Page:Arminell, a social romance (1896).djvu/488

480 in a partnership, to propose to his mother that she should in this manner dispose of the purchase-money for Chillacot. She would derive from it an annual sum as interest, and have the satisfaction as well of knowing that she had found employment for her son.

At last he found what he sought, and sanguine as to the results, he came to his mother's lodgings to make the proposal to her.

"Please, Mr. Saltren," said the landlady; "your mother has gone out with the admiral."

"The admiral?"

"Ah, the admiral, sir!" said the landlady, with a knowing smile. "You don't mean to say, Mr. Saltren, that your mother hasn't told you? and a beautiful breakfast spread, and a cake with a cupid at top all made of sugar."

"But what admiral? we know no admiral!"

"What, not Admiral Tubb? Well now, Mr. Saltren, who would have thought your mother would have been so sly as not to have told you that she was going to give you a new pa?"

"Upon my word, I do not understand you."

"Then, Mr. Saltren, you come along with me, and see the breakfast laid in the dining-room, and the beautiful wedding-cake all over orange-flowers. It does seem sharp work too, when your father died so very recently; but if widows don't seize the moments as they fly, and take admirals by the forelock, they may be left in their weeds till it is too late. Why, bless me, Mr. Saltren, here they come!"

"But," persisted Jingles, much astonished, and almost persuaded that Mrs. Bankes, the lodging-house-keeper, had gone off her head, "what admiral?"

"Admiral Tubb, sir, R.N. Your mother told me so. There they are. Lawk, sir! he in lavender don't-mention-ems and yaller gloves; and she is in a beautiful Brussels