The cool night air sobered his
rage, and when he found that he was innocently acclaimed as the
heroic rescuer of poor Leonard Spabbink, and loudly commended for
his presence of mind in tying a wet cloth round his head to
protect him from smoke suffocation, he accepted the situation, and
subsequently gave a graphic account of his finding the musician
asleep with an overturned candle by his side and the conflagration
well started. Spabbink gave HIS version some days later, when he
had partially recovered from the shock of his midnight castigation
and immersion, but the gentle pitying smiles and evasive comments
with which his story was greeted warned him that the public ear
was not at his disposal. He refused, however, to attend the
ceremonial presentation of the Royal Humane Society's life-saving
medal.
It was about this time that Groby's pet monkey fell a victim to
the disease which attacks so many of its kind when brought under
the influence of a northern climate. Its master appeared to be
profoundly affected by its loss, and never quite recovered the
level of spirits that he had recently attained. In company with
the tortoise, which Colonel John presented to him on his last
visit, he potters about his lawn and kitchen garden, with none of
his erstwhile sprightliness; and his nephews and nieces are fairly
well justified in alluding to him as "Old Uncle Groby.
Pages:
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256