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entire details of the transaction to Miss Price； through the medium
of Mr。 Andrews； thinking it 〃as well she should know the character
of the man she proposed to marry；〃 Mr。 Onions considers a gross
breach of etiquette as between gentlemen； and having regard to Miss
Price's after behaviour； Mr。 Onions can only say that she is not the
girl he took her for。
Mr。 Aaron Andrews； on whom our representative called； was desirous
at first of not being drawn into the matter； but on our
representative explaining to him that our only desire was to
contradict false rumours likely to be harmful to Mr。 Parable's
reputation； Mr。 Andrews saw the necessity of putting our
representative in possession of the truth。
She came back on Tuesday afternoon； explained Mr。 Andrews； and I had
a talk with her。
〃It is all right； Mr。 Andrews；〃 she told me； 〃they've been in
communication with my young man； and Miss Bulstrode has seen the
magistrate privately。 The case will be dismissed with a fine of
forty shillings； and Mr。 Quincey has arranged to keep it out of the
papers。〃
〃Well； all's well that ends well；〃 I answered； 〃but it might have
been better； my girl； if you had mentioned that young man of yours a
bit earlier。〃
〃I did not know it was of any importance；〃 she explained。 〃Mr。
Parable told me nothing。 If it hadn't been for chance； I should
never have known what was happening。〃
I had always liked the young woman。 Mr。 Quincey had suggested my
waiting till after Wednesday。 But there seemed to me no particular
object in delay。
〃Are you fond of him？〃 I asked her。
〃Yes；〃 she answered。 〃I am fonder than〃 And then she stopped
herself suddenly and flared scarlet。 〃Who are you talking about？〃
she demanded。
〃This young man of yours；〃 I said。 〃Mr。What's his nameOnions？〃
〃Oh； that？〃 she answered。 〃Oh； yes； he's all right。〃
〃And if he wasn't？〃 I said； and she looked at me hard。
〃I told him；〃 she said； 〃that if he would do what I asked him to do；
I'd marry him。 And he seems to have done it。〃
〃There are ways of doing everything；〃 I said； and； seeing it wasn't
going to break her heart； I told her just the plain facts。 She
listened without a word； and when I had finished she put her arms
round my neck and kissed me。 I am old enough to be her grandfather；
but twenty years ago it might have upset me。
〃I think I shall be able to save Miss Bulstrode that three hundred
pounds；〃 she laughed； and ran upstairs and changed her things。 When
later I looked into the kitchen she was humming。
Mr。 John came up by the car； and I could see he was in one of his
moods。
〃Pack me some things for a walking tour；〃 he said。 〃Don't forget
the knapsack。 I am going to Scotland by the eight…thirty。〃
〃Will you be away long？〃 I asked him。
〃It depends upon how long it takes me；〃 he answered。 〃When I come
back I am going to be married。〃
〃Who is the lady？〃 I asked； though； of course； I knew。
〃Miss Bulstrode；〃 he said。
〃Well；〃 I said； 〃she〃
〃That will do；〃 he said； 〃I have had all that from the three of them
for the last two days。 She is a Socialist； and a Suffragist； and
all the rest of it； and my ideal helpmate。 She is well off； and
that will enable me to devote all my time to putting the world to
rights without bothering about anything else。 Our home will be the
nursery of advanced ideas。 We shall share together the joys and
delights of the public platform。 What more can any man want？〃
〃You will want your dinner early；〃 I said； 〃if you are going by the
eight…thirty。 I had better tell cook〃
He interrupted me again。
〃You can tell cook to go to the devil；〃 he said。
I naturally stared at him。
〃She is going to marry a beastly little rotter of a rent collector
that she doesn't care a damn for；〃 he went on。
I could not understand why he seemed so mad about it。
〃I don't see； in any case； what it's got to do with you；〃 I said；
〃but； as a matter of fact； she isn't。〃
〃Isn't what？〃 he said； stopping short and turning on me。
〃Isn't going to marry him；〃 I answered。
〃Why not？〃 he demanded。
〃Better ask her；〃 I suggested。
I didn't know at the time that it was a silly thing to say； and I am
not sure that I should not have said it if I had。 When he is in one
of his moods I always seem to get into one of mine。 I have looked
after Mr。 John ever since he was a baby； so that we do not either of
us treat the other quite as perhaps we ought to。
〃Tell cook I want her；〃 he said。
〃She is just in the middle〃 I began。
〃I don't care where she is；〃 he said。 He seemed determined never to
let me finish a sentence。 〃Send her up here。〃
She was in the kitchen by herself。
〃He wants to see you at once；〃 I said。
〃Who does？〃 she asked。
〃Mr。 John；〃 I said。
〃What's he want to see me for？〃 she asked。
〃How do I know？〃 I answered。
〃But you do；〃 she said。 She always had an obstinate twist in her；
and； feeling it would save time； I told her what had happened。
〃Well；〃 I said； 〃aren't you going？〃
She was standing stock still staring at the pastry she was making。
She turned to me； and there was a curious smile about her lips。
〃Do you know what you ought to be wearing？〃 she said。 〃Wings； and a
little bow and arrow。〃
She didn't even think to wipe her hands； but went straight upstairs。
It was about half an hour later when the bell rang。 Mr。 John was
standing by the window。
〃Is that bag ready？〃 he said。
〃It will be；〃 I said。
I went out into the hall and returned with the clothes brush。
〃What are you going to do？〃 he said。
〃Perhaps you don't know it；〃 I said； 〃but you are all over flour。〃
〃Cook's going with me to Scotland；〃 he said。
I have looked after Mr。 John ever since he was a boy。 He was
forty…two last birthday； but when I shook hands with him through the
cab window I could have sworn he was twenty…five again。
THE LESSON。
The first time I met him； to my knowledge； was on an evil…smelling；
one…funnelled steam boat that in those days plied between London
Bridge and Antwerp。 He was walking the deck arm…in…arm with a
showily dressed but decidedly attractive young woman； both of them
talking and laughing loudly。 It struck me as odd； finding him a
fellow…traveller by such a route。 The passage occupied eighteen
hours； and the first…class return fare was one pound twelve and six；
including three meals each way； drinks； as the contract was careful
to explain； being extra。 I was earning thirty shillings a week at
the time as clerk with a firm of agents in Fenchurch Street。 Our
business was the purchasing of articles on commission for customers
in India； and I had learned to be a judge of values。 The beaver
lined coat he was wearingfor the evening； although it was late
summer； was chillymust have cost him a couple of hundred pounds；
while his carelessly displayed jewellery he could easily have pawned
for a thousand or more。
I could not help staring at him； and once； as they passed； he
returned my look。
After dinner； as I was leaning with my back against the gunwale on
the starboard side； he came out of the only private cabin that the
vessel boasted； and taking up a position opposite to me； with his
legs well apart and a big cigar between his thick lips； stood coolly
regarding me； as if appraising me。
〃Treating yourself to a little holiday on the Continent？〃 he
inquired。
I had not been quite sure before he spoke； but his lisp； though
slight； betrayed the Jew。 His features were coarse； almost brutal；
but the restless eyes were so brilliant； the whole face so
suggestive of power and character； that； taking him as a whole； the
feeling he inspired was admiration； tempered by fear。 His tone was
one of kindly contemptthe tone of a man accustomed to find most
people his inferiors； and too used to the discovery to be conceited
about it。
Behind it was a note of authority that it did not occur to me to
dispute。
〃Yes；〃 I answered； adding the information that I had never been
abroad before； and had heard that Antwerp was an interesting town。
〃How long have you got？〃 he asked。
〃A fortnight；〃 I told him。
〃Like to see a bit more than Antwerp； if you could afford it；
wouldn't you？〃 he suggested。 〃Fascinating little country Holland。
Just long enougha fortnightto do the whole of it。 I'm a
Dutchman； a Dutch Jew。〃
〃You speak English just like an Englishman；〃 I told him。 It was
somehow in my mind to please him。 I could hardly have explained
why。
〃And half a dozen other languages equally well；〃 he answered；
laughing。 〃I left Amsterdam when I was eighteen as steerage
passenger in an emigrant ship。 I haven't seen it since。〃
He closed the cabin door behind him； and； crossing over； laid a
strong hand on my shoulder。
〃I will make a proposal to you；〃 he said。 〃My business is not of
the kind that can be put out of mind； even for a few days； and there
are reasons〃he glanced over his shoulder towards the cabin door；
and gave vent to a short laugh〃why I did not want to bring any of
my own staff with me。 If you care for a short tour； all expenses
paid at slap…up hotels and a ten…pound note in your pocket at the
end； you can have it for two hours