CHAPTER IV.

anthasneglecteditasusual,”saidI,“andIshallseenothingbutpaleashesifIgoinitisafinestarlightnight—Iwillwalkalittlefarther.” ItWASafinenight,andthestreetsweredryandevencleanforX——therewasacrescentcurveofmoonlighttobeseenbytheparishchurchtower,andhundredsofstarsshonekeenlybrightinallquartersofthesky. UnconsciouslyIsteeredmycoursetowardsthecountryIhadgotintoGrove-street,andbegantofeelthepleasureofseeingdimtreesattheextremity,roundasuburbanhouse,whenapersonleaningovertheirongateofoneofthesmallgardenswhichfronttheneatdwelling-housesinthisstreet,addressedmeasIwashurryingwithquickstridepast. “Whatthedeuceisthehurry?JustsomustLothaveleftSodom,whenheexpectedfiretopourdownuponit,outofburningbrassclouds.” Istoppedshort,andlookedtowardsthespeaker.Ismeltthefragrance,andsawtheredsparkofacigartheduskoutlineofaman,too,benttowardsmeoverthewicket. “YouseeIammeditatinginthefieldateventide,”continuedthisshade.“Godknowsit’scoolwork!especiallyasinsteadofRebeccaonacamel’shump,withbraceletsonherarmsandaringinhernose,Fatesendsmeonlyacounting-houseclerk,inagreytweedwrapper.”Thevoicewasfamiliartome—itssecondutteranceenabledmetoseizethespeaker’sidentity. “Mr.Hunsden!goodevening.” “Goodevening,indeed!yes,butyouwouldhavepassedmewithoutrecognitionifIhadnotbeensocivilastospeakfirst.” “Ididnotknowyou.” “Afamousexcuse!YououghttohaveknownmeIknewyou,thoughyouweregoingaheadlikeasteam-engine.Arethepoliceafteryou?” “Itwouldn’tbeworththeirwhileI’mnotofconsequenceenoughtoattractthem.” “Alas,poorshepherd!Alackandwell-a-day!Whatathemeforregret,andhowdowninthemouthyoumustbe,judgingfromthesoundofyourvoice!Butsinceyou’renotrunningfromthepolice,fromwhomareyourunning?thedevil?” “Onthecontrary,Iamgoingposttohim.” “Thatiswell—you’rejustinluck:thisisTuesdayeveningtherearescoresofmarketgigsandcartsreturningtoDinnefordto-nightandhe,orsomeofhis,haveaseatinallregularlyso,ifyou’llstepinandsithalf-an-hourinmybachelor’sparlour,youmaycatchhimashepasseswithoutmuchtrouble.Ithinkthoughyou’dbetterlethimaloneto-night,he’llhavesomanycustomerstoserveTuesdayishisbusydayinX——andDinnefordcomeinatallevents.” Heswungthewicketopenashespoke. “Doyoureallywishmetogoin?”Iasked. “Asyouplease—I’maloneyourcompanyforanhourortwowouldbeagreeabletomebut,ifyoudon’tchoosetofavourmesofar,I’llnotpressthepoint.Ihatetoboreanyone.” ItsuitedmetoaccepttheinvitationasitsuitedHunsdentogiveit.Ipassedthroughthegate,andfollowedhimtothefrontdoor,whichheopenedthencewetraversedapassage,andenteredhisparlourthedoorbeingshut,hepointedmetoanarm-chairbythehearthIsatdown,andglancedroundme. Itwasacomfortableroom,atoncesnugandhandsomethebrightgratewasfilledwithagenuine——shirefire,red,clear,andgenerous,nopenuriousSouth-of-Englandembersheapedinthecornerofagrate.Onthetableashadedlampdiffusedaroundasoft,pleasant,andequallightthefurniturewasalmostluxuriousforayoungbachelor,comprisingacouchandtwoveryeasychairsbookshelvesfilledtherecessesoneachsideofthemantelpiecetheywerewell-furnished,andarrangedwithperfectorder.Theneatnessoftheroomsuitedmyt