"Your receipt, Lionel," said Harry, quietly, as he passed the paper to
his companion.
"Thanks! yes. A saucy little prude! she knows how to play her cards.
We've got the receipt, and he's got the ten pounds; but I don't mean to
go without value for my cash, if I take one of those scrub-tailed old
cockatoos, and--Ah! what, Luffy, old boy--what, Luffy! Down there, down
there, good dog! What! you know your old master, then? There! down,
down!"
"There, gents, that's about it, aint it," said D. Wragg, stumping in
after the dog, and stooping to unfasten the collar round his neck, as
the delighted animal bounded upon its master, licking his hand, pawing
him, and displaying his unbounded canine pleasure at the meeting, to the
great endangering of D. Wragg's stock-in-trade.
"And now, is there anything more as I can do for you, eh?" said D.
Wragg, rubbing his hands, and jigging about as if freshly wound up. "A
few rats for the dorg? A couple o' score sparrers for a shot? Send 'em
anywheres! Don't you make no mistake. You won't get better supplied in
the place. Not to-day, gents? Well, another time perhaps."
"Yes; I'll give you another look in," said Lionel, gazing hard the while
at Harry.
"Werry good, sir! werry good!" said D. Wragg, rubbing his hands and
jerking himself as if another set of springs had just been brought into
use. "I hope as you will. Gents often do come to me again when they've
been once. Let me give you another card. Here, Janet, bring me another
card for the gents. Oh! she aint there. Would you mind giving me a
card off the chimally-piece, my dear, for these gents?"
Lionel, who had reached the door, returned; and Patty, now quite
composed, brought out a card, and avoiding the young man's outstretched
hand, she passed it to D. Wragg.
"Give it to the gentlemen, my dear; don't be ashamed. There's nothing
to mind. Don't you make no mistake, gents; she's young and a bit shy."
Patty did not look up as the card was taken from her hand; and though
Harry tried hard to meet her eyes once more, so as to ask forgiveness
for the slight he had offered to her, she turned back into the room, and
the young men passed out of the shop.
"That's a good dorg, gents, a good dorg!" whispered D. Wragg, from
behind his hand, as he followed them to the door. "You'd better keep a
sharp eye on him. I've got my bit of commission out of this job; but
honour bright, gents. As gents, I don't want to see you here again
arter the bull-tarrier--not just yet, you know--not just yet. Good-day,
gents. Don't you make no mistake; you know, about me. Good-day!"
"Bye-bye! old chap," said Lionel, lightly, as they strolled on. "Wish
we'd bought a chain and collar, Harry; I shouldn't like to lose old Luff
again, in this abominable maze. Let's go back!"
"No, no; there is no need!" exclaimed Harry, hastily. And then flushing
slightly at the eagerness he had displayed, he continued firmly--"If
you'll take my advice, Lionel, you will go there no more."
"Perhaps not, Reverend Harry Clayton,--perhaps not," laughed the young
man, eyeing his companion sideways. "But don't you make no mistake," he
continued, mimicking the voice and action of the man they had just left;
"I may want a toy tarrier for a present, or a few rats, or a score or
two of sparrers, or--eh, Harry?--to see the lady go through the dove
performance. Don't you make no mistake, friend Harry, for it's quite
within the range of probability that I may go there often."
"Perhaps once too often!" exclaimed Harry, impetuously, for he could not
control the passion within him. As Lionel spoke, each word seemed to be
freighted with bitterness, armed with a sting and a sense of misery such
as he had never before felt, and which seemed to crush down his spirit.
Visions of Patty smiling welcome upon Lionel floated before him, filling
him with a new feeling of rage; and it was all he could do to hide it
from his companion, who began to whistle, and then said lightly--
"Perhaps so--perhaps so! As you say, I may go there once too often; but
that's my business, Master Harry, and nothing to do with reading
classics. What a cad!" he exclaimed, as he returned the fierce look
bestowed upon him by a heavy-browed young fellow in a sleeved waistcoat;
nodded familiarly to the policeman; and then, making a point of coolly
and insolently returning every loiterer's stare, he passed on out of the
region of the Decadian, thinking all the same, though, of Patty.
Volume 1, Chapter XXVII.