Page 418 - for-the-term-of-his-natural-life

the scheme. It is so complete.’
North pursed up his lips. ‘Yes, it is very complete,’ he said;
‘almost too complete. But I am always in a minority when I
discuss the question, so we will drop it, if you please.’
‘If you please,’ said Meekin gravely. He had heard from
the Bishop that Mr. North was an ill-conditioned sort of
person, who smoked clay pipes, had been detected in drink-
ing beer out of a pewter pot, and had been heard to state
that white neck-cloths were of no consequence. The din-
ner went off successfully. Burgess—desirous, perhaps, of
favourably impressing the chaplain whom the Bishop de-
lighted to honour—shut off his blasphemy for a while, and
was urbane enough. ‘You’ll find us rough, Mr. Meekin,’ he
said, ‘but you’ll find us ‘all there’ when we’re wanted. This is
a little kingdom in itself.’
‘Like Béranger’s?’ asked Meekin, with a smile. Captain
Burgess had never heard of Béranger, but he smiled as if he
had learnt his words by heart.
‘Or like Sancho Panza’s island,’ said North. ‘You remem-
ber how justice was administered there?’
‘Not at this moment, sir,’ said Burgess, with dignity. He
had been often oppressed by the notion that the Reverend
Mr. North ‘chaffed’ him. ‘Pray help yourself to wine.’
‘Thank you, none,’ said North, filling a tumbler with wa-
ter. ‘I have a headache.’ His manner of speech and action
was so awkward that a silence fell upon the party, caused by
each one wondering why Mr. North should grow confused,
and drum his fingers on the table, and stare everywhere but
at the decanter. Meekin—ever softly at his ease— was the

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