“Guests? dear me! I—I——”
“Don't be afraid, uncle; I shall be by you!”
“I—I'm so much obliged to you, my dear boy; you have simply sa—ved me, you have indeed! But, do you know what,—I think I'd better go away altogether!”
“To-morrow, uncle! to-morrow morning at seven! and this evening you must be sure to say, in the presence of everybody, that you are starting away at seven next morning: you must say good-bye to-night!”
“Un—doubtedly, undoubtedly—I shall go;—but what if they talk to me as though I were engaged to the young wo—oman?”
“Don't you fear, uncle! I shall be there! And mind, whatever they say or hint to you, you must declare that you dreamed the whole thing—as indeed you did, of course?”
“Ye—yes, quite so, un—doubtedly so! But, do you know my dear boy, it was a most be—witching dream, for all that! She is a wond—erfully lovely girl, my boy,—such a figure—bewitching—be—witching!”
“Well, au revoir, uncle! I'm going down, now, and you——”
“How! How! you are not going to leave me alone?” cried the old man, greatly alarmed.
“No, no—oh no, uncle; but we must enter the room separately. First, I will go in, and then you come down; that will be better!”