It was a
great comfort to place her in such hands during the present crisis,
all the more that Ellen was not at all delighted with her company for
Essie and Ellie. She rushed home on Saturday evening to secure
Delrio, and superintend her packing up, with her head a great deal
too full of court dresses and ball dresses, fancy costumes, and
Parisian hats, to detect any of the tokens of a coming revolution,
even in her own favour.
Jock too came home that same evening, as gay and merry apparently as
ever, and after dinner, claimed his mother for a turn in the garden.
"Has Drake written to you, mother?" he asked. "I met him the other
day at Mrs. Lucas's, and it seems his soul is expanding. He wants to
give up the old house—-you know the lease is nearly out—-and to hang
out in a more fashionable quarter."
"Dear old house!"
"Now, mother, here's my notion. Why should not we hide our
diminished heads there? You could keep house while the Monk and I go
through the lectures and hospitals, and King's College might not be
too far off for Armine."
"You, Jock, my dear."
"You see, it is a raving impossibility for me to stay where I am."
"I am afraid so; but you might exchange into the line."
"There would be no great good in that. I should have stuck to the
Guards because there I am, and I have no opinion of fellows changing
about for nothing-—and because of Evelyn and some capital fellows
besides.
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