‘On one of the bottles!’ said Frank; ’wouldn’t it be better if I made a mark of some old covey’s head?  I don’t like looking at the table.’

’The old covey’d move, and then you’d be done; besides there isn’t the least use in the world in looking up.  I’ve heard people say, who go to those sort of dinners every day of their lives, that whenever anything witty is said; the fellow who says it is sure to be looking at the mahogany.’

’Oh, you know I shan’t say anything witty; I’ll be quite the other way.’

’But there’s no reason you shouldn’t learn the manner.  That’s the way I succeed.  Fix your eye on one of the bottles; put your thumbs in your waist-coat pockets; stick out your elbows, bend your knees a little, and then go ahead.’

’Oh, ah! go ahead; that’s all very well; but you can’t go ahead if you haven’t got any steam.’

’A very little does it.  There can be nothing so easy as your speech.  When one has to say anything new every year about the farmers’ daughters, why one has to use one’s brains a bit.  Let’s see:  how will you begin?  Of course, you’ll say that you are not accustomed to this sort of thing; that the honour conferred upon you is too much for your feelings; that the bright array of beauty and talent around you quite overpowers your tongue, and all that sort of thing.  Then declare you’re a Gresham to the backbone.’

‘Oh, they know that.’

’Well, tell them again.  Then of course you must say something about us; or you’ll have the countess as black as old Nick.’

’Abut my aunt, George?  What on earth can I say about her when she’s there herself before me?’

’Before you! of course; that’s just the reason.  Oh, say any lie you can think of; you must say something about us.  You know we’ve come down from London on purpose.’

Frank, in spite of the benefit of receiving from his cousin’s erudition, could not help wishing in his heart that they had al remained in London; but this he kept to himself.  He thanked his cousin for his hints, and though he did not feel that the trouble of his mind was completely cured, he began to hope that he might go through the ordeal without disgracing himself.

Nevertheless, he felt rather sick at heart when Mr Baker got up to propose the toast as soon as the servants were gone.  The servants, that is, were gone officially; but they were there in a body, men and women, nurses, cooks, and ladies’ maids, coachmen, grooms, and footmen, standing in two doorways to hear what Master Frank would say.  The old housekeeper headed the maids at one door, standing boldly inside the room; and the butler controlled the men at the other, marshalling them back with a drawn corkscrew.