I am responsible for your safety to Geoffrey;
and Geoffrey expects to find you here. Let's change the subject. The
water is a long time coming. Try another glass of wine. No? Well--here
is Blanche's health" (he took some of the wine himself), "in the
weakest sherry I ever drank in my life." As he set down his glass,
Mr. Bishopriggs came in with the water. Arnold hailed him satirically.
"Well? have you got the water? or have you used it all for the sherry?"
Mr. Bishopriggs stopped in the middle of the room, thunder-struck at the
aspersion cast on the wine.
"Is that the way ye talk of the auldest bottle o' sherry wine in
Scotland?" he asked, gravely. "What's the warld coming to? The new
generation's a foot beyond my fathoming. The maircies o' Providence, as
shown to man in the choicest veentages o' Spain, are clean thrown away
on 'em."
"Have you brought the water?"
"I ha' brought the water--and mair than the water. I ha' brought ye
news from ootside. There's a company o' gentlemen on horseback, joost
cantering by to what they ca' the shootin' cottage, a mile from this."
"Well--and what have we got to do with it?"
"Bide a wee! There's ane o' them has drawn bridle at the hottle, and
he's speerin' after the leddy that cam' here alane.
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