One of Our Conquerors - World eBook Library

George Meredith
party. Mr. Inchling and Mr. Caddis were introduced. The
former in Commerce, the latter in Politics, their sustaining
boast was, the being our stable Englishmen; and at once,
with cousinly minds, they fell to chatting upon the nothings
agreeably and seriously. Colney Durance forsook a set
of ladies for fatter prey, and listened to them. What he said,
Victor did not hear. The effect was always to be seen, with
Inchling under Colney. Fenellan did better service, really
good service.
Nataly played the heroine she was at heart. Why think of
her as having to act a character! Twice had Carling that afternoon,
indirectly and directly, stated Mrs. Burman to be near
the end we crape a natural, a defensible, satisfaction to hear
of:—not wishing it—poor woman!—but pardonably, before
man and all the angels, wishing, praying for the beloved one
to enter into her earthly peace by the agency of the other’s
exit into her heavenly.
Fenellan and Colney came together, and said a word apiece
of their friend.
‘In his element! The dear old boy has the look of a goldfish,
king of his globe.’
‘The dear old boy has to me the look of a pot on the fire,
with a loose lid.’
I may have the summons from Themison to-morrow, Victor
thought. The success of the day, was a wine that rocked
the soberest of thoughts. For, strange to confess, ever since
the fall on London Bridge, his heart, influenced in some
degree by Nataly’s depression perhaps, had been shadowed
by doubts of his infallible instinct for success. Here, at a
stroke, and before entering the house, he had the whole
neighbourhood about him: he could feel that he and Nataly
stood in the minds of the worthy people variously with the
brightness if not with the warmth distinguishable in the bosom
of Beaves Urmsing—the idea of whom gave Lakelands
an immediate hearth-glow.
Armandine was thirteen minutes, by his watch, behind
the time she had named. Small blame to her. He excused her
to Lady Carmine, Lady Swanage, Lady Blachington, Mrs.
Fanning, Sir Abraham Quatley, Mr. Danny (of Bacon fame)
and the rest of the group surrounding Nataly on the mound
leftward of the white terraces descending to the lake; where
she stood beating her foot fretfully at the word brought by
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