On the other hand, there was Colonel Yeo, a walking Bodega of generous sentiment, with every rich passion and ripe opinion always on tap—ask what you would, and you had a tumblerful. But we libel Bodega, the gush with which he regaled his acquaintance was not true vintage; it was squeezed raisins and logwood, gooseberry and elder—no cobwebs of prejudice there, not a trace even of a scruple, not a token of maturity.
Supper was hurried on, because Philip was hungry, half an hour before the usual time at which the little party sat down to their special table in the alcove.
’Oh!’ said Salome, ’there is a cover short. Waiter, we shall be nine to-night and in future, not eight. My husband is here.’
’Pardon,’ answered the waiter, ’monsieur expressly said eight.’
’Oh, he forgot. He did not understand. We are now nine.’
’I said eight, but if you particularly desire Miss Durham’s society, I can sit at the long table with the common guests.’
’Oh, Philip! surely, surely not!’ exclaimed Salome. ’It will hurt her feelings.’
’She will understand that we are a family party, and that from such a party strangers are best excluded.’
Salome heaved a sigh. She could not endure the thought of giving pain to anyone.
’She is a lady, and very agreeable. Indeed, a most superior person. You will be certain to like her, when you come to know her. Oh, Philip! she knows a thousand things about which I am ignorant.’
’I have no doubt about that,’ answered Philip ironically; ’and things I would be sorry you should know about. I make no question she has seen the shady side of life.’
’The waiter—of course, he knows. And Colonel Yeo pays her great attention accordingly. Oh, Philip! I wish so much you would extend your protection to her against him. He may draw her into one of his schemes for the advancement of missionaries or the propagation of dogs—and get a lot of money out of her. Do—do, Philip, protect her against him. I—I—I don’t like to speak about him. You can understand that, Philip.’
’Very well,’ said he; ’I will do what I can.’ He was flattered at the idea of acting as protector to this young American lady. ’But I put down my foot and say she is not to sit at our table.’
The party gathered in the alcove, and fortunately Miss Durham was the last to arrive, so there was no difficulty about requesting her to take a place elsewhere. When she entered the _salle-à-manger_ at the usual hour, every seat was occupied at the table to which for some little while she had been admitted. She saw at a glance that her place was taken, and she went without demur, or a look of disappointment, to the long table. She had sufficient tact to perceive that Philip disliked her, and she had no intention of pressing her society on those who did not desire it. So far from seeming vexed, a slight contemptuous smile, like the flicker of summer lightning, played about her lips. She caught Salome’s eye, full of appeal and apology, and returned it with a good-natured nod. ’A trifle such as this,’ said the nod, ’will not give me offence.’