"I don't know what he'll say. Do you
think he'll bring a big stick?" Sir George who knew Lord Augustus did
not imagine that a stick would be brought. "I couldn't hit him, you
know. He's so fat that a blow would kill him." Lord Rufford wanted his
brother-in-law to go with him; but Sir George assured him that this was
impossible. It was a great bore. He had to go up to London all
alone,--in February, when the weather was quite open and hunting was
nearly coming to an end. And for what? Was it likely that such a man as
Lord Augustus should succeed in talking him into marrying any girl?
Nevertheless he went, prepared to be very civil, full of sorrow at the
misunderstanding, but strong in his determination not to yield an inch.
He arrived at the mansion precisely at ten o'clock and was at once
shown into a back room on the ground floor. He saw no one but a very
demure old servant who seemed to look upon him as one who was sinning
against the Trefoil family in general, and who shut the door upon him,
leaving him as it were in prison. He was so accustomed to be the
absolute master of his own minutes and hours that he chafed greatly as
he walked up and down the room for what seemed to him the greater part
of a day. He looked repeatedly at his watch, and at half-past ten
declared to himself that if that fat old fool did not come within two
minutes he would make his escape.
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