‘You’ll never have a sailor sitting as
first lord,’ said Norman, authoritatively; ’unless
it be when some party man, high in rank, may happen
to have been in the navy as a boy.’
‘And why not?’ said Captain Cuttwater
quite angrily.
’Because the first lord must sit in the Cabinet,
and to do that he must be a thorough politician.’
‘D----- politicians! craving the ladies’ pardon,’ said Uncle Bat.
‘Amen!’ said Alaric.
Uncle Bat, thinking that he had thoroughly carried
his point, finished his grog, took up his candlestick,
and toddled off to bed.
‘Well, I think I have done something towards
carrying my point,’ said Alaric.
‘I didn’t think you were half so cunning,’
said Linda, laughing.
’I cannot think how you can condescend to advocate
opinions diametrically opposed to your own convictions,’
said Norman, somewhat haughtily.
‘Fee, fo, fum!’ said Alaric.
‘What is it all about?’ said Mrs. Woodward.
’Alaric wants to do all he can to ingratiate
himself with Uncle Bat,’ said Gertrude; ’and
I am sure he’s going the right way to work,’
‘It’s very good-natured on his part,’
said Mrs. Woodward.
‘I don’t know what you are talking about,’
said Katie, yawning, ‘and I think you are all
very stupid; so I’ll go to bed.’
The rest soon followed her. They did not sit
up so late chatting over the fire this evening, as
was their wont on Saturdays, though none of them knew
what cause prevented it.
BUSHEY PARK
The next day being Sunday, the whole party very properly
went to church; but during the sermon Captain Cuttwater
very improperly went to sleep, and snored ponderously
the whole time. Katie was so thoroughly shocked
that she did not know which way to look; Norman, who
had recovered his good-humour, and Alaric, could not
refrain from smiling as they caught the eyes of the
two girls; and Mrs. Woodward made sundry little abortive
efforts to wake her uncle with her foot. Altogether
abortive they were not, for the captain would open
his eyes and gaze at her for a moment in the most
good-natured, lack-lustre manner conceivable; but then,
in a moment, he would be again asleep and snoring,
with all the regularity of a kitchen-clock. This
was at first very dreadful to the Woodwards; but after
a month or two they got used to it, and so apparently
did the pastor and the people of Hampton.
After church there was a lunch of course; and then,
according to their wont, they went out to walk.
These Sunday walks in general were matters of some
difficulty. The beautiful neighbourhood of Hampton
Court, with its palace-gardens and lovely park, is
so popular with Londoners that it is generally alive
on that day with a thronged multitude of men, women,
and children, and thus becomes not an eligible resort
for lovers of privacy. Captain Cuttwater, however,
on this occasion, insisted on seeing the chestnuts
and the crowd, and consequently, they all went into
Bushey Park.
