Rupert went again to the hall to tell the two Chinese servants,
which Lo Keong had brought with him, to take the trunks up to
the bed-room which the Marquis would occupy. Then he went to the
back and made Mr. and Mrs. Petley rise. Both were disturbed when
they heard that a Chinese grandee was in the house. "I do hope
he won't bring trouble with him," said Mrs. Petley to her
husband. "I never could a-bear them things, since I saw that
creature who brought home the old master's baggage. And, Missus,
as is dead, couldn't bear him either."
"He was a cock-eyed man," said old John reflectively.
"Cock-eyed yourself," retorted the housekeeper who had a better
memory, "he was one-eyed, and a nice ugly thing he looked. Ah
well, as I always says, Abbot Raoul don't walk for nothing, and
this Chiner gentleman coming here, means trouble."
Old John who was much the same way of thinking himself, grew
annoyed by his wife's pessimism and told her to hurry up and
come to the kitchen. Then he went to see after the bed-room
which his master had selected for the untoward guest. Mrs.
Petley came down to find her kitchen in the possession of two
grave silent Chinamen who had lighted the fire and were boiling
water for tea. "Well, I'm sure," said Mrs. Petley surveying both
with distaste, "the idear of these furreiners taking liberties,"
and she sniffed at the Far East.
Meanwhile, Rupert returned to the drawing-room and found the
Marquis paying attentions to his wife. Lo-Keong was a tall,
fine-looking man, grave and extremely polite. He had admirable
manners, and his clothes were of the finest. Olivia in her rich
dinner dress, felt quite plainly dressed beside this gorgeous
gentleman, who wore a jacket of rose-pink, a coat of grass green
satin, pale blue silk trousers, and thick-soled white green
shoes. He also had a glossy pig-tail woven with silk, and
carried a small fan--at which Olivia shuddered. Seated in a deep
arm-chair, he looked a potentate, quite out of place in that
sober English drawing-room. The Marquis was very affable, and
deferential to Mrs. Ainsleigh, who quite overcame her dislike to
Celestials after a few moments converse with this splendid
specimen of the aristocracy of Cathay.
"You are quite sure you won't have some refreshment?" she asked.
Lo-Keong waved his slim hand graciously. "I thank you, no," said
he, "and if you will allow me to explain myself, you can then
retire. I am ashamed of having called at this hour. But," he
looked at Rupert first and at Olivia afterwards, "my excuse is a
good one. I have seen Hwei--whom you know."
Ainsleigh shuddered. "Yes, and I don't retain any very pleasant
recollections of that gentleman," said he.
Lo-Keong laughed quietly, "Hwei is a true devotée of the god
Kwang-ho."
"I don't understand about that god," said Olivia.