heir absolute indifference to observation and opinion, went
through the ceremony of drinking to one another, upon which they nodded
and chuckled: a suspicious eye had the option of divining that they
used the shelter of the table cloth for an interchange of squeezes.
This would have been further strengthened by Mrs. Chump's arresting
exclamation, "Pole! Company!" Mr. Pole looked up. He recognized Lady
Gosstre, and made an attempt, in his usual brisk style, to salute
her. Mrs. Champ drew him back. "Nothin' but his legs, my lady," she
whispered. "There's nothin' sets 'm up like champagne, my dears!" she
called out to the Three of Brookfield.

Those ladies were now in the hall, gazing, as mildly as humanity would
allow, at their common destiny, thus startlingly displayed. There was
no doubt in the bosom of either one of them that exposure was to follow
this prelude. Mental resignation was not even demanded of them--merely
physical. They did not seek comfort in an interchange of glances, but
dropped their eyes, and masked their sight as they best could. Caesar
assassinated did a similar thing.

"My dears!" pursued Mrs. Chump, in Irish exaggerated by wine, "I've
found 'm for ye! And if ye'd seen 'm this afternoon--the little peaky,
shaky fellow that he was! and a doctor, too, feelin' his pulse. 'Is
ut slow,' says I, 'doctor?' and draws a bottle of champagne. He could
hardly stand before his first glass. 'Pon my hon'r, my lady, ye naver
saw s'ch a change in a mortal bein.--Pole, didn't ye go 'ha, ha!' now,
and seem to be nut-cracking with your fingers? He did; and if ye aver
saw an astonished doctor! 'Why,' says I, 'doctor, ye think ut's maguc!
Why, where's the secret? drink with 'm, to be sure! And you go and do
that, my lord doctor, my dear Mr. Doctor! Do ut all round, and your
patients 'll bless your feet." Why, isn't cheerful society and champagne
the vary best of medicines, if onnly the blood 'll go of itself a
little? The fault's in his legs; he's all right at top!--if he'd smooth
his hair a bit.

Checking her tongue, Mrs. Chump performed this service lightly for him,
in the midst of his muttered comments on her Irish.

The fact was manifest to the whole assembly, that they had indeed been
drinking champagne to some purpose.

Wilfrid stepped up to two of his sisters, warning them hurriedly not
to go to their father: Adela he arrested with a look, but she burst the
restraint to fulfil a child's duty. She ran up grac