It was easy to see what Brussels would make of him when he did come. "The pedestal is ready for the hero," said Judith, with rather a provocative smile. "And we are all ready to kneel and worship at the base. I hope he may be worthy of our admiration."
General Maitland, to whom she had addressed this remark, said: "Do you know him, Lady Worth?"
"I have not that pleasure. Pray do not mention it, but I have never so much as laid eyes on him. Is it not shocking?"
"Oh!" said the General.
She raised her brows. "What am I to understand by that, if you please? Shall I be disappointed? I warn you, I expect a demi-god!"
"Demi-god," repeated the General, stroking one beautiful whisker. "Well, I don't know. Shouldn't have called him so myself."
"Ah, I am to be disappointed! I feared as much."
"No - no," said the General. "Not disappointed. He is a very able commander."
"That sounds a little flat, I confess. Is it only the ladies who worship him? Do not his soldiers?"
"Oh no, nothing like that!" said the General, relieved to be able to answer a plain question. "I believe they rather like him than not: they like to see his hook nose among them at any rate; but they don't worship him. Don't think he'd care for it if they did."