Indeed,
it seemed to him that a man who had a duel to fight upon the morrow
with a dangerous adversary had reason enough for gravity and
thought.
"Tom," said Lord Claud suddenly, breaking a rather long silence, "I
feel sometimes that I have had enough for once of the trammels of
town life. I am weary of the slavery of levee, and gaming table,
and playhouse. There are better things in life than foppery and
idle dissipation. What do you think of it all, my honest Tom?"
"I find it vastly entertaining," answered Tom truthfully; "but I
feel me something out of place amongst all the fine fops I meet
everywhere."
"You would like to travel and see the world? There is another world
besides that of London town."
"I would see more of London town ere I leave it," answered Tom
frankly; "but I would fain see other things and places, too."
"Wilt come farther afield with me, if I go?" asked Lord Claud, with
a quick sidelong glance at the tall figure of his companion. "A man
of thews and sinews, who knows not fear, is the comrade in whom my
heart delights; but there be so few of them amid yon crowd of
painted popinjays."
The compliment tickled Tom's vanity, just as the preference shown
him from the first by so great a man as Lord Claud touched his
naturally quick affections.
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