“Immediately.”
“Cabbages and mangold-wurzels!” murmured the Captain. “Amazing! Unless—aha, some rustic nymph, perchance—some village Venus, eh, Jack?”
“Nay, Tom, smugglers and an ancient witch, rather. But what do you do these days?”
“Naught i’ the world since I inherited save play the fool generally and make love to ‘the Barrasdaile,’ as the fashion is. And——”
“Sounds lamentably dreary, Tom.”
“It is, Jack, it is!” sighed the Captain. “One wearies of everything, and ‘the Barrasdaile’ hath no heart! And, talking of her, she flammed and tricked thee finely, it seems!”
“She did, Tom. You’ve heard the tale, then?”
“Aye, Jack, who hasn’t? ’Twill be all over town by this, i’ faith, but your ears should tingle, for ’twas demnably against you! Disguised, Jack ... dressed in her woman’s clothes and you all unsuspecting, ha-ha!”
“And ’twas she told you, was it?”
“Herself, Jack, this afternoon just before you made your dem’d dramatic appearance. And, rat me, but ’twas pure! She had us all roaring with laughter at thy expense, old lad ... demme, even the women forgot to be scandalised. To ha’ flammed you of all men! She must ha’ played the country innocent marvellous well!”