“Pray, sir, may I inquire when and how you became so intimate with Noah's great-grandfather as to mistake me for him?—umph!”
“Well, sir,” said Archer, who was evidently taken somewhat aback by this direct appeal, “it is an affair—that is, a circumstance—what I mean to say is—the thing, as you must see, was completely—in fact it was quite by accident, and promiscuously, so to speak, that I mistook you for the respectable antediluvian—I should say, for his ghost.”
“Umph! don't think I look much like a ghost, either. Not that there are such things in reality; all humbug, sir. A man goes and eats beef and pudding enough for two, has the night-mare, fancies next morning he has seen a ghost, and the first fool he tells it to believes him. Well, Mr. Lawless, not made a ghost of yourself by breaking your neck out of that Infernal Machine of yours yet. Get his ex-majesty Louis Philippe to go out for a ride with you in that, and his life would be in greater danger than all the Fieschis in France could ever put it in. Umph!”
“The horses are in first-rate condition,” returned Lawless, “enough to pull a fellow's arms off till they've done about ten miles; that takes the steel out of them a bit, and then a child may guide them. Happy to take you a drive, Mr. Frampton, any time that suits you—eh?”
“Thank ye, sir, when that time comes I'll let you know; but I hope to live a few years longer yet, and therefore you'll excuse my not accepting your kind offer. Besides, if Mr. Archer was to see the ghost of Noah's great-grand-father in a tandem, he'd never get over it.” Then came the aside: “Umph! had him there, the young jackanapes”.
“Well, Fairlegh, are you coming with us?” asked Lacy; “the list must be out by this time.”
“No; 'pon my word I can't,” replied I. “I'm good for nothing this morning.”
“Serve you right, too,” said Lawless, “for refusing the second bowl of punch last night. I told you no good would come of it, eh?”
“Positively we ought to be going,” interposed Richards; “we'll bring you some news presently, Fairlegh, that will set you all right again in no time.”
“I only wish you may prove a true prophet,” replied I. “Umph! if you'll allow me, I'll accompany you, gentlemen,” said Mr. Frampton; “make one of your party, umph!”