"Lord, Peregrine!" said the Tinker in my ear. "This is a day to
remember, this is a--my soul!" he exclaimed and fell suddenly mute as
a gorgeous person in powder and silk stockings entered, bearing tea
upon a silver tray; a somewhat nervous and high-strung person he
seemed, for catching sudden vision of the grimy Tinker's shock head
and my shirt sleeves, his protuberant eyes took on a glassy look, he
gulped audibly, his knees bent and he set down his burden with a
jingling crash.
The Earl turned sharply; the footman began setting out the tea things.
"I've never seen an organ close to before," said Diana, "though I've
often stopped outside a church to listen."
The footman's hands grew vague, his glassy eyes turned themselves upon
Jeremy in fascinated horror, beneath which disdainful scrutiny Jeremy
flushed, uneasily conscious of work-grimed hands and clothes.
"Of course I shan't mind singing to you," said Diana, "because you are
my old pal."
The footman dropped a plate; stooping for this, he brought down three
or four spoons and forks in his agitation.
"Atkinson!"
"My lord!" answered Atkinson, appearing suddenly.
"What is this?" demanded his lordship, fixing the gorgeous person with
terrible eye.
"The third footman, I believe, my lord."
"Send him out--he annoys me."
The gorgeous person having taken himself off, Jeremy sighed in huge
relief but glanced furtively askance from dainty china and snowy linen
to his own grimy hands and smirched garments; perceiving which
embarrassment the Earl hastened to set him at his ease:
"John Bunyan was a tinker also, friend Jarvis," said he, as we drew to
the table.
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