"Tell Mrs. Lee to bring in the child," he had said to Kennet, and now a tap on the door told him that the child was there.
"Come in," he said sharply, and turned and stood amazed at sight of the two women each with a child on her arm. "The deuce!" he said, and fumbled for his snuff-box.
He found it at last, a very elegant little gold box, bearing a miniature set with diamonds--a present from his friend George, in the days before the slice of orange, and most probably never paid for. He slowly extracted a pinch without removing his eyes from the women and children. He snuffed, still staring at them, and then said quietly, "What the deuce is the meaning of this?"
"Yo' asked to see t' child, sir," said Mrs. Lee.
"Well?"
"Here 'tis, sir."
"Which?"
"Both!"
"Ah!"--with a pregnant nod. Then, with a wave of the hand. "Take them away." And the women withdrew.
Sir Denzil remained standing exactly as he was for many minutes. Then he began to pace the room slowly with his stick, to and fro, to and fro, with his eyes on the polished floor, and his thoughts hard at work.