While, however, the great Pincher and Macabaw question was yet undecided, an event occurred to Mr.Scully, which had a great influence upon his after-life.A second grand banquet was given at the Earl of Mantrap's: Lady Mantrap requested him to conduct Lady Gorgon to dinner; and the latter, with a charming timidity, and a gracious melancholy look into his face (after which her veined eyelids veiled her azure eyes), put her hand into the trembling one of Mr.Scully and said as much as looks could say, "Forgive and forget."Down went Scully to dinner.There were dukes on his right hand and earls on his left; there were but two persons without title in the midst of that glittering assemblage; the very servants looked like noblemen.The cook had done wonders; the wines were cool and rich, and Lady Gorgon was splendid! What attention did everybody pay to her and to him! Why WOULD she go on gazing into his face with that tender imploring look? In other words, Scully, after partaking of soup and fish (he, during their discussion, had been thinking over all the former love-and-hate passages between himself and Lady Gorgon), turned very red, and began talking to her.
"Were you not at the opera on Tuesday?" began he, assuming at once the airs of a man of fashion."I thought I caught a glimpse of you in the Duchess of Diddlebury's box.""Opera, Mr.Scully?" (pronouncing the word "Scully" with the utmost softness)."Ah, no! we seldom go, and yet too often.For serious persons the enchantments of that place are too dangerous.I am so nervous--so delicate; the smallest trifle so agitates, depresses, or irritates me, that I dare not yield myself up to the excitement of music.I am too passionately attached to it; and, shall I tell you?
it has such a strange influence upon me, that the smallest false note almost drives me to distraction, and for that very reason Ihardly ever go to a concert or a ball."
"Egad," thought Scully, "I recollect when she would dance down a matter of five-and-forty couple, and jingle away at the 'Battle of Prague' all day."She continued: "Don't you recollect, I do, with--oh, what regret!--that day at Oldborough race-ball, when I behaved with such sad rudeness to you? You will scarcely believe me, and yet I assure you 'tis the fact, the music had made me almost mad.Do let me ask your pardon for my conduct.I was not myself.Oh, Mr.Scully! I am no worldly woman; I know my duties, and I feel my wrongs.Nights and days have I lain awake weeping and thinking of that unhappy day--that I should ever speak so to an old friend; for we WERE old friends, were we not?"Scully did not speak; but his eyes were bursting out of his head, and his face was the exact colour of a deputy-lieutenant's uniform.