Tales and Novels, vol 8 | Page 3

for his present self, or rather for his present situation.
"Won't you be seated? I hope all our friends--" Mrs. Buckhurst, or, as she was called, Mrs. Dean Falconer, made divers motions, with a very ugly chin, and stood as if she thought there ought to be an introduction. The dean knew it, but being ashamed to introduce her, determined against it. Alfred stood in suspension, waiting their mutual pleasure.
"Won't you sit down, sir?" repeated the dean.
Down plumped Mrs. Falconer directly, and taking out her spectacles, as if to shame her husband, by heightening the contrast of youth and age, deliberately put them on; then drawing her table nearer, settled herself to her work.
Alfred, who saw it to be necessary, determined to use his best address to conciliate the lady.
"Mr. Dean, you have never yet done me the honour to introduce me to Mrs. Falconer."
"I thought--I thought we had met before--since--Mrs. Falconer, Mr. Alfred Percy."
The lady took off her spectacles, smiled, and adjusted herself, evidently with an intention to be more agreeable. Alfred sat down by her work-table, directed his conversation to her, and soon talked, or rather induced her to talk herself into fine humour. Presently she retired to dress for dinner, and "hoped Mr. Alfred Percy had no intention of running away--she had a well-aired bed to offer him."
The dean, though he cordially hated his lady, was glad, for his own sake, to be relieved from her fits of crossness; and was pleased by Alfred's paying attention to her, as this was a sort of respect to himself, and what he seldom met with from those young men who had been his companions before his marriage--they usually treated his lady with a neglect or ridicule which reflected certainly upon her husband.
Alfred never yet had touched upon his business, and Buckhurst began to think this was merely a friendly visit. Upon Alfred's observing some alteration which had been lately made in the room in which they were sitting, the dean took him to see other improvements in the house; in pointing out these, and all the conveniences and elegancies about the parsonage, Buckhurst totally forgot the _dilapidation suit_; and every thing he showed and said tended unawares to prove that the house was in the most perfect repair and best condition possible. Gradually, whatever solemnity and beneficed pomp there had at first appeared in the dean's manner, wore off, or was laid aside; and, except his being somewhat more corpulent and rubicund than in early years, he appeared like the original Buckhurst. His gaiety of heart, indeed, was gone, but some sparkles of his former spirits remained.
"Here," said he, showing Alfred into his study, "here, as our good friend Mr. Blank said, when he showed us his study, 'Here is where I read all day long--quite snug--and nobody's a bit the wiser for it.'"
The dean seated himself in his comfortable arm-chair. "Try that chair, Alfred, excellent for sleeping in at one's ease."
"To rest the cushion and soft dean invite."
"Ah!" said Alfred, "often have I sat in this room with my excellent friend, Dr. Leicester!"
The new dean's countenance suddenly changed: but endeavouring to pass it off with a jest, he said, "Ay, poor good old Leicester, he sleeps for ever,--that's one comfort--to me--if not to you." But perceiving that Alfred continued to look serious, the dean added some more proper reflections in a tone of ecclesiastical sentiment, and with a sigh of decorum--then rose, for he smelt that the dilapidation suit was coming.
"Would not you like, Mr. Percy, to wash your hands before dinner?"
"I thank you, Mr. Dean, I must detain you a moment to speak to you on business."
Black as Erebus grew the face of the dean--he had no resource but to listen, for he knew it would come after dinner, if it did not come now; and it was as well to have it alone in the study, where nobody might be a bit the wiser.
When Alfred had stated the whole of what he had to say, which he did in as few and strong words as possible, appealing to the justice and feelings of Buckhurst--to the fears which the dean must have of being exposed, and ultimately defeated, in a court of justice--"Mrs. Leicester," concluded he, "is determined to maintain the suit, and has employed me to carry it on for her."
"I should very little have expected," said the dean, "that Mr. Alfred Percy would have been employed in such a way against me."
"Still less should I have expected that I could be called upon in such a way against you," replied Alfred. "No one can feel it more than I do. The object of my present visit is to try whether some accommodation may not be made, which will relieve us both from the necessity of going