Page:Littell's Living Age - Volume 128.djvu/435

Rh just indicated a suspicion of widowhood, was the mother of the bronzed soldier of thirty sitting by her side. "But here we are at home," she continued, adding in a whisper as he assisted her to alight, "it is two shillings for the fly, and sixpence for the driver."

"Here is my little cot, you see," said Mrs. Yorke, as they stood in the passage; "a humble affair, no doubt, after the palaces you are accustomed to in India; but it suffices for my simple wants. Here, Susan," she said to the neat little maid who opened the door, "take the colonel's portmanteau up-stairs, and then bring luncheon." But Yorke, who had not yet become accustomed to the sight of young Englishwomen performing men's work, thereon shouldered his trunk himself, and followed the servant upstairs.

"My dear," said his mother when he returned to the dining-room, "you might have let Susan carry your luggage; or cook would have helped her, for the matter of that. These girls are as strong as horses; they have no nerves, happy creatures! And now let me give my precious son another kiss. I should have known you anywhere by the likeness to the photograph you sent me home two years ago. And yet there is something different — ah, I know what it is! You were taken in a beard. Oh, dearest Arthur, what has become of it? It did look so military."

"Yes, indeed, I came home with a beard as long as my arm; but I found all the fellows in town were not wearing any — I mean all the fellows in the army; so I went to Truefitt's this morning and had mine taken off, so as to look respectable."

"Respectable, my dear Arthur! and beards are so fashionable now; every clergyman in the Close wears one — except the dean, and he, you know, is quite elderly, and so could not be expected to begin at his time of life. But here is luncheon — let us sit down; you must be hungry after your journey, and the express comes at such a pace, too."

"But where is Rebecca, mother? I have been looking to see her on arrival. I ought not to be sitting down quietly to eat and drink till I have seen her."

"Rebecca cannot go out just now, you know, or I am sure she would have come to the station with me; but I have made an engagement for you to dine at St. Clement's this evening. I daresay William Morgan will be looking in presently, however; he is very busy, of course, but he will make a point of calling on my colonel, I am sure. Only to think of your being a colonel, and it is just twelve years since I lost your poor father! Ah, what a position was that to be left in! left to struggle on in the world all alone, for you had gone to India, and Rebecca was but a child. What wine will you take, my dear Arthur? This is very nice sherry, I am told, although I don't know anything about wine myself: and this is some dinner-claret which Canon Rogers recommends very highly."

Mr. Morgan called before luncheon was over, and after shaking hands with his brother-in-law, took his seat at table; a stoutish man of middle height, with a voluble mouth and double chin, inclined to be bald and grey. He, too, appeared to have lately joined the beard movement, his chin being covered with a short stubble. "Not anything, thank you, my dear madam," he said, waving away with his hand Mrs. Yorke's offer of a cutlet; "you know that I never take anything at this time. Well, my dear Arthur, for so I hope I may venture to call you, and so we have met in the flesh at last. Well, well, I trust that our communion together may be mutually blessed to us. We in the ministry must not be above gaining edification from the laity. It is indeed a great privilege to be connected with so distinguished an officer. I assure you I consider it so indeed."

"Yes, indeed," said Mrs. Yorke; "and a very proud mother I feel, I can assure you."

"I must always feel a very deep interest in India," continued Mr. Morgan ——

"And think, William," interrupted the lady, "what my feelings must be as a mother! Oh, Arthur dear, I have so much to ask you about the wonderful scenes you have passed through! We must have such long talks over it together."

"I was very nearly going to India myself," continued Mr. Morgan, "in a missionary capacity; but things were providentially ordered otherwise." Mr. Morgan here alluded to the fact of his having obtained the snug preferment he now held.

"I should think you found quite enough to do in that way at home," observed his brother-in-law. "Even from the short glimpse of English life that I have had, there appears ample room for missionary work in England."

"Ah, but to preach the glad gospel tidings to the benighted heathen, what a blessed privilege that must be!"

"You may travel through the length of