212520_The_Adve ... _Way_Through_The_World.pdf - OUDL Home

ON HIS WAY THROUGH THE WORLD 261
" What Grand Duke ?" asks the surly Lord of Ringwood.
" My earliest patron and friend—the Grand Duke of Groningen !
Seized this morning at eleven at Potzendorff ! Has sent for me.
I promised to go to him if ever he had need of me ! I must go !
I can save the night-train yet. General! our visit to the City
must be deferred till my return. Get a portmanteau, Brice; and
call a cab at once. Philip will entertain my friends for the evening.
My dear Lord, you won't mind an old doctor leaving you to attend
an old patient ? I will write from Groningen. I shall be there on
Friday morning. Farewell, gentlemen ! Brice, another bottle of
that sherry ! I pray, don't let anybody stir ! God bless you,
Philip my boy !" And with this the Doctor went up, took his
son by the hand, and laid the other very kindly on the young
man's shoulder. Then he made a bow round the table to his
guests—one of his graceful bows, for which he was famous. I
can see the sad smile on his face now, and the light from the
chandelier over the dining-table glancing from his shining forehead
and casting deep shadows on to his cheek from his heavy
brows.
The departure was a little abrupt, and of course cast somewhat
of a gloom upon the company.
" My carriage ain't ordered till ten—must go on sitting here, I
suppose. Confounded life doctor's must be ! Called up any hour
in the night ! Get their fees! Must go!" growled the great man
of the party.
"People are glad enough to have them when they are ill,
my Lord. I think I have heard that once when you were at
Ryde _________ "
The great man started back as if a little shock of cold water
had fallen on him ; and then looked at Philip with not unfriendly
glances. " Treated for gout—so he did. Very well, too ! " said
my Lord ; and whispered, not inaudibly, " Cool hand that boy !"
And then his Lordship fell to talk with General Baynes about his
campaigning, and his early acquaintance with his own brother,
Philip's grandfather.
The General did not care to brag about his own feats of arms,
but was loud in praises of his old comrade. Philip was pleased to
hear his grandsire so well spoken of. The General had known Dr.
Firmin's father also, who likewise had been a colonel in the famous
old Peninsular army. "A Tartar that fellow was, and no
mistake !" said the good officer. " Your father has a strong look
of him ; and you have a glance of him at times. But you remind
me of Philip Ringwood not a little ; and you could not belong to a
better man."