Stranica 190 [190]
140
imprinting one kiss upon her beautiful
forehead, hurried from the room.
CHAPTER THE THIRTEENTH
Is a short one, and may appear of no great im¬
portance in its place, but it should be read not¬
withstanding, as a sequel to the 1ast, and a key
to one that will follow when its time arrives.
6 AnD so you are resolved to be my
travelling-companion this morning—eh ?”
said the doctor, as Harry Maylie joined
him and Oliver at the breakfast table.
s Why, you are not in the same mind or
intention two half hours together.”
“ You will tell me a different tale one
of these days,” said Harry, colouring
without any perceptible reason.
‘‘T hope I may have cause to do
so,” replied Mr. Losberne; "though I con¬
fess I don’t think I shall. But yesterday
morning you had made up your mind in a
great hurry to stay here, and accompany
your mother, like a dutiful son, to the
sea-side; before noon you announce that
you are going to do me the honour of ac¬
companying me as far as I go on your
road to London; and at night you urge
ladies are stirring, the consequence of
which is, that young Oliver here is
pinned down to his breakfast when he
ought to be ranging the meadows after
botanical phenomena of all kinds. Too
bad, isn’t it, Oliver?”
“IT should have been very sorry not to
have been at home when you and Mr.
Maylie went away, sir,” rejoined Oliver.
c That’s a fine fellow," said the doc¬
tor; “you shall come and see me when
ou return. But, to speak seriously,
arry, has any communication from the
great nobs produced this sudden anxiety
on your part to be gone!"
“The great nobs,” replied Harry, “ un¬
der which designation, I presume, you
include my most stately uncle, have not
communicated with meat all since I have
been here, nor, at this time of the year,
is it likely that anything would occur to
ance among them.”
“Well,” said the doctor, “you are a
queer fellow. But of course they will
get you into Parliament at the election
before Christmas, and these sudden shift¬
ings and changes are no bad preparation
for political life. ‘There’s something in
that; good training is always desirable,
whether the race be for place, cup, or
sweepstakes.”
Harry Maylie looked as if he could
have followed up this short dialogue by
one or tworemarks that would have stag¬
gered the doctor not a little, but he con¬
tented himself with saying, " We shall
see," and pursued the subject no further.
The post-chaise drove up to the door
shortly afterwards, and Giles coming in
for the luggage, the good doctor bustled
out to see it packed away.
“ Oliver,” said Harry Maylie, in a low
voice, * let me speak a word with you.”
Oliver walked into the window recess
to which Mr. Maylie beckoned him;
much surprised at the mixture of sadness
and boisterous spirits, which his whole
behaviour displayed.
“ You can write well now,” said Harry,
laying his hand upon his arm.
“ T hope so, sir,” replied Oliver.
c [ shall not be at home again, perhaps
for some time; I wish you would write
to me—say once a fortnight, every alter¬
nate Monday, to the General Post Office
in London: will you?” said Mr. Maylie.
“Oh! certainly, sir; I shall be proud
to do it,” exclaimed Oliver, greatly de¬
lighted with the commission.
“]T should like to know how—how my
mother and Miss Maylie are,” said the
young man; sand you can fill up a sheet
by telling me what walks you take, and
what you talk about, and whether she—
they, | mean, seem happy and quite well.
You understand me?”
6 Oh! quite, sir, quite,” replied Oliver.
“] would rather you did not mention it
to them,” said Harry, hurrying over his
words; “because it might make my mo¬
ther anxious to write to me oftener, and
it is a trouble and worry to her. Let it
be a secret between you and me, and
mind you tell me everything; I depend
upon you.”
Oliver, quite elated and honoured by a
sense of his importance, faithfully pro¬
mised to be secret and explicit in his
communications, and Mr. Maylie took
leave of him with many warm assurances
of his regard and protection.
The doctor was in the chaise; Giles
(who, it had been arranged, should be left
behind,) held the door open in his hand;
and the women servants were in the gar¬
den looking on. Harry cast one slight
glance at the latticed window, and jump¬
ed into the carriage.