After the first greeting between Frank Maynard and his friend Prescott, upon the former's return from Staffordshire, and when they had fairly sat down in Frank's room for a talk, Prescott said,— “Now, Frank, let me hear all about what you have been doing. Your letters were not long, and you seemed enjoying yourself down there, Frank. I suppose Teddy is just about the same as he used to be.”
“Just the same,” Frank laughed; [22] “he pretends to assist his father in the business, but I fancy the material advantage, derived by Painter and Co. from Teddy's services, is slight indeed. He went round the manufactory with me, and I find that his knowledge upon the subject of china is absolutely nil. I question if he would know the difference between Dresden and Sèvres, or between Limoges and Etruscan; and I should imagine his ideas on the subject of accounts, are, if possible, even more vague. No, he is just what he used to be—a careless, warm-hearted Irishman, and the best fellow in the world.”
“But Mr. Drake is not Irish, Frank?”
“Not the least in the world. A particularly practical, long-headed, sensible Englishman. His Celtic blood all comes from his mother. She is as Irish in her way as he is in his, and so is his sister.”
“Is Miss Drake pretty, Frank?”
“Yes,” Frank said, “very pretty; an awfully jolly girl, Prescott, not the least bit of nonsense about her—downright and straightforward, you know.”
Prescott glanced up. But he saw that Frank was too outspoken in his praise to be the least in love.
“Tall or short, Frank?”
“Tall,” Frank said; “a good deal like Teddy; fancy Teddy a pretty girl, and you've got Sarah.”
“And there was a cousin with an Irish name, [23] Frank, wasn't there? You mentioned her in your first letter, but you did not allude to her afterwards. What was she like?”
Frank was longer in giving his answer this time.
“Well,” he said, slowly, “Miss O'Byrne would hardly be considered very pretty, at least I don't think most people would call her so. No, I should say not. She was rather short; and, yes, I should say, and plump.”
Prescott glanced across again at Frank, and a little amused smile came across his face at the cautious way in which he had spoken. But Frank was looking thoughtfully into the fire, and did not notice it.
“There were other young ladies staying in the house you said, Frank. Was there anything special about any of them?”
“No,” Frank said, carelessly; “they were a very jolly lot of girls; I had great fun down there.”
“Lots of dancing, and music, and so on, I suppose, Frank?”
“No end,” Frank said.
“Any of the girls sing well?”
“Katie sang splendidly; one of the finest [24] voices I ever heard in my life,” Frank said, enthusiastically.
“Katie?” Prescott repeated questioningly.
“Miss OByrne,” Frank explained.
“Ah,” Prescott said, with a smile, “the stout little cousin.”
“Good heavens, Prescott,” Frank said, turning round with great indignation, “what are you talking about?—stout little—by Jove, what put such a ridiculous idea in your head?”
“Why, my dear Frank, you said she was rather short and plump.”
“Pooh, nonsense,” Frank said; “she is rather short, perhaps, but has a charming little figure; just a little plump; but—” and muttering the obnoxious word over to himself, he smoked away in short angry puffs.
Prescott could hardly help laughing aloud at the success which attended his ruse.
“So Miss O'Byrne is not to be talked of lightly, eh, Frank?”
“Oh, nonsense,” Frank said. [25] “Of course one doesn't like to hear a girl like Katie talked of as a stout little—but there, of course you couldn't tell.”
“And do you ever mean to repeat your visit, Frank?”
“Well, yes, Prescott, I expect I shall go down there again; at least I hope so.”
“And may I ask, Frank, if you have any intention of bringing Miss O'Byrne back with you?”
Frank put his pipe down, and looked at Prescott, who was evidently greatly amused; then, after a moment's pause, he said,—
“You have guessed it, Prescott, sure enough. If Katie will come, I will bring her up.”
“Really, Frank?”
“Really, old man. I should have told you sooner or later. I am quite in earnest. I will marry Katie O'Byrne if she will have me.”
“I am very glad, Frank, very glad indeed;” and Prescott shook his friend warmly by the hand. “I always hoped you would do it sooner or later, Frank. You are only leading an idle useless life, and a wife will be the making of you. Of course she is very nice, Frank.”
“My dear fellow,” Frank said, quite inclined to be communicative now that the ice was [26]pan> broken, “she is the most loveable girl in the world.”
Prescott laughed.
“But not pretty, eh, Frank?”
“Well, Prescott, I suppose most men wouldn't call her pretty at first; I don't think I did; but I think her so now. Not pretty, perhaps, but loveable; that's the only word that expresses it, Prescott; just loveable, with the most trusting eyes you ever saw. She is full of fun, Katie, and has got a very decided will of her own. Not a bit of a muff, you know, Prescott.”
“No, I don't think you would be likely to fall in love with a muff, Frank. Well, and what does the young lady think of you, Frank? Was it a very strong flirtation?”
Frank laughed.
[27]
“No, Prescott, not a bit of it. It was perpetual war. I am afraid I was very hard on her, but I did like teazing her, and making her indignant. Katie has rather a will of her own, you see, and can hit very hard when she likes; and she was immensely angry at being made fun of. I do think, sometimes, she almost hated me. I don't think she has the least idea I care for her; but I don't know, Prescott, I hope that in the end I shall win her.”
Prescott smiled at Frank's description of his love-making.
“Well, Frank, and what do you propose doing with yourself this evening?”
[28]
“I hardly know, Prescott. I feel too restless to sit still, and a theatre would be just as bad. What with drives, and dinners, and parties, and a constant state of light skirmishing when I was with Katie, and an extreme amount of thought and restlessness when I was alone, I have been kept in a state of constant excitement for the last three weeks. I was always wondering whether anything would come of it; whether it was a mere case of strong flirtation, such as I have been engaged in fifty times before, or whether I was seriously in earnest. And then at last I arrived at the fixed and settled determination that of all the women I ever met, Katie was the one most certain to make me perfectly happy. Altogether I have been regularly worked up, and it would be quite impossible for me to sit still. I want something to let off the steam. A row would suit me admirably. It would be an immense satisfaction to hit out from the shoulder. Suppose we go to the ‘Stunners.’ There is sure to be some sparring going on; and if there's no one else, I can put on the gloves with Perkins. What do you say, Prescott?”
“Anything you like, Frank, so that I am not called upon to bail you out.”
So after dinner they went up to the “Lively Stunners.” The “Stunners” was a public-house, situated in one of the small streets lying above the top of the Haymarket. Not an aristocratic neighbourhood, indeed the reverse; but the “Stunners” did a good business, as even Perkins was ready to allow. Perkins was behind the bar in his shirt-sleeves, and was very busy indeed when the young men entered.
“Ah, Mr. Maynard, I am glad to see you, sir.”
“How are you, Perkins? Anything going on upstairs?”
“Not much, sir. It's not the night for sparring. We've got harmony to-night, sir.”
[29]
“I want a set-to with the gloves, Perkins. What do you say?”
“Well, sir, I should be willing enough, but I am going out for a spree. Just the thing to suit you if you are in the humour.”
“What is it, Perkins?”
“Well, sir, you must keep it dark, or it wouldn't do me any good in my business; but the Slogger and I are going,”—and here he bent over the bar with an air of great mystery,—“we're going to a Chartist meeting to-night. The Slogger knows a fellow who is hot about it, and he's put him up to the pass-word. So we're going, and if you and Mr. Prescott are game, you can go with us. We can easily get up a row if we like, and it's hard if us four can't fight our way out of it.”
“The very thing, Perkins; as you say, it's hard if we can't get up a row somehow. What do you say, Prescott?”
“Anything you like, Frank. A black eye will not look strictly professional, but as I have no case on in court it won't much matter. I have not used my fists since that last town and gown row we were in together at Cambridge; and I have no objection to a row for once in a way.”
[30]
“Well, Mr. Maynard, we are not to start till half-past nine, it's no use getting there too early, so if you don't mind going upstairs for an hour, I will tell you when it is time to be off.”
“If there's no sparring going on, Perkins, I think we'll go out for a stroll, and come back at the time you name. I can't stand the bad tobacco smoke, and the bad singing.”
“Now, gentlemen, if you're ready,” Perkins said, when they returned, “I'm with you.”
They went into the bar-parlour, where the Slogger, a powerful man, with the unmistakeable look of a prize fighter, was awaiting them.
“You are not thinking of going like that?” he asked. “Lor', they'd never let you in, not if you'd twenty pass-words, and if they did, they'd pitch into us directly we were in the light. No; if you mean to go, you must go like working men.”
[31]
“Have you any clothes you could lend us, Perkins?”
“Well, sir, I've an old greatcoat which would cover you well enough, and I dare say I can rummage out something for Mr. Prescott. As for hats, your best way is to send out and buy a couple of cheap billycocks. You can pull them down over your eyes. I think that with that, and if you take off your collars, and put a black handkerchief or a bird's eye round your necks, you will pass well enough.”
The transformation was soon effected, and the two young men could not help laughing at each other's altered appearance.
“You'll pass very well for a bricklayer out of employ, Frank.”
“Well, Prescott,” Frank retorted, “I could swear to you as a disreputable-looking tailor anywhere.”
A cab was at the door, and the party were soon off.
“Now,” Perkins said, “if there is a shindy, we must all keep together, and then we shall be as right as ninepence, whatever comes of it. I'd back the Slogger and you and I, Mr. Maynard, to clear the roughs out of any room in London in about five minutes. Mr. Prescott's very handy with the gloves, but he hasn't weight, and in a close fight weight tells.”
“Where is the place, Perkins?”
“In the New Cut, sir. It's a penny gaff at ordinary times.”
Arrived at the New Cut, they discharged the [32] cab, and went on foot thro............