the diary of a nobody-第28章

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July　2。　…　Cummings　called；　looked　very　pale；　and　said　he　had　been　very　ill　again；　and　of　course　not　a　single　friend　had　been　near　him。　　Carrie　said　she　had　never　heard　of　it；　whereupon　he　threw　down　a　copy　of　the　BICYCLE　NEWS　on　the　table；　with　the　following　paragraph：　　〃We　regret　to　hear　that　that　favourite　old　roadster；　Mr。　Cummings　（'Long'　Cummings）；　has　met　with　what　might　have　been　a　serious　accident　in　Rye　Lane。　　A　mischievous　boy　threw　a　stick　between　the　spokes　of　one　of　the　back　wheels；　and　the　machine　overturned；　bringing　our　brother　tricyclist　heavily　to　the　ground。　Fortunately　he　was　more　frightened　than　hurt；　but　we　missed　his　merry　face　at　the　dinner　at　Chingford；　where　they　turned　up　in　good　numbers。　　'Long'　Cummings'　health　was　proposed　by　our　popular　Vice；　Mr。　Westropp；　the　prince　of　bicyclists；　who　in　his　happiest　vein　said　it　was　a　case　of　'CUMMING（s）　thro'　the　RYE；　but　fortunately　there　was　more　WHEEL　than　WOE；'　a　joke　which　created　roars　of　laughter。〃

We　all　said　we　were　very　sorry；　and　pressed　Cummings　to　stay　to　supper。　　Cummings　said　it　was　like　old　times　being　without　Lupin；　and　he　was　much　better　away。

July　3；　Sunday。　…　In　the　afternoon；　as　I　was　looking　out　of　the　parlour　window；　which　was　open；　a　grand　trap；　driven　by　a　lady；　with　a　gentleman　seated　by　the　side　of　her；　stopped　at　our　door。　Not　wishing　to　be　seen；　I　withdrew　my　head　very　quickly；　knocking　the　back　of　it　violently　against　the　sharp　edge　of　the　window…sash。　I　was　nearly　stunned。　　There　was　a　loud　double…knock　at　the　front　door；　Carrie　rushed　out　of　the　parlour；　upstairs　to　her　room；　and　I　followed；　as　Carrie　thought　it　was　Mr。　Perkupp。　　I　thought　it　was　Mr。　Franching。　…　I　whispered　to　Sarah　over　the　banisters：　　〃Show　them　into　the　drawing…room。〃　　Sarah　said；　as　the　shutters　were　not　opened；　the　room　would　smell　musty。　　There　was　another　loud　rat…　tat。　　I　whispered：　　〃Then　show　them　into　the　parlour；　and　say　Mr。　Pooter　will　be　down　directly。〃　　I　changed　my　coat；　but　could　not　see　to　do　my　hair；　as　Carrie　was　occupying　the　glass。

Sarah　came　up；　and　said　it　was　Mrs。　Murray　Posh　and　Mr。　Lupin。

This　was　quite　a　relief。　　I　went　down　with　Carrie；　and　Lupin　met　me　with　the　remark：　　〃I　say；　what　did　you　run　away　from　the　window　for？　　Did　we　frighten　you？〃

I　foolishly　said：　　〃What　window？〃

Lupin　said：　　〃Oh；　you　know。　　Shut　it。　　You　looked　as　if　you　were　playing　at　Punch　and　Judy。〃

On　Carrie　asking　if　she　could　offer　them　anything；　Lupin　said：　〃Oh；　I　think　Daisy　will　take　on　a　cup　of　tea。　　I　can　do　with　a　B。　and　S。〃

I　said：　　〃I　am　afraid　we　have　no　soda。〃

Lupin　said：　　〃Don't　bother　about　that。　　You　just　trip　out　and　hold　the　horse；　I　don't　think　Sarah　understands　it。〃

They　stayed　a　very　short　time；　and　as　they　were　leaving；　Lupin　said：　　〃I　want　you　both　to　come　and　dine　with　me　next　Wednesday；　and　see　my　new　place。　　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Murray　Posh；　Miss　Posh　（Murray's　sister）　are　coming。　　Eight　o'clock　sharp。　　No　one　else。〃

I　said　we　did　not　pretend　to　be　fashionable　people；　and　would　like　the　dinner　earlier；　as　it　made　it　so　late　before　we　got　home。

Lupin　said：　　〃Rats！　　You　must　get　used　to　it。　　If　it　comes　to　that；　Daisy　and　I　can　drive　you　home。〃

We　promised　to　go；　but　I　must　say　in　my　simple　mind　the　familiar　way　in　which　Mrs。　Posh　and　Lupin　addressed　each　other　is　reprehensible。　　Anybody　would　think　they　had　been　children　together。　　I　certainly　should　object　to　a　six　months'　acquaintance　calling　MY　wife　〃Carrie；〃　and　driving　out　with　her。

July　4。　…　Lupin's　rooms　looked　very　nice；　but　the　dinner　was；　I　thought；　a　little　too　grand；　especially　as　he　commenced　with　champagne　straight　off。　　I　also　think　Lupin　might　have　told　us　that　he　and　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Murray　Posh　and　Miss　Posh　were　going　to　put　on　full　evening　dress。　　Knowing　that　the　dinner　was　only　for　us　six；　we　never　dreamed　it　would　be　a　full　dress　affair。　　I　had　no　appetite。　　It　was　quite　twenty　minutes　past　eight　before　we　sat　down　to　dinner。　　At　six　I　could　have　eaten　a　hearty　meal。　　I　had　a　bit　of　bread…and…butter　at　that　hour；　feeling　famished；　and　I　expect　that　partly　spoiled　my　appetite。

We　were　introduced　to　Miss　Posh；　whom　Lupin　called　〃Little　Girl；〃　as　if　he　had　known　her　all　his　life。　　She　was　very　tall；　rather　plain；　and　I　thought　she　was　a　little　painted　round　the　eyes。　　I　hope　I　am　wrong；　but　she　had　such　fair　hair；　and　yet　her　eyebrows　were　black。　　She　looked　about　thirty。　　I　did　not　like　the　way　she　kept　giggling　and　giving　Lupin　smacks　and　pinching　him。　　Then　her　laugh　was　a　sort　of　a　scream　that　went　right　through　my　ears；　all　the　more　irritating　because　there　was　nothing　to　laugh　at。　　In　fact；　Carrie　and　I　were　not　at　all　prepossessed　with　her。　　They　all　smoked　cigarettes　after　dinner；　including　Miss　Posh；　who　startled　Carrie　by　saying：　　〃Don't　you　smoke；　dear？〃　　I　answered　for　Carrie；　and　said：　　〃Mrs。　Charles　Pooter　has　not　arrived　at　it　yet；〃　whereupon　Miss　Posh　gave　one　of　her　piercing　laughs　again。

Mrs。　Posh　sang　a　dozen　songs　at　least；　and　I　can　only　repeat　what　I　have　said　before　…　she　does　NOT　sing　in　tune；　but　Lupin　sat　by　the　side　of　the　piano；　gazing　into　her　eyes　the　whole　time。　　If　I　had　been　Mr。　Posh；　I　think　I　should　have　had　something　to　say　about　it。　Mr。　Posh　made　himself　very　agreeable　to　us；　and　eventually　sent　us　home　in　his　carriage；　which　I　thought　most　kind。　　He　is　evidently　very　rich；　for　Mrs。　Posh　had　on　some　beautiful　jewellery。　　She　told　Carrie　her　necklace；　which　her　husband　gave　her　as　a　birthday　present；　alone　cost　300　pounds。

Mr。　Posh　said　he　had　a　great　belief　in　Lupin；　and　thought　he　would　make　rapid　way　in　the　world。

I　could　not　help　thinking　of　the　600　pounds　Mr。　Posh　lost　over　the　PARACHIKKA　CHLORATES　through　Lupin's　advice。

During　the　evening　I　had　an　opportunity　to　speak　to　Lupin；　and　expressed　a　hope　that　Mr。　Posh　was　not　living　beyond　his　means。

Lupin　sneered；　and　said　Mr。　Posh　was　worth　thousands。　　〃Posh's　one…　price　hat〃　was　a　household　word　in　Birmingham；　Manchester；　Liverpool；　and　all　the　big　towns　throughout　England。　　Lupin　further　informed　me　that　Mr。　Posh　was　opening　branch　establishments　at　New　York；　Sydney；　and　Melbourne；　and　was　negotiating　for　Kimberley　and　Johannesburg。

I　said　I　was　pleased　to　hear　it。

Lupin　said：　　〃Why；　he　has　settled　over　10；000　pounds　on　Daisy；　and　the　same　amount　on　'Lillie　Girl。'　　If　at　any　time　I　wanted　a　little　capital；　he　would　put　up　a　couple　of　'thou'　at　a　day's　notice；　and　could　buy　up　Perkupp's　firm　over　his　head　at　any　moment　with　ready　cash。〃

On　the　way　home　in　the　carriage；　for　the　first　time　in　my　life；　I　was　inclined　to　indulge　in　the　radical　thought　that　money　was　NOT　properly　divided。

On　arriving　home　at　a　quarter…past　eleven；　we　found　a　hansom　cab；　which　had　been　waiting　for　me　for　two　hours　with　a　letter。　　Sarah　said　she　did　not　know　what　to　do；　as　we　had　not　left　the　address　where　we　had　gone。　　I　trembled　as　I　opened　the　letter；　fearing　it　was　some　bad　news　about　Mr。　Perkupp。　　The　note　was：　　〃Dear　Mr。　Pooter；　…　Come　down　to　the　Victoria　Hotel　without　delay。　Important。　　Yours　truly；　Hardfur　Huttle。〃

I　asked　the　cabman　if　it　was　too　late。　　The　cabman　replied　that　it　was　NOT；　for　his　instructions　were；　if　I　happened　to　be　out；　he　was　to　wait　till　I　came　home。　　I　felt　very　tired；　and　really　wanted　to　go　to　bed。　　I　reached　the　hotel　at　a　quarter　before　midnight。　　I　apologised　for　being　so　late；　but　Mr。　Huttle　said：　　〃Not　at　all；　come　and　have　a　few　oysters。〃　　I　feel　my　heart　beating　as　I　write　these　words。　　To　be　brief；　Mr。　Huttle　said　he　had　a　rich　American　friend　who　wanted　to　do　something　large　in　our　line　of　business；　and　that　Mr。　Franching　had　mentioned　my　name　to　him。　　We　talked　over　the　matter。　　If；　by　any　happy　chance；　the　result　be　successful；　I　can　more　than　compensate　my　dear　master　for　the　loss　of　Mr。　Crowbillon's　custom。　　Mr。　Huttle　had　previously　said：　　〃The　glorious　'Fourth'　is　a　lucky　day　for　America；　and；　as　it　has　not　yet　struck　twelve；　we　will　celebrate　it　with　a　glass　of　the　best　wine　to　be　had　in　the　place；　and　drink　good　luck　to　our　bit　of　business。〃

I　fervently　hope　it　will　bring　good　luck　to　us　all。

It　was　two　o'clock　when　I　got　home。　　Although　I　was　so　tired；　I　could　not　sleep　except　for　short　int