Evan Harrington | Page 7

across the table, and said, so as not to be
heard by his uncle, 'If that bird was rampant, you would see your own
arms, Marquis.'" And Mel replied, quietly for him to hear, "And as that
bird is couchant, Mr. George, you had better look to your sauce."
Couchant means squatting, you know. That's heraldry! Well, that
wasn't bad sparring of Mel's. But, bless you! he was never taken aback,

and the gentlefolks was glad enough to get him to sit down amongst
'em. So, says Mr. George, "I know you're a fire-eater, Marquis," and his
dander was up, for he began marquising Mel, and doing the mock
polite at such a rate, that, by-and-by, one of the ladies who didn't know
Mel called him "my lord" and "his lordship." "And," says Mel, "I
merely bowed to her, and took no notice." So that passed off: and there
sits Mel telling his anecdotes, as grand as a king. And, by and-by,
young Mr. George, who hadn't forgiven Mel, and had been pulling at
the bottle pretty well, he sings out, "It 's Michaelmas! the death of the
goose! and I should like to drink the Marquis's health!" and he drank it
solemn. But, as far as I can make out, the women part of the company
was a little in the dark. So Mel waited till there was a sort of a pause,
and then speaks rather loud to the Admiral, "By the way, Sir Jackson,
may I ask you, has the title of Marquis anything to do with tailoring?"
Now Mel was a great favourite with the Admiral, and with his lady, too,
they say--and the Admiral played into his hands, you see, and, says he,
"I 'm not aware that it has, Mr. Harrington." And he begged for to know
why he asked the question--called him, "Mister," you understand. So
Mel said, and I can see him now, right out from his chest he spoke,
with his head up "When I was a younger man, I had the good taste to be
fond of good society, and the bad taste to wish to appear different from
what I was in it": that's Mel speaking; everybody was listening; so he
goes on: "I was in the habit of going to Bath in the season, and
consorting with the gentlemen I met there on terms of equality; and for
some reason that I am quite guiltless of," says Mel, "the hotel people
gave out that I was a Marquis in disguise; and, upon my honour, ladies
and gentlemen--I was young then, and a fool--I could not help
imagining I looked the thing. At all events, I took upon myself to act
the part, and with some success, and considerable gratification; for, in
my opinion," says Mel, "no real Marquis ever enjoyed his title so much
as I did. One day I was in my shop--No. 193, Main Street,
Lymport--and a gentleman came in to order his outfit. I received his
directions, when suddenly he started back, stared at me, and exclaimed:
'My dear Marquis! I trust you will pardon me for having addressed you
with so much familiarity.' I recognized in him one of my Bath
acquaintances. That circumstance, ladies and gentlemen, has been a

lesson to me. Since that time I have never allowed a false impression
with regard to my position to exist. "I desire," says Mel, smiling, "to
have my exact measure taken everywhere; and if the Michaelmas bird
is to be associated with me, I am sure I have no objection; all I can say
is, that I cannot justify it by letters patent of nobility." That's how Mel
put it. Do you think they thought worse of him? I warrant you he came
out of it in flying colours. Gentlefolks like straight-forwardness in their
inferiors--that's what they do. Ah!' said Kilne, meditatively, 'I see him
now, walking across the street in the moonlight, after he 'd told me that.
A fine figure of a man! and there ain't many Marquises to match him.'
To this Barnes and Grossby, not insensible to the merits of the recital
they had just given ear to, agreed. And with a common voice of praise
in the mouths of his creditors, the dead man's requiem was sounded.
CHAPTER II
THE HERITAGE OF THE SON
Toward evening, a carriage drove up to the door of the muted house,
and the card of Lady Racial, bearing a hurried line in pencil, was
handed to the widow.
It was when you looked upon her that you began to comprehend how
great was the personal splendour of the husband who could eclipse such
a woman. Mrs. Harrington was a tall and a stately dame. Dressed in the
high waists of the matrons of that period,