"Not even corrected as yet," said the Poet, with a glance at Polly.
What a triumph it was for a mere village beauty to be thus tilted for by such gallant knights; but Polly was practical as well as vain, and a certain unmistakable something in Lady Cobham"s eye told her that two of the most valued guests of the house were not to be thus withdrawn from circulation; and with this wise impression on her mind, she slipped hastily away, on the pretext of something to say to her father. And although it was a mere pretence on her part, there was that in her look as they talked together that betokened their conversation to be serious.
"I tell you again," said he, in a sharp but low whisper, "she will not suffer it. You used not to make mistakes of this kind formerly, and I cannot conceive why you should do so now."
"But, dear papa," said she, with a strange half-smile, "don"t you remember your own story of the gentleman who got tipsy because he foresaw he would never be invited again?"
But the doctor was in no jesting mood, and would not accept of the ill.u.s.tration. He spoke now even more angrily than before.
"You have only to see how much they make of him to know well that he is out of our reach," said he, bitterly.
"A long shot, Sir Lucius; there is such honor in a long shot," said she, with infinite drollery; and then with a sudden gravity, added, "I have never forgotten the man you cured, just because your hand shook and you gave him a double dose of laudanum."
This was too much for his patience, and he turned away in disgust at her frivolity. In doing so, however, he came in front of Lady Cobham, who had come up to request Miss Dill to play a certain Spanish dance for two young ladies of the company.
"Of course, your Ladyship,--too much honor for her,--she will be charmed; my little girl is overjoyed when she can contribute even thus humbly to the pleasure of your delightful house."
Never did a misdemeanist take his "six weeks" with a more complete consciousness of penalty than did Polly sit down to that piano. She well understood it as a sentence, and, let me own, submitted well and gracefully to her fate. Nor was it, after all, such a slight trial, for the fandango was her own speciality; she had herself brought the dance and the music to Cobham. They who were about to dance it were her own pupils, and not very proficient ones, either. And with all this she did her part well and loyally. Never had she played with more spirit; never marked the time with a firmer precision; never threw more tenderness into the graceful parts, nor more of triumphant daring into the proud ones. Amid the shower of "Bravos!" that closed the performance,--for none thought of the dancers,--the little Poet drew nigh and whispered, "How naughty!"
"Why so?" asked she, innocently.
"What a blaze of light to throw over a sorry picture!" said he, dangling his eyegla.s.s, and playing that part of middle-aged Cupid he was so fond of a.s.suming.
"Do you know, sir," said Lady Cobham, coming hastily towards him, "that I will not permit you to turn the heads of my young ladies? Dr. Dill is already so afraid of your fascinations that he has ordered his carriage,--is it not so?" she went on appealing to the doctor, with increased rapidity. "But you will certainly keep your promise to us. We shall expect you on Thursday at dinner."
Overwhelmed with confusion, Dill answered--he knew not what--about pleasure, punctuality, and so forth; and then turned away to ring for that carriage he had not ordered before.
"And so you tell me Barrington is better?" said the Admiral, taking him by the arm and leading him away. "The danger is over, then?"
"I believe so; his mind is calm, and he is only suffering now from debility. What with the a.s.sizes, and a week"s dissipation at Kilkenny, and this shock,--for it was a shock,--the whole thing was far more of a mental than a bodily ailment."
"You gave him my message? You said how anxious I felt to know if I could be of any use to him?"
"Yes; and he charged Mr. Withering to come and thank you, for he is pa.s.sing by Cobham to-morrow on his way to Kilkenny."
"Indeed! Georgiana, don"t forget that. Withering will call here to-morrow; try and keep him to dine, at least, if we cannot secure him for longer. He"s one of those fellows I am always delighted to meet Where are you going, Dill? Not taking your daughter away at this hour, are you?"
The doctor sighed, and muttered something about dissipations that were only too fascinating, too engrossing. He did not exactly like to say that his pa.s.sports had been sent him, and the authorities duly instructed to give him "every aid and a.s.sistance possible." For a moment, indeed, Polly looked as though she would make some explanation of the matter; but it was only for a moment, and the slight flush on her cheek gave way quickly, and she looked somewhat paler than her wont.
Meanwhile, the little Poet had fetched her shawl, and led her away, humming, "Buona notte,--buona sera!" as he went, in that half-caressing, half-quizzing way he could a.s.sume so jauntily. Stapylton walked behind with the doctor, and whispered as he went, "If not inconvenient, might I ask the favor of a few minutes with you to-morrow?"
Dill a.s.sured him he was devotedly his servant; and having fixed the interview for two o"clock, away they drove. The night was calm and starlight, and they had long pa.s.sed beyond the grounds of Cobham, and were full two miles on their road before a word was uttered by either.
"What was it her Ladyship said about Thursday next, at dinner?" asked the doctor, half pettishly.
"Nothing to me, papa."
"If I remember, it was that we had accepted the invitation already, and begging me not to forget it."
"Perhaps so," said she, dryly.
"You are usually more mindful about these matters," said he, tartly, "and not so likely to forget promised festivities."
"They certainly were not promised to me," said she, "nor, if they had been, should I accept of them."
"What do you mean?" said he, angrily.
"Simply, papa, that it is a house I will not re-enter, that"s all."
"Why, your head is turned, your brains are destroyed by flattery, girl. You seem totally to forget that we go to these places merely by courtesy,--we are received only on sufferance; we are not _their_ equals."
"The more reason to treat us with deference, and not render our position more painful than it need be."
"Folly and nonsense! Deference, indeed! How much deference is due from eight thousand a year to a dispensary doctor, or his daughter? I "ll have none of these absurd notions. If they made any mistake towards you, it was by over-attention,--too much notice."
"That is very possible, papa; and it was not always very flattering for that reason."
"Why, what is your head full of? Do you fancy you are one of Lord Carricklough"s daughters, eh?"
"No, papa; for they are shockingly freckled, and very plain."
"Do you know your real station?" cried he, more angrily, "and that if, by the courtesy of society, my position secures acceptance anywhere, it entails nothing--positively nothing--to those belonging to me?"
"Such being the case, is it not wise of us not to want anything,--not to look for it,--not to pine after it? You shall see, papa, whether I fret over my exclusion from Cobham."
The doctor was not in a mood to approve of such philosophy, and he drove on, only showing--by an extra cut of his whip--the tone and temper that beset him.
"You are to have a visit from Captain Stapylton tomorrow, papa?" said she, in the manner of a half question.
"Who told you so?" said he, with a touch of eagerness in his voice; for suddenly it occurred to him if Polly knew of this appointment, she herself might be interested in its object.
"He asked me what was the most likely time to find you at home, and also if he might venture to hope he should be presented to mamma."
That was, as the doctor thought, a very significant speech; it might mean a great deal,--a very great deal, indeed; and so he turned it over and over in his mind for some time before he spoke again. At last he said,--
"I haven"t a notion what he"s coming about, Polly,--have you?"
"No, sir; except, perhaps, it be to consult you. He told me he had sprained his arm, or his shoulder, the other day, when his horse swerved."
"Oh no, it can"t be that, Polly; it can"t be that."
"Why not the pleasure of a morning call, then? He is an idle man, and finds time heavy on his hands."
A short "humph" showed that this explanation was not more successful than the former, and the doctor, rather irritated with this game of fence, for so he deemed it, said bluntly,--
"Has he been showing you any marked attentions of late? Have you noticed anything peculiar in his manner towards you?"
"Nothing whatever, sir," said she, with a frank boldness. "He has chatted and flirted with me, just as every one else presumes he has a right to do with a girl in a station below their own; but he has never been more impertinent in this way than any other young man of fashion."
"But there have been"--he was sorely puzzled for the word he wanted, and it was only as a resource, not out of choice, he said--"attentions?"