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544 THE ADVENTURES OF PHILIP
As the republican was talking to his relative, a servant came
into the room and whispered to his master that the plumber had
come with his bill as by appointment ; upon which Sir John rose
up in a fury, asked the servant how he dared to disturb him, and
bade him tell the plumber to go to the lowest depths of Tartarus.
Nothing could equal the insolence and rapacity of tradesmen, he
said, except the insolence and idleness of servants ; and he called
this one back, and asked him how he dared to leave the fire in
that state?—stormed and raged at him with a volubility which
astonished his new acquaintance ; and, the man being gone, resumed
his previous subject of conversation, viz., natural equality and the
outrageous injustice of the present social system. After talking
for half-an-hour, during which Philip found that he himself could
hardly find an opportunity of uttering a word, Sir John took out
his watch, and got up from his chair; at which hint Philip too
rose, not sorry to bring the interview to an end. And herewith
Sir John accompanied his kinsman into the hall, and to the streetdoor,
before which the Baronet's groom was riding, leading his
master's horse. And Philip heard the Baronet using violent
language to the groom, as he had done to the servant within doors.
Why, the army in Flanders did not swear more terribly than this
admirer of republican institutions and advocate of the rights of
man.
Philip was not allowed to go away without appointing a day
when he and his wife would partake of their kinsman's hospitality.
On this occasion, Mrs. Philip comported herself with so much grace
and simplicity, that Sir John and Lady Ringwood pronounced her
to be a very pleasing and ladylike person ; and I daresay wondered
how a person in her rank of life could have acquired manners that
were so refined and agreeable. Lady Ringwood asked after the
child which she had seen, praised its beauty; of course, won the
mother's heart, and thereby caused her to speak with perhaps more
freedom than she would otherwise have felt at a first interview.
Mrs. Philip has a dainty touch on the piano, and a sweet singing
voice that is charmingly true and neat. She performed after dinner
some of the songs of her little répertoire, and pleased her audience.
Lady Ringwood loved good music, and was herself a fine performer
of the ancient school, when she played Haydn and Mozart under
the tuition of good old Sir George Thrum. The tall and handsome
beneficed clergyman who acted as major-domo of Sir John's establishment,
placed a parcel in the carriage when Mr. and Mrs. Philip
took their leave, and announced with much respectful deference that
the cab was paid. Our friends no doubt would have preferred to
dispense with this ceremony ; but it is ill looking even a gift cab-