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ON HIS WAY THROUGH THE WORLD 541
he can't write about French society. All these propositions are
clear enough. Thank you. Dry champagne, if you please. He is
enormously overrated, I tell you ; and so is his wife. They used
to put her forward as a beauty : and she is only a dowdy woman
out of a nursery. She has no style about her."
" She is only one of the best women in the world," Mr. Firmin
called out, turning very red ; and hereupon entered into a defence of
our characters, and pronounced a eulogium upon both and each of us,
in which I hope there was some little truth. However, he spoke
with great enthusiasm, and Mr. Trail found himself in a minority.
"You are right to stand up for your friends, Firmin!" cried
the host. " Let me introduce you to _________ "
"Let me introduce myself," said the gentleman on the other
side of Mr. Trail. " Mr. Firmin, you and I are kinsmen,—I am
Sir John Ringwood." And Sir John reached a hand to Philip
across Trail's chair. They talked a great deal together in the
course of the evening : and when Mr. Trail found that the great
county gentleman was friendly and familiar with Philip, and claimed
a relationship with him, his manner towards Firmin altered. He
pronounced afterwards a warm eulogy upon Sir John for his frankness
and good-nature in recognising his unfortunate relative, and
charitably said, " Philip might not be like the Doctor, and could
not help having a rogue for a father." In former days, Trail had
eaten and drunken freely at that rogue's table. But we must have
truth, you know, before all things : and if your own brother has committed
a sin, common justice requires that you should stone him.
In former days, and not long after Lord Ringwood's death,
Philip had left his card at this kinsman's door, and Sir John's
butler, driving in his master's brougham, had left a card upon
Philip, who was not over well pleased by this acknowledgment of
his civility, and, in fact, employed abusive epithets when he spoke
of the transaction. But when the two gentlemen actually met,
their intercourse was kindly and pleasant enough. Sir John listened
to his relative's talk—and, it appears, Philip comported himself
with his usual free and easy manner—with interest and curiosity ;
and owned afterwards that evil tongues had previously been busy
with the young man's character, and that slander and untruth had
been spoken regarding him. In this respect, if Philip is worse off
than his neighbours, I can only say his neighbours are fortunate.
Two days after the meeting of the cousins, the tranquillity of
Thornhaugh Street was disturbed by the appearance of a magnificent
yellow chariot, with crests, hammercloths, a bewigged coachman,
and a powdered footman. Betsy, the nurse, who was going to
take baby out for a walk, encountered this giant on the threshold