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'There was a drunken…looking blackguard opposite us in
church；' he said to his son as they drove home； 'do you know
who he was？'
'Some fellow … Van Tromp； I believe；' said Dick。
'A foreigner； too！' observed the Squire。
Dick could not sufficiently congratulate himself on the
escape he had effected。 Had the Admiral met him with his
father； what would have been the result？ And could such a
catastrophe be long postponed？ It seemed to him as if the
storm were nearly ripe； and it was so more nearly than he
thought。
He did not go to the cottage in the afternoon； withheld by
fear and shame； but when dinner was over at Naseby House； and
the Squire had gone off into a comfortable doze； Dick slipped
out of the room； and ran across country； in part to save
time； in part to save his own courage from growing cold； for
he now hated the notion of the cottage or the Admiral； and if
he did not hate； at least feared to think of Esther。 He had
no clue to her reflections； but he could not conceal from his
own heart that he must have sunk in her esteem； and the
spectacle of her infatuation galled him like an insult。
He knocked and was admitted。 The room looked very much as on
his last visit； with Esther at the table and Van Tromp beside
the fire； but the expression of the two faces told a very
different story。 The girl was paler than usual； her eyes
were dark； the colour seemed to have faded from round about
them； and her swiftest glance was as intent as a stare。 The
appearance of the Admiral； on the other hand； was rosy； and
flabby； and moist； his jowl hung over his shirt collar； his
smile was loose and wandering； and he had so far relaxed the
natural control of his eyes； that one of them was aimed
inward； as if to watch the growth of the carbuncle。 We are
warned against bad judgments； but the Admiral was certainly
not sober。 He made no attempt to rise when Richard entered；
but waved his pipe flightily in the air； and gave a leer of
welcome。 Esther took as little notice of him as might be。
'Aha！ Dick！' cried the painter。 'I've been to church； I
have； upon my word。 And I saw you there； though you didn't
see me。 And I saw a devilish pretty woman； by Gad。 If it
were not for this baldness； and a kind of crapulous air I
can't disguise from myself … if it weren't for this and that
and t'other thing … I … I've forgot what I was saying。 Not
that that matters； I've heaps of things to say。 I'm in a
communicative vein to…night。 I'll let out all my cats； even
unto seventy times seven。 I'm in what I call THE stage； and
all I desire is a listener； although he were deaf； to be as
happy as Nebuchadnezzar。'
Of the two hours which followed upon this it is unnecessary
to give more than a sketch。 The Admiral was extremely silly；
now and then amusing； and never really offensive。 It was
plain that he kept in view the presence of his daughter； and
chose subjects and a character of language that should not
offend a lady。 On almost any other occasion Dick would have
enjoyed the scene。 Van Tromp's egotism； flown with drink；
struck a pitch above mere vanity。 He became candid and
explanatory； sought to take his auditors entirely into his
confidence； and tell them his inmost conviction about
himself。 Between his self…knowledge； which was considerable；
and his vanity； which was immense； he had created a strange
hybrid animal； and called it by his own name。 How he would
plume his feathers over virtues which would have gladdened
the heart of Caesar or St。 Paul； and anon； complete his own
portrait with one of those touches of pitiless realism which
the satirist so often seeks in vain。
'Now； there's Dick；' he said； 'he's shrewd； he saw through me
the first time we met； and told me so … told me so to my
face； which I had the virtue to keep。 I bear you no malice
for it； Dick； you were right； I am a humbug。'
You may fancy how Esther quailed at this new feature of the
meeting between her two idols。
And then； again； in a parenthesis：…
'That；' said Van Tromp； 'was when I had to paint those dirty
daubs of mine。'
And a little further on； laughingly said perhaps； but yet
with an air of truth：…
'I never had the slightest hesitation in sponging upon any
human creature。'
Thereupon Dick got up。
'I think perhaps；' he said； 'we had better all be thinking of
going to bed。' And he smiled with a feeble and deprecatory
smile。
'Not at all；' cried the Admiral； 'I know a trick worth two of
that。 Puss here；' indicating his daughter； 'shall go to bed；
and you and I will keep it up till all's blue。'
Thereupon Esther arose in sullen glory。 She had sat and
listened for two mortal hours while her idol defiled himself
and sneered away his godhead。 One by one； her illusions had
departed。 And now he wished to order her to bed in her own
house！ now he called her Puss！ now； even as he uttered the
words； toppling on his chair； he broke the stem of his
tobacco…pipe in three！ Never did the sheep turn upon her
shearer with a more commanding front。 Her voice was calm；
her enunciation a little slow； but perfectly distinct； and
she stood before him as she spoke； in the simplest and most
maidenly attitude。
'No；' she said； 'Mr。 Naseby will have the goodness to go home
at once； and you will go to bed。'
The broken fragments of pipe fell from the Admiral's fingers；
he seemed by his countenance to have lived too long in a
world unworthy of him； but it is an odd circumstance； he
attempted no reply； and sat thunderstruck； with open mouth。
Dick she motioned sharply towards the door； and he could only
obey her。 In the porch； finding she was close behind him； he
ventured to pause and whisper； 'You have done right。'
'I have done as I pleased；' she said。 'Can he paint？'
'Many people like his paintings；' returned Dick； in stifled
tones； 'I never did； I never said I did；' he added； fiercely
defending himself before he was attacked。
'I ask you if he can paint。 I will not be put off。 CAN he
paint？' she repeated。
'No；' said Dick。
'Does he even like it？'
'Not now； I believe。'
'And he is drunk？' … she leaned upon the word with hatred。
'He has been drinking。'
'Go；' she said； and was turning to re…enter the house when
another thought arrested her。 'Meet me to…morrow morning at
the stile；' she said。
'I will；' replied Dick。
And then the door closed behind her； and Dick was alone in
the darkness。 There was still a chink of light above the
sill； a warm； mild glow behind the window； the roof of the
cottage and some of the banks and hazels were defined in
denser darkness against the sky； but all else was formless；
breathless； and noiseless like the pit。 Dick remained as she
had left him； standing squarely upon one foot and resting
only on the toe of the other； and as he stood he listened
with his soul。 The so