Ay, there was the rub—what was my court? And what the devil was I when you came to the kernel? I had made out nothing as yet, being taken up with the food and the attentions of this gaping oaf. But I was not to be confounded by him, not if I knew my own temper; and court or no court, I made answer bluff as you please. "The same as yours," says I.
"Oh!" says he, breaking into a smile. "I wear my professions very discernible, then?"
"Yes, you do," said I, bluntly.
"I am glad I have met you," he went on, pleasantly, "and I shall make it my duty to pursue our acquaintance. It is odd, indeed. And what think you, sir, of the Fassett business?"
He spoke with the air of hanging on my words, and I was convinced that, whatever this d——d matter was, 'twas something of which I must needs be cognizant. So in I plunged.
"Ah, you may well ask," says I, nodding my head. "Gad! and I see you are agreed with me. The circumstances stand so plain that there is no denial. By God! you are right; I'll warrant that; and I myself am game to prove it with the point," says I, slapping my sword.
The gentleman drew away, looking at me with some amazement, and presently his face took on an expression of confusion, and says he,—
"Quite so!" says he. "Oh, yes, I am of your party;" and in truth I believe the fool took what I said for a reply to his interrogation. But by this I was now sobered enough to discover the responsibilities among which I was thrown, and that I must keep a strong observation open if I was not to run my head into danger. And the first, I must enlighten myself upon this company in which I found myself; for which purpose, leaning forward, I set my eyes upon the man at the end of the table and examined him diligently. He was, I judged, somewhere about thirty-five, of a fine oval face, very justly proportioned, a sallow brown in habit, and crowned above his rich brown eyes with a great brown wig, which sat awry upon his head, and added an effeminate look to the profligate softness of his lower face. His features were very finely marked, his nose long and straight and delicately fleshed, as were his curved and smiling lips; and his eyes, which were large within the sockets, gleamed like agates between the narrow curtains of his eyelids, and sprang very quickly into one simulation or another. Altogether his was a remarkable face to look on, and attracted strongly, for all the saturnine changes of his colour. He was laughing, flushed to the sombre eyes. I had finished my scrutiny, and I took off my gaze from him, and was for letting it fall back on my neighbour to interrogate him upon the identity of this fine cock, when in its passage along the opposite side of the table I discovered, not very far from his lordship himself, no other than the prim-faced gentleman of the parti-coloured chaise that Tony and I had ransacked that same afternoon upon the moors.
The discovery struck me with dismay, as you will imagine; but there was worse to tread upon its heels, for the man was bowing with a delicate and sickly smile to one that toasted him from t'other side, and in putting down his glass, and with the grin still upon his lips, his eyes lighted upon mine and we exchanged glances.
The cully turned a trifle pale, and winced, moving in his seat. Then he frowned, and seemed mightily taken up with his plate, after which he lifted his head again and directed a look on me. I met him very bold and square, and his eyes gave way before me, surrendering, so to say, to my discharge; for I warrant I gave him a heavy broadside. But all the time I kept seeking in my brain for some way out of this damnable predicament. Presently he catches up a piece of paper, and ripping out a quill, makes some writing, and calling to a lackey, hands him the document. "What's he up to now?" thinks I. But I was soon to learn, for the footboy walked up to the head of the table, and with a bow offered the paper to his lordship—whoever the devil he might be.