14.07.2013 Views

212520_The_Adve ... _Way_Through_The_World.pdf - OUDL Home

212520_The_Adve ... _Way_Through_The_World.pdf - OUDL Home

212520_The_Adve ... _Way_Through_The_World.pdf - OUDL Home

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

426 THE ADVENTURES OF PHILIP<br />

"What's in the wind now, Baynes?" asks the Major, after a<br />

little drink and a long silence. " How is poor little Char ?"<br />

" Infernally ill—I mean behaved infernally ill," says the General,<br />

biting his lips.<br />

" Bad business ! Bad business! Poor little child!" cries the<br />

Major.<br />

"Insubordinate little devil!" says the pale General, grinding<br />

his teeth. " We'll see which shall be master!"<br />

" What ! you have had words ?"<br />

"At this table, this very day. She sat here and defied her<br />

mother and me, by George! and flung out of the room like a<br />

tragedy queen. She must be tamed, Mac, or my name's not<br />

Baynes."<br />

MacWhirter knew his relative of old, and that this quiet submissive<br />

man, when angry, worked up to a white heat as it were.<br />

"Sad affair; hope you'll both come round, Baynes," sighs the<br />

Major, trying bootless commonplaces ; and seeing this last remark<br />

had no effect, he bethought him of recurring to their mutual friend.<br />

" How's Tom Bunch ?" the Major asked cheerily.<br />

At this question Baynes grinned in such a ghastly way that<br />

MacWhirter eyed him with wonder. "Colonel Bunch is very<br />

well," the General said, in a dismal voice; "at least, he was halfan-hour<br />

ago. He was sitting there;" and he pointed to an empty<br />

spoon lying in an empty beaker, whence the spirit and water had<br />

departed.<br />

" What has been the matter, Baynes ?" asked the Major. " Has<br />

anything happened between you and Tom ?"<br />

" I mean that, half-an-hour ago, Colonel Bunch used words to<br />

me which I'll bear from no man alive; and you have arrived just<br />

in the nick of time, MacWhirter, to take my message to him.<br />

Hush ! here's the drink."<br />

"Voici, messieurs!" Auguste at length has brought up a<br />

second supply of brandy-and-water. <strong>The</strong> veterans mingled their<br />

jorums; and whilst his brother-in-law spoke, the alarmed Mac­<br />

Whirter sipped occasionally intentusque ora tenebat.

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!