"Yes; I believe I picked it up in the colonies." Then he added,
sullenly, "I suppose I shouldn't use slang in speaking to you. I beg
your pardon."
"I do not object to it. On the contrary, it interests me. For
example, I have just learned from it that you have been in
Australia."
"So I have. But are you out with me because I annoyed Miss Goff?"
"By no means. Nevertheless, I sympathize with her annoyance at the
manner, if not the matter, of your rebuke."
"I can't, for the life of me, see what there was in what I said to
raise such a fuss about. I wish you would give me a nudge whenever
you see me making a fool of myself. I will shut up at once and ask
no questions."
"So that it will be understood that my nudge means 'Shut up, Mr.
Cashel Byron; you are making a fool of yourself'?"
"Just so. YOU understand me. I told you that before, didn't I?"
"I am afraid," said Lydia, her face bright with laughter, "that I
cannot take charge of your manners until we are a little better
acquainted."
He seemed disappointed. Then his face clouded; and he began, "If you
regard it as a liberty--"
"Of course I regard it as a liberty," she said, neatly interrupting
him. "Is not my own conduct a sufficient charge upon my attention?
Why should I voluntarily assume that of a strong man and learned
professor as well?"
"By Jingo!" exclaimed Cashel, with sudden excitement, "I don't care
what you say to me. You have a way of giving things a turn that
makes it a pleasure to be shut up by you; and if I were a gentleman,
as I ought to be, instead of a poor devil of a professional pug, I
would--" He recollected himself, and turned quite pale. There was a
pause.
"Let me remind you," said Lydia, composedly, though she too had
changed color at the beginning of his outburst, "that we are both
wanted elsewhere at present; I by Miss Goff, and you by your
servant, who has been hovering about us and looking at you anxiously
for some minutes."
Cashel turned fiercely, and saw Mellish standing a little way off,
sulkily watching him. Lydia took the opportunity, and left the
place. As she retreated she could hear that they were at high words
together; but she could not distinguish what they were saying.
Fortunately so; for their language was villainous.