Corporal, who was in the passage, could hear every syllable that
fell from the lips of his commanding officer. We shall not say,
after the fashion of the story-books, that Mr. Brock listened with a
flashing eye and a distended nostril; that his chest heaved
tumultuously, and that his hand fell down mechanically to his side,
where it played with the brass handle of his sword. Mr. Kean would
have gone through most of these bodily exercises had he been acting
the part of a villain enraged and disappointed like Corporal Brock;
but that gentleman walked away without any gestures of any kind, and
as gently as possible. "He'll turn me out of the regiment, will
he?" says he, quite piano; and then added (con molta espressione),
"I'll do for him."

And it is to be remarked how generally, in cases of this nature,
gentlemen stick to their word.



CHAPTER III. IN WHICH A NARCOTIC IS ADMINISTERED, AND A GREAT DEAL
OF GENTEEL SOCIETY DEPICTED.



When the Corporal, who had retreated to the street-door immediately
on hearing the above conversation, returned to the Captain's
lodgings and paid his respects to Mrs. Catherine, he found that lady
in high good-humour. The Count had been with her, she said, along
with a friend of his, Mr. Trippet; had promised her twelve yards of
the lace she coveted so much; had vowed that the child should have
as much more for a cloak; and had not left her until he had sat with