One of Our Conquerors - World eBook Library

George Meredith
their association were cordial. A waving of the right hand to
the heavens ratified the treaty on the French side. Nods and
smiles and gesticulations, with across-Channel vocables, as
it were Dover cliffs to Calais sands and back, pleasantly beguiled
the way down to the Hotel du Paradis, under the
Mausoleum heights, where Skepsey fumbled at his pocket
for coin current; but the Frenchman, all shaken by a tornado
of negation, clapped him on the shoulder, and sang him a
quatrain. Skepsey had in politeness to stand listening, and
blinking, plunged in the contrition of ignorance, eclipsed.
He took it to signify something to the effect, that money
should not pass between friends. It was the amatory farewell
address of Henri IV. to his Charmante Gabrielle; and with
‘Perce de mille lords,
L’honneur m’appelle
Au champ de Mars,’
the Frenchman, in a backing of measured steps, apologized
for his enforced withdrawal from the stranger who had captured
his heart.
Skepsey’s card was taken in the passage of the hotel. A cleancapped
maid, brave on the legs, like all he had seen of these
people, preceded him at quick march to an upper chamber.
When he descended, bag in hand, she flung open the salondoor
of a table d’hote, where a goodly number were dining
and chattering; waiters drew him along to the section occupied
by his master’s party. A chair had been kept vacant for
him; his master waved a hand, his dear ladies graciously
smiled; he struck the bag in front of a guardian foot, growing
happy. He could fancy they had not seen the English
newspapers. And his next observation of the table showed
him wrecked and lost: Miss Nesta’s face was the oval of a
woeful O at his wild behaviour in England during their absence.
She smiled. Skepsey had nevertheless to consume his
food—excellent, very tasty soup-with the sour sauce of the
thought that he must be tongue-tied in his defence for the
time of the dinner.
‘No, dear Skips, please! you are to enjoy yourself,’ said
Nesta.
He answered confusedly, trying to assure her that he was
doing so, and he choked.
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