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thrift　she　had　quite　mastered　that　of　merely　spending　words　enough

to　keep　him　imperturbably　and　continuously　going。



He　was　charmed　with　the　panorama；　not　knowingor　at　any　rate　not

at　all　showing　that　he　knewwhat　far　other　images　peopled　her　mind

than　the　women　in　the　navy　caps　and　the　shop…boys　in　the　blazers。

His　observations　on　these　types；　his　general　interpretation　of　the

show；　brought　home　to　her　the　prospect　of　Chalk　Farm。　　She　wondered

sometimes　that　he　should　have　derived　so　little　illumination；

during　his　period；　from　the　society　at　Cocker's。　　But　one　evening

while　their　holiday　cloudlessly　waned　he　gave　her　such　a　proof　of

his　quality　as　might　have　made　her　ashamed　of　her　many

suppressions。　　He　brought　out　something　that；　in　all　his　overflow；

he　had　been　able　to　keep　back　till　other　matters　were　disposed　of。

It　was　the　announcement　that　he　was　at　last　ready　to　marrythat　he

saw　his　way。　　A　rise　at　Chalk　Farm　had　been　offered　him；　he　was　to

be　taken　into　the　business；　bringing　with　him　a　capital　the

estimation　of　which　by　other　parties　constituted　the　handsomest

recognition　yet　made　of　the　head　on　his　shoulders。　　Therefore　their

waiting　was　overit　could　be　a　question　of　a　near　date。　　They

would　settle　this　date　before　going　back；　and　he　meanwhile　had　his

eye　on　a　sweet　little　home。　　He　would　take　her　to　see　it　on　their

first　Sunday。







CHAPTER　XIX







His　having　kept　this　great　news　for　the　last；　having　had　such　a

card　up　his　sleeve　and　not　floated　it　out　in　the　current　of　his

chatter　and　the　luxury　of　their　leisure；　was　one　of　those

incalculable　strokes　by　which　he　could　still　affect　her；　the　kind

of　thing　that　reminded　her　of　the　latent　force　that　had　ejected　the

drunken　soldieran　example　of　the　profundity　of　which　his

promotion　was　the　proof。　　She　listened　a　while　in　silence；　on　this

occasion；　to　the　wafted　strains　of　the　music；　she　took　it　in　as　she

had　not　quite　done　before　that　her　future　was　now　constituted。　　Mr。

Mudge　was　distinctly　her　fate；　yet　at　this　moment　she　turned　her

face　quite　away　from　him；　showing　him　so　long　a　mere　quarter　of　her

cheek　that　she　at　last　again　heard　his　voice。　　He　couldn't　see　a

pair　of　tears　that　were　partly　the　reason　of　her　delay　to　give　him

the　assurance　he　required；　but　he　expressed　at　a　venture　the　hope

that　she　had　had　her　fill　of　Cocker's。



She　was　finally　able　to　turn　back。　　〃Oh　quite。　　There's　nothing

going　on。　　No　one　comes　but　the　Americans　at　Thrupp's；　and　they

don't　do　much。　　They　don't　seem　to　have　a　secret　in　the　world。〃



〃Then　the　extraordinary　reason　you've　been　giving　me　for　holding　on

there　has　ceased　to　work？〃



She　thought　a　moment。　　〃Yes；　that　one。　　I've　seen　the　thing

throughI've　got　them　all　in　my　pocket。〃



〃So　you're　ready　to　come？〃



For　a　little　again　she　made　no　answer。　　〃No；　not　yet；　all　the　same。

I've　still　got　a　reasona　different　one。〃



He　looked　her　all　over　as　if　it　might　have　been　something　she　kept

in　her　mouth　or　her　glove　or　under　her　jacketsomething　she　was

even　sitting　upon。　　〃Well；　I'll　have　it；　please。〃



〃I　went　out　the　other　night　and　sat　in　the　Park　with　a　gentleman；〃

she　said　at　last。



Nothing　was　ever　seen　like　his　confidence　in　her　and　she　wondered　a

little　now　why　it　didn't　irritate　her。　　It　only　gave　her　ease　and

space；　as　she　felt；　for　telling　him　the　whole　truth　that　no　one

knew。　　It　had　arrived　at　present　at　her　really　wanting　to　do　that；

and　yet　to　do　it　not　in　the　least　for　Mr。　Mudge；　but　altogether　and

only　for　herself。　　This　truth　filled　out　for　her　there　the　whole

experience　about　to　relinquish；　suffused　and　coloured　it　as　a

picture　that　she　should　keep　and　that；　describe　it　as　she　might；　no

one　but　herself　would　ever　really　see。　　Moreover　she　had　no　desire

whatever　to　make　Mr。　Mudge　jealous；　there　would　be　no　amusement　in

it；　for　the　amusement　she　had　lately　known　had　spoiled　her　for

lower　pleasures。　　There　were　even　no　materials　for　it。　　The　odd

thing　was　how　she　never　doubted　that；　properly　handled；　his　passion

was　poisonable；　what　had　happened　was　that　he　had　cannily　selected

a　partner　with　no　poison　to　distil。　　She　read　then　and　there　that

she　should　never　interest　herself　in　anybody　as　to　whom　some　other

sentiment；　some　superior　view；　wouldn't　be　sure　to　interfere　for

him　with　jealousy。　　〃And　what　did　you　get　out　of　that？〃　he　asked

with　a　concern　that　was　not　in　the　least　for　his　honour。



〃Nothing　but　a　good　chance　to　promise　him　I　wouldn't　forsake　him。

He's　one　of　my　customers。〃



〃Then　it's　for　him　not　to　forsake　YOU。〃



〃Well；　he　won't。　　It's　all　right。　　But　I　must　just　keep　on　as　long

as　he　may　want　me。〃



〃Want　you　to　sit　with　him　in　the　Park？〃



〃He　may　want　me　for　thatbut　I　shan't。　　I　rather　liked　it；　but

once；　under　the　circumstances；　is　enough。　　I　can　do　better　for　him

in　another　manner。〃



〃And　what　manner；　pray？〃



〃Well；　elsewhere。〃



〃Elsewhere？I　SAY！〃



This　was　an　ejaculation　used　also　by　Captain　Everard；　but　oh　with

what　a　different　sound！　　〃You　needn't　'say'there's　nothing　to　be

said。　　And　yet　you　ought　perhaps　to　know。〃



〃Certainly　I　ought。　　But　WHATup　to　now？〃



〃Why　exactly　what　I　told　him。　　That　I'd　do　anything　for　him。〃



〃What　do　you　mean　by　'anything'？〃



〃Everything。〃



Mr。　Mudge's　immediate　comment　on　this　statement　was　to　draw　from

his　pocket　a　crumpled　paper　containing　the　remains　of　half　a　pound

of　〃sundries。〃　　These　sundries　had　figured　conspicuously　in　his

prospective　sketch　of　their　tour；　but　it　was　only　at　the　end　of

three　days　that　they　had　defined　themselves　unmistakeably　as

chocolate…creams。　　〃Have　another？THAT　one；〃　he　said。　　She　had

another；　but　not　the　one　he　indicated；　and　then　he　continued：

〃What　took　place　afterwards？〃



〃Afterwards？〃



〃What　did　you　do　when　you　had　told　him　you'd　do　everything？〃



〃I　simply　came　away。〃



〃Out　of　the　Park？〃



〃Yes；　leaving　him　there。　　I　didn't　let　him　follow　me。〃



〃Then　what　did　you　let　him　do？〃



〃I　didn't　let　him　do　anything。〃



Mr。　Mudge　considered　an　instant。　　〃Then　what　did　you　go　there　for？〃

His　tone　was　even　slightly　critical。



〃I　didn't　quite　know　at　the　time。　　It　was　simply　to　be　with　him；　I

supposejust　once。　　He's　in　danger；　and　I　wanted　him　to　know　I

know　it。　　It　makes　meeting　himat　Cocker's；　since　it's　that　I　want

to　stay　on　formore　interesting。〃



〃It　makes　it　mighty　interesting　for　ME！〃　Mr。　Mudge　freely　declared。

〃Yet　he　didn't　follow　you？〃　he　asked。　　〃I　would！〃



〃Yes；　of　course。　　That　was　the　way　you　began；　you　know。　　You're

awfully　inferior　to　him。〃



〃Well；　my　dear；　you're　not　inferior　to　anybody。　　You've　got　a

cheek！　　What's　he　in　danger　of？〃



〃Of　being　found　out。　　He's　in　love　with　a　ladyand　it　isn't　right…

…and　I've　found　him　out。〃



〃That'll　be　a　look…out　for　ME！〃　Mr。　Mudge　joked。　　〃You　mean　she　has

a　husband？〃



〃Never　mind　what　she　has！　　They're　in　awful　danger；　but　his　is　the

worst；　because　he's　in　danger　from　her　too。〃



〃Like　me　from　youthe　woman　I　love？　　If　he's　in　the　same　funk　as

me〃



〃He's　in　a　worse　one。　　He's　not　only　afraid　of　the　ladyhe's

afraid　of　other　things。〃



Mr。　Mudge　selected　another　chocolate…cream。　　〃Well；　I'm　only　afraid

of　one！　　But　how　in　the　world　can　you　help　this　party？〃



〃I　don't　knowperhaps　not　at　all。　　But　so　long　as　there's　a

chance〃



〃You　won't　come　away？〃



〃No；　you've　got　to　wait　for　me。〃



Mr。　Mudge　enjoyed　what　was　in　his　mouth。　　〃And　what　will　he　give

you？〃



〃Give　me？〃



〃If　you　do　help　him。〃



〃Nothing。　　Nothing　in　all　the　wide　world。〃



〃Then　what　will　he　give　ME？〃　Mr。　Mudge　enquired。　　〃I　mean　for

waiting。〃



The　girl　thought　a　moment；　then　she　got　up　to　walk。　　〃He　never

heard　of　you；〃　she　replied。



〃You　haven't　mentioned　me？〃



〃We　never　mention　anything。　　What　I've　told　you　is　just　what　I've

found　out。〃



Mr。　Mudge；　who　had　remained　on　the　bench；　looked　up　at　her；　she

often　preferred　to　be　quiet　when　he　proposed　to　walk；　but　now　that

he　seemed　to　wish　to　sit　she　had　a　desire　to　move。　　〃But　you

haven't　told　me　what　HE　has　found　out。〃



She　considered　her　lover。　　〃He'd　never　find　YOU；　my　dear！〃



Her　lover；　still　on　his　seat；　appealed　to　her　in　something　of　the

attitude　in　which　she　had　last　left　Captain　Everard；　but　the

impression　was　not　the　same。　　〃Then　where　do　I　come　in？〃



〃You　don't　come　in　at　all。　　That's　just　the　beauty　of　it！〃and

with　this　she　turned　to　mingle　with　the　multitude　collected　round

the　band。　　Mr。　Mudge　presently　overtook　her　and　drew　her　arm　into

his　own　with　a　quiet　force　that　expressed　the　serenity　of

possession；　in　consonance　with　which　it　was　only　when　they　parted

for　the　night　at　her　door　that　he　referred　again　to　what　she　had

told　him。



〃Have　you　seen　him　since？〃



〃Since　the　night　in　the　Park？　　No；　not　once。〃



〃Oh；　what　a　cad！〃　said