第107章

stream。Atanyhourlaterthansunset，andnotleastatthathourwhenmostofthepeoplewhohaveanythingtoeatathomearegoinghometoeatit，andwhenmostofthosewhohavenothinghavehardlyyetslunkouttobegorsteal，itwasadesertedplaceandlookedonadesertedscene。

SuchwasthehourwhenClennamstoppedatthecorner，observingthegirlandthestrangemanastheywentdownthestreet。Theman’sfootstepsweresonoisyontheechoingstonesthathewasunwillingtoaddthesoundofhisown。Butwhentheyhadpassedtheturningandwereinthedarknessofthedarkcornerleadingtotheterrace，hemadeafterthemwithsuchindifferentappearanceofbeingacasualpassengeronhisway，ashecouldassume。

Whenheroundedthedarkcorner，theywerewalkingalongtheterracetowardsafigurewhichwascomingtowardsthem。Ifhehadseenitbyitself，undersuchconditionsofgas-lamp，mist，anddistance，hemightnothaveknownitatfirstsight，butwiththefigureofthegirltoprompthim，heatoncerecognisedMissWade。

Hestoppedatthecorner，seemingtolookbackexpectantlyupthestreetasifhehadmadeanappointmentwithsomeonetomeethimthere；buthekeptacarefuleyeonthethree。Whentheycametogether，themantookoffhishat，andmadeMissWadeabow。Thegirlappearedtosayafewwordsasthoughshepresentedhim，oraccountedforhisbeinglate，orearly，orwhatnot；andthenfellapaceorsobehind，byherself。MissWadeandthemanthenbegantowalkupanddown；themanhavingtheappearanceofbeingextremelycourteousandcomplimentaryinmanner；MissWadehavingtheappearanceofbeingextremelyhaughty。

Whentheycamedowntothecornerandturned，shewassaying，’IfIpinchmyselfforit，sir，thatismybusiness。Confineyourselftoyours，andaskmenoquestion。’

’ByHeaven，ma’am!’hereplied，makingheranotherbow。’Itwasmyprofoundrespectforthestrengthofyourcharacter，andmyadmirationofyourbeauty。’

’Iwantneithertheonenortheotherfromanyone，’saidshe，’andcertainlynotfromyouofallcreatures。Goonwithyourreport。’

’AmIpardoned？’heasked，withanairofhalfabashedgallantry。

’Youarepaid，’shesaid，’andthatisallyouwant。’

Whetherthegirlhungbehindbecauseshewasnottohearthebusiness，orasalreadyknowingenoughaboutit，Clennamcouldnotdetermine。Theyturnedandsheturned。Shelookedawayattheriver，asshewalkedwithherhandsfoldedbeforeher；andthatwasallhecouldmakeofherwithoutshowinghisface。Therehappened，bygoodfortune，tobealoungerreallywaitingforsomeone；andhesometimeslookedovertherailingatthewater，andsometimescametothedarkcornerandlookedupthestreet，renderingArthurlessconspicuous。

WhenMissWadeandthemancamebackagain，shewassaying，’Youmustwaituntilto-morrow。’

’Athousandpardons？’hereturned。’Myfaith!Thenit’snotconvenientto-night？’

’No。ItellyouImustgetitbeforeIcangiveittoyou。’

Shestoppedintheroadway，asiftoputanendtotheconference。

Heofcoursestoppedtoo。Andthegirlstopped。

’It’salittleinconvenient，’saidtheman。’Alittle。But，HolyBlue!that’snothinginsuchaservice。Iamwithoutmoneyto-

night，bychance。Ihaveagoodbankerinthiscity，butIwouldnotwishtodrawuponthehouseuntilthetimewhenIshalldrawforaroundsum。’

’Harriet，’saidMissWade，’arrangewithhim——thisgentlemanhere——

forsendinghimsomemoneyto-morrow。’Shesaiditwithaslurofthewordgentlemanwhichwasmorecontemptuousthananyemphasis，andwalkedslowlyon。

Themanbenthisheadagain，andthegirlspoketohimastheybothfollowedher。ClennamventuredtolookatthegirlastheyMovedaway。Hecouldnotethatherrichblackeyeswerefasteneduponthemanwithascrutinisingexpression，andthatshekeptatalittledistancefromhim，astheywalkedsidebysidetothefurtherendoftheterrace。

Aloudandalteredclankuponthepavementwarnedhim，beforehecoulddiscernwhatwaspassingthere，thatthemanwascomingbackalone。Clennamloungedintotheroad，towar