He sat down therefore
before turning into bed, and wrote a note to the Baroness, enclosing
the introduction from Mrs. Pullen, and asking permission to call and
inspect her rare collection of china, of which he had heard so much. His letter reached the Red House on the following morning, at an
unfortunate moment, when Madame Gobelli was giving full display to the
worst side of her eccentric character. The Baroness was not a lover of animals, either dogs or horses. She was
merciless to the latter and the former she kicked whenever they came in
her way. It was considered necessary, however, for the safety of the
Red House, that it should be guarded by a watch-dog, and a miserable
retriever, which answered to that name, lived in a rotten cask in
the stable yard. This unhappy animal, which had neither sufficient
food, exercise, nor straw to lie on, was in the habit of keeping up
a continuous baying at night, in remonstrance at the cruelty of its
treatment, which was a cause of annoyance to the neighbours, who had
often written to the Baroness about it in vain. On the morning in question, a Captain Hill, who lived on one side of
the Red House, with his parents, sent in his card to Madame Gobelli and
asked for an interview. She admitted him at once. She liked men of all
sorts, and particularly if they were young and she could kiss them with
impunity, under the pretence that she was old enough to be their mother. She therefore welcomed Captain Hill quite amiably. She came in from the
garden to receive him, attired in a Genoa velvet dress that trailed
half a yard on the damp ground behind, and a coarse Zulu hat perched
on her large bullet head. She was attended by Harriet Brandt, who had
been making a tour of the premises with her, and was always eager to
see anybody who might call at the Red House. Miss Wynward also, who was
dusting the china with a feather brush as the visitor was announced,
continued her occupation, and without apologising for doing so, or
asking leave. Harriet had not yet been able to determine the exact place which this
lady held in the Baroness’s household, for she was treated as one of
the family, and yet degraded at times to the position of a servant. The Baroness expected her to cook, or dust rooms, or darn stockings,
or do anything required of her, whilst she introduced her to all her
friends as if on a perfect equality with themselves. As she entered
the drawing-room through one of the French windows, she shook hands
familiarly with Captain Hill, and introduced him to both her companions. “Well!” she went on, “and so you’ve come to see us at last! I thought
you were going to live and die in that tumble-down old place of yours,
without so much as a shake of the ’and! I ’ope you’re all well at ’ome!”

The stranger did not seem to know how to receive these civilities. He
had not seated himself, but stood in the centre of the room with his
hat in his hand, as though he found a difficulty in stating his errand
at the Red House. “Take a chair,” said Madame Gobelli in her rough way, “there’s enough
and to spare, and my young friend ’ere won’t eat you!”

Still Captain Hill deliberated about accepting her offer. “Thank you,” he commenced, “but I shall not detain you above a few
moments. I came to speak to you about your dog, Madame Gobelli. My
parents are both very old, and my mother especially delicate--indeed, I
fear that she may never rise from her bed again!”

Here his voice faltered a little, but quickly recovering himself he
went on,

“She sleeps very little, and that little has now become impossible to
her on account of the incessant barking of your yard dog. I am here
to-day by the wish of my mother’s medical attendant, Doctor Parker, to
tell you that the noise is seriously affecting her health, and to beg
that you will adopt some measures to have the annoyance stopped.”

As the Baroness understood the reason for which her neighbour had
called upon her, her countenance palpably changed. The broad smile
faded from her face and was replaced by an ominous frown. If there was
one thing which she resented above another, it was being called to
task for any disturbance in her household. Without taking any notice
apparently of Captain Hill’s complaint, she turned to Miss Wynward and
said,

“Miss Wynward, come ’ere! Does that dog bark at night?”

“Sometimes, my lady,” replied the governess dubiously. “I don’t believe it! You’re lying! ’Arriet, does Nelson ever bark so as
to disturb anyone?”

“He barks whenever there is a ring at the bell, or a stranger enters
the grounds, Madame,” said Harriet, with politic evasion. “Oh! I assure you he does more than that!” interposed the visitor,
“the poor animal howls without ceasing. Either he is ill, or the
servants do not give him sufficient food!”

But at this censure cast upon her domestics whom she bullied from
morning till night, the Baroness’s uncontrolled temper burst forth. “’Ow dare you come ’ere,” she exclaimed loudly, “and bring false
accusations against my servants? No one in this ’ouse is kept short of
food. What do you mean--a rubbishing fellow like you--by coming ’ere,
and accusing the Baron of starving ’is animals? There’s more money
spent upon our animals, I bet, than goes in your poverty-stricken
’ouse-’old in a year!”

Captain Hill was now offended, as he well might be. “I do not know what knowledge you may possess of the exigencies of my
parents’ household, Madam,” he replied, “but what I came here to tell
you is this--that from whatever cause it may arise, the howling and
whining of your dog is a public nuisance and it must be stopped!”

“Must, must!” exclaimed Madame Gobelli, shaking her stick at him, “and
pray ’oo’s to make me stop it?”

“_I_ will,” said Captain Hill, “the noise is endangering the life of my
mother, and I shall insist upon the animal being destroyed, or taken
elsewhere. If you cannot take a friendly hint--if you have so callous
a nature that the sufferings of an aged and invalid lady cannot excite
your sympathy, the law shall teach you that, whatever you may fail to
feel, you cannot annoy your neighbours with impunity!”

“Fine neighbours indeed!” cried the Baroness, her whole face trembling
and contorted with passion. “A beggarly lot of half-pay officers and
retired parsons! I’ll soon see if you’ll be allowed to come riding the
’igh ’orse over me! Confound your impudence! Do you know ’oo I am?”

“A Billingsgate fishwoman, I should imagine, from your language! Certainly not a gentlewoman!” said Captain Hill, his eyes blazing with
his wrath. “’Ang you! I’ll soon teach you ’ow to insult a lady that’s connected
with Royalty!”

At that, the stranger burst into a derisive laugh. “Down the back stairs!” he muttered to himself, but Madame Gobelli
caught the words. “Get out of my ’ouse,” she cried. “’Ere, Miss Wynward, see this fellow
out at the front door, and never you let ’im in again, or I’ll give you
a month’s warning! Down the back stairs indeed! Confound you!