Aunt Charlotte relapsed into silence, and did not speak again until the dessert had been brought in. Austin helped himself to a plateful of black cherries, while his aunt toyed with a peach. At last she said, in rather a hesitating tone:
“Well, you’ve told me your adventures, so there’s an end of that. But I’ve had a little adventure of my own this afternoon; though whether it would interest you to hear it——”
“Oh, do tell me!” said Austin, eagerly. “An adventure—you?”
“I’m not sure whether adventure is quite the correct expression,” replied Aunt Charlotte, “and I don’t quite know how to begin. You see, my dear Austin, that you are very young.”
“It isn’t anything improper, is it?” asked Austin, innocently.
“If you say such things as that I won’t utter another word,” rejoined his aunt. “I simply state the fact—that you are very young.”
“And I hope I shall always remain so,” Austin said.
“That being the case,” resumed his aunt, impressively, “a great many things happened long before you were born.”
“I’ve never doubted that for a moment, even in my most sceptical moods,” Austin assured her seriously.
“Well, I once knew a gentleman,” continued Aunt Charlotte, “of whom I used to see a great deal. Indeed I had reasons for believing that—the gentleman—rather appreciated my—conversation. Perhaps I was a little more sprightly in those days than I am now. Anyhow, he paid me considerable attention——”
“Oh!” cried Austin, opening his eyes as wide as they would go. “Oh, auntie!”
“Of course things never went any further,” said Aunt Charlotte, “though I don’t know what might have happened had it not been that I gave him no encouragement whatever.”
“But why didn’t you? What was he like? Tell me all about him!” interrupted Austin, excitedly. “Was he a soldier, like father? I’m sure he was—a beautiful soldier in the Blues, whatever the Blues may be, with a grand uniform and clanking spurs. That’s the sort of man that would have captivated you, auntie. Was he wounded? Had he a wooden leg? Oh, go on, go on! I’m dying to hear all about it.”
“That he had a uniform is possible, though I never saw him wear one, and it may have been blue for anything I know; but that wouldn’t imply that he was in the Blues,” replied his aunt, sedately. “No; the strange thing was that he suddenly went abroad, and for five-and-twenty years I never heard of him. And now he has written me a letter.”
“A letter!” cried Austin. “This is an adventure, and no mistake. But go on, go on.”
“I never was more astounded in my life,” resumed his aunt. “A letter came from him this afternoon. He recalls himself to my remembrance, and says—this is the most singular part—that he was actually staying quite close to here only a short time ago, but had no idea that I was living here. Had he known it he would most certainly have called, but as he has only just discovered it, quite accidentally, he says he shall make a point of coming down again, when he hopes he may be permitted to renew our old acquaintance.”