“I'm not able to give you lessons, sir,” returned Mr. De Blacquaire, with unshaken good-humor; “but if you'll allow me to take one now and then by listening, I shall be delighted.”
“Nothin' agen that, is theer, Mr. Fuller?” demanded Sennacherib.
“Allays pleased to see the young gentleman,” responded Fuller.
“When may I come to listen to you again, gentlemen?” asked Ferdinand. His manner was full of bonhomie now, and had no trace of affectation. It pleased everybody but Reuben, who had conceived a distaste for him from the first. Perhaps, if he had not placed his chair so near to Ruth, and had regarded her less often and with a less evident admiration, the young man might have liked him better.
“Well,” said Fuller, “we are here pretty nigh every evenin' while the fine weather lasts. We happen to be here this afternoon because young Mr. Gold is goin' away for to-night to Castle Barfield. You'll find we here almost of any evenin'—to-morrow, to begin with.”
“We had better be going now, Ferdinand,” said his lordship, who dreaded the new beginning of the music. “Good-afternoon, Fuller. Good-afternoon, Eld. Good-afternoon, Gold.”
“Good-day, my lord,” said Reuben, rather gloomily. He had not spoken until now, and Ferdinand had wished to note the accent. There was none to note in the few words he uttered.
“Your little girl is growing into a woman, Fuller,” said his lordship.
“That's the way wi' most gells, my lord,” said Fuller.
“Good-afternoon, Miss Ruth,” said the old nobleman, nodding and smiling.