ther in face, but was taller, even
thinner, and apparently older. When Eames went into the sitting-room,
the colonel was there alone, and had to take upon himself the trouble
of introducing himself. He did not get up from his arm-chair, but
nodded gently at the young man. "Mr Eames, I believe? I knew your
father at Guestwick, a great many years ago;" then he turned his face
back towards the fire and sighed.

"It's got very cold this afternoon," said Johnny, trying to make
conversation.

"It's always cold in London," said the colonel.

"If you had to be here in August you wouldn't say so."

"God forbid," said the colonel, and he sighed again, with his eyes
fixed upon the fire. Eames had heard of the very gallant way in which
Orlando Dale had persisted in running away with Lord De Guest's
sister, in opposition to very terrible obstacles, and as he now
looked at the intrepid lover, he thought that there must have been a
great change since those days. After that nothing more was said till
the earl came down.

Pawkins's house was thoroughly old-fashioned in all things, and the
Pawkins of that day himself stood behind the earl's elbow when the
dinner began, and himself removed the cover from the soup tureen.
Lord De Guest did not require much personal attention, but he would
have felt annoyed if this hadn't been done. As it was he had a civil
word to say to Pawkins about the fat cattle, thereby showing that he
did not mistake Pawkins for one of the waiters. Pawkins then took his
lordship's orders about the wine and retired.

"He keeps up the old house pretty well," said the earl to his
brother-in-law. "It isn't like what it was thirty years ago, but then
everything of that sort has got worse and worse."

"I suppose it has," said the colonel.

"I remember when old Pawkins had as good a glass of port as I've got
at home,--or nearly. They can't get it now, you know."

"I never drink port," said the colonel. "I seldom take anything after
dinner, except a little negus."

His brother-in-law said nothing, but made a most eloquent grimace as
he turned his face towards his soup-plate. Eames saw it, and could
hardly refrain from laughing. When, at half-past nine o'clock, the
colonel retired from the room, the earl, as the door was closed,
threw up his hands, and uttered the one word "negus!" Then Eames took
heart of grace and had his laughter out.

The dinner was very dull, and before the colonel went to bed Johnny
regre