“The young ones drink no wine at all now-a-days,” remarked the General, as Charlie a second time passed the bottle untouched, and his host filled his glass to the brim. “Fault on the right side, my lad; we used to drink too hard formerly—why, bless you, when I encountered Tortoise, of the Queen’s, at the mess of the Kedjeree Irregulars, we sat for seven hours and a half to see one another out, and the two black fellows fainted who were ‘told off’ to bring in claret and pale ale as they were wanted. Tortoise recovered himself wonderfully about the eighth bottle; and if he hadn’t been obliged to be careful on account of a wound in his head, we should have been there now. Drunk! how d’ye mean? Not the least—fact, I assure you.”
Charlie got up and fidgeted about, with his back to the fire, but the General would not let him off so easily.
“Show you the farm to-morrow, my boy, you’ll be delighted with my pigs—Neapolitans every hair of ’em. What? no man alive shall presume to tell me they’re not the best breed! And I’ll tell you what, Charlie, I’ve secured the handsomest short-horned bull in this country. Two hundred, you dog!—dirt cheap—and if you’re fond of stock you’ll be charmed with him. Poultry too—real Cochin Chinese—got three prizes at the last show; average height two feet seven inches—rare beauties. Hens and chickens in knee-breeches, and a cock in trunk-hose!” With which conclusion the chuckling old warrior permitted Charlie to wheedle him off into the drawing-room, whither they entered to find the ladies, as usual, absorbed in worsted work and sunk in solemn silence.
Pleasantly the evenings always passed at Newton-Hollows even with a small party like the present. Music, cards, cockamaroo, and the eternal racing game, of course, which gives gentle woman an insight into the two fiercest pleasures of the other sex—horse-racing and gambling—and introduces into the drawing-room the slang and confusion of the betting-ring and the hazard-table, served to while away the time. And though the General was even more diffuse than was his wont in personal recollections and autobiography, Blanche scarcely listened, so absorbed was she in her delight at having got Cousin Charlie back again, whilst that young gentleman and Mary Delaval were progressing rapidly in each other’s good opinion, and exclaiming, in their respective minds, “What an agreeable person! and so different from what I expected!”
Blanche’s birthday was always kept as a period of great rejoicing at Newton-Hollows, and a very short time after Charlie’s arrival that auspicious anniversary was ushered in, as usual, by the General’s appearance at the breakfast-table bearing a cotton-stuffed white and green card-box, highly suggestive of Storr and Mortimer. This was quietly placed by the side of Blanche’s plate, and when the young lady made her appearance, and exclaimed, “Dear, kind Uncle Baldwin, what a love of a bracelet!” though we might have envied, we could not have grudged the General the grateful kiss bestowed on him by his affectionate niece. Uncle Baldwin’s mind, however, was intent upon weightier matters than jewels and “happy returns.” He was to celebrate the festival with a dinner-party; and whilst he had invited several of the élite of Bubbleton to celebrate his niece’s birthday, he was anxious so to dispose and welcome his guests as that none should have reason to consider himself especially favoured or encouraged in the advances which all were too eager to make towards the good graces of the heiress; therefore the General held a solemn conclave, as was his wont, consisting of himself and Mrs. Delaval, who on such occasions was requested, with great pomp, to accompany him to his study, an apartment adorned with every description of weapon used in civilised or savage warfare, and to take her seat in his own huge arm-chair, while he walked up and down the room, and held forth in his usual abrupt and discursive manner.
“I have such confidence in your sound sense, Mrs. Delaval,” said he, looking very insinuating, and pausing for an instant in his short, quick strides, “that I always consult you in my difficulties.” This was said piano, but the forte addition immediately succeeded. “Reserving to myself the option of acting, for dictation I cannot submit to, even from you, my dear Mrs. Delaval. You are aware, I believe, of my intentions regarding Blanche. Are you aware of my intentions?” he interrupted himself to demand in a voice of thunder.
Mary, who was used to his manner, answered calmly, “that she was not;” and the General proceeded, in a gentle and confidential tone—
“The fact is, my dear madam, I have set my heart on a family arrangement, which I mention to you as a personal friend, and a lady for whom I entertain the greatest regard.”
Mary bowed again, and could hardly suppress a smile at the manner in which the old gentleman assured her of his consideration.
“Well, though an unmarried man as yet, I am keenly alive to the advantages of the married state. I never told you, I think, Mrs. Delaval, of an adventure that befell me at Cheltenham—never mind now—but, believe me, I am no stranger to those tender feelings, Mrs. Delaval, to which we men of the sword—ah, ah—are infernally addicted. What? Well, ma’am, there’s my niece now, they all want to marry her. Every scoundrel within fifty miles wants to lead Blanche to the altar. Zounds, I’ll weather ’em, the villains—excuse me, Mrs. Delaval, but to proceed—I am extremely anxious to confide my intentions to you, as I hope I may calculate on your assistance. My nephew, Charlie, to be explicit, is the——Holloa! you woman, come back—come back, I say; you’re carrying off the wrong coop. The dolt has mistaken my orders about the Cochin Chinas. In the afternoon, if you please, Mrs. Delaval, we’ll discuss the point more at leisure.”