There was even a tendency to gristle in
the latter. Alfred remonstrated gently at first; the gentleman forbore a
minute, then recommenced. Alfred laid a hand very quietly on his wrist
and put it back. Mrs. Archbold's quick eye surprised this gesture: "What
is the matter there?" said she.
"Oh, nothing serious, madam," replied Alfred; "only this gentleman does
me the honour to prefer the contents of my plate to his own."
"Mr. Cooper!" said the Archbold sternly.
Cooper, the head keeper, pounced on the offender, seized him roughly by
the collar, dragged him from the table, knocking his chair down, and
bundled him out of the room with ignominy and fracas, in spite of a
remonstrance from Alfred, "Oh, don't be so rough with the poor man.
Then the novice laid down his knife and fork, and ate no more. "I am
grieved at my own ill-nature in complaining of such a trifle," said he
when all was quiet
The company stared considerably at this remark: it seemed to them a most
morbid perversion of sensibility; for the deranged, thin-skinned beyond
conception in their own persons, and alive to the shadow of the shade of
a wrong, are stoically indifferent to the woes of others.
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