So if you will
oblige me--"
But here, once again the Gentleman-in-Powder knocked to announce:
"Mr. Tressider."
The thinnish, youngish gentleman in sandy whiskers entered with a
rush, but, seeing the Marquis, paused.
"What, then--you 're before me, are you, Jerningham?" he exclaimed;
then turning, he saluted Barnabas, and burst into a torrent of speech.
"Beverley!" he cried, "cursed early to call, but I'm full o'
news--bursting with it, damme if I'm not--and tell it I must! First,
then, by Gad!--it was at White's you'll understand, and the
card-room was full--crammed, sir, curse me if it wasn't, and there's
Carnaby and Tufton Green, and myself and three or four others,
playing hazard, d'ye see,--when up strolls Jerningham here. 'It's
your play, Carnaby,' says I. 'Why then,' says the Marquis,--'why then,'
says he, 'look out for fouling!' says he, cool as a cucumber, curse
me! 'Eh--what?' cries Tufton, 'why--what d' ye mean?' 'Mean?' says
the Marquis, tapping his snuff-box, 'I mean that Sir Mortimer Carnaby
is a most accursed rascal' (your very words, Marquis, damme if they
weren't). Highly dramatic, Beverley--could have heard a pin
drop--curse me if you couldn't! End of it was they arranged a
meeting of course, and I was Carnaby's second, but--"
"Was?" repeated the Marquis.
Pages:
586
587
588
589
590
591
592
593
594
595
596
597
598
599
600
601
602
603
604
605
606
607
608
609
610