At this moment, the steward was seen forward making signs to Mrs
Lascelles, who excused herself, and went to him.
"For the love of God, madam," said Maddox, "as he appears to be friendly with you, do pray find out how these cutlets are to be dressed; the cook is tearing his hair, and we shall never have any dinner; and then it will all fall upon me, and I—shall be tossed overboard."
Mrs Lascelles desired poor Maddox to wait there while she obtained the desired information. In a few minutes she returned to him.
"I have found it out. They are first to be boiled in vinegar; then fried in batter, and served up with a sauce of anchovy and Malaga raisins!"
"First fried in vinegar; then boiled in batter, and served up with almonds and raisins!"
"No—no!" Mrs Lascelles repeated the injunction to the frightened steward; and then returned aft, and re-entered into a conversation with Pickersgill, in which for the first time, Corbett now joined. Corbett had sense enough to feel, that the less he came forward until his superior had established himself in the good graces of the ladies, the more favourable would be the result.
In the mean time Cecilia had gone down to her aunt, who still continued to wail and lament. The young lady tried all she could to console her, and to persuade her that if they were civil and obedient they had nothing to fear.
"Civil and obedient, indeed!" cried Miss Ossulton, "to a fellow who is a smuggler and a pirate! I, the sister of Lord B.! Never! The presumption of the wretch!"
"That is all very well, aunt; but recollect, we must submit to circumstances. These men insist upon our dining with them; and we must go, or we shall have no dinner."
"I sit down with a pirate! Never! I'll have no dinner—I'll starve—I'll die!"