51. CHAPTER LI.
HER ONLY FAILING.
On the next morning, after a sound night's rest on the
captain's part, and much tossing to and fro, in his dreams,
on St. John's, the friends met and greeted each other.
Madam Henriette met them with a smile.
“Where in the world are you going so early?” she said
to her husband; “breakfast is ready—but why set out so
soon?”
The captain saw that his wife was dying with curiosity, but
he only smiled; he did not reply.
“This is not court day, I believe, Mr. St. John?”
“No, madam, I think not.”
“Does any thing of interest take place in town this morning?”
“I have not heard, madam.”
“Then where in the world are you going, Captain Waters?
You really are the most provoking—”
“My dear Henriette—”
“Well, sir?”
“I think you said that breakfast was ready?”
The lady pouted, and said that it was.
“Then, with your leave, we will proceed to eat it. Ventre
bleu! I'm as hungry as a hawk after all that sleep!”
And the captain led the way into the breakfast room, and
did the honors of his board.
Thereafter, his carriage was ordered at once, and he and
St. John put on their hats.
“What in the world is that bundle they are putting in the
carriage?” said Mrs. Henriette.
“Are they putting a bundle in the carriage?” said the
captain, with interest.
“Yes, you see they are!”
“Well, so they are.”
And the captain put on his gloves.
“When will you be back?” asked the lady thus constantly
foiled.
“Do n't know,” said the captain.
“Where can you be going?”
“Did you say it was a fine morning, my dear St. John?
Why glorious!”
“Captain Waters!” said the lady, with an imperious little
stamp of the foot.
“Did you speak, my dear?” said the soldier.
“Yes, sir! I asked you to be so good as to tell me where
you and Mr. St. John are going?”
“Why yes!” said the captain, “certainly, my dear.”
“Yes, what, sir?”
“The moon is, most probably, green cheese.”
The captain uttered these words with a cheerful and
smiling air, which caused Mrs. Henriette to pat her little
foot with impatience and vexation.
“I think it 's very cruel in you!” she said, pouting.
The captain twirled his moustache absently.
“Won't you please tell me?”
The captain smiled.
“Won't you tell your Henriette, Ralph?” said the lady,
with an entreating air, and leaning on his shoulder.
The captain's lip curled with smiles.
“You know it's so simple—just a word,” she said, coaxingly;
“won't Ralph tell his Henriette?”
The captain smiled again and ended by laughing.
“I think I can!” he said, absently.
“Tell me, my dear! I thought you would!”
“I'm sure I can!” continued the soldier, with his eyes
fixed upon vacancy.
“Certainly nothing is more proper, Ralph, to your own
loving wife!”
The captain woke, as it were, from his dream.
“What is that, my love?” he said; “do you agree with
me that it's proper? But what do you know about such
things? You can't tell whether Foy will resign his secretaryship.”
“You were not listening to me then, sir!” said Mrs. Henriette,
imperiously.
“No, my love.”
“You did not hear me?”
“Have you been speaking?”
“You are a disgraceful husband, sir!”
“Why?” asked the captain, cheerfully.
“Because you will not tell me, or even listen. But you
shall tell me where you're going with Mr. St. John, sir!”
“Well, my love.”
“You are outrageous!”
“So I am, ma chére!”
“Where are you going?”
“To Jericho.”
“Captain Waters!”
“Madam!”
“What are you going to do?”
“Take the air!”
The lady, flushed with vexation, and half-threatening,
half-laughing, caught away the captain's hat.
“You shall tell me?” she said, laughing.
The captain recovered his hat, and bursting into responsive
laughter, cried,
“Away, partlet! silence, hen! Go make the bibs and
tuckers for the chickens, and do n't meddle with the rooster's
private matters!”
The captain then squeezed Mrs. Henriette's cheeks with
his fingers, gallantly ravished a kiss, and followed by his
friend, got into the carriage.
“That's a charming wife of mine, my dear boy,” he said,
as they rolled rapidly on their way; “though slightly subject
to curiosity, her only failing. Well, well, let's be
charitable! And now, mon ami, I will give you my views
upon the subject of Lindon's style of fencing. Let us compare
views.”
The captain then proceeded to enter at length upon his
favorite topic, and he was still speaking when they reached
the low peninsula of Jamestown.
The soldier referred to his timepiece.
“Just seven,” he said, “and here come Foy and Lindon.”
