CHAPTER IV.


Have you?--poor girl, you never heard of Alice Elstree! But Frank, to be
sure, has not heard of her for a year--and you're certainly pretty, and
he's young--and has an eye for the sublime and beautiful. The betting
grows nearly even. All the skill of the gardener's wife, and as many
other women as could be pressed into the service, was put into
requisition to prepare a dinner for such unexpected guests; but as if by
some half miraculous foreknowledge of events, preparations seemed to
have been made on a great scale at Howkey; and on hearing of the
accident, the good-natured Mrs Smith had despatched a light luggage cart
filled with cold pies, preserved soups, and joints of meat, as if in
anticipation of a blockade--in this respect imitating the good French
marshal who besieged Gibraltar, and supplied old Elliot with provisions.
But even after dinner was provided, how were the invalids, in addition
to the original garrison, to be lodged for the night? Frank and his
friend would not hear of coming over to me, and it was finally arranged
that they should take up their quarters at the Rose and Crown. Old Smith
kept his bed, but, for an invalid, performed wonders on the veal-pies;
and also, by way of recruiting his exhausted strength, and showing his
regard for Lord Cardigan at the same time, kindly made a crystal
decanter of his throat, and decanted a black bottle of port into it with
astonishing skill. Monimia was not so weak as to be kept in her
apartment, and joined us--for I stayed to see how matters would end in
the dining-room--and, I am bound to say, that gratitude for a father's
safety was never shown in a more captivating manner than by that pale
and interesting young lady, both in words and glances, during the whole
evening. Sibylla and Mr Percy Marvale were equally pleased with the
unlooked-for incident that threw them together; and I could not help