When he had stood there some ten minutes in growing impatience, a young gentleman came sauntering down the drive smoking a cigar. Times change, and nowadays a young man attired after his fashion would be laughable, but for his day he looked all over like a lady-killer, from his tasselled French cap to his pointed patent leathers. Behind him walked a valet, carrying a brass-bound mahogany box, a clumsy easel, and a camp-stool.
“Going painting again, Ferdinand?” said his lordship, in a tone of some little scorn and irritation.
“Yes,” said Ferdinand, rather idly, “I am going painting. Your man hasn't arrived yet?” He cast a glance of lazy amusement at the ladder and at the tools that lay at its feet.
“No,” returned his lordship, irritably. “Worthless scoundrel. Ah! here he comes. Go away. Go away. Go and paint. Go and paint.”
The young gentleman lifted his cap and sauntered on, turning once or twice to look at his lordship and a queer lop-sided figure shambling rapidly towards him.
“Joseph Beaker,” said the Earl of Barfield, shaking his hand at the lop-sided man, “you are late again. I have been waiting ten minutes.”
“What did I say yesterday?” asked Joseph Beaker. His face was lop-sided, like his figure, and his speech came in a hollow mumble which was difficult to follow. Joseph was content to pass as the harmless lunatic of the parish, but there was a shrewdly humorous twinkle in his eye which damaged his pretensions with the more discerning sort of people.
“I do not want to know what you said yesterday,” his lordship answered, tartly. “Take up the billhook and the saw. Now bring the ladder.”
“What I said yesterday,” mumbled Joseph, shambling by the nobleman's side, a little in the rear.
“Joseph Beaker,” said the earl, “hold your tongue.”
“Niver could do it,” replied Joseph; “it slips from betwixt the thumb and finger like a eel. What I said yesterday was, 'Why doesn't thee set thy watch by the parish church?' Thee'st got Barfield time, I reckon, and Barfield's allays a wick and ten minutes afore other placen.”
The aged nobleman twinkled and took snuff.
“Joseph,” said his lordship, “I am going to make a new arrangement with you.”
“Time you did,” returned Joseph, pausing, ostensibly to shift the ladder from one shoulder to the other, but really to feign indifference.