第22章

Inaword，hewentoutandateicesatapastry-cook’sshopinCharingCross；triedanewcoatinPallMall；

droppedinattheOldSlaughters’，andcalledforCaptainCannon；playedelevengamesatbilliardswiththeCaptain，ofwhichhewoneight，andreturnedtoRussellSquarehalfanhourlatefordinner，butinverygoodhumour。

ItwasnotsowitholdMr。Osborne。WhenthatgentlemancamefromtheCity，andwaswelcomedinthedrawing-roombyhisdaughtersandtheelegantMissWirt，theysawatoncebyhisface——whichwaspuffy，solemn，andyellowatthebestoftimes——andbythescowlandtwitchingofhisblackeyebrows，thattheheartwithinhislargewhitewaistcoatwasdisturbedanduneasy。WhenAmeliasteppedforwardtosalutehim，whichshealwaysdidwithgreattremblingandtimidity，hegaveasurlygruntofrecognition，anddroppedthelittlehandoutofhisgreathirsutepawwithoutanyattempttoholditthere。Helookedroundgloomilyathiseldestdaughter；

who，comprehendingthemeaningofhislook，whichaskedunmistakably，“Whythedevilisshehere？”saidatonce：

“Georgeisintown，Papa；andhasgonetotheHorseGuards，andwillbebacktodinner。”

“Oheis，ishe？Iwon’thavethedinnerkeptwaitingforhim，Jane“；withwhichthisworthymanlapsedintohisparticularchair，andthentheuttersilenceinhisgenteel，well-furnisheddrawing-roomwasonlyinterruptedbythealarmedtickingofthegreatFrenchclock。

Whenthatchronometer，whichwassurmountedbyacheerfulbrassgroupofthesacrificeofIphigenia，tolledfiveinaheavycathedraltone，Mr。Osbornepulledthebellathisrighthand-violently，andthebutlerrushedup。

“Dinner！”roaredMr。Osborne。

“Mr。Georgeisn’tcomein，sir。”interposedtheman。

“DamnMr。George，sir。AmImasterofthehouse？

DINNER！~Mr。Osbornescowled。Ameliatrembled。A

telegraphiccommunicationofeyespassedbetweentheotherthreeladies。Theobedientbellinthelowerregionsbeganringingtheannouncementofthemeal。Thetollingover，theheadofthefamilythrusthishandsintothegreattail-pocketsofhisgreatbluecoatwithbrassbuttons，andwithoutwaitingforafurtherannouncementstrodedownstairsalone，scowlingoverhisshoulderatthefourfemales。

“What’sthematternow，mydear？”askedoneoftheother，astheyroseandtrippedgingerlybehindthesire。

“Isupposethefundsarefalling。”whisperedMissWirt；

andso，tremblingandinsilence，thishushedfemalecompanyfollowedtheirdarkleader。Theytooktheirplacesinsilence。Hegrowledoutablessing，whichsoundedasgrufflyasacurse。Thegreatsilverdish-coverswereremoved。Ameliatrembledinherplace，forshewasnexttotheawfulOsborne，andaloneonhersideofthetable——thegapbeingoccasionedbytheabsenceofGeorge。

“Soup？”saysMr。Osborne，clutchingtheladle，fixinghiseyesonher，inasepulchraltone；andhavinghelpedherandtherest，didnotspeakforawhile。

“TakeMissSedley’splateaway。”atlasthesaid。”Shecan’teatthesoup——nomorecanI。It’sbeastly。Takeawaythesoup，Hicks，andto-morrowturnthecookoutofthehouse，Jane。”

Havingconcludedhisobservationsuponthesoup，Mr。

Osbornemadeafewcurtremarksrespectingthefish，alsoofasavageandsatiricaltendency，andcursedBillingsgatewithanemphasisquiteworthyoftheplace。

Thenhelapsedintosilence，andswallowedsundryglassesofwine，lookingmoreandmoreterrible，tillabriskknockatthedoortoldofGeorge’sarrivalwheneverybodybegantorally。

“Hecouldnotcomebefore。GeneralDaguilethadkepthimwaitingattheHorseGuards。Nevermindsouporfish。Givehimanything——hedidn’tcarewhat。Capitalmutton——capitaleverything。”Hisgoodhumourcontrastedwithhisfather’sseverity；andherattledonunceasinglyduringdinner，tothedelightofall——ofoneespecially，whoneednotbementioned。

AssoonastheyoungladieshaddiscussedtheorangeandtheglassofwinewhichformedtheordinaryconclusionofthedismalbanquetsatMr。Osborne’shouse，thesignaltomakesailforthedrawing-roomwasgiven，andtheyallaroseanddeparted。AmeliahopedGeorgewouldsoon