"Pray go on,mamma,"Rosa said with tears in her eyes."Should you like to break the chandelier?""Ungrateful,unnatural child!"bellowed the other."Only that Iknow you couldn't do without me,I'd leave the house this minute.""As you wish,"said Rosa;but Mrs.G.DIDN'T wish:and in this juncture Truncheon arrived.
That officer surveyed the dining-room,laid the cloth there with admirable precision and neatness;ranged the plate on the sideboard with graceful accuracy,but objected to that old thing in the centre,as he called Mrs.Gashleigh's silver basket,as cumbrous and useless for the table,where they would want all the room they could get.
Order was not restored to the house,nor,indeed,any decent progress made,until this great man came:but where there was a revolt before,and a general disposition to strike work and to yell out defiance against Mrs.Gashleigh,who was sitting bewildered and furious in the drawing-room--where there was before commotion,at the appearance of the master-spirit,all was peace and unanimity:
the cook went back to her pans,the housemaid busied herself with the china and glass,cleaning some articles and breaking others,Buttons sprang up and down the stairs,obedient to the orders of his chief,and all things went well and in their season.
At six,the man with the wine came from Binney and Latham's.At a quarter past six,Timmins himself arrived.
At half past six he might have been heard shouting out for his varnished boots but we know where THOSE had been hidden--and for his dressing things;but Mrs.Gashleigh had put them away.
As in his vain inquiries for these articles he stood shouting,"Nurse!Buttons!Rosa my dear!"and the most fearful execrations up and down the stairs,Mr.Truncheon came out on him.
"Egscuse me,sir,"says he,"but it's impawsable.We can't dine twenty at that table--not if you set 'em out awinder,we can't.""What's to be done?"asked Fitzroy,in an agony;"they've all said they'd come.""Can't do it,"said the other;"with two top and bottom--and your table is as narrow as a bench--we can't hold more than heighteen,and then each person's helbows will be into his neighbor's cheer.""Rosa!Mrs.Gashleigh!"cried out Timmins,"come down and speak to this gentl--this--""Truncheon,sir,"said the man.