n't like me with
an ugly black eye?"

"I really don't think it's a joking matter," said the Lady Amelia.
And then there was nothing more said about it during the dinner.

There was nothing more said about it during the dinner, but it was
plain enough from Lady Amelia's countenance that she was not very
well pleased with her future brother-in-law's conduct. She was very
hospitable to him, pressing him to eat; but even in doing that she
made repeated little references to his present unfortunate state. She
told him that she did not think fried plum-pudding would be bad for
him, but that she would recommend him not to drink port wine after
dinner. "By-the-by, Mortimer, you'd better have some claret up," she
remarked. "Adolphus shouldn't take anything that is heating."

"Thank you," said Crosbie. "I'll have some brandy-and-water, if
Gazebee will give it me."

"Brandy-and-water!" said Lady Amelia. Crosbie in truth was not given
to the drinking of brandy-and-water; but he was prepared to call for
raw gin, if he were driven much further by Lady Amelia's solicitude.

At these Sunday dinners the mistress of the house never went away
into the drawing-room, and the tea was always brought into them at
the table on which they had dined. It was another little step towards
keeping holy the first day of the week. When Lady Rosina was there,
she was indulged with the sight of six or seven solid good books
which were laid upon the mahogany as soon as the bottles were taken
off it. At her first prolonged visit she had obtained for herself the
privilege of reading a sermon; but as on such occasions both Lady
Amelia and Mr Gazebee would go to sleep,--and as the footman had also
once shown a tendency that way,--the sermon had been abandoned. But
the master of the house, on these evenings, when his sister-in-law
was present, was doomed to sit in idleness, or else to find solace
in one of the solid good books. But Lady Rosina just now was in the
country, and therefore the table was left unfurnished.

"And what am I to say to my mother?" said Lady Amelia, when they were
alone.

"Give her my kindest regards," said Crosbie. It was quite clear both
to the husband and to the wife, that he was preparing himself for
rebellion against authority.

For some ten minutes there was nothing said. Crosbie amused himself
by playing with the boy whom he called Dicksey, by way of a nickname
for de Courcy.

"Mamma, he calls me Dicksey. Am I Dicksey? I