第9章

“Whatnumber？“askedthedriver。

“Idon’tknow，“repliedGodfrey，“theBall，GrosvenorSquare。“

Offtheywent，andinduecourse，reachingthesquare，droveroundituntiltheycametoagreathousewherethereweresignsoffestivityintheshapeofanawningabovetheentranceandacarpetonthepavement。

Thecabstoppedwithajerkandavoicefromabove——neverhavingbeeninahansombefore，atfirstGodfreycouldnotlocateit——exclaimed：

“Here’syourBall，younggent。Nowyou’dbetterhopoutanddance。“

Hisfarebegantoexplainthesituationthroughthelittletrapintheroof，demonstratingtotheJehuthathisobjectwastoobservetheballfromwithout，nottodanceatitwithin，andthatitwasnecessaryforhimtodriveonalittlefurther。Thatworthygrewindignant。

“BlowedifIdon’tbelieveyou’reabilk，“heshoutedthroughthehole。“Here，youpaymemyfareandhookit，youngcodger。“

Godfreydescendedandcommencedasearchformoney，onlytorememberthathehadlefthispurseinhisbagatthehotel。Thisalsoheexplainedwithmanyapologiestotheinfuriatedcabby，twogorgeousflunkeyswhobynowhadarrivedtoescorthimintothehouse，andagroupofidlerswhohadcollectedroundthedoor。

“Itoldyerhewasabilk。Youlookafteryourspoons，Thomas；I

expectthat’swothe’scomefor。Nowyoufindthatbob，Sonny，orI

fetchestheperlice。“

ThenaninspirationflashedonGodfrey’sbewilderedmind。Suddenlyherecollectedthat，bythedirectionofheaven，Mrs。Parsonshadsewnatenshillingpieceintotheliningofhiswaistcoat，“incaseheshouldeverwantanymoneysudden-like。“Heundidthatgarmentandheedlessofthemockeryoftheaudience，begantofeelwildlyatitsinteriorcalico。Joy!thereitwasinthelefthandcorner。

“IhavemoneyhereifonlyIcangetitout，“hegasped。

Awomaninthegatheringcrowd，perhapsfrompity，orcuriosity，inthemostunexpectedwayproducedapairofscissorsfromherpocketwithwhichhebegantohackatthewaistcoat，gashingitsadly。Atlengththejobwasdoneandthehalf-sovereignappearedwrappedinapieceofcottonwool。

“Takeit，“saidGodfrey，“andgoaway。Letitteachyoutohavemoretrustinyourfellowcreatures，Mr。Cabman。“

Themanseizedthecoin，examineditbythelightofhislamp，tastedit，bitit，threwitonthetopofthecabtoseethatitrangtrue，thenwitha“Well，I’mblowed!“whippeduphishorseandwentoff。

Godfreyfollowedhisexample，astheflunkeysandtheaudiencesupposedtorecoverhischange，thoughthelastthinghewasthinkingofatthatmomentwaschange——exceptoflocality。Heranahundredyardsormoretoapartofthesquarewheretherewasnolamp，thenpausedtoconsider。

“Ihavemadeafoolofmyself，“hereflected，“asIsobelalwayssaysI

dowhenIgetthechance。Ihavecomeallthiswayandbeenabusedandlaughedatfornothing。“

Thenhisnativedeterminationbegantoassertitself。Whyshoulditbefornothing？Therewasthehouse，andinitwasIsobel，andoh!hewantedtoseeher。Hecrossedtothesquare-gardensideandwalkeddownintheshadowofthetreeswhichgrewthere。

Underoneofthesehetookhisstand，squeezinghimselfagainsttherailings，andwatchedtheglowinghousethatwasopposite，fromwhichcamethesoundsofmusic，ofdancingfeet，oflaughterandthetinklingofglasses。Ithadbalconies，andontheseappearedpeopledressedinallsortsofcostumes。AmongthemhetriedtorecogniseIsobel，butcouldnot。Eithershedidnotcomeorhewastoofarofftoseeher。

Adancewasending，themusicgrewfasterandfaster，thenceasedwithaflourish。Morepeopleappearedonthebalconies。Otherscrowdedintothehall，whichhecouldsee，forthedoorwasopen。Presentlyapaircameontothesteps。Oneofthemwasdressedasaknightinshiningarmour。Hewasafine，tallyoungman，andhisfacewashandsome，asthewatchercouldperceive，forhehadtakenoffhisplumedhelmandcarrieditinhishand。TheotherwasIsobelinherPlantagenetcostume，towhichwereaddedoneroseandaneckletofpinkpearls。

Theystoodonthestepsalittlewhilelaughingandtalking。Thenheheardhersay：

“Letusgointothesquare。Itwillbecooler。Thekeyishangingonthenail。“

Shevanishedforamoment，doubtlesstofetchthekey。Thentheywalkeddownthesteps，overthespreadcarpet，andacrosstheroadway。

WithinthreepacesofwhereGodfreystoodtherewasagate。Shegavethekeytotheknight，andafteroneortwoattemptsthegateswungopen。Whilsthewasfumblingatthelockshestoodlookingabouther，andpresentlycaughtsightofGodfrey’sslimfigurecrouchedagainsttherailingsinthedeepestoftheshadows。

“Thereissomeonethere，LordCharles，“shesaid。

“Isthere？“heanswered，indifferently。“Acab-toutorabeggar，I

expect。Theyalwayshangaboutparties。Comeon，itisopenatlast。“

Theypassedintothegardenandvanished。AwildjealousyseizedGodfrey，andheslippedafterthemwiththeintentionofrevealinghimselftoIsobel。Insidetherailingswasabroadbeltofshrubsborderedbyagravelpath。Thepairwalkedalongthepath，Godfreyfollowingatadistance，tilltheycametoarecessedseatonwhichtheysatdown。Hehaltedbehindalilacbushtenpacesorsoaway，notthathewantedtolisten，butbecausehewasashamedtoshowhimself。

Indeed，hestoppedhisearswithhisfingersthathemightnotoverheartheirtalk。Buthedidnotshuthiseyes，andasthepathcurvedhereandthemoonshoneonthem，hecouldseethemwell。Theyseemedverymerryandtobeplayingsomegame。

Atanyrate，firstwithherfingershecountedtheair-holesintheknight’shelmetwhichhehelduptoher。Thenwithhisfingerhecountedthepearlsuponherneck。Whenhehadfinishedsheclappedherhandsasthoughshehadwonabet。Afterthistheybegantowhispertoeachother，atleasthewhisperedandshesmiledandshookherhead。

Finally，sheseemedtogiveway，forsheunfastenedtheflowerwhichsheworeinthebreastofherdress，andpresentedtohim。Godfreystartedatthesightwhichcausedhimtotakehisfingersfromhisearsandclutchthebush。Adrytwigbrokewithaloudcrack。

“What’sthat？“saidIsobel。

“Don’tknow，“answeredLordCharles。“Whatafunnygirlyouare，alwaysseeingandhearingthings。Astraycat，Iexpect；Londonsquaresarefullofthem。NowIhavewonmylady’sfavourandshemustfastenittomyhelmaftertheancientfashion。“

“Can’t，“saidIsobel。“TherearenopinsinPlantagenetdresses。“

“ThenImustdoitformyself。Kissitfirst，thatwastherule，youknow。“

“Verywell，“saidIsobel。“Wemustkeepupthegame，andthereareworsethingstokissthanroses。“

Heheldtheflowertoherandshebentforwardtotouchitwithherlips。Suddenlyhedidthesame，andtheirlipscameveryclosetogetheroneithersideoftherose。

ThiswastoomuchforGodfrey。Heglidedforward，asthestraycatmighthavedone，ofwhichthefineknighthadspoken，meaningtointerruptthem。

Thenherememberedsuddenlythathehadnorighttointerfere；thatitwasnoaffairofhiswithwhomIsobelchosetokissrosesinagarden，andthathewasdoingameanthinginspyinguponher。Sohehaltedbehindanotherbush，butnotwithoutnoise。Hishandsomeyoungfacewasthrustforward，andonitwerewrittengrief，surpriseandshame。

Themoonlightcaughtit，butnothingelseofhim。Isobellookedupandsaw。

Heknewthatshehadseenandturning，slippedawayintothedarknessbacktothegate。AshewentheheardtheknightcalledLordCharles，exclaim：

“What’sthematterwithyou？“andIsobelanswer，“Nothing。Ihaveseenaghost，that’sall。It’sthishorribledress!“

Heglancedbackandsawherrise，snatchtherosefromtheknight’shand，throwitdownandstampuponit。Thenhesawandheardnomoreforhewasthroughthegateandrunningdownthesquare。Atitsend，asheturnedintosomestreet，hewassurprisedtohearagruffvoicecallingtohimtostop。Onlookinguphesawthatitcamefromhisenemy，thehansom-cabman，whowasapparentlykeepingalookoutonthesquarefromhisloftyperch。

“Hi!youngsir，“hesaid，“I’vebeenwatchingforyouandthinkingofwotyousaidtome。Yougavemehalfaquid，youdid。JumpinandI’lldriveyouwhereveryouwanttogo，formyfarewasonlyabob。“

“Ihavenomoremoney，“repliedGodfrey，“foryoukeptthechange。“

“Iwasn’taskingfornone，“saidthecabby。“Hopinandnamewhereitistobe。“

GodfreytoldhimandpresentlywasbeingrattledbacktotheCharingCrossHotel，whichtheyreachedalittlelater。Hegotoutofthecabtogointothehotelwhenonceagainthemanaddressedhim。

“Ioweyousomething，“hesaid，andtenderedthehalf-sovereign。

“Ihavenochange，“saidGodfrey。

“Nor’ain’tI，“saidthecabman，“andifIhadIwouldn’tgiveityou。

IplayedadirtytrickonyouandadirtieronestillwhenItookyourhalfsov，Idid，seeingthatIoughttohaveknownthatyouerejustanobfusticatedyoungsterandnobilkasIcalledyoutothemflunkeys。Whatyousaidmademeashamed，thoughIwouldn’townitbeforetheflunkeys。SoIdeterminedtopayyoubackifIcould，sinceotherwiseIshouldn’thavesleptwellto-night。Nowwe’requits，andgoodbye，anddoyoualwaysthinkkindlyofThomasSims，thoughIdon’tsupposeIshalldriveyounomoreinthisworld。“

“Goodbye，Mr。Sims，“saidGodfrey，whowastouched。MoreoverMr。Simsseemedtobefamiliartohim，atthemomenthecouldnotrememberhow，orwhy。

Themanwheeledhiscabround，whippingthehorsewhichwasaspiritedanimal，andstartedatafastpace。

Godfrey，lookingafterhim，heardacrashasheemergedfromthegates，andrantoseewhatwasthematter。Hefoundthecaboverturnedandthehorsewitha’buspoledrivendeepintoitsside，kickingonthepavement。ThomasSimslaybeneaththecab。Whenthepoliceandothersdraggedhimclear，hewasquitedead!

Godfreywenttobedthatnightaverywearyandchastenedyouth，forneverbeforehadheexperiencedsomanyemotionsinafewshorthours。