“And Holt's stable,” added she, laughing. “Come, you must not omit the real bribe.”
He laughed heartily at this sally, and owned it was the grand temptation.
“You are certainly very good-tempered, Annesley,” said she, after a pause.
“I don't think I am,” said he, half piqued, for he thought the remark contained a sort of disparagement of that sharpness on which he chiefly prided himself. “I am very hot at times.”
“I meant that you bore with great good-humor from me what you might, if so disposed, have fairly enough resented as an impertinence. What do I, what could I, know of that play-world of which you spoke? How gentlemen and men of fashion regard these things must needs be mysteries to me; I only wished to imply that you might make some better use of your faculties, and that knowledge of life you possess, than in conning over a betting-book or the 'Racing Calendar.'”
“So I mean to do. That's exactly what I 'm planning.”
“Here's the soup cooling and the sherry getting hot,” cried Grog, as he shouted from the window of the little inn, and waved his napkin to attract their notice.
“There's papa making a signal to us,” said Lizzy; “did you suspect it was so late?”
“Seven o'clock, by Jove!” cried Beecher, as he gave her his hand to cross the stepping-stones. “What a fuss he 'll make about our keeping the dinner back!”