Then you consent, Mr Gartram? cried Glyddyr with animation.
No: I consent to nothing. Youve got to win her first. I give you my leave, though, to win if you can; and if you do marry her well, I daresay I can afford to buy her outfit trousseau what you may call it.
Mr Gartram
That will do. Be cool. You havent won her yet, my lad.
I may speak to her at once?
If you like; but my advice is dont. Lead up to it gently make sure of her before you speak. There, Im a busy man, and Ive got to go up the east river to look at a vein of stone which crops up there. Take another cigar, and walk with me if you like.
I will, sir. Try one of mine.
Yes, said Gartram laconically; and as they went out into the hall, he purposely picked out his worst hat from the stand, and put it on.
Old chap wants to make me shy at him, and show that I dont like walking through the town with that hat. Got hold of the wrong pig by the ear, said Glyddyr to himself.
They walked along the granite terrace, with its crenellated parapet and row of imitation guns, laboriously chipped out of the granite; and then out through the gateway and over the moat, and descended to the village, reaching the path leading to the east glen, and were soon walking beside the rushing salmon river, with Gartram pointing out great veins of good granite as it cropped out of the side of the deep ravine.
Hang his confounded stone! said Glyddyr to himself, after he had made several attempts to change the drift of the conversation.
Fine bit of stuff that, sir, said his companion, pointing
across the river with his heavy stick. I believe I could cut a monolith twenty feet long out of that rock, but the brutes wont let me have it. My solicitor has fought for it hard, but they stick to it, and money wont tempt them. I believe that was the beginning of my sleeplessness insomnia, as Asher calls it.
Asher?
Yes; our doctor. You must know him. Pleasant, smooth-spoken fellow in black.
Oh, yes; of course.
Worried me a deal, that did.
And you suffer from insomnia?
Horribly. Keep something to exorcise the demon, though, he said laughingly, taking a small bottle from his pocket. Chloral.
Dangerous stuff, sir. Take it cautiously.
I take it as my medical man advises.
That is right. Of course I remember Doctor Asher, and that other young friend of yours the naturalist and salmon fisherman, and
Oh, Lisle. Yes; sort of ward of mine. I am his trustee.
Quite an old friend, then, sir?
Yes; and eh? said the old man laughingly. Why, Glyddyr, I can read you like a book. Is there, or has there ever been, anything between Claude and Christopher Lisle? I should think not, indeed. Rubbish, man, rubbish! and
They had just turned one of the rugged corners of the glen, and there before them in the distance was Chris Lisle helping Claude to catch a fish his words, of course, inaudible, but his actions sufficiently demonstrative to make Parry Glyddyr press his teeth hardly together, and the owner of the granite castle grip his stick and swear.
Volume One Chapter Three. Lesson the First
There, she said, only listen. You cant go back now. It would be absurd.
But you are so imprudent, whispered Claude, whose cheeks were growing hotter. How could you?
I wanted to see you happy, my darling coz, was whispered back. I saw him coming here with his fishing-rod, and
But, Mary, what will Chris Lisle think?
Think hes in luck, and bless poor little humpy, fairy godmother me, and no, no, too late to retreat. We have been seen.
For as they had passed out into an open part of the glen where the river widened into a pool, there, only a short distance from them, and with his bright, sun-browned face directed toward the river, was a sturdy, well-built young fellow, dressed in a dark tweed Norfolk jacket and knickerbockers, busily throwing a fly across the pool till, as if intuitively becoming aware that he was watched, he looked sharply round.
The next moment there was again the peculiar buzzing sound made by a rapidly-wound-up multiplying winch, the rod was thrown over the young mans shoulder, and he turned to meet them.
Ah, little Mary! he cried merrily; and then, with a voice full of tender reverence, he turned, straw hat in hand, to Claude.
I did not expect to see you here.
And I am as much surprised, she said hastily. Mary and I were having a walk.
And now we are here, Mr Lisle, you may as well show us all your salmon, said Mary seriously.
My salmon! I havent had a rise.
And we have interrupted you, perhaps, just as the fish are biting. Come, Mary. Good-morning, Mr Lisle.
Oh!
Only a little interjection, but so full of reproach that Claude coloured here deeply, and more deeply still as, upon looking round for her companion, she found her comfortably seated upon a mossy stone, and with her head turned away to hide the mischievous delight which flashed from her eyes.
Im beginning to be afraid that I have offended you, Miss Gartram Claude.
Oh, no; what nonsense. Come, Mary.
The stone upon which she sat was not more deaf.