"If you please, my dear," said Mr. Hammond, "if it won't tire you; and you won't mind my falling asleep, which I may do, for I feel very drowsy."
Laura was quite sure it would not tire her to read, and she would be delighted if her reading should have so soothing an effect.
"If I do fall asleep, you must not stay with me, Laura; you must go downstairs again. Promise me you will; and you need not call Gifford,--I don't require any one; I am much better to-night."
Very well; Laura would promise not to stay in his room if he should fall asleep; and as she really did think him very much better, she would not summon Gifford.
Mrs. Hammond possessed several useful and attractive accomplishments; among others, that of reading aloud to perfection. She did not exhibit her skill particularly on this occasion--her voice was languid and monotonous; and the author would have had ample reason to complain had he heard his sentences rendered so expressionless. She read on and on, in a sullen monotone; and after a quarter of an hour had elapsed, she had the pleasure of seeing that her kind intention was fulfilled. Her voice had been very soothing, and her husband had fallen into a profound sleep. Then she passed through an open door into her dressing-room, and reappeared, wrapped in a dark warm cloak, the hood thrown over her head. If any one had taken the place she had so lately occupied at the window, that person would have seen, after the lapse of a few moments, a second figure flit across the moonlit space, and disappear into the darkness beyond.
About half an hour later Banks tapped at the door of the smoking-room, and was gruffly bidden to "come in" by Captain Bligh.
"If you please, Captain," said Banks, upon whom the atmosphere of that particular apartment always produced a distressingly-choky and eye-smarting effect,--"if you please, Captain, I can't find Sir Charles. He ain't in the library, nor yet in the droring-room, and he's wanted very particular."
"Perhaps he has gone up to see Mr. Hammond," suggested Bligh.
"No, Captain, he ain't; I've bin and ast Gifford, and he says as his missis has been along o' the old gentleman since dinner-time, and she's there now, and nobody ain't with them."
"That's odd," said Captain Bligh; "but who wants him? Perhaps I might do."