u in any way you would permit; but _'tis_ a trouble to me, Madam,
indeed, that you leave the room, and a greater trouble,' said little
Puddock, waxing fluent as he proceeded, 'that I have incurred your
displeasure--indeed, Madam, I know not how--your goodness to me, Madam,
in my sickness, I never can forget.'

'You _can_ forget, Sir--you _have_ forgot. Though, indeed, Sir, there
was little to remember, I--I'm glad you thought me kind, Sir. I--I wish
you well, Sir,' said Aunt Becky. She was looking down and a little pale,
and in her accents something hurried and almost sad. 'And as for my
displeasure, Sir, who said I was displeased? And if I were, what could
my displeasure be to you? No, Sir,' she went on almost fiercely, and
with a little stamp on the floor, 'you don't care; and why should
you?--you've proved it--you don't, Lieutenant Puddock, and you _never_
did.'

And, without waiting for an answer, Aunt Becky flashed out of the room,
and up stairs to her chamber, the door of which she slammed fiercely;
and Gertrude, who was writing a letter in her own chamber, heard her
turn the key hastily in the lock.

When Cluffe, who for some time continued to exercise his lungs in
persuasive invitations to Flora, at last gave over the pursuit, and
returned to the drawing-room, to suggest that the goddess in question
had probably retreated to the kitchen, he was a good deal chagrined to
find the drawing-room 'untreasured of its mistress.'

Puddock looked a good deal put out, and his explanation was none of the
clearest; and he could not at all say that the lady was coming back.

'I think, Lieutenant Puddock,' said Cluffe, who was much displeased, and
had come to regard Aunt Rebecca very much as under his especial
protection, 'it might have been better we hadn't called here. I--you
see--you're not--you see it yourself--you've offended Miss Rebecca
Chattesworth somehow, and I'm afraid you've not mended matters while I
was down stairs bawling after that cursed--that--the--little dog, you
know. And--and for my part, I'm devilish sorry I came, Sir.'

This was said after a wait of nearly ten minutes, which appeared at
least twice as long.

'I'm sorry, Sir, I embarrassed you with the disadvantage of my company,'
answered little Puddock, with dignity.

'Why, 'tisn't that, you know,' rejoined Cluffe, in a patronising 'my
good-fellow' sort of way; 'you know I always liked your company devilish
well. But where's the good of putting