The scene presented by the room at this moment was sufficiently

singular. The waiters, drawn to the spot by the fury of my lady's tone,

peered in at the half-opened door, and asking one another what the

fracas was about, thought so; and softly called to others to witness it.

On one side of the table rose Lady Dunborough, grim and venomous; on the

other the girl stood virtually alone--for the elder woman had fallen to

weeping helplessly, and the attorney seemed to be unequal to this new

combatant. Even so, and though her face betrayed trouble and some

irresolution, she did not blench, but faced her accuser with a slowly

rising passion that overcame her shyness.

'Madam,' she said, 'I did not clearly catch your name. Am I right in

supposing that you are Lady Dunborough?' The peeress swallowed her rage with difficulty. 'Go!' she cried, and

pointed afresh to the door. 'How dare you bandy words with me? Do you

hear me? Go!' 'I am not going at your bidding,' the girl answered slowly. 'Why do you

speak to me like that?' And then, 'You have no right to speak to me in

that way!' she continued, in a flush of indignation.

'You impudent creature!' Lady Dunborough cried. 'You shameless,

abandoned baggage! Who brought you in out of the streets? You, a

kitchen-wench, to be sitting at this table smiling at your betters!

I'll--Ring the bell! Ring the bell, fool!' she continued impetuously,

and scathed Mr. Thomasson with a look. 'Fetch the landlord, and let me

see this impudent hussy thrown out! Ay, madam, I suppose you are here

waiting for my son; but you have caught me instead, and I'll be

bound. I'll--' 'You'll disgrace yourself,' the girl retorted with quiet pride. But she

was very white. 'I know nothing of your son.' 'A fig for the lie, mistress!' cried the old harridan; and added, as was

too much the fashion in those days, a word we cannot print. The Duchess

of Northumberland had the greater name for coarseness; but Lady

Dunborough's tongue was known in town. 'Ay, that smartens you, does it?

'she continued with cruel delight; for the girl had winced as from a

blow. 'But here comes the landlord, and now out you go. Ay, into the

streets, mistress! Hoity-toity, that dirt like you should sit at tables!

Go wash the dishes, slut!' There was not a waiter who saw the younger woman's shame who did not

long to choke the viscountess. As for the attorney, though he had vague

fears of privilege before his eyes, and was clogged by the sex of the

assailant, he could remain silent no longer.

'My lady,' he cried, in a tone of trembling desperation, 'you will--you

will repent this! You don't know what you are doing. I tell you that

to-morrow--' 'What is this?' said a quiet voice. It was the landlord's; he spoke as

he pushed his way through the group at the door. 'Has your ladyship some

complaint to make?' he continued civilly, his eye taking in the

scene--even to the elder woman, who through her tears kept muttering,

'Deary, we ought not to have come here! I told him we ought not to come

here!' And then, before her ladyship could reply, 'Is this the

party--that have Sir George Soane's rooms?' he continued, turning to

the nearest servant.




readonlinefreebook.com Copyright 2016 - 2024