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all who cared to listen or drink。 Thus； after the Nile； he had driven as far
as Edinburgh； and later； when the coaches； wreathed with laurel for
triumph； with cypress for mourning； were setting out with the news of
Nelson's victory and death； he sat through all a chilly October night on the
box of the Norwich 〃Meteor〃 with a nautical keg of rum on his knees and
two cases of old brandy under the seat。 This genial custom was one of
the many habits which he abandoned on his marriage。 The victories in
the Peninsula； the retreat from Moscow； Leipzig； and the abdication of the
tyrant all went uncelebrated。 It so happened； however； that in the
summer of 1815 Sir Ferdinando was staying for a few weeks in the capital。
There had been a succession of anxious； doubtful days； then came the
glorious news of Waterloo。 It was too much for Sir Ferdinando； his joyous
youth awoke again within him。 He hurried to his wine merchant and
bought a dozen bottles of 1760 brandy。 The Bath coach was on the point
of starting； he bribed his way on to the box and； seated in glory beside the
driver； proclaimed aloud the downfall of the Corsican bandit and passed
about the warm liquid joy。 They clattered through Uxbridge； Slough；
Maidenhead。 Sleeping Reading was awakened by the great news。 At
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Didcot one of the ostlers was so much overcome by patriotic emotions and
the 1760 brandy that he found it impossible to do up the buckles of the
harness。 The night began to grow chilly； and Sir Ferdinando found that it
was not enough to take a nip at every stage： to keep up his vital warmth
he was compelled to drink between the stages as well。 They were
approaching Swindon。 The coach was travelling at a dizzy speedsix
miles in the last half…hourwhen； without having manifested the slightest
premonitory symptom of unsteadiness； Sir Ferdinando suddenly toppled
sideways off his seat and fell； head foremost； into the road。 An
unpleasant jolt awakened the slumbering passengers。 The coach was
brought to a standstill； the guard ran back with a light。 He found Sir
Ferdinando still alive； but unconscious； blood was oozing from his mouth。
The back wheels of the coach had passed over his body； breaking most of
his ribs and both arms。 His skull was fractured in two places。 They
picked him up； but he was dead before they reached the next stage。 So
perished Sir Ferdinando； a victim to his own patriotism。 Lady Lapith did
not marry again； but determined to devote the rest of her life to the well…
being of her three childrenGeorgiana； now five years old； and Emmeline
and Caroline； twins of two。〃
Henry Wimbush paused； and once more put on his pince…nez。 〃So
much by way of introduction；〃 he said。 〃Now I can begin to read about
my grandfather。〃
〃One moment；〃 said Mr。 Scogan； 〃till I've refilled my pipe。〃
Mr。 Wimbush waited。 Seated apart in a corner of the room； Ivor was
showing Mary his sketches of Spirit Life。 They spoke together in
whispers。
Mr。 Scogan had lighted his pipe again。 〃Fire away；〃 he said。
Henry Wimbush fired away。
〃It was in the spring of 1833 that my grandfather； George Wimbush；
first made the acquaintance of the 'three lovely Lapiths；' as they were
always called。 He was then a young man of twenty…two； with curly
yellow hair and a smooth pink face that was the mirror of his youthful and
ingenuous mind。 He had been educated at Harrow and Christ Church； he
enjoyed hunting and all other field sports； and； though his circumstances
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were comfortable to the verge of affluence； his pleasures were temperate
and innocent。 His father； an East Indian merchant； had destined him for a
political career； and had gone to considerable expense in acquiring a
pleasant little Cornish borough as a twenty…first birthday gift for his son。
He was justly indignant when； on the very eve of George's majority； the
Reform Bill of 1832 swept the borough out of existence。 The
inauguration of George's political career had to be postponed。 At the
time he got to know the lovely Lapiths he was waiting； he was not at all
impatient。
〃The lovely Lapiths did not fail to impress him。 Georgiana； the
eldest； with her black ringlets； her flashing eyes； her noble aquiline profile；
her swan…like neck； and sloping shoulders； was orientally dazzling； and the
twins； with their delicately turned… up noses； their blue eyes； and chestnut
hair； were an identical pair of ravishingly English charmers。
〃Their conversation at this first meeting proved； however； to be so
forbidding that； but for the invincible attraction exercised by their beauty；
George would never have had the courage to follow up the acquaintance。
The twins； looking up their noses at him with an air of languid superiority；
asked him what he thought of the latest French poetry and whether he
liked the 〃Indiana〃 of George Sand。 But what was almost worse was the
question with which Georgiana opened her conversation with him。 'In
music；' she asked； leaning forward and fixing him with her large dark eyes；
'are you a classicist or a transcendentalist？' George did not lose his
presence of mind。 He had enough appreciation of music to know that he
hated anything classical； and so； with a promptitude which did him credit；
he replied； 'I am a transcendentalist。' Georgiana smiled bewitchingly。 'I
am glad；' she said； 'so am I。 You went to hear Paganini last week； of
course。 〃The prayer of Moses〃ah！' She closed her eyes。 'Do you
know anything more transcendental than that？' 'No；' said George； 'I
don't。' He hesitated； was about to go on speaking； and then decided that
after all it would be wiser not to say what was in fact truethat he had
enjoyed above all Paganini's Farmyard Imitations。 The man had made
his fiddle bray like an ass； cluck like a hen； grunt； squeal； bark； neigh；
quack； bellow； and growl； that last item； in George's estimation； had
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almost compensated for the tediousness of the rest of the concert。 He
smiled with pleasure at the thought of it。 Yes； decidedly； he was no
classicist in music； he was a thoroughgoing transcendentalist。
〃George followed up this first introduction by paying a call on the
young ladies and their mother； who occupied； during the season； a small
but elegant house in the neighbourhood of Berkeley Square。 Lady Lapith
made a few discreet inquiries； and having found that George's financial
position； character； and family were all passably good； she asked him to
dine。 She hoped and expected that her daughters would all marry into the
peerage； but； being a prudent woman； she knew it was advisable to prepare
for all contingencies。 George Wimbush； she thought； would make an
excellent second string for one of the twins。
〃At this first dinner； George's partner was Emmeline。 They talked of
Nature。 Emmeline protested that to her high mountains were a feeling
and the hum of human cities torture。 George agreed that the country was
very agreeable； but held that London during the season also had its charms。
He noticed with surprise and a certain solicitous distress that Miss
Emmeline's appetite was poor； that it didn't； in fact； exist。 Two spoonfuls
of soup； a morsel of fish； no bird； no meat； and three grapesthat was her
whole dinner。 He looked from time to time at her two sisters； Georgiana
and Caroline seemed