Rankin
takes his stool from the flowerbed and sits down on her left, Sir
Howard being on her right.
LADY CICELY. What a pleasant face your sailor friend has, Mr.
Rankin! He has been so frank and truthful with us. You know I
don't think anybody can pay me a greater compliment than to be
quite sincere with me at first sight. It's the perfection of
natural good manners.
SIR HOWARD. You must not suppose, Mr. Rankin, that my
sister-in-law talks nonsense on purpose. She will continue to
believe in your friend until he steals her watch; and even then
she will find excuses for him.
RANKIN (drily changing the subject). And how have ye been, Sir
Howrrd, since our last meeting that morning nigh forty year ago
down at the docks in London?
SIR HOWARD (greatly surprised, pulling himself together) Our last
meeting! Mr. Rankin: have I been unfortunate enough to forget an
old acquaintance?
RANKIN. Well, perhaps hardly an acquaintance, Sir Howrrd. But I
was a close friend of your brother Miles: and when he sailed for
Brazil I was one of the little party that saw him off. You were
one of the party also, if I'm not mistaken. I took particular
notice of you because you were Miles's brother and I had never
seen ye before. But ye had no call to take notice of me.
SIR HOWARD (reflecting). Yes: there was a young friend of my
brother's who might well be you. But the name, as I recollect it,
was Leslie.
RANKIN.
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