"Young blighted Albert," said Keggs the butler, shifting his weightso that it distributed itself more comfortably over the creakingchair in which he reclined, "let this be a lesson to you, youngfeller me lad."The day was a week after Lord Marshmoreton's visit to London, thehour six o'clock. The housekeeper's room, in which the upperservants took their meals, had emptied. Of the gay company whichhad just finished dinner only Keggs remained, placidly digesting.
Albert, whose duty it was to wait on the upper servants, was movingto and fro, morosely collecting the plates and glasses. The boy wasin no happy frame of mind. Throughout dinner the conversation attable had dealt almost exclusively with the now celebratedelopement of Reggie Byng and his bride, and few subjects could havemade more painful listening to Albert.
"What's been the result and what I might call the upshot," saidKeggs, continuing his homily, "of all your making yourself so busyand thrusting of yourself forward and meddling in the affairs ofyour elders and betters? The upshot and issue of it 'as been thatyou are out five shillings and nothing to show for it. Fiveshillings what you might have spent on some good book and improvedyour mind! And goodness knows it wants all the improving it canget, for of all the worthless, idle little messers it's ever beenmy misfortune to have dealings with, you are the champion. Becareful of them plates, young man, and don't breathe so hard. You'aven't got hasthma or something, 'ave you?""I can't breathe now!" complained the stricken child.
"Not like a grampus you can't, and don't you forget it." Keggswagged his head reprovingly. "Well, so your Reggie Byng's gone andeloped, has he! That ought to teach you to be more careful anothertime 'ow you go gambling and plunging into sweepstakes. The idea ofa child of your age 'aving the audacity to thrust 'isself forwardlike that!""Don't call him my Reggie Byng! I didn't draw 'im!""There's no need to go into all that again, young feller. Youaccepted 'im freely and without prejudice when the fair exchangewas suggested, so for all practical intents and purposes he is yourReggie Byng. I 'ope you're going to send him a wedding-present.""Well, you ain't any better off than me, with all your 'ighwayrobbery!""My what!""You 'eard what I said.""Well, don't let me 'ear it again. The idea! If you 'ad anyobjections to parting with that ticket, you should have stated themclearly at the time. And what do you mean by saying I ain't anybetter off than you are?""I 'ave my reasons.""You think you 'ave, which is a very different thing. I suppose youimagine that you've put a stopper on a certain little affair bysurreptitiously destroying letters entrusted to you.""I never!" exclaimed Albert with a convulsive start that nearlysent eleven plates dashing to destruction.
"'Ow many times have I got to tell you to be careful of themplates?" said Keggs sternly. "Who do you think you are--a juggleron the 'Alls, 'urling them about like that? Yes, I know all aboutthat letter. You thought you was very clever, I've no doubt. Butlet me tell you, young blighted Albert, that only the other evening'er ladyship and Mr. Bevan 'ad a long and extended interview inspite of all your hefforts. I saw through your little game, and Iproceeded and went and arranged the meeting."In spite of himself Albert was awed. He was oppressed by the senseof struggling with a superior intellect.
"Yes, you did!" he managed to say with the proper note ofincredulity, but in his heart he was not incredulous. Dimly, Alberthad begun to perceive that years must elapse before he could becomecapable of matching himself in battles of wits with thismaster-strategist.
"Yes, I certainly did!" said Keggs. "I don't know what 'appened atthe interview--not being present in person. But I've no doubt thateverything proceeded satisfactorily.""And a fat lot of good that's going to do you, when 'e ain'tallowed to come inside the 'ouse!"A bland smile irradiated the butler's moon-like face.
"If by 'e you're alloodin' to Mr. Bevan, young blighted Albert, letme tell you that it won't be long before 'e becomes a regular dulyinvited guest at the castle!""A lot of chance!""Would you care to 'ave another five shillings even money on it?"Albert recoiled. He had had enough of speculation where the butlerwas concerned. Where that schemer was allowed to get within reachof it, hard cash melted away.
"What are you going to do?""Never you mind what I'm going to do. I 'ave my methods. All I'ave to say to you is that tomorrow or the day after Mr. Bevanwill be seated in our dining-'all with 'is feet under our table,replying according to his personal taste and preference, when I ask'im if 'e'll 'ave 'ock or sherry. Brush all them crumbs carefullyoff the tablecloth, young blighted Albert--don't shuffle yourfeet--breathe softly through your nose--and close the door be'indyou when you've finished!""Oh, go and eat cake!" said Albert bitterly. But he saidit to his immortal soul, not aloud. The lad's spirit was broken.
Keggs, the processes of digestion completed, presented himselfbefore Lord Belpher in the billiard-room. Percy was alone. Thehouse-party, so numerous on the night of the ball and on hisbirthday, had melted down now to reasonable proportions. Thesecond and third cousins had retired, flushed and gratified, toobscure dens from which they had emerged, and the castle housedonly the more prominent members of the family, always harder todislodge than the small fry. The Bishop still remained, and theColonel. Besides these, there were perhaps half a dozen more of thecloser relations: to Lord Belpher's way of thinking, half a dozentoo many. He was not fond of his family.
"Might I have a word with your lordship?""What is it, Keggs?"Keggs was a self-possessed man, but he found it a little hard tobegin. Then he remembered that once in the misty past he had seenLord Belpher spanked for stealing jam, he himself having acted onthat occasion as prosecuting attorney; and the memory nerved him.
"I earnestly 'ope that your lordship will not think that I amtaking a liberty. I 'ave been in his lordship your father's servicemany years now, and the family honour is, if I may be pardoned forsaying so, extremely near my 'eart. I 'ave known your lordshipsince you were a mere boy, and . . ."Lord Belpher had listened with growing impatience to this preamble.
His temper was seldom at its best these days, and the rollingperiods annoyed him.
"Yes, yes, of course," he said. "What is it?"Keggs was himself now. In his opening remarks he had simply been,as it were, winding up. He was now prepared to begin.
"Your lordship will recall inquiring of me on the night of the ballas to the bona fides of one of the temporary waiters? The one thatstated that 'e was the cousin of young bli--of the boy Albert, thepage? I have been making inquiries, your lordship, and I regret tosay I find that the man was a impostor. He informed me that 'e wasAlbert's cousin, but Albert now informs me that 'e 'as no cousin inAmerica. I am extremely sorry this should have occurred, yourlordship, and I 'ope you will attribute it to the bustle and hasteinseparable from duties as mine on such a occasion.""I know the fellow was an impostor. He was probably after thespoons!"Keggs coughed.
"If I might be allowed to take a further liberty, your lordship,might I suggest that I am aware of the man's identity and of hismotive for visiting the castle."He waited a little apprehensively. This was the crucial point inthe interview. If Lord Belpher did not now freeze him with a glanceand order him from the room, the danger would be past, and he couldspeak freely. His light blue eyes were expressionless as they metPercy's, but inwardly he was feeling much the same............