“My brother says he’s going to Newcome, Barnes, next week,” said the Baronet, wishing to make the conversation more interesting to the newly arrived Colonel. “He was saying so just when you came in, and I was asking him what took him there?”
“Did you ever hear of Sarah Mason?” says the Colonel.
“Really, I never did,” the Baronet answered.
“Sarah Mason? No, upon my word, I don’t think I ever did, said the young man.
“Well, that’s a pity too,” the Colonel said, with a sneer. “Mrs. Mason is a relation of yours—at least by marriage. She is my aunt or cousin—I used to call her aunt, and she and my father and mother all worked in the same mill at Newcome together.”
“I remember—God bless my soul—I remember now!” cried the Baronet. “We pay her forty pound a year on your account—don’t you know, brother? Look to Colonel Newcome’s account—I recollect the name quite well. But I thought she had been your nurse, and—and an old servant of my father’s.”
“So she was my nurse, and an old servant of my father’s,” answered the Colonel. “But she was my mother’s cousin too and very lucky was my mother to have such a servant, or to have a servant at all. There is not in the whole world a more faithful creature or a better woman.”
Mr. Hobson rather enjoyed his brother’s perplexity, and to see when the Baronet rode the high horse, how he came down sometimes, “I am sure it does you very great credit,” gasped the courtly head of the firm, “to remember a—a humble friend and connexion of our father’s so well.”
“I think, brother, you might have recollected her too,” the Colonel growled out. His face was blushing; he was quite angry and hurt at what seemed to him Sir Brian’s hardness of heart.
“Pardon me if I don’t see the necessity,” said Sir Brian. “I have no relationship with Mrs. Mason, and do not remember ever having seen her. Can I do anything for you, brother? Can I be useful to you in any way? Pray command me and Barnes here, who after City hours will be delighted if he can be serviceable to you—I am nailed to this counter all the morning, and to the House of Commons all night;—I will be with you in one moment, Mr. Quilter. Good-bye, my dear Colonel. How well India has agreed with you! how young you look! the hot winds are nothing to what we endure in Parliament.—Hobson,” in a low voice, “you saw about that h’m, that power of attorney—and h’m and h’m will call here at twelve about that h’m.—I am sorry I must say good-bye—it seems so hard after not meeting for so many years.”