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I made this nurse the following offer： If she would bring the
dilatory boy to my rooms and leave him there for half an hour I
would look at him。 At first Mary； to whom the offer was passed
on； rejected it with hauteur； but presently she wavered； and the
upshot was that Irene； looking scornful and anxious； arrived one
day with the perambulator。 Without casting eyes on its occupant；
I pointed Irene to the door： 〃In half…an…hour；〃 I said。
She begged permission to remain； and promised to turn her back；
and so on； but I was obdurate； and she then delivered herself of
a passionately affectionate farewell to her charge； which was
really all directed against me； and ended with these powerful
words： 〃And if he takes off your socks； my pretty； may he be
blasted for evermore。〃
〃I shall probably take off her socks；〃 I said carelessly to this。
Her socks。 Do you see what made Irene scream？
〃It is a girl； is it not？〃 I asked； thus neatly depriving her of
coherent speech as I pushed her to the door。 I then turned round
toto begin； and； after reflecting； I began by sitting down
behind the hood of his carriage。 My plan was to accustom him to
his new surroundings before bursting on the scene myself。
I had various thoughts。 Was he awake？ If not； better let him
wake naturally。 Half…an…hour was a long time。 Why had I not
said quarter…of…an…hour？ Anon； I saw that if I was to sit there
much longer I should have said an hour； so I whistled softly； but
he took no notice。 I remember trying to persuade myself that if
I never budged till Irene's return； it would be an amusing
triumph over Mary。 I coughed； but still there was no response。
Abruptly； the fear smote me。 Perhaps he is not there。
I rose hastily； and was striding forward； when I distinctly
noticed a covert movement somewhere near the middle of the
carriage； and heard a low gurgle； which was instantly suppressed。
I stopped dead at this sharp reminder that I was probably not the
only curious person in the room； and for a long moment we both
lay low； after which； I am glad to remember； I made the first
advance。 Earlier in the day I had arranged some likely articles
on a side… table： my watch and chain； my bunch of keys； and two
war…medals for plodding merit； and with a glance at these （as
something to fall back upon）； I stepped forward doggedly； looking
（I fear now） a little like a professor of legerdemain。 David was
sitting up； and he immediately fixed his eyes on me。
It would ill become me to attempt to describe this dear boy to
you； for of course I know really nothing about children； so I
shall say only this； that I thought him very like what Timothy
would have been had he ever had a chance。
I to whom David had been brought for judgment； now found myself
being judged by him； and this rearrangement of the pieces seemed
so natural that I felt no surprise； I felt only a humble craving
to hear him signify that I would do。 I have stood up before
other keen judges and deceived them all； but I made no effort to
deceive David； I wanted to； but dared not。 Those unblinking eyes
were too new to the world to be hooded by any of its tricks。 In
them I saw my true self。 They opened for me that pedler's pack
of which I have made so much ado； and I found that it was
weighted less with pretty little sad love…tokens than with
ignoble thoughts and deeds and an unguided life。 I looked
dejectedly at David； not so much； I think； because I had such a
sorry display for him； as because I feared he would not have me
in his service。 I seemed to know that he was making up his mind
once and for all。
And in the end he smiled； perhaps only because I looked so
frightened； but the reason scarcely mattered to me； I felt myself
a fine fellow at once。 It was a long smile； too； opening slowly
to its fullest extent （as if to let me in）； and then as slowly
shutting。
Then； to divert me from sad thoughts； or to rivet our friendship；
or because the time had come for each of us to show the other
what he could do； he immediately held one foot high in the air。
This made him slide down the perambulator； and I saw at once that
it was very necessary to replace him。 But never before had I
come into such close contact with a child； the most I had ever
done was； when they were held up to me； to shut my eyes and kiss
a vacuum。 David； of course； though no doubt he was eternally
being replaced； could tell as little as myself how it was
contrived； and yet we managed it between us quite easily。 His
body instinctively assumed a certain position as I touched him；
which compelled my arms to fall into place； and the thing was
done。 I felt absurdly pleased； but he was already considering
what he should do next。
He again held up his foot； which had a gouty appearance owing to
its being contained in a dumpy little worsted sock； and I thought
he proposed to repeat his first performance； but in this I did
him an injustice； for； unlike Porthos； he was one who scorned to
do the same feat twice； perhaps； like the conjurors； he knew that
the audience were more on the alert the second time。
I discovered that he wanted me to take off his sock！
Remembering Irene's dread warnings on this subject I must say
that I felt uneasy。 Had he heard her； and was he daring me？ And
what dire thing could happen if the sock was removed？ I sought
to reason with him； but he signed to me to look sharp； and I
removed the sock。 The part of him thus revealed gave David
considerable pleasure； but I noticed； as a curious thing； that he
seemed to have no interest in the other foot。
However； it was not there merely to be looked at； for after
giving me a glance which said 〃Now observe！〃 he raised his bare
foot and ran his mouth along the toes； like one playing on a
barbaric instrument。 He then tossed his foot aside； smiled his
long triumphant smile and intimated that it was now my turn to do
something。 I thought the best thing I could do would be to put
his sock on him again； but as soon as I tried to do so I
discovered why Irene had warned me so portentously against taking
it off。 I should say that she had trouble in socking him every
morning。
Nevertheless I managed to slip it on while he was debating what
to do with my watch。 I bitterly regretted that I could do
nothing with it myself； put it under a wine…glass； for instance；
and make it turn into a rabbit； which so many people can do。 In
the meantime David； occupied with similar thoughts； very nearly
made it disappear altogether； and I was thankful to be able to
pull it back by the chain。
〃Haw…haw…haw！〃
Thus he commented on his new feat； but it was also a reminder to
me； a trifle cruel； that he was not my boy。 After all； you see；
Mary had not given him the whole of his laugh。 The watch said
that five and twenty minutes had passed； and looking out I saw
Irene at one end of the street staring up at my window； and at
the other end Mary's husband staring up at my window； and beneath
me Mary staring up at my window。 They had all broken their
promise。
I returned to David； and asked him in a low voice whether he
would give me a kiss。 He shook his head about six times； and I
was in despair。 Then the smile came； and I knew that he was
teasing me only。 He now nodded his head about six times。
This was the prettiest of all his exploits。 It was so pretty
that； contrary to his rule； he repeated it。 I had held out my
arms to him； and first he shook his head； and then after a long
pause （to frighten me）； he nodded it。
But no sooner was he in my arms than I seemed to see Mary and her
husband and Irene bearing down upon my chambers to take him from
me； and acting under an impulse I whipped him into the
perambulator and was off with it without a license down the back
staircase。 To the Kensington Gardens we went； it may have been
Manitoba we started for； but we arrived at the Kensington
Gardens； and it had all been so unpremeditated and smartly
carried out that I remember clapping my hand to my head in the
street； to make sure that I was wearing a hat。
I watched David to see what he thought of it； and he had not yet
made up his mind。 Strange to say； I no longer felt shy。 I was
grown suddenly indifferent to public comment； and my elation
increased when I discovered that I was being pursued。 They drew
a cordon round me near Margot Meredith's tree； but I broke
through it by a strategic movement to the south； and was next
heard of in the Baby's Walk。 They held both ends of this
passage； and then thought to close on me； but I slipped through
their fingers by doubling up Bunting's Thumb into Picnic Street。
Cowering at St。 Govor's Well； we saw them rush distractedly up
the Hump； and when they had crossed to the Round Pond we paraded
gaily in the Broad Walk； not feeling the tiniest bit sorry for
anybody。