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ON HIS WAY THROUGH THE WORLD 421
have no doubt, were made by Mrs. Colonel Bunch to her husband,
regarding her poor friend Mrs. General Baynes.
During this parenthesis we have left the General dipping his
nose in the brandy-and-water. He can't keep it there for ever.
He must come up for air presently. His face must come out of
the drink, and sigh over the table.
"What's this business, Baynes?" says the Colonel. "What's
the matter with poor Charly ?"
" Family affairs—differences will happen," says the General.
"I do hope and trust nothing has gone wrong with her and
young Firmin, Baynes ?"
The General does not like those fixed eyes staring at him under
those bushy eyebrows, between those bushy blackened whiskers.
"Well, then, yes, Bunch, something has gone wrong; and
given me and—and Mrs. Baynes—a deuced deal of pain, too.
The young fellow has acted like a blackguard, brawling and fighting
at an ambassador's ball, bringing us all to ridicule. He's not
a gentleman ; that's the long and short of it, Bunch ; anud so let's
change the subject."
" Why, consider the provocation he had !" cries the other, disregarding
entirely his friend's prayer. " I heard them talking about
the business at Galignani's this very day. A fellow swears at
Firmin; runs at him; brags that he has pitched him over; and
is knocked down for his pains. By George ! I think Firmin was
quite right. Were any man to do as much to me or you, what
should we do, even at our age ?"
" We are military men. I said I didn't wish to talk about the
subject, Bunch," says the General in rather a lofty manner.
" You mean that Tom Bunch has no need to put his oar in ?"
" Precisely so," says the other curtly.
" Mum's the word ! Let us talk about the dukes and duchesses
at the ball. That's more in your line, now," says the Colonel, with
rather a sneer.
" What do you mean by duchesses and dukes ? What do you
know about them, or what the deuce do I care ?" asks the General.
"Oh, they are tabooed too! Hang it, there's no satisfying
you," growls the Colonel.
" Look here, Bunch," the General broke out ; " I must speak,
since you won't leave me alone. I am unhappy. You can see
that well enough. For two or three nights past I have had no
rest. This engagement of my child and Mr. Firmin can't come
to any good. You see what he is—an overbearing, ill-conditioned,
quarrelsome fellow. What chance has Charly of being happy
with such a fellow ?"