'We are all under orders,' answered he, quietly, 'and I must not be the
first to mutiny.'
Indiana smiled with triumph; but Miss Margland, firing with anger,
declared she wanted no help, and would accept none.
Sir Hugh was now beginning an expostulation with his nephew; but Lionel
preferred compliance to hearing it; yet, to obviate the ridicule which
he was persuaded would follow such an acquiescence, he strided up to
Miss Margland with hasty steps, and dropping on one knee, in the dust,
seized and kissed her hand; but precipitately rising, and shaking
himself, called out: 'My dear ma'am, have you never a little
cloaths-brush in your pocket? I can't kneel again else!'
Miss Margland wrathfully turned from him; and the party proceeded to a
small gate, at the back of the church, that opened to the lane mentioned
by Edgar, over which, when the rest of the company had passed, into a
beautiful meadow, Lionel offered his hand for conducting Miss Margland,
who rejected it disdainfully.
'Then, you will be sure to fall,' said he.
'Not unless you do something to make me.'
'You will be sure to fall,' he repeated coolly.
Much alarmed, she protested she would not get over before him.
He absolutely refused to go first.
The whole party stopt; and Bellamy, who had hitherto stood still and
back, now ventured to approach, and in the most courteous manner, to
offer his services to Miss Margland. She looked victoriously around her;
but as he had spoken in a low voice, only said: 'Sir?' to make him
repeat his proposal more audibly. He complied, and the impertinencies
of Lionel rendered his civility irresistible: 'I am glad,' she cried,
'there is still one gentleman left in the world!' And accepted his
assistance, though her persecutor whispered that her spark was a dead
man! and strutted significantly away.
Half frightened, half suspecting she was laughed at, she repeated softly
to Sir Hugh the menace of his nephew, begging that, to prevent mischief,
she might still retain Bellamy.
'Lord be good unto me!' cried he, 'what amazing fools the boys of now
a-days are grown! with all their learning, and teaching, and classics at
their tongue's end for nothing! However, not to set them together by the
ears, till they grow a little wiser, which, I take it, won't be of one
while, why you must e'en let this strange gentleman walk with you till
t'other boy's further off. However, this one thing pray mind! (lowering
his voice,) keep him all to yourself! if he does but so much as look at
Eugenia, give him to understand it's a thing I sha'n't take very kind of
him.'
Beckoning then to Dr. Orkborne, he uneasily said: 'As I am now obliged
to have that young fellow along with us, for the sake of preventing an
affray, about nobody knows what, which is the common reason of quarrels
among those raw young fry, I beg you to keep a particular sharp look
out, that he does not take the opportunity to run off with Eugenia.'