He lashed his horse, and
galloped down the hill, while his cousin stroked his beard, and looked
after him with sorrow.
"Everything goes against me now," thought Caryl Carne, while he put up
his horse and set off for the Admiral's Roundhouse. "I want to be cool
as a cucumber, and that insolent villain has made pepper of me. What
devil sent him here at such a time?"
For the moment it did not cross his mind that this man of lofty rudeness
was the long-expected lover of Faith Darling, and therefore in some
sort entitled to a voice about the doings of the younger sister. By many
quiet sneers, and much expressive silence, he had set the brisk Dolly
up against the quiet Faith, as a man who understands fowl nature can set
even two young pullets pulling each other's hackles out.
"So you are come at last!" said Dolly. "No one who knows me keeps me
waiting, because I am not accustomed to it. I expect to be called for at
any moment, by matters of real importance--not like this."
"Your mind is a little disturbed," replied Carne, as he took her hand
and kissed it, with less than the proper rapture; "is it because of the
brown and hairy man just returned from Africa?"
"Not altogether. But that may be something. He is not a man to be
laughed at. I wish you could have seen my sister."
"I would rather see you; and I have no love of savages. He is my first
cousin, and that affords me a domestic right to object to him.
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