'
With which words he made another bow, and a pause of enquiry directed to
Puddock, who lisped with dignity--
'Sir, the duty is, for many reasons, painful; but I--I can't refuse,
Sir, and I accept the trust.'
So O'Flaherty shook his hand, with another bow; bowed silently and
loftily round the room, and disappeared, and a general buzz and a clack
of tongues arose.
'Mr. Nutter--a--I hope things may be settled pleasantly,' said Puddock,
looking as tall and weighty as he could; 'at present I--a--that is, at
the moment, I--a--don't quite see--[the fact is, he had not a notion
what the deuce it was all about]--but your friend will find me--your
friend--a--at my lodgings up to one o'clock to-night, if necessary.'
And so Puddock's bow. For the moment an affair of this sort presented
itself, all concerned therein became reserved and official, and the
representatives merely of a ceremonious etiquette and a
minutely-regulated ordeal of battle. So, as I said, Puddock bowed
grandly and sublimely to Nutter, and then magnificently to the company,
and made his exit.
There was a sort of a stun and a lull for several seconds.
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