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438 THE ADVENTURES OF PHILIP
quiet. She has had quite excitement enough for to-night. There
must be no more scenes, my young fellow."
And Philip says, when in this his agony of grief and doubt he
found a friendly hand put out to him, he himself was so exceedingly
moved that he was compelled to fly out of the company of the old
men, into the night, where the rain was pouring—the gentle rain.
While Philip, without Madame Smolensk's premises, is saying
his tenderest prayers, offering up his tears, heart-throbs, and most
passionate vows of love for little Charlotte's benefit, the warriors
assembled within once more retreat to a colloquy in the salle-amanger;
and, in consequence of the rainy state of the night, the
astonished Auguste has to bring a third supply of hot water for
the four gentlemen attending the Congress. The Colonel, the Major,
the Doctor, ranged themselves on one side the table, defended, as it
were, by a line of armed tumblers, flanked by a strong brandy
bottle and a stout earthwork, from an embrasure in which scalding
water could be discharged. Behind these fortifications the veterans
awaited their enemy, who, after marching up and down the room
for a while, takes position finally in their front and prepares to
attack. The General remounts his cheval de bataille, but cannot
bring the animal to charge as fiercely as before. Charlotte's white
apparition has come amongst them, and flung her fair arms between
the men of war. In vain Baynes tries to get up a bluster, and to
enforce his passion with by Georges, by Joves, and words naughtier
still. That weak, meek, quiet, henpecked, but most bloodthirsty
old General found himself forming his own minority, and against
him his old comrade Bunch, whom he had insulted and nose-pulled ;
his brother-in-law MacWhirter, whom he had nose-pulled and
insulted ; and the Doctor, who had been called in as the friend of
the former. As they faced him, shoulder to shoulder, each of those
three acquired fresh courage from his neighbour. Each, taking his
aim, deliberately poured his fire into Baynes. To yield to such
odds, on the other hand, was not so distasteful to the veteran, as
to have to give up his sword to any single adversary. Before he
would own himself in the wrong to any individual, he would eat
that individual's ears and nose: but to be surrounded by three
enemies, and strike your flag before such odds, was no disgrace;
and Baynes could take the circumbendibus way of apology to which
some proud spirits will submit. Thus he could say to the Doctor.
" Well, Doctor, perhaps I was hasty in accusing Bunch of employing
bad language to me. A bystander can see these things sometimes
when a principal is too angry ; and as you go against me—well—
there, then, I ask Bunch's pardon." That business over, the
MacWhirter reconciliation was very speedily brought about. " Fact