To me it seems very providential that Rupert was not at home when thatdreadful young man Ernest Melton arrived, though it is possible that ifRupert had been present he would not have dared to conduct himself sobadly. Of course, I heard all about it from the maids; Teuta neveropened her lips to me on the subject. It was bad enough and stupidenough for him to try to kiss a decent young woman like Julia, who isreally as good as gold and as modest as one of our own Highland lassies;but to think of him insulting Teuta! The little beast! One would thinkthat a champion idiot out of an Equatorial asylum would know better! IfMichael, the Wine Master, wanted to kill him, I wonder what my Rupert andhers would have done? I am truly thankful that he was not present. AndI am thankful, too, that I was not present either, for I should have madean exhibition of myself, and Rupert would not have liked that. He--thelittle beast! might have seen from the very dress that the dear girl worethat there was something exceptional about her. But on one account Ishould have liked to see her. They tell me that she was, in her truedignity, like a Queen, and that her humility in receiving her husband'skinsman was a lesson to every woman in the Land. I must be careful notto let Rupert know that I have heard of the incident. Later on, when itis all blown over and the young man has been got safely away, I shalltell him of it. Mr. Rooke--Lord High Admiral Rooke, I should say--mustbe a really wonderful man to have so held himself in check; for, fromwhat I have heard of him, he must in his younger days have been worsethan Old Morgan of Panama. Mr. Ernest Roger Halbard Melton, of Humcroft,Salop, little knows how near he was to being "cleft to the chine" also.
Fortunately, I had heard of his meeting with Teuta before he came to seeme, for I did not get back from my walk till after he had arrived.Teuta's noble example was before me, and I determined that I, too, wouldshow good manners under any circumstances. But I didn't know how mean heis. Think of his saying to me that Rupert's position here must be agreat source of pride to me, who had been his nursery governess. He said"nursemaid" first, but then stumbled in his words, seeming to remembersomething. I did not turn a hair, I am glad to say. It is a mercy UncleColin was not here, for I honestly believe that, if he had been, he wouldhave done the "cleaving to the chine" himself. It has been a narrowescape for Master Ernest, for only this morning Rupert had a message,sent on from Gibraltar, saying that he was arriving with his clansmen,and that they would not be far behind his letter. He would call atOtranto in case someone should come across to pilot him to Vissarion.Uncle told me all about that young cad having offered him one finger inMr. Trent's office, though, of course, he didn't let the cad see that henoticed it. I have no doubt that, when he does arrive, that young man,if he is here still, will find that he will have to behave himself, if itbe only on Sir Colin's account alone.