world!) "till you had seen more of her, and formed your own judgment of her: but somehow you surprised it out of me.And I've not breathed a word of it to any one else.But I can trust you with a secret, old friend! Yes! It's true of me, what I suppose you said in jest.

"In the merest jest, believe me!" I said earnestly."Why, man, I'm three times her age! But if she's your choice, then I'm sure she's all that is good and--""--and sweet," Arthur went on, "and pure, and self-denying, and true-hearted, and--" he broke off hastily, as if he could not trust himself to say more on a subject so sacred and so precious.

Silence followed: and I leaned back drowsily in my easy-chair, filled with bright and beautiful imaginings of Arthur and his lady-love, and of all the peace and happiness in store for them.

I pictured them to myself walking together, lingeringly and lovingly, under arching trees, in a sweet garden of their own, and welcomed back by their faithful gardener, on their return from some brief excursion.

It seemed natural enough that the gardener should be filled with exuberant delight at the return of so gracious a master and mistress and how strangely childlike they looked! I could have taken them for Sylvie and Bruno less natural that he should show it by such wild dances, such crazy songs!

"He thought he saw a Rattlesnake That questioned him in Greek:

He looked again, and found it was The Middle of Next Week.

'The one thing I regret,' he said, 'Is that it cannot speak!"--least natural of all that the Vice-Warden and 'my Lady' should be standing close beside me, discussing an open letter, which had just been handed to him by the Professor, who stood, meekly waiting, a few yards off.

"If it were not for those two brats," I heard him mutter, glancing savagely at Sylvie and Bruno, who were courteously listening to the Gardener's song, "there would be no difficulty whatever.""Let's hear that bit of the letter again," said my Lady.

And the Vice-Warden read aloud:-

"--and we therefore entreat you graciously to accept the Kingship, to which you have been unanimously elected by the Council of Elfland:

and that you will allow your son Bruno of whose goodness, cleverness, and beauty, reports have reached us--to be regarded as Heir-Apparent.""But what's the difficulty?" said my Lady.

"Why, don't you see? The Ambassador, that brought this, is waiting in the house: and he's sure to see Sylvie and Bruno: and then, when he sees Uggug, and remembers all that about 'goodness, cleverness, and beauty,' why, he's sure to--""And where will you find a better boy than Uggug?" my Lady indignantly interrupted."Or a wittier, or a lovelier?"To all of which the Vice-Warden simply replied "Don't you be a great blethering goose! Our only chance is to keep those two brats out of sight.If you can manage that, you may leave the rest to me.

I'll make him believe Uggug to be a model of cleverness and all that.""We must change his name to Bruno, of course?" said my Lady.

The Vice-Warden rubbed his chin."Humph! No!" he said musingly.

"Wouldn't do.The boy's such an utter idiot, he'd never learn to answer to it.""Idiot, indeed!" cried my Lady."He's no more an idiot than I am!""You're right, my dear," the Vice-Warden soothingly I replied.

"He isn't, indeed!"

My Lady was appeased."Let's go in and receive the Ambassador,"she said, and beckoned to the Professor."Which room is he waiting in?"she inquired.

"In the Library, Madam."

"And what did you say his name was?" said the Vice-Warden.

The Professor referred to a card he held in his hand.

"His Adiposity the Baron Doppelgeist."

"Why does he come with such a funny name?" said my Lady.

"He couldn't well change it on the journey," the Professor meekly replied, "because of the luggage.""You go and receive him," my Lady said to the Vice-Warden, "and I'll attend to the children."

同类推荐
  • 太上大道三元品诫谢罪上法

    太上大道三元品诫谢罪上法

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 船山思问录

    船山思问录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 华严经文义纲目

    华严经文义纲目

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 法法

    法法

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说须摩提经

    佛说须摩提经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 中苏外交档案解密

    中苏外交档案解密

    纪录片《中苏外交档案解密》在上海电视台播出后,受到观众和社会各界的极大关注,中苏关系对中国当代历史的影响非常重要,本书的出版,迎合了广大读者的阅读需求,并被多家媒体关注。原中共中央党史研究室副主任章百家、华东师范大学国际冷战史研究中心主任沈志华等专家也为此书写了推荐。”
  • 最强兵王

    最强兵王

    【特种兵第一神书】最强兵王,虎视群雄,为国而战,为民出鞘,只有站死,绝不跪生,无怨无悔!这是一本男人的书!这是一部热血的故事!
  • 夜访吸血鬼

    夜访吸血鬼

    故事要从一位如同西方亚瑟王一样伟大的国王说起,他的名字叫做威克拉姆。他曾对一位名叫乔治的魔法师说过,他能将挂在树上的贝塔尔(吸血鬼的一种)带到他的面前。让人惊讶的是,国王威克拉姆和他的儿子果真将吸血鬼带来了,这让魔法师乔治不能不对国王另眼相看......
  • 丝绸之路(下册)

    丝绸之路(下册)

    丝绸之路,对每个中国人而言,这是一个既熟悉又陌生的名词。1877年德国地理学家李希霍芬在他所写的《中国》一书中,首次把汉代中国和中亚南部、西部以及印度之间的丝绸贸易为主的交通路线,称做“丝绸之路”。于是,历史上第一次,这条横亘于欧亚之间,绵延数千里,历时2000年的贸易通道有了一个充满浪漫与梦幻的名称:丝绸之路。《丝绸之路》全书共有190万字,分上、中、下三册。全书紧紧围绕大唐、吐蕃、大食三大军事强国在丝绸之路展开的画卷,全面展示丝绸之路上东西方经济文化的交流故事。
  • 无常三启经

    无常三启经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 问题男人

    问题男人

    冯佩玉不愿在两个爱他的男孩之间徘徊,她必须做出选择冯佩玉长得身材苗条,面容白净,气质不凡。她不仅是城建局长冯锦平的掌上明珠,而且未婚夫的老爷子洪跃刚荣升了市委副书记。正在这繁花着锦的时刻,冯佩玉一句话,打破了两家的平静。那天傍晚,一家四口围坐在椭圆形雕花红木餐桌旁。满满一桌丰盛的晚餐,勾起了大伙的食欲,一家人纷纷拿起筷子准备进餐。此时,冯佩玉突然站起来,
  • 实用党务文书写作大全

    实用党务文书写作大全

    行政公文概述行政公文,通常称为公务文书,简称公文,是行政机关在行政管理过程中所形成的具有法定效力和规范体式的公务文书。本书详细介绍了行政公文的种类及写作方法。
  • 凝望

    凝望

    杨春雪只是深深地点了点头,用来表示她的感激,她深情的目光始终凝视着一个方向。在她的前方山林叠嶂,渺渺茫茫,她保持着一种憧憬状态,岿然于景致之间,独钟在历史的风景之中。她突然偏了一下头,似乎聆听到了一种声音,对我说:“你听……”我侧耳去倾听,只是听到了各种山鸟的啁啾声,小溪的汩汩声,再就风的声音,并没有感到有什么特别的声音。我想告诉自己感受到的这一切,我扭过脸,依然看到她还是那副专注的神情,我不忍心打搅她的宁静,只是默默地注视着她。过了很长一段时间,她才不好意思地对我笑了,不好意思地说:“我还以为我听到了汽车的声音呢,其实什么也没有的。老了,老了。”随即,她又对我笑笑,还有些难为情地说:“你说,他们会来接我吗?”
  • 管理有道 领导无形大全集(超值金版)

    管理有道 领导无形大全集(超值金版)

    为什么领导已经事无巨细,事必躬亲,而企业的发展还是缓慢?为什么下属只想被动地完成任务而不是主动地拿到成果?为什么你的激励措施有很多,可下属就是不买账?如何避免以上问题,让企业快速拿到成果,是每个企业领导人必须要考虑的问题。如何解决上述问题?绝对有效的解决之道——研读本书,您将知晓其中的一切!
  • 武临天下

    武临天下

    一个被捡来的孤儿在他十八岁那年发生了翻天覆地的变化,绝世的机缘让他不费吹灰之力就拥有了人们羡慕的一切,可在这背后却隐藏着一个隐秘的故事,在这个故事中有无上的绝学,无比的财富和数不清又错综复杂的各种关系;任何的谜团都会在他的面前不自觉的解开,但在这背后是更深的谜团!爱恨情仇的交织,得失取舍抉择,怀璧其罪的他将怎样解开最终的秘密武临天下……