The Definite Object | Page 2

affable, and most sedate, having
motioned his visitor into his master's favourite chair, set down the tray
of decanters and glasses upon the piano, coughed, and pulled down his
waistcoat; and Mr. Brimberly did it all with that air of portentous
dignity and leisurely solemnity which, together with his whiskers,
made him the personality he was.
"And you're still valeting for Barberton, are you, Mr. Stevens?" he
blandly enquired.

"I've been with his lordship six months, now," nodded Mr. Stevens.
"Ah!" said Mr. Brimberly, opening a certain carved cabinet and
reaching thence a box of his master's choicest Havanas, "six months,
indeed! And 'ow is Barberton? I hacted in the capacity of his
confidential valet a good many years ago, as I told you, and we always
got on very well together, very well, indeed. 'ow is Barberton?"
"Oh, 'e 'd be right enough if it warn't for 'is gout which gets 'im in the
big toe now and then, and 'is duns and creditors and sich-like low
fellers, as gets 'im everywhere and constant! 'E'll never be quite 'imself
until 'e marries money--and plenty of it!"
"A American hair-ess!" nodded Mr. Brimberly. "Pre-cisely! I very
nearly married 'im to a rich widder ten years ago. 'E'd 'ave been settled
for life if 'e 'd took my advice! But Barberton was always inclined to be
a little 'eadstrong. The widder in question 'appened to be a trifle par-say,
I'll admit, also it was 'inted that one of 'er--lower limbs was cork. But
then, 'er money, sir--'er jools!" Mr. Brimberly raised eyes and hands
and shook his head until his whiskers quivered in a very ecstasy.
"But a wooden leg--" began Mr. Stevens dubiously.
"I said 'limb', sir!" said Mr. Brimberly, his whiskers distinctly agitated,
"a cork limb, sir! And Lord bless me, a cork limb ain't to be sniffed at
contemptuous when it brings haffluence with it, sir! At least, my
sentiments leans that way."
"Oh--ditto, certainly, sir! I'd take haffluence to my 'eart if she came
with both le--both of 'em cork, if it meant haffluence like this!" Mr.
Stevens let his pale, prominent eyes wander slowly around the
luxuriant splendour of the room. "My eye!" he exclaimed, "it's easy to
see as your governor don't have to bother about marrying money, cork
limbs or otherwise! Very rich, ain't 'e, Mr. Brimberly?"
Mr. Brimberly set down the decanter he chanced to be holding, and
having caressed each fluffy whisker, smiled.

"I think, sir," said he gently, "y-es, I think we may answer 'yes' to your
latter question. I think we may tell you and admit 'ole-'earted and frank,
sir, that the Ravenslee fortune is fab'lous, sir, stoopendious and
himmense!"
"Oh, Lord!" exclaimed Mr. Stevens, and his pale eyes, much wider,
now wandered up from the Persian rug beneath his boots to the
elaborately carved ceiling above his head. "My aunt!" he murmured.
"Oh, I think we're fairly comfortable 'ere, sir," nodded Mr. Brimberly
complacently, "yes, fairly comfortable, I think."
"Comfortable!" ejaculated the awe-struck Mr. Stevens, "I should say so!
My word!"
"Yes," pursued Mr. Brimberly, "comfortable, and I ventur' to think,
tasteful, sir, for I'll admit young Ravenslee--though a millionaire and
young--'as taste. Observe this costly bricky-brack! Oh, yes, young Har
is a man of taste indoobitably, I think you must admit."
"Very much so indeed, sir!" answered Mr. Stevens with his pallid
glance on the array of bottles. "'Three Star,' I think, Mr. Brimberly?"
"Sir," sighed Mr. Brimberly in gentle reproach, "you 'ere be'old Cognac
brandy as couldn't be acquired for twenty-five dollars the bottle! Then
'ere we 'ave jubilee port, a rare old sherry, and whisky. Now what shall
we make it? You, being like myself, a Englishman in this 'ere land of
eagles, spread and otherwise, suppose we make it a B and a Hess?"
"By all means!" nodded Mr. Stevens.
"I was meditating," said Mr. Brimberly, busied with the bottles and
glasses, "I was cogitating calling hup Mr. Jenkins, the Stanways' butler
across the way. The Stanways is common people, parvynoo, Mr.
Stevens, parvynoo, but Mr. Jenkins is very superior and plays the
banjer very affecting. Our 'ousekeeper and the maids is gone to bed,
and I've give our footmen leave of habsence--I thought we might 'ave a
nice, quiet musical hour or so. You perform on the piano-forty, I

believe, sir?"
"Only very occasional!" Mr. Stevens admitted. "But," and here his pale
eyes glanced toward the door, "do I understand as he is out for the
night?"
"Sir," said Mr. Brimberly ponderously, "what ''e' might you be pleased
to mean?"
"I was merely allooding to--to your governor, sir."
Mr. Brimberly glanced at his guest, set down the glass he was in the act
of filling and--pulled down his waistcoat for the second time.
"Sir," said he, and