CHAPTER X

ookedup."Why,theBishop,ofcourse.Goonaboutthehotweather." "Herfather,"saidHerrDremmelandheadvanced,hatinhand,andtheotherheldoutinfriendliestgreeting,tomeethim. TheDuchesswentafterhim."Bishop,"shesaid,"thisisamanwhoknowsallthethingsworthknowing."AndtheBishop,takingthistobeherintroductionofafriend,cordiallyreturnedHerrDremmel'shandshake. Hewasnevercordialagain. "Sir,"saidHerrDremmel,"Iamgreatlypleasedtomakeyouracquaintance.MynameisDremmel.RobertDremmel." TheBishophadjustenoughself-controlnottosnatchhishandaway,buttoletHerrDremmelcontinuetoholdandpressit.Hismindbegantoleapabout.HowtogettheDuchessawayhowtogetHerrDremmelturned,noiselessly,outofthehousehowtopreventIngeborg'scomingatanymomentalongthepathbehindthemwithLadyPamela.... "Wehaveeveryreason,sir,"saidHerrDremmel,holdingtheBishop'shandinafirmpressure,"tocongratulateeachother,Iyou,onthepossessionofsuchadaughter,youme—" "Isn'tshealovelygirl,"saidtheDuchess,forwhomonlyJudithexistedinthatfamily."Wouldrapecakeandtheotherthinghelpmyflowersatall,orisitonlyforthemangels?" "Mangels!"thoughttheBishop,"Rapecake!"Andswiftlyglancedbehindhimdownthepath. "Sir,"saidHerrDremmel,desiringtobeverypleasanttotheBishopandslightlywavingtheDuchessaside,"permitmealsotocongratulateyou—" "Haveyouhadanytea?"inquiredtheBishopdesperatelyoftheDuchess,turningtoherandgettinghishandaway. "Thankyou,yes.Well,Mr.Dremmel?Don'tinterrupthim,Bishop,he'smostinteresting." "—ontheresults,"continuedHerrDremmeltotheBishop,"ofyourautumnalactivities.Thisblazeofflowersissufficientwitnesstothedevotion,theassiduity—" "Youdon'tsupposehedidithimself,doyou?"saidtheDuchess. "Andyourcostume,sir,"saidHerrDremmel,concentratedontheBishopandearnestlydesiringtoplease,"suggestsaquiteparticularandfamiliarinterestinwhatthisladyrightlycallsthethingsreallyworthknowing." "Buthecan'thelpwearingthat,"saidtheDuchess. AgainHerrDremmel,andwithsomeimpatience,wavedheraside. "Itisacostumemostappropriateinagarden,"hecontinued."Eventhegaitersarehorticultural,andtheapronispleasantlyreminiscentoftheinnocenceofourfirstparents.SoAdammighthavedressed—" "Oh,butyoumustcometoCoops!"criedtheDuchess."Bishop,he'stocomebackwithme." "Sir,"saidHerrDremmelwithsomethingofseverity,forhewasbeginningtoconsidertheDuchessforward,"isthisladyMrs.Bishop?" "Oh,oh!"screamedtheDuchess,whileHerrDremmelwatchedherdisapprovinglyandtheBishopstrugglednottoseizehimbythethroat. "MydearBishop,"saidtheDuchess,wipinghereyes,"Ineverhadsuchacomplimentpaidme.Thebest-lookingbishoponthebench-" "Docomeindoors,"heimplored."Ican'treallyletyoustandaboutlikethis—" "Thankyou,I'mnotintheleasttired.Goon,Mr.Dremmel." "Sir,canIseeyoualone?"saidHerrDremmel,nowwithoutanydoubtastotheDuchess'sforwardness."Onsuchanoccasionasthis,beforewebegintogetheropenlytorejoiceitseemsfittingweshouldfirstbyourselves,unlessthisladyisyourdaughter'smother—" "Oh,oh!"againscreamedtheDuchess. TheBishopturnedonhiminakindofblaze,quiteuncontrollable."Yes,sir,youcan,"hesaid."Comeintomystudy—" "What?Areyougoingtotakehimawayfromme?"criedtheDuchess. "MydearDuchess,ifhehasbusinesswithme—"saidtheBishop."I'lltakeyouindoorsfirst,"hesaid,offeringherhisarm."Thisgentleman"—heglaredathimsideways,andHerrDremmel,allunusedashewastonoticinghostility,yetwasalittlesurprisedattheexpressionofhisface—"willwaithere.No,no,hewon't,he'llcome,too"—forapproachingroundthebushesbehindwhichgrewthepear-treetheBishophadcaughtsightofskirts."Comeon,sir—" "But—"saidtheDuchess,astheBishopdrewherhandhastilythroughhisarmandbegantowalkheroffmorequicklythanshehadbeenwalkedoffforyears. "Comeon,sir—"theBishopflungback,almosthissedback,atHerrDremmel. "Onemoment,"saidHerrDremmelholdinguphishand,hisgazefixedonwhatwasemergingfromthebushes. "Comeon,sir!"criedtheBishop,"Icanonlyseeyoualoneifyoucomeatonce—" ButHerrDremmeldidnotheedhim.Hewaswatchingthebushes. "Willyoucome?"saidtheBishop,pausingandstampinghisfoot,whileheheldtheDuchesstightinthegripofhisarm. "Why,"saidHerrDremmelwithoutheedinghim,"why—yes—whyitis—why,hereatlastappearstheLittleSugarLamb!" "Thelittlewhat?"saidtheDuchess,resolutelypullingoutherhandfromtheBishop'sarmandputtinguphereyeglass."Heavensaboveus,hecan'tmeanPamela?" Butnobodyansweredherandindeeditwasnotnecessary,forHerrDremmel,gonedownthepathwithaswiftnessamazinginoneofhisappearance,wasalready,inthesightofallRedchesterandmostofthecounty,enfoldingIngeborginhisarms. "Ofcourse,"wastheDuchess'scommenttotheBishopasshewatchedthescenewithhereyeglassupandtheplacidityofrelief,"ofcoursetheywillconquerus."