CHAPTER XXVI
BOON COMPANIONS
Lord Almeric flew down the stairs on the wings of triumph, rehearsing ateach corner the words in which he would announce his conquest. He foundhis host and the tutor sitting together in the parlour, in the middle ofa game of shilling hazard; which they were playing, the former with asmuch enjoyment and the latter with as much good-humour as consisted withthe fact that Mr. Pomeroy was losing, and Mr. Thomasson played againsthis will. The weather had changed for the worse since morning. The skywas leaden, the trees were dripping, the rain hung in rows of dropsalong the rails that flanked the avenue. Mr. Pomeroy cursed the damphole he owned and sighed for town and the Cocoa Tree. The tutor wishedhe were quit of the company--and his debts. And both were so far fromsuspecting what had happened upstairs, though the tutor had his hopes,that Mr. Pomeroy was offering three to one against his friend, when LordAlmeric danced in upon them.
'Give me joy!' he cried breathless. 'D'you hear, Pom? She'll take me,and I have bussed her! March could not have done it quicker! She's mine,and the pool! She is mine! Give me joy!'
Mr. Thomasson lost not a minute in rising and shaking him by the hand.'My dear lord,' he said, in a voice rendered unusually rich and mellowby the prospect of five thousand pounds, 'you make me infinitely happy.You do indeed! I give your lordship joy! I assure you that it will everbe a matter of the deepest satisfaction to me that I was the cause underProvidence of her presence here! A fine woman, my lord, and a--acommensurate fortune!'
'A fine woman? Gad! you'd say so if you had held her in your arms!'cried my lord, strutting and lying.
'I am sure,' Mr. Thomasson hastened to say, 'your lordship is every wayto be congratulated.'
'Gad! you'd say so, Tommy!' the other repeated with a wink. He was inthe seventh heaven of delight.
So far all went swimmingly, neither of them remarking that Mr. Pomeroykept silence. But at this point the tutor, whose temper it was to beuneasy unless all were on his side, happened to turn, saw that he kepthis seat, and was struck with the blackness of his look. Anxious tosmooth over any unpleasantness, and to recall him to the requirements ofthe occasion, 'Come, Mr. Pomeroy,' he cried jestingly, 'shall we drinkher ladyship, or is it too early in the day?'
Bully Pomeroy thrust his hands deep into his breeches pockets and didnot budge. ''Twill be time to drink her when the ring is on!' he said,with an ugly sneer.
'Oh, I vow and protest that's ungenteel,' my lord complained. 'I vow andprotest it is!' he repeated querulously. 'See here, Pom, if you had wonher I'd not treat you like this!'
'Your lordship has not won her yet,' was the churlish answer.
'But she has said it, I tell you. She said she'd have me.'
'She won't be the first woman has altered her mind, nor the last,' Mr.Pomeroy retorted with an oath. 'You may be amazing sure of that, mylord.' And muttering something about a woman and a fool being near akin,he spurned a dog out of his way, overset a chair, and strode cursingfrom the room.
Lord Almeric stared after him, his face a queer mixture of vanity anddismay. At last, 'Strikes me, Tommy, he's uncommon hard hit,' he said,with a simper. 'He must have made surprising sure of her. Ah!' hecontinued with a chuckle, as he passed his hand delicately over hiswell-curled wig, and glanced at a narrow black-framed mirror that stoodbetween the windows. 'He is a bit too old for the women, is Pom. Theyrun to something lighter in hand. Besides, there's a--a way with thepretty creatures, if you take me, and Pom has not got it. Now I flattermyself I have, Tommy, and Julia--it is a sweet name, Julia, don't youthink?--Julia is of that way of thinking. Lord! I know women,' hislordship continued, beaming the happier the longer he talked. 'It is notwhat a man has, or what he has done, or even his taste in a coat or awig--though, mind you, a French friseur does a deal to help men to_bonnes fortunes_--but it is a sort of a way one has. The sillycreatures cannot stand against it.'
Mr. Thomasson hastened to agree, and to vouch her future ladyship'sflame in proof of my lord's prowess. But the tutor was a timid man; andthe more perfect the contentment with which he viewed the turn thingshad taken, and the more nearly within his grasp seemed his fivethousand, the graver was the misgiving with which he regarded Mr.Pomeroy's attitude. He had no notion what shape that gentleman'shostility might take, nor how far his truculence might aspire. But heguessed that Lord Almeric's victory had convinced the elder man that histask would have been easy had the cards favoured him; and when a littlelater in the day he saw Pomeroy walking in the park in the drenchingrain, his hands thrust deep into the pockets of his wrap-rascal and hischin bent on his breast, he trembled. He knew that when men of Mr.Pomeroy's class take to thinking, some one is likely to lose.
At dinner the tutor's fears were temporarily lulled. Mr. Pomeroy put ina sulky appearance, but his gloom, it was presently manifest, was due tothe burden of an apology; which, being lamely offered and readilyaccepted, he relapsed into his ordinary brusque and reckless mood,swearing that they would have the lady down and drink her, or if thatwere not pleasing, 'Damme, we'll drink her any way!' he continued. 'Iwas a toad this morning. No offence meant, my lord. Lover's license, youknow. You can afford to be generous, having won the pool.'
'And the maid,' my lord said with a simper. 'Burn me! you are a goodfellow, Pom. Give me your hand. You shall see her after dinner. She saidto-morrow; but, hang me! I'll to her this evening.'
Mr. Pomeroy expressed himself properly gratified, adding demurely thathe would play no tricks.
'No, hang me! no tricks!' my lord cried somewhat alarmed. 'Not that--'
'Not that I am likely to displace your lordship, her affections oncegained,' said Mr. Pomeroy.
He lowered his face to hide a smile of bitter derision, but he mighthave spared his pains; for Lord Almeric, never very wise, was blinded byvanity. 'No, I should think not,' he said, with a conceit which camenear to deserving the other's contempt. 'I should think not, Tommy. Giveme twenty minutes of a start, as Jack Wilkes says, and you may follow asyou please. I rather fancy I brought down the bird at the first shot?'
'Certainly, my lord.'
'I did, didn't I?'
'Most certainly, your lordship did,' repeated the obsequious tutor;who, basking in the smiles of his host's good-humour, began to thinkthat things would run smoothly after all. So the lady was toasted, andtoasted again. Nay, so great was Mr. Pomeroy's complaisance and so easyhis mood, he must needs have up three or four bottles of Brooks andHellier that had lain in the cellar half a century--the last of abatch--and give her a third time in bumpers and no heel-taps.
But that opened Mr. Thomasson's eyes. He saw that Pomeroy had revertedto his idea of the night before, and was bent on making the young fopdrunk, and exposing him in that state to his mistress; perhaps had thenotion of pushing him on some rudeness that, unless she proved verycompliant indeed, must ruin him for ever with her. Three was theirdinner hour; it was not yet four, yet already the young lord was flushedand a little flustered, talked fast, swore at Jarvey, and bragged of thegirl lightly and without reserve. By six o'clock, if something were notdone, he would be unmanageable.
The tutor stood in no little awe of his host. He had tremors down hisback when he thought of his violence; nor was this dogged persistence ina design, as cruel as it was cunning, calculated to lessen the feeling.But he had five thousand pounds at stake, a fortune on which he had beenpluming himself since noon; it was no time for hesitation. They weredining in the hall at the table at which they had played cards the nightbefore, Jarvey and Lord Almeric's servant attending them. Between thetable and the staircase was a screen. The next time Lord Almeric's glasswas filled, the tutor, in reaching something, upset the glass and itscontents over his own breeches, and amid the laughter of the other tworetired behind the screen to be wiped. There he slipped a crown into theservant's hand, and whispered him to keep his master sober and he shouldhave another.
Mr. Pomeroy saw nothing and heard nothing, and for a time suspectednothing. The servant was a crafty fellow, a Lond
on rascal, deft atwhipping away full bottles. He was an age finding a clean glass, andslow in drawing the next cork. He filled the host's bumper, and Mr.Thomasson's, and had but half a glass for his master. The next bottle heimpudently pronounced corked, and when Pomeroy cursed him for a liar,brought him some in an unwashed glass that had been used for Bordeaux.The wine was condemned, and went out; and though Pomeroy, withunflagging spirits, roared to Jarvey to open the other bottles, thebutler had got the office, and was slow to bring them. The cheese cameand went, and left Lord Almeric cooler than it found him. The tutor wasoverjoyed at the success of his tactics.
But when the board was cleared, and the bottles were set on, and the menwithdrawn, Bully Pomeroy began to push what remained of the Brooks andHellier after a fashion that boded an early defeat to the tutor'sprecautions. It was in vain Thomasson clung to the bottle and sometimesreturned it Hertfordshire fashion. The only result was that Mr. Pomeroysmelt a rat, gave Lord Almeric a back-hander, and sent the bottle onagain, with a grin that told the tutor he was understood.
After that Mr. Thomasson had the choice between sitting still and takinghis own part. It was neck or nothing. Lord Almeric was alreadyhiccoughing and would soon be talking thickly. The next time the bottlecame round, the tutor retained it, and when Lord Almeric reached, forit, 'No, my lord,' he said, laughing; 'Venus first and Bacchusafterwards. Your lordship has to wait on the lady. When you come down,with Mr. Pomeroy's leave, we'll crack another bottle.'
My lord withdrew his hand more readily than the other had hoped. 'Right,Tommy,' he said. 'I'll wait till I come down. What's that song, "Richthe treasure, sweet the pleasure, sweet is pleasure after pain"? Oh, no,damme! I don't mean that,' he continued. 'No. How does it go?'
Mr. Pomeroy thrust the bottle into his hands, looking daggers the whileat the tutor. 'Take another glass,' he cried boisterously. ''Swounds,the girl will like you the better for it.'
'D'ye think so, Pom? Honest?'
'Sure of it. 'Twill give you spirit, my lord.'
'So it will.'
'At her and kiss her! Are you going to be governed all your life by thatwhey-faced old Methodist? Or be your own man? Tell me that.'
'My lord, there's fifty thousand pounds upon it,' Thomasson said, hisface red. And he pushed back the bottle. The setting sun, peeping amoment through the rain clouds and the low-browed lattice windows, flungan angry yellow light on the board and the three flushed faces round it.'Fifty thousand pounds,' repeated Mr. Thomasson firmly.
'Damme! so there is!' my lord answered, settling his chin in his cravatand dusting the crumbs from his breeches. 'I'll take no more. So there!'
'I thought your lordship was a good-humoured man and no flincher,' Mr.Pomeroy retorted with a sneer.
'Oh, I vow and protest--if you put it that way,' the weakling answered,once more extending his hand, the fingers of which closed lovingly roundthe bottle, 'I cannot refuse. Positively I cannot.'
'Fifty thousand pounds!' the tutor said, shrugging his shoulders.
Lord Almeric drew back his hand.
'Why, she'll like you the better!' Pomeroy cried fiercely, as he thrustthe bottle to him again. 'D'you think a woman doesn't love an easyhusband? And wouldn't rather have a good fellow than a thread-paper?'
'Mr. Pomeroy! Mr. Pomeroy!' the tutor said. Such words used of a lordshocked him.
'A milksop! A thing of curds and whey!'
'After marriage, yes,' the tutor muttered, pitching his voice cleverlyin Lord Almeric's ear, and winking as he leant towards him. 'But yourlordship has a great stake in't; and to abstain one night--why, sure, mylord, it's a small thing to do for a fine woman and a fortune.'
'Hang me! so it is!' Lord Almeric answered. 'You are a good friend tome, Tommy.' And he flung his glass crashing into the fireplace. 'No,Pom; you'd bubble me. You want the pretty charmer yourself. But I'll behanged if you shall have her. I'll walk, my boy, I'll walk, and at sixI'll go to her, and take you too. And mind you, no tricks, Pom. Lord! Iknow women as well as I know my own head in the glass. You don'tbite me.'
Pomeroy, with a face like thunder, did not answer; and Lord Almeric,walking a little unsteadily, went to the door, and a moment later becamevisible through one of the windows. He stood awhile, his back towardsthem, now sniffing the evening air, and now, with due regard to hismixed silk coat, taking a pinch of snuff.
Mr. Thomasson, his heart beating, wished he had had the courage to gowith him. But this would have been to break with his host beyondmending; and it was now too late. He was still seeking a propitiatoryphrase with which to break the oppressive silence, when Pomeroyanticipated him.
'You think yourself vastly clever, Mr. Tutor,' he growled, his voicehoarse with anger. 'You think a bird in the hand is worth two in thebush, I see.'
'Ten in the bush,' Mr. Thomasson answered, affecting an easiness he didnot feel. 'Ten fives are fifty.'
'Two in the bush I said, and two in the bush I mean,' the otherretorted, his voice still low. 'Take it or leave it,' he continued, witha muttered oath and a swift side glance at the windows, through whichLord Almeric was still visible, walking slowly to and fro, and oftenstanding. 'If you want it firm, I'll put it in black and white. Tenthousand, or security, the day after we come from church.'
The tutor was silent a moment. Then, 'It is too far in the bush,' heanswered in a low voice. 'I am willing enough to serve you, Mr. Pomeroy.I assure you, my dear sir, I desire nothing better. But if--if hislordship were dismissed, you'd be as far off as ever. And I should losemy bird in hand.'
'She took him. Why should she not take me?'
'He has--no offence--a title, Mr. Pomeroy.'
'And is a fool.'
Mr. Thomasson raised his hands in deprecation. Such a saying, spoken ofa lord, really offended him. But his words went to another point.'Besides, it's a marriage-brocage contract, and void,' he muttered.'Void in law.'
'You don't trust me?'
''Twould be of no use, Mr. Pomeroy,' the tutor answered, gently shakinghis head, and avoiding the issue presented to him. 'You could notpersuade her. She was in such a humour to-day, my lord had specialadvantages. Break it off between them, and she'll come to herself. Andshe is wilful--Lord! you don't know her! Petruchio could not tame her.'
'I know nothing about Petruchio,' Mr. Pomeroy answered grimly. 'Nor whothe gentleman was. But I've ways of my own. You can leave that to me.'
But Mr. Thomasson, who had only parleyed out of compliance, took frightat that, and rose from the table, shaking his head.
'You won't do it?' Mr. Pomeroy said.
The tutor shook his head again, with a sickly smile. ''Tis too far inthe bush,' he said.
'Ten thousand,' Mr. Pomeroy persisted, his eyes on the other's face.'Man,' he continued forcibly, 'Do you think you will ever have such achance again? Ten thousand! Why, 'tis eight hundred a year. 'Tis agentleman's fortune.'
For a moment Mr. Thomasson did waver. Then he put the temptation fromhim, and shook his head. 'You must pardon me, Mr. Pomeroy,' he said. 'Icannot do it.'
'Will not!' Pomeroy cried harshly. 'Will not!' And would have said more,but at that moment Jarvey entered behind him.
'Please, your honour,' the man said, 'the lady would see my lord.'
'Oh!' Pomeroy answered coarsely, 'she is impatient, is she? Devil takeher for me! And him too!' And he sat sulkily in his place.
But the interruption suited Mr. Thomasson perfectly. He went to theouter door, and, opening it, called Lord Almeric, who, hearing what wasafoot, hurried in.
'Sent for me!' he cried, pressing his hat to his breast. 'Dearcreature!' and he kissed his fingers to the gallery. 'Positively she isthe daintiest, sweetest morsel ever wore a petticoat! I vow and protestI am in love with her! It were brutal not to be, and she so fond! I'llto her at once! Tell her I fly! I stay for a dash of bergamot, and I amwith her!'
'I thought that you were going to take us with you,' said Mr. Pomeroy,watching him sourly.
'I will! 'Pon honour, I will!' replied the
delighted beau. 'But shewill soon find a way to dismiss you, the cunning baggage! and then,"Sweet is pleasure after pain." Ha! Ha! I have it aright this time.Sweet is Plea--oh! the doting rascal! But let us to her! I vow, if sheis not civil to you, I'll--I'll be cold to her!'
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