Little Mr Bouncer and His Friend Verdant Green/Chapter 17
CHAPTER XVII.
LITTLE MR. BOUNCER IS SOMEWHAT SURPRISED AT DR. DUSTACRE.
Dustacre had the aspect of a bird; perhaps a raven, after its metempsychosis, would have presented much the same appearance. Pythagoras might have credited him to have belonged, at some previous stage of his existence, to a member of the corvine tribe; and even those who did not adopt the old Samian creed may, in looking at his strange face and the general solemnity of his countenance, have gazed upon him with a certain superstitious awe, as though he were a bird of ill omen. Physiologists and phrenologists, from Theophrastus to Gall, Spurzheim, and Lavater, would have been delighted to make their observations on the head and face of Dr. Dustacre, and to have propounded their pet theories from a superficial examination of his nose and forehead.
The latter was very high and bald, coming almost to a point at the summit where the skilled phrenologist would place the organ of veneration, which is termed, by the unlearned and vulgar, "the bump of benevolence." If, therefore, the disciples of Gall were correct in their theories, it was indubitable that Dr. Dustacre was a kind and good man; but the peculiar form of his bald head made it resemble the polished egg of an ostrich, rather than the customary white billiard ball. Over his ears was a fringe of black hair; so that it was not until he took his hat from off his head that any portion of its baldness was disclosed to view; and, when he put on his hat again, it was as though he had covered the ostrich's egg with a chapeau for the performance of some trick of jugglery. A smaller fringe of black hair, in the shape of whiskers, was carried straight down his cheeks and continued under his chin, which retreated sharply from his mouth and nose. This was unusually prominent; and, in conjunction with the facial angle, greatly helped to give the peculiar raven-like aspect to his face. It might be said of Dr. Dustacre's nose and face, as Wordsworth wrote of Paulinus:—
Black hair, and vivid eye, and meagre cheek,
His prominent feature like an eagle's beak;
A Man whose aspect doth at once appal
And strike with reverence.
His eyebrows were dark and shaggy: his eyes bright and piercing, even when seen through the gold-rimmed glasses that he wore; and his face was spectral and colourless. He was dressed in an entire suit of black; wore a starched white neckcloth, and carried an ebony cane that was tipped with gold.
Dr. Dustacre walked up to the Woodlands, past the tiny lodge, and through the little, well-timbered park; and when he came to the front door of Mr. Smalls' large house, there was the footman standing on the steps, surveying the beauties of nature. Hence it happened that Dr. Dustacre had no occasion to ring the hall-bell.
To his inquiry, "Is Mr. Smalls at home?" the servant replied that his master and young master had driven over to the Poynton Station, to meet a gentleman who was expected to arrive by the twelve-thirty-five train.
"Dear me!" exclaimed the Doctor; "this is particularly unfortunate; for I am the gentleman whom they were expecting to meet there. My business here is of a very urgent nature, and, as I have other important engagements to fulfil, I am anxious to get back to the train with as little loss of time as possible."
"Would you oblige me with your name, sir?" said the servant. The Doctor handed him his card. "Dr. Dustacre is the name of the gentleman that my master has gone to meet," said the servant.
"I had intended to have gone to the Poynton Station," said the Doctor, by way of explanation; "but, at the last moment, a friend told me that I should not be able to get any carriage there; so, I got out at the Barham Station, and have driven over from there. For a particular reason, I have left the car at the turn of the road a short distance beyond the lodge. I have to see young Mr. Winstanley, and to inquire professionally into his case. It is important that I should see him at once, and alone. Is he in the house?"
"Yes, sir; he is in the study. Shall I show you in to him?" asked the servant.
"No," replied the Doctor; "I would rather go in by myself. It will be better not to announce me, or to give my name. Which is the study?"
The servant pointed it out. Dr. Dustacre crossed the hall, opened the study door, shut it carefully behind him, made a bow to a youthful-looking gentleman who was seated in a comfortable chair and nodding over the "Times," and, for the first time in his life, found himself face to face with little Mr. Bouncer. If either of them had gone to the open window and looked out, they might have discovered young Winstanley, crouched behind a thick laurel, ready prepared to lend an attentive ear to their conversation.
Dr. Dustacre gave a keen look through his gold mounted spectacles, and made a rapid, but careful, survey of Mr. Bouncer's face and expression. It was such
a look as Van Amburgh may have bestowed upon the lions when he leaped into their den, and stood among them in that picturesque dress which, at the great Duke of Wellington's desire, was represented in a famous picture by Sir Edwin Landseer. But the celebrated lion-tamer had a cast in his eye, which, as was alleged, was a part of the secret of his success, as it enabled him to gaze upon two beasts at the same time. Dr. Dustacre had no such obliquity of vision, but looked straightly and fixedly at the object before him.
Mr. Bouncer rose from his easy-chair, and silently returned the silent bow of the other. The Doctor took a chair and brought it to the writing-table, near to Mr. Bouncer, all the while making an eye-study of his appearance and manners. It was such a skilled, professional study, that it might have been called eye art. Mr. Bouncer had again settled himself in his chair, and began to experience the sort of sensation which a bird is supposed to feel when it is being fascinated by a serpent.
Thought the little gentleman to himself, "This is a very rummy-looking cove! I wonder who he is, and why he came into this room, without being shown in by the servant. I don't remember hearing the front-door bell ring; but I half suspect that I was having forty winks. What a peculiar-looking old gentleman! who can he be? By his togs he looks like a parson; white choker, black coat and sit-upons. I daresay he is the rector of the parish, and a great friend of the Squire's. By the way, I remember Smalls telling me he used to read with the rector two hours a day. This is the identical individual, no doubt. I daresay he is like a tame cat, and comes in and out as he likes. What a skull the old bald-pate has got! and how he stares at me!' He fix'd me with his glitt'ring eye.' 'He came, I could not move, for his eye was upon me.' I wonder, by the way, why coves have only one eye in poetry, like Polyphemus and those monoptical parties. This old fellow has two eyes under his gig-lamps, and knows how to use them. I wonder when the parson's going to open his lips and begin to preach?"
It was at this point in Mr. Bouncer's reverie that Dr. Dustacre cleared his throat, opened his lips, and began to speak; while young Winstanley, outside the window, listened to what was said.