'Hold your tongue, sir!' said the doctor, getting up.
'Hold my tongue!' said Sir Louis.
'Sir Louis Scatcherd,' said the squire, slowly rising from his chair, 'we will not, if you please, talk about business at the present moment. Perhaps we had better go to the ladies.'
This latter proposition had certainly not come from the squire's heart: going to the ladies was the very last thing for which Sir Louis was now fit. But the squire had said it as being the only recognised formal way he could think of for breaking up the symposium.
'Oh, very well,' hiccuped the baronet, 'I'm always ready for the ladies,' and he stretched out his hand to the decanter to get a last glass of Madeira.
'No,' said the doctor, rising stoutly, and speaking with a determined voice. 'No; you will have no more wine:' and he took the decanter from him.
'What's all this about?' said Sir Louis, with a drunken laugh.
'Of course he cannot go into the drawing-room, Mr. Gresham. If you will leave him here with me, I will stay with him till the fly comes. Pray tell Lady Arabella from me, how sorry I am that this has occurred.'
'Lady Arabella! why, what's the matter with her?' said Sir Louis.
The squire would not leave his friend, and they sat together till the fly came. It was not long, for the doctor had despatched his messenger with much haste.
'I am so heartily ashamed of myself,' said the doctor, almost with tears.
The squire took him by the hand, affectionately. 'I've seen a tipsy man before to-night,' said he.
'Yes,' said the doctor, 'and so have I, but' He did not express the rest of his thoughts.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
WILL HE COME AGAIN?
Long before the doctor returned home after the little dinner-party above described, Mary had learnt that Frank was already at Greshamsbury. She had heard nothing of him or from him, not a word, nothing in the shape of a message, for twelve months; and at her age twelve months is a long period. Would he come and see her in spite of his mother? Would he send her
