FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127  
128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   >>   >|  
f Camberwell, and the Lord Chancellor has sent over five times to explain the different laws and regulations that we are breaking. I don't see how you can go to his Reception to-night, really." "I am not going, grannie," said the Prophet, overwhelmed with contrition. "I cannot go in any case." "Why not?" "I--I have some work to do at home." He avoided the glance of her bright eyes, and continued. "Grannie, I am deeply grieved at all you have gone through to-day. Believe me it has not been my fault--at least not entirely. I may have been injudicious, but I never--never--" He paused, quite overcome with emotion. "I don't know what will happen if the telegrams go on till midnight," said Mrs. Merillia. "The Duke of Camberwell is a very violent man, since he had that sunstroke at the last Jubilee, and I shouldn't wonder if he--" "Grannie, there will not be any more telegrams." "But you said that before, Hennessey." "And I say it again. There will not be any more. I have just informed the messenger that the next boy who knocks will certainly be--well, destroyed." Mrs. Merillia breathed a sigh of relief. "I am so thankful, Hennessey. Are you dining out to-night?" "No, grannie. I don't feel very well. I have a headache. I shall go and lie down for a little." "Yes, do. Everybody is lying down; Fancy, the upper housemaid, the cook. Even Gustavus, they tell me, is trying to snatch a little uneasy repose on his what-not. It has been a terrible day." Mrs. Merillia lay back and closed her eyes, and the Prophet, overwhelmed with remorse, retired to his room, lay down and stared desperately at nothing for half an hour. He then ate, with a very poor appetite, a morsel of dinner and prepared to take, if possible, a short nap before starting on the labours of the night. As he got up from the dining table to go upstairs he said to Mr. Ferdinand,-- "By the way, Mr. Ferdinand, if I should come into the pantry again to-night, don't be alarmed. I may chance to require a bradawl as I did last night. Kindly leave one out, in case I should. But you need not sit up." As the Prophet said the last words he looked Mr. Ferdinand full in the face. The butler's eyes fell. "Thank you, Master Hennessey, I shall be glad to get to bed--entirely to bed--in good time. We are all a bit upset in the kit--that is the hall to-day." "Just so. Retire to rest at once if you like." "Thank you, sir." "Gustavus," said
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127  
128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Prophet
 

Ferdinand

 

Merillia

 

Hennessey

 

telegrams

 
Gustavus
 
dining
 

Camberwell

 
overwhelmed
 

Grannie


grannie

 

dinner

 
appetite
 

morsel

 
starting
 

prepared

 
labours
 
upstairs
 

Chancellor

 

closed


remorse

 

terrible

 

snatch

 

uneasy

 

repose

 

retired

 

stared

 

desperately

 

Master

 

Retire


butler

 
looked
 

alarmed

 

chance

 

require

 
pantry
 

bradawl

 
Kindly
 

violent

 
midnight

contrition
 

shouldn

 
sunstroke
 
Jubilee
 

avoided

 

deeply

 
injudicious
 

Believe

 
grieved
 

continued