"Caroline--!" ejaculated the Admiral, who had caught sight of Marjolaine
and Jack. But the situation was too much for him, and he sank
speechless on the seat under the elm.
"Caroline! Oh, my stars!" cried Jack.
Fortunately the Honourable Caroline Thring turned away from the Gazebo
and examined the houses, where all the women were standing on guard,
prepared to defend the doors with their lives. Marjolaine had time to
gather her wits. She saw the Eyesore's smock and hat lying where Jack
had thrown them. "Put those on! Quick!" she cried.
"Where is the girl with the curls?" asked Caroline, turning fiercely on
Sir Peter.
"I--I--I--don't know," he stammered.
"In the summer-house, no doubt," said she, beginning to advance towards
it.
"She 's coming!" whispered Jack, who was not nearly ready. Then, to
Doctor Sternroyd, who was standing first on one leg and then on the
other and alternately opening and shutting his umbrella in his helpless
bewilderment, "Doctor! Lie! Lie, as you never lied before in your
life!"
But Sir Peter had jumped up, and was barring Caroline's way. "You
mustn't go there!--You can't go there!--You shan't go there!"
Caroline gave him a look and brushed him away with a contemptuous motion
of her _face-a-main_. "Stand aside, intoxicated person!"
"Intoxicated!--Me!" screamed the Admiral, sinking back on the seat.
Caroline found herself face to face with Doctor Sternroyd, whom
Marjolaine had thrust forward, just as you throw your wife or your child
to the wolves when you are sleighing in Siberia. "A clergyman!" she
cried, examining him with surprise.
"A humble clerk in holy orders, Ma'am," stammered the Antiquary.
Now Caroline saw Marjolaine with difficulty supporting a decrepit old
man in a very bad hat and a very dirty smock. Really quite a touching
picture.
"Who is this?" she asked, almost mollified.
"A poor man, your Ladyship," said Marjolaine, with a pretty curtsey.
"I'm teaching him his letters, your Ladyship." Another curtsey. Then
she had an inspiration. She pointed to Doctor Sternroyd. "And this
kind clergyman is going to give him some soup, your ladyship." When she
had completed her third curtsey, she turned to Jack. "Come, good man.
Lean on me."
Caroline was much moved. "I'm glad my first visit bore such good
fruit," she said patronisingly. Then seeing with what extreme
difficulty the poor old man walked, and not to be outdone by a mere chit
of a girl, she said to Jack, "Give me your other arm." And so Jack was
slowly escorted towards Doctor Sternroyd's house, while the Walk looked
on and admired.
The Walk was puzzled. Here was the Eyesore, suddenly grown very old,
being led into one of their houses, and the Admiral uttered no protest!
As a matter of fact the Admiral was too much occupied in mastering his
desire to laugh, to move from his seat. The rest of the Walk felt that
Caroline was the common enemy, and even the Eyesore sank into secondary
importance.
For all but Basil. Basil, who had watched the entire adventure from his
window, nearly spoilt the whole thing. He had seen the Eyesore run
away--yet here was the Eyesore--!
"But the Eyesore ran away! Who's--?" he shouted.