“I beg your pardon for speaking of her,” he had the grace to say. “But
Irene had promised to come every two hours; and when she came about
four o'clock and I saw she was crying, it sort of blinded me, sir, and
I stumbled against a member, Mr. B----, and he said, 'Damn you!' Well,
sir, I had but touched him after all, and I was so broken it sort of
stung me to be treated so and I lost my senses, and I said, 'Damn you!'”
His shamed head sank on his chest, and I think some of the readers
shuddered in their sleep.
“I was turned out of the dining-room at once, and sent here until the
committee have decided what to do with me. Oh, sir, I am willing to go
on my knees to Mr. B----”
How could I but despise a fellow who would be thus abject for a pound a
week?
“For if I have to tell her I have lost my place she will just fall back
and die.”
“I forbid your speaking to me of that woman,” I cried wryly, “unless you
can speak pleasantly,” and I left him to his fate and went off to
look for B----. “What is this story about your swearing at one of the
waiters?” I asked him.
“You mean about his swearing at me,” said B----, reddening.
“I am glad that was it,” I said, “for I could not believe you guilty of
such bad form. The version which reached me was that you swore at each
other, and that he was to be dismissed and you reprimanded.”
“Who told you that?” asked B----, who is a timid man.
“I am on the committee,” I replied lightly, and proceeded to talk of
other matters, but presently B----, who had been reflecting, said: “Do
you know I fancy I was wrong in thinking that the waiter swore at me,
and I shall withdraw the charge to-morrow.”
I was pleased to find that William's troubles were near an end without
my having to interfere in his behalf, and I then remembered that he
would not be able to see the girl Irene from the library windows,
which are at the back of the club. I was looking down at her, but
she refrained from signalling because she could not see William, and
irritated by her stupidity I went out and asked her how her mother was.
“My,” she ejaculated after a long scrutiny of me, “I b'lieve you are
one of them!” and she gazed at me with delighted awe. I suppose William
tells them of our splendid doings.
The invalid, it appeared, was a bit better, and this annoying child
wanted to inform William that she had took all the tapiocar. She was to
indicate this by licking an imaginary plate in the middle of Pall
Mall. I gave the little vulgarian a shilling, and returned to the club
disgusted.
“By the way, William,” I said, “Mr. B---- is to inform the committee
that he was mistaken in thinking you used improper language to him, so
you will doubtless be restored to the dining-room to-morrow.”