'Ay,' said Felix (who tolerated it by a certain effort of philosophy, and the humbling consciousness of being an old Philistine), 'he is cherishing it for the Handel festival. He wants to be taken for a German.'
'O Lance, are you to go to the Handel festival?'
'Yes, Miles has got me a place in the chorus--jolly, isn't it, of the old fellow? I say, Robin, we must get you up there.'
'I--oh! I shall be at Woolwich then, I suppose. Do you know, Cherry, I must only stay till Monday? Those two aren't in the least fit to get into their house at Woolwich without help, and John has begged me--'
'I suppose you must,' said Cherry. 'After all these good accounts, this is disappointing; but how could you all cross on such a night?'
'Why, Wilmet never minded the sea before, and John had made up his mind soldier-fashion, and thought nothing was to be gained by waiting. And when Wilmet had to succumb she would not believe it, and was so disgusted at herself, and so miserable about him, that it did her all the more harm.'
'Oh, I was quite well; but it was horrid enough any way--and poor John had gone from the first to lie quite flat in the gentlemen's cabin, where I could not get at him.'
'Before I go, what do you think of him?' asked Felix. 'One can't judge of his looks to-day.'
'Oh! he calls himself sound--the wounds are all healed at last, but he gets a great deal of bad pain still, either rheumatic or neuralgic; he says it comes from the strain on his constitution, and will take no advice about it till he can see Dr. Manby. Then he's so cripply that he could not have gone on in the service if he were not a field-officer. He says he is quite up to it, but we think it a great experiment. Oh! Felix--Lance--don't go--there can't be anybody this wet afternoon!'
'Yes,' said Felix, 'this is just the time that all the old gentlemen who get tired of their own fire-sides, and all the professionals that can't take their walk, feel inclined to come and prose at "Froggatt's."--But they won't want you, Lance; I'll send if there's anything for you to do.--Good-bye, Robin Redbreast, you do look uncommonly nice!' and he took her round cheeks between his hands, and held up her face to kiss each of them, with mouth and brow, individually and gravely.