"And now let me give you a word of advice that will be of use to you
as long as you live," said Cashel, impressively. "You did a very
silly thing to-day. You threw a man down--a fighting-man--and then
stood looking at him like a fool, waiting for him to get up and kill
you. If ever you do that again, fall on him as heavily as you can
the instant he's off his legs. Drop your shoulder well into him,
and, if he pulls you over, make play with the back of your head. If
he's altogether too big for you, put your knee on his throat as if
by accident. But, on no account, stand and do nothing. It's flying
in the face of Providence."
Cashel emphasized these counsels by taps of his forefinger on one of
Bashville's buttons. In conclusion, he nodded, opened the
house-door, and walked away in buoyant spirits.
Lydia, standing year the library window, saw him pass, and observed
how his light, alert step and a certain gamesome assurance of manner
marked him off from a genteelly promenading middle-aged gentleman, a
trudging workman, and a vigorously striding youth who were also
passing by. The iron railings through which she saw him reminded her
of the admirable and dangerous creatures which were passing and
repassing behind iron bars in the park yonder. But she exulted, in
her quiet manner, in the thought that, dangerous as he was, she had
no fear of him. When his cabman had found him and driven him off she
went to her desk, opened a private drawer in it, took out her
falher's last letter, and sat for some time looking at it without
unfolding it.
"It would be a strange thing, father," she said, as if he were
actually there to hear her, "if your paragon should turn aside from
her friends, the artists, philosophers, and statesmen, to give
herself to an illiterate prize-fighter. I felt a pang of absolute
despair when he replied to my forty thousand pounds a year with an
unanswerable good-bye."
She locked up her father, as it were, in the drawer again, and rang
the bell. Bashville appeared, somewhat perturbed.
"If Mr. Byron calls again, admit him if I am at home."
"Yes, madam."
"Thank you."
"Begging your pardon, madam, but may I ask has any complaint been
made of me?"
"None." Bashville was reluctantly withdrawing when she added, "Mr.
Byron gave me to understand that you tried to prevent his entrance
by force. You exposed yourself to needless risk by doing so; and you
may make a rule in future that when people are importunate, and will
not go away when asked, they had better come in until you get
special instructions from me. I am not finding fault; on the
contrary, I approve of your determination to carry out your orders;
but under exceptional circumstances you may use your own
discretion."