Page:Once a Week Volume 8.djvu/140

132 enough when he could get nothing better. Cheese, however, as a substitute for cold loin of pork with “crackling” and apple-sauce, was hardly to be borne, and Master Cheese sat in dumbfounded dismay, heaving great sighs and casting his eyes upon his plate.

“I feel quite faint,” cried he.

“What makes you feel faint?” asked Miss Deb.

“Well, I suppose it is for want of my supper,” he returned. “Is—is there no meat to-night, Miss Deb?”

“Not any,” she answered, decisively. She had the pleasure of knowing Master Cheese well.

Master Cheese paused.

“There was nearly the whole joint left at dinner,” said he, in a tone of remonstrance.

“There was a good deal of it left, and that’s the reason it’s not coming in,” replied Miss Deb. “It will be sufficient for to-morrow’s dinner with a pudding. I’m sure it will not hurt you to sup upon cheese for one night.”

With all his propensity for bonne chère, Master Cheese was really of a modest nature, and would not go the length of demanding luxuries, if denied them by Miss Deb. He was fain to content himself with the cheese and celery, eating so much of it that it may be a question whether the withholding of the cold pork had been a gain in the way of economy.

Laying down his knife at length, he put back his chair to return to the surgery. Generally he was not in so much haste; he liked to wait until the things were removed, even to the cloth, lest by a speedy departure he might miss some nice little dainty or other, coming in at the tail of the repast. It is true such impromptu arrivals were not common at Miss West’s table, but Master Cheese liked to be on the sure side.

“You are in a hurry,” remarked Miss Amilly, surprised at the unwonted withdrawal.

“Jan’s out,” returned Master Cheese. “Folks may be coming in to the surgery.”

“I wonder if Mr. Jan will be late to-night?” cried Miss Deb.

“Of course he will,” confidently replied Master Cheese. “Who ever heard of a wedding-party breaking up before morning?”

For this reason, probably, Master Cheese returned to the surgery, prepared to “make a night of it.” Not altogether in the general acceptation of that term, but at his chemical experiments. It was most rare that he could make sure of Jan’s absence for any length of time. When out in pursuance of his professional duties, Jan might be returning at any period; in five minutes or in five hours. There was no knowing: and Master Cheese dared not get his chemical apparatus about, in the uncertainty, Jan having so positively forbidden his recreations in the science. For this night, however, he thought he was safe. Master Cheese’s ideas of a wedding festival consisted of unlimited feasting. He could not have left such a board, if bidden to one, until morning light, and he judged others by himself.

Jan’s bedroom was strewed with vessels of various sorts and sizes from one end of it to the other. In the old days, Dr. West had been a considerable dabbler in experimental chemistry himself. Jan also understood something of it. Master Cheese did not see why he should not. A roaring fire burnt in Jan’s grate, and the young gentleman stood before it for a few minutes previous to resuming his researches, giving his back a roast and indulging bitter reminiscences touching his deficient supper.

“She’s getting downright mean, is that old Deb!” grumbled he. “Especially if Jan happens to be out. Wasn’t it different in West’s time! He knew what was good, he did. Catch her daring to put bread and cheese on the table for supper then. I shall be quite exhausted before the night’s over. Bob!”

Bob, his head still on the counter, partially woke up at the call. Sufficiently so to return a half sound by way of response.

“Bob!” roared Master Cheese again. “Can’t you hear?”

Bob, his eyes blinking and winking, came in, in answer. That is, as far as he could get in, for the litter lying about.

“Bring in the jar of tamarinds.”

“The jar of tamarinds!” repeated Bob. “In here?”

“Yes, in here,” said Master Cheese. “Now, you needn’t stare. All you have got to do is to obey orders.”

Bob disappeared, and presently returned, lugging in a big porcelain jar. He was ordered to “take out the bung, and leave it open.” He did so, setting it in a convenient place on the floor, near Master Cheese, and giving his opinion gratuitously of the condition of the room.

“Won’t there be a row when Mr. Jan comes in and finds it like this!”

“The things will be put away long before he comes,” responded Master Cheese. “Mind your own business. And, look here! if anybody comes bothering, Mr. Jan’s out, and Mr. Cheese is out, and they can’t be seen till the morning. Unless it’s some desperate case,” added Master Cheese, somewhat qualifying the instructions. “A fellow dying, or anything of that.”

Bob withdrew, to fall asleep in the surgery as before, his head and arms on the counter; and Master Cheese recommenced his studies. Solacing himself first of all with a few mouthfuls of tamarinds, as he intended to do throughout his labours, he plunged his hands into a mass of incongruous substances—nitre, chlorate of potass, and sulphur being amongst them.

The Miss Wests, meanwhile, had got to their work after supper, and sewed until the clock struck ten. Then they put it away, and drew round the fire for a chat, their feet on the fender. A very short while, and they were surprised by the entrance of Jan.

“My goodness!” exclaimed Miss Amilly. “It’s never you yet, Mr. Jan!”

“Why shouldn’t it be?” returned Jan, drawing forward a chair, and sitting down by them. “Did you fancy I was going to sleep there?”

“Master Cheese thought you would keep it up until morning.”

“Oh! did he? Is he gone to bed?”

“He is in the surgery,” replied Miss Amilly.