Читать книгу The Carolinian онлайн

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His lordship sniffed.

'Strong measures are for the strong, and to do as Lord Hillsborough commands us...'

He broke off. Captain Mandeville was holding up the hand that held the letter.

'When your excellency's toilet is finished.'

'Oh, very well,' his lordship agreed. 'Make haste, Dumergue.'

Scandalized by the command, Dumergue began a protest.

'Oh, milor'! Une chevelure pareille...une coiffure si belle...'

'Make haste!' His lordship was unusually peremptory.

Dumergue sighed, and cut short his ministrations. With a final touch he perfected the set of the ribbon in which the queue was confined; then he gathered towel, scissors, comb, curling-tongs, and pomade into a capacious basin, made his bow, and retired with wounded dignity.

'Now, Mandeville.'

His lordship sat up, swinging his legs round. They were shapely legs in pearl-grey silk. He considered them complacently. They were among the few things whose contemplation afforded his lordship unalloyed satisfaction.

But Captain Mandeville required his lordship to pay attention to very different matters.