The bidding was brisk, and Will continued to share in it, remembering

that Mrs. Bulstrode had a strong wish for the picture, and thinking

that he might stretch the price to twelve pounds. But it was knocked

down to him at ten guineas, whereupon he pushed his way towards the

bow-window and went out. He chose to go under the marquee to get a

glass of water, being hot and thirsty: it was empty of other visitors,

and he asked the woman in attendance to fetch him some fresh water; but

before she was well gone he was annoyed to see entering the florid

stranger who had stared at him. It struck Will at this moment that the

man might be one of those political parasitic insects of the bloated

kind who had once or twice claimed acquaintance with him as having

heard him speak on the Reform question, and who might think of getting

a shilling by news. In this light his person, already rather heating

to behold on a summer's day, appeared the more disagreeable; and Will,

half-seated on the elbow of a garden-chair, turned his eyes carefully

away from the comer. But this signified little to our acquaintance Mr.

Raffles, who never hesitated to thrust himself on unwilling

observation, if it suited his purpose to do so. He moved a step or two

till he was in front of Will, and said with full-mouthed haste, "Excuse

me, Mr. Ladislaw--was your mother's name Sarah Dunkirk?"

Will, starting to his feet, moved backward a step, frowning, and saying

with some fierceness, "Yes, sir, it was. And what is that to you?"

It was in Will's nature that the first spark it threw out was a direct

answer of the question and a challenge of the consequences. To have

said, "What is that to you?" in the first instance, would have seemed

like shuffling--as if he minded who knew anything about his origin!

Raffles on his side had not the same eagerness for a collision which

was implied in Ladislaw's threatening air. The slim young fellow with

his girl's complexion looked like a tiger-cat ready to spring on him.

Under such circumstances Mr. Raffles's pleasure in annoying his company

was kept in abeyance.

"No offence, my good sir, no offence! I only remember your mother--knew

her when she was a girl. But it is your father that you feature,

sir. I had the pleasure of seeing your father too. Parents alive, Mr.

Ladislaw?"

"No!" thundered Will, in the same attitude as before.

"Should be glad to do you a service, Mr. Ladislaw--by Jove, I should!

Hope to meet again."




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