“But there was no one in green in the field,” said Crofton; “at least I did not see any one riding, except the red coats.”
“Let us not be too critical about the color of the dress,” said Lord Netherby; “I am sure it would puzzle any of us to pronounce on the exact hue of Lionel's at this moment.”
“Well, Lionel, will you decide it?” said the Knight; “is the green man apocryphal, or not?”
“I 'll decide nothing,” said Lionel, “till I get something to eat. Any one that wishes to hear my exploits must come into the dinner-room;” and, so saying, he arose, and walked into the parlor, where, under Tate's superintendence, a little table was already spread for him beside the fire. To the tempting fare before him the young man devoted all the energy of a hunter's appetite, regardless of the crowd who had followed him from the drawing-room, and stood in a circle around him.
Many were the jests, and sharp the raillery, on his singular appearance, and certainly it presented a most ludicrous contrast with the massive decorations of the table at which he sat, and the full dress of the party around him.
“I remember,” said Lord Netherby, “seeing the King of France—when such a functionary existed—eat his dinner in public on the terrace of Versailles; but I confess, great as was my admiration of the monarch's powers, I think Lionel exceeds them.”
“Another leg?” said Beauclerk, who, with knife and fork in hand, performed the duty of carver.
“Why don't you say another turkey?” said Nolan; then, turning to Mrs. Somerville, he added, “I am sure that negus is perfect.”
The pretty widow, who had been contributing, as she thought unobserved, to Lionel's comfort, blushed deeply; and Lionel, at last roused from his apathy, said, “I am ready now, ladies and gentlemen all, to satisfy every reasonable demand upon your curiosity. But first, where is Mr. Beecham O'Reilly?”
“He went home,” said the Knight; “he resisted all my efforts to detain him to dinner.”