As may be imagined, the dinner which was soon afterwards partaken of by the family was anything but a cheerful meal. For the first time Io sat opposite to her husband gloomy and silent, scarcely touching the food before her. “Are you not well, my love?” asked Oscar anxiously. “I ought not to have suffered you to walk to church in the heat.”
“It did me no harm; it was my own will to walk,” replied Io coldly.
Oscar gave an uneasy, questioning glance. Io did not choose to meet it. “I don’t want his pity,” she said to herself.
There was a long, dreary pause, which only Thud filled up by a vigorous onslaught on the mutton. He had almost satisfied his appetite, and was beginning, in nautical phrase, to get his talking-tackle on board, when the circle was joined by Pinfold.
“Ha! ha! happy to catch you just at dinner-time. I hope our friend Thud has left something for me!” cried the jovial doctor, as he laid down his sun-hat and umbrella, and wiped his heated forehead. Then, advancing to the table, Pinfold greeted his god-daughter in very paternal fashion. The doctor considered himself to be a privileged person, one who need never wait for an invitation, being always certain to find a welcome.
Mr. Coldstream intensely disliked the intrusion, and the vulgar familiarity of his guest. Oscar had been on civil terms with Pinfold during his first sojourn at Moulmein, but intimate he never had been. The two men had nothing in common between them: the mirth of the one had been refined wit, like a sparkle over deep waters; the fun of the other had the coarse scent of the oil-fed torch. But Oscar resolved to show no sign of dislike towards one whom his wife regarded as her oldest friend; Pinfold should always have a seat at the table of her who had sat on his knee when she was a little rosy-cheeked child. Oscar would endure the doctor’s society, and not betray, even by a look, that he found that it required some self-command to do so.
“Why, my dear,” said Pinfold, addressing himself to Io, “you don’t look well; you are losing your roses!”
“I am quite well. Please sit down, dear Dr. Pinny. I am afraid that the meat is a little cold.”
“I must come rather earlier next time,” said the doctor, taking a seat.—“Well, Thud, what new discoveries have you been making in science?—A little more fat, Coldstream, if you please.”
“I’ve been directing my attention to the moon,” said Thud sententiously, laying down the knife and fork which he had been diligently plying.
“No doubt the moon is flattered by the attention shown to her. Ha! ha! ha! I am not surprised at your thoughts being turned in a lunatic direction. How often have you seen the new moon rise in the east?”
“Often,” replied Thud, looking surprised at the question.
“Clever dog! you have then seen what no one else ever saw!” cried the doctor.
“You don’t mean to say that the moon ever rises in the west!” cried Thucydides Thorn, which set the doctor off laughing again. When he had recovered his gravity, Pinfold resumed his questioning.
“May I ask what discoveries you have made in the lunatic direction?”
“I’ve made no decided discoveries yet,” replied Thud; “but a theory is gradually developing itself in my brain.”
“Ah! that brain. It will have some day to be put into spirits and deposited in a museum!” cried the doctor.
“I’ve no objection,” said the young philosopher, who was rather gratified by the idea; “but it must be after I’m dead.”
This gave the doctor another uproarious fit of mirth, which almost occasioned a choke.
“Now for your theory,” he cried, as soon as he had recovered his breath.
“I can’t talk whilst you laugh so,” said Thud.
“Come, I’ve had my laugh out; I want to hear your original views regarding our satellite,” said Pinfold.
“Some philosophers declare that the moon has no atmosphere,” began Thud, as if commencing a lecture.
“That is, I believe, pretty generally acknowledged,” observed Coldstream. “Most powerful telescopes have been brought to bear upon the moon, and no trace of atmosphere has been discovered.”
“Not on the surface, I grant you,” said Thud sententiously. “What I ma............