Bigamy -- Fiction; Domestic fiction; England -- Fiction; Married women -- Fiction
He put up his feet on a chair, and rested his magnificent muscles after
his walk, and filled another pipe, in thorough contentment with himself.
No interference to dread from Anne, no more awkward questions (on the
terms they were on now) to come from Arnold. He looked back at the
quarrel on the heath with a certain complacency--he did his friend
justice; though they _had_ disagreed. “Who would have thought the fellow
had so much pluck in him!” he said to himself as he struck the match and
lit his second pipe.
An hour more wore on; and Sir Patrick was the next person who returned.
He was thoughtful, but in no sense depressed. Judging by appearances,
his errand to Craig Fernie had certainly not ended in disappointment.
The old gentleman hummed his favorite little Scotch air--rather
absently, perhaps--and took his pinch of snuff from the knob of his
ivory cane much as usual. He went to the library bell and summoned a
servant.
“Any body been here for me?”--“No, Sir Patrick.”--“No letters?”--“No,
Sir Patrick.”--“Very well. Come up stairs to my room, and help me on
with my dressing-gown.” The man helped him to his dressing-gown and
slippers “Is Miss Lundie at home?”--“No, Sir Patrick. They’re all away
with my lady on an excursion.”--“Very good. Get me a cup of coffee; and
wake me half an hour before dinner, in case I take a nap.” The servant
went out. Sir Patrick stretched himself on the sofa. “Ay! ay! a little
aching in the back, and a certain stiffness in the legs. I dare say
the pony feels just as I do. Age, I suppose, in both cases? Well! well!
well! let’s try and be young at heart. ‘The rest’ (as Pope says) ‘is
leather and prunella.’” He returned resignedly to his little Scotch air.
The servant came in with the coffee. And then the room was quiet, except
for the low humming of insects and the gentle rustling of the creepers
at the window. For five minutes or so Sir Patrick sipped his coffee, and
meditated--by no means in the character of a man who was depressed by
any recent disappointment. In five minutes more he was asleep.
A little later, and the party returned from the ruins.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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