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In Honour's Cause: A Tale of the Days of George the First, a novel by George Manville Fenn |
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Chapter 13. A Very Bad Dinner |
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_ CHAPTER THIRTEEN. A VERY BAD DINNER "And I could have told her so easily then," thought Frank, as he went away feeling proud and pleased, and yet more troubled than ever. "Wean Andrew from his ideas? I wonder whether I could. Of course I shall try hard; and if I succeeded, what a thing to have done! I'm not going to think which side is right or wrong. We're the King's servants, and have nothing to do with such matters. Drew has been trying to get me over to their side. Now I'm going to make him come to ours, in spite of all the Mr George Selbys in London." That afternoon the Princess's reception-rooms were crowded by a brilliant assemblage of court ladies and gentlemen, many of whom were in uniform; and there was plenty to take the attention of a lad fresh from the country, without troubling himself about political matters. He saw his father, but not to speak to. The latter gave him a quick look and a nod, though, which the boy interpreted to mean, "Don't forget this evening." "Just as if I am likely to," thought Frank, as he gazed proudly after the handsome, manly-looking officer. He had a glimpse or two of his mother, who was in close attendance upon the Princess, and with a natural feeling of pride the lad thought to himself that his father and mother were the most royal-looking couple there. At last he found himself close to Andrew Forbes, who eagerly joined him, their duties having till now kept them separate. "Isn't it horrible?" said Andrew, with a look of disgust in his flushed face. "Horrible! I thought it the grandest sight I have ever seen. What do you mean by horrible?" "This guttural chattering of the people. Why, you can hardly hear an English word spoken. It's all double Dutch, till I feel as if my teeth were set on edge." "Nonsense! Good chance to learn German." "I'd rather learn Hottentot. Look too what a lot of fat, muffin-faced women there are, and stupid, smoky, sour-kraut-eating men. To my mind there are only two people worth looking at, and they are your father and mother." Frank, who had felt irritated at his companion's persistent carping, began to glow, for he felt that his companion's words were genuine. "Yes, they do look well, don't they?" "Splendid. I do like your mother, Frank." "Well, she likes you." "H'm. I don't know," said the lad dubiously. "But I do," said Frank quickly. "She told me so only this afternoon." "What! Here, tell me what she said." "That she knew your mother so well, and that it was sad about her dying so young, and that she felt, as I took it, something the same toward you as she did toward me." "Did--did she talk like that, Frank?" said Andrew, with his lower lip quivering a little. "Yes; and told me she hoped I should always be a good friend to you, and keep you out of mischief." "Stuff!" cried Andrew. "I'm sure she did not say that." "She did," said Frank warmly. "Not in those words, perhaps; but that was what she meant." Andrew laughed derisively. "Why, I'm a couple of years nearly older than you." "So she said; but she spoke as if she thought that I could influence you." "Bless her!" said Andrew warmly. "I feel as proud of her as you do, Frank, only I'm sorry for her to be here amongst all these miserable German people. Look, there's that stuck-up, conceited Baron Brokenstone, or whatever his name is. A common German adventurer, that's what he is; and yet he's received here at court." "Well, he's one of the King's Hanoverian generals." "I should like to meet him under one of our generals," said Andrew. "I consider it an insult for a fellow like that to be speaking to your mother--our mother, Frank, if she talks about me like that. I hate him, and feel as if I should like to go and hit him across the face with my glove." "What for? Oh, I say, Drew, what a hot-headed fellow you are." "It isn't my head, Franky; it's my heart. It seems to burn when I see these insolent Dutch officers lording it here, and smiling in their half-contemptuous, half-insulting way at our English ladies. Ugh! I wonder your father doesn't stop it. Look at him yonder, standing as if he were made of stone. I shall tell him what I think to-night." "You would never be so foolish and insulting," said Frank warmly. "He would be angry." "No, I suppose I must not," said Andrew gloomily. "He would say it was the impertinence of a boy." They had to separate directly after, and a few minutes later Frank saw his father crossing the room toward the door. Frank was nearest, and by a quick movement reached it first, and stepped outside so as to get a word or two from him as he came out. But Sir Robert was stopped on his way, and some minutes elapsed before Frank saw the manly, upright figure emerge from the gaily dressed crowd which filled the anteroom, and stride toward him, but evidently without noticing his presence. "Father," he whispered. Sir Robert turned upon him a fierce, angry face, his eyes flashing, and lips moving as if he were talking to himself. But the stern looks softened to a smile as he recognised his son, and he spoke hurriedly: "Don't stop me, my boy; I'm not fit to talk to you now. Oh, absurd!" "Is anything the matter, father?" said Frank anxiously, as he laid his hand on his father's arm. "Matter? Oh, nothing, boy. Just a trifle put out. The rooms are very hot. There, I must go. Don't forget to-night, you and young Forbes." He nodded and strode on, leaving his son wondering; for he had never seen such a look before upon his father's face. He thought no more of it then, for his attention was taken up by the coming of the Princess with her ladies, the reception being at an end; while soon after Andrew Forbes joined him, and began questioning him again about Lady Gowan, and what she had said about his dead mother, ending by turning Frank's attention from the emotion he could hardly hide by saying banteringly: "You'll have to be very strict with me, Frank, or you'll have a great deal of trouble to make me a good boy." "I shall manage it," said Frank, with a laugh; and not very long after they were on their way to the Guards' messroom, both trying to appear cool and unconcerned, but each feeling nervous at the idea of dining with the officers. Sir Robert was there, looking rather flushed and excited, as he stood talking to a brother-officer in the large room set apart for the Guards; but his face lit up with a pleasant smile as the boys entered, and he greeted them warmly, and introduced them to the officer with him. "Makes one feel old, Murray," he said, "to have a couple of great fellows like these for sons." "Sons? I thought that--" began the officer. "Oh, about this fellow," said Sir Robert merrily. "Oh yes, he's Forbes's boy; but Lady Gowan and I seem to have adopted him like. Sort of step-parents to him--eh, Andrew?" "I wish I could quite feel that, Sir Robert," said Andrew warmly. "Well, quite feel it then, my lad," said Sir Robert, clapping him on the shoulder. "It rests with you.--Think Frank here will ever be man enough for a soldier, Murray?" "Man enough? Of course," said the officer addressed. "We must get them both commissions as soon as they're old enough. Forbes might begin now." "H'm! Ha!" said Sir Robert, giving the lad a dry look. "Andrew Forbes will have to wait a bit." Then, seeing the blood come into the lad's face at the remark which meant so much: "He's going to wait for Frank here.--Well, isn't it nearly dinner-time?--Hungry, boys?" "Er--no, sir," said Andrew. "Frank is," said Sir Robert, smiling at his son. "Can't help it, father," said the boy frankly. "I always am." "And a capital sign too, my lad," said the officer addressed as Murray. "There's nothing like a fine healthy appetite in a boy. It means making bone and muscle, and growing. Oh yes, he'll be as big as you are, Gowan. Make a finer man, I'll be bound." "Don't look like it," said Sir Robert merrily; "why, the boy's blushing like a great girl." The conversation was ended by the entrance of several other officers, who all welcomed the two lads warmly, and seemed pleased to do all they could to set at their ease the son and _protege_ of the most popular officer in the regiment. Captain Murray, his father's friend, was chatting with Frank, when he suddenly said: "Here are the rest of the guests." Six German officers entered the room, and Frank started and turned to glance at his father, and then at Andrew, whom he found looking in his direction; but Sir Robert had advanced with the elderly colonel of the regiment, and Captain Murray rose as well. "I shall have to play interpreter," he said, smiling. "Come along, and the colonel will introduce you two, or I will. They don't speak any English; and if you two do not, your father and I are the only men present who know German." The introductions followed, and feeling very uncomfortable all the while, Frank and his companion were in due course made known to Baron Steinberg, Count Von Baumhof, and to the four other guests, whose names he did not catch; and then, by the help of Captain Murray and Sir Robert, a difficult conversation was carried on, the German officers assuming a haughty, condescending manner towards the Guardsmen, who were most warm in their welcome. At the end of a few minutes Captain Murray returned to where the two lads were standing, leaving Sir Robert trying his best to comprehend the visitors, and translating their words to the colonel and his brother-officers. "Rather an unthankful task," said the captain, smiling. "These Germans treat us as if they had conquered the country, and we were their servants. Never mind; I suppose it is their nature to." "Yes," said Andrew warmly; "they make my blood boil. I know I am only a boy; but that was no reason why they should insult Frank Gowan here and me with their sneering, contemptuous looks." "Never mind, my lad. I noticed it. Show them, both of you, that you are English gentlemen, and know how to treat strangers and guests." "Yes, yes, of course," said Frank hastily. "They will be more civil after dinner. Ah, and there it is." For the door was thrown open, one of the servants announced the dinner, and the colonel led off with Baron Steinberg, after saying a few words to Sir Robert, who came directly to his brother-officer. "The colonel wishes the places to be changed, Murray," he said, "so that you and I can be closer to the head of the table on either side, to do the talking with the visitors. I wish you would take my boy here on your left. Forbes, my lad, you come and sit with me." Andrew had begun to look a little glum at being set on one side on account of the German officers; but at Sir Robert's last words he brightened up a little, and they followed into the messroom, which was decorated with the regimental colours; the hall looked gay with its fine display of plate, glass, flowers, and fruit, and the band was playing in a room just beyond. The scene drove away all the little unpleasantry, and the dinner proceeded, with the colonel and his officers doing their best to entertain their guests, but only seeming to succeed with the two pages of honour, to whom everything was, in its novelty, thoroughly delightful. The German officers, though noblemen and gentlemen, gave their hosts a very poor example of good breeding, being all through exceedingly haughty and overbearing, and treating the attempts of Sir Robert and Captain Murray to act as their interpreters to the colonel and the other officers with a contempt that was most galling; and more than once Frank saw his father, who was opposite, bite his lip and look across at Captain Murray, who, after one of these glances, whispered to Frank: "Your dad's getting nettled, my lad, and I find it very consoling." "Why?" said Frank, who felt annoyed with himself for enjoying the evening so much. "Why? Because I was fancying that I must have a very hasty temper for minding what has been taking place. Do you know any German at all?" "Very little," said Frank quickly. "What a pity! You could have said something to this stolid gentleman on my right. He seems to think I am a waiter." "I thought he was very rude several times." "Well, yes, I suppose we must call it rude. The poor old colonel yonder is in misery; he does hardly anything but wipe his forehead. Does not young Forbes speak German?" "No, he hates it," said Frank hastily. "Enough to make him," muttered the captain. "But never mind; you must both come and dine with us another time, when we are all Englishmen present. This is a dreary business; but we must make the best of it." He turned to say something courteous to the heavy, silent officer on his right, but it was coldly received, and after a few words the German turned to converse with one of his fellow-countrymen, others joined in, and the colonel looked more troubled and chagrined than ever. The dinner went slowly on; and at last, with the conversation principally carried on by the German guests, who were on more than one occasion almost insolent to their entertainers, the dessert was commenced, several of the officers drawing their chairs closer, and a young ensign, who looked very little older than Frank, whispered to him: "I heard your father say that you were coming into the army." "Yes, I hope to," replied the lad. "Then you set to at once to study German. We shall be having everything German soon." "Then I shall not join," said Andrew across the table; and the officer on his right laughed. Sir Robert and Captain Murray were too much occupied now to pay any attention to their young guests, who found the officers below them eager to make up for this, and they began chatting freely, so that this was the pleasantest part of the evening. But at the upper part of the table matters were getting more strained. The colonel and his friends, whom he had placed with the foreign guests, after trying hard all through to make themselves agreeable and to entertain the visitors, had received so many rebuffs that they became cold and silent, while the Germans grew more and more loud in their remarks across the table to each other. Many of these remarks were broad allusions to the country in which they were and its people, and the annoyance he felt was plainly marked on Sir Robert's brow in deeply cut parallel lines. Ignoring their hosts, the visitors now began to cut jokes about what they had seen, and from a word here and there which, thanks to his mother, Frank was able to grasp, they were growing less and less particular about what they said. Baron Steinberg had had a great deal to say in a haughtily contemptuous manner, and Frank noticed that whenever he spoke his friends listened to him with a certain amount of deference, as if he were the most important man present. He noted, too, that when the baron was speaking his father looked more and more stern, but whenever it fell to his lot to interpret something said by the colonel he was most studiously courteous to the guest. Frank had grown interested in an anecdote being related for his and Andrew's benefit by one of the young officers below, and as it was being told very humorously his back was half turned to the upper part of the table, and he was leaning forward so as not to miss a word. At the same time, though, he was half-conscious that the baron on the colonel's right was talking loudly, and saying something which greatly amused his compatriots, when all at once Sir Robert Gowan sprang to his feet, and Captain Murray cried across the table to him: "Gowan! for Heaven's sake take no notice." Frank's heart began to throb violently, as he saw his father dart a fierce look at his brother-officer, and then take a couple of strides up the side of the table to where the baron sat on the colonel's right. "Gowan, what is the matter?" cried the colonel. "What has he said?" "I'll interpret afterwards, sir," said Sir Robert, in a deep, hoarse voice, "when we are alone;" then fiercely to the baron in German: "Take back those words, sir. It is an insult--a lie!" The baron sprang to his feet, his example being followed by his brother-officers, and, leaning forward, he seemed about to strike, but with a brutally contemptuous laugh he bent down, caught up his glass, and threw it and its contents in Sir Robert's face. Every one had risen now, and Captain Murray made a rush to reach the other side; but before he was half-way there, Frank had seen his father dart forward, there was the sound of a heavy blow, and the German baron fell back with his chair, the crash resounding through the room, but only to be drowned by the fierce roar of voices, as the German officers clapped their hands to their swordless sides, and then made a rush to seize Sir Robert. The colonel could not speak a word of German, but his looks and gestures sufficed as he sprang before them. "Keep back, gentlemen!" he said; "I am in ignorance of the cause of all this." "A most gross insult, sir!" cried Captain Murray angrily. "Silence, sir!" cried the colonel. "These gentlemen were _my_ guests, and whatever was said Captain Sir Robert Gowan has committed an unpardonable breach of social duty. To your quarters, sir, without a word." "Right, colonel," replied Sir Robert quietly, as he stood pale and stern, returning the vindictive looks of the German guests, who would have attacked him but for the action taken by his brother-officers. What took place afterward was confused to Frank by the giddy excitement in his brain; but he was conscious of seeing the baron assisted to a chair, and then talking in savage anger to his compatriots, while at the other end of the room there was another knot where the younger officers and Captain Murray were with Sir Robert. "It was a mad thing to do, Gowan," cried the former. "Flesh and blood could not bear it, lad," replied Frank's father. "Mad? What would you have done if in the presence of your son those words had been uttered?" "As you did, old lad," cried Captain Murray, with his face flushing, "and then stamped my heel upon his face." There was a low murmur of satisfaction from the young officers around. "Hah!" said Sir Robert, "I thought so." Then with a quiet smile he caught Andrew's and Frank's hands: "So sorry, my dear boys, to have spoiled your evening. Go now.--Murray, old lad, see them off, and then come to my quarters." "Oh, Sir Robert," whispered Andrew, clinging to his hand, and speaking in a low, passionate voice, "I am glad. That did me good." "What! You understood his words?" "I? No." "That's right! Go now, Frank boy. One moment, my lad. You are suddenly called upon to act like a man." "Yes, father! What do you want me to do?" "Keep silence, my lad. Not a word about this must reach your mother's ears." "Come, Frank, my lad," said Captain Murray gently. "You are better away from here." The words seemed to come from a distance, but the lad started and followed the captain outside, where the young officers gathered about him, eager to shake hands and tell him that they were all so glad; but he hardly heard them, and it was in a strangely confused way that he parted from Captain Murray, who said that he could go no farther, as he wanted to hurry back to Sir Robert. Then the two lads were alone. "What does it all mean, Drew?" cried Frank passionately. "Oh, I must go back. It's cowardly to come away from my father now." "You can't go to him. He'll be under arrest." "Arrest!" cried Frank. "Yes, for certain. But don't look like that, lad. It's glorious--it's grand." "But arrest? He said it was an insult. They can't punish him for that." "Punishment? Pooh! What does that matter? Every gentleman in the army will shout for him, and the men throw up their caps. Oh, it's grand-- it's grand! And they'll meet, of course; and Sir Robert must--he shall--he will too. He'll run the miserable German through." "What? Fight! My father fight--with him?" "Yes, as sure as we should have done after such a row at school." "But--with swords?" "Officers don't fight with fists." "Oh!" cried Frank wildly; "then that's what he meant when he said that my mother must not know." _ |
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