Beauchamp's Career — Volume 3 by George Meredith
page 52 of 114 (45%)
page 52 of 114 (45%)
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'You must not go,' she said bluntly.
'I can't break an appointment,' said he--'for the sake of my own pleasure,' was implied. 'Will you not listen to me, Nevil, when I say you cannot go?' A coachman's trumpet blew. 'I shall be late. That's Colonel Millington's team. He starts first, then Wardour-Devereux, then Cecil, and I mount beside him; Palmet's at our heels.' 'But can't you even imagine a purpose for their driving into Bevisham so pompously?' 'Well, men with drags haven't commonly much purpose,' he said. 'But on this occasion! At an Election time! Surely, Nevil, you can guess at a reason.' A second trumpet blew very martially. Footmen came in search of Captain Beauchamp. The alternative of breaking her pledged word to her father, or of letting Nevil be burlesqued in the sight of the town, could no longer be dallied with. Cecilia said, 'Well, Nevil, then you shall hear it.' Hereupon Captain Baskelett's groom informed Captain Beauchamp that he was off. |
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