“Whatnumber？“askedthedriver。
“Idon’tknow，“repliedGodfrey，“theBall，GrosvenorSquare。“
Offtheywent，andinduecourse，reachingthesquare，droveroundituntiltheycametoagreathousewherethereweresignsoffestivityintheshapeofanawningabovetheentranceandacarpetonthepavement。
Thecabstoppedwithajerkandavoicefromabove——neverhavingbeeninahansombefore，atfirstGodfreycouldnotlocateit——exclaimed：
“Here’syourBall，younggent。Nowyou’dbetterhopoutanddance。“
Hisfarebegantoexplainthesituationthroughthelittletrapintheroof，demonstratingtotheJehuthathisobjectwastoobservetheballfromwithout，nottodanceatitwithin，andthatitwasnecessaryforhimtodriveonalittlefurther。Thatworthygrewindignant。
“BlowedifIdon’tbelieveyou’reabilk，“heshoutedthroughthehole。“Here，youpaymemyfareandhookit，youngcodger。“
Godfreydescendedandcommencedasearchformoney，onlytorememberthathehadlefthispurseinhisbagatthehotel。Thisalsoheexplainedwithmanyapologiestotheinfuriatedcabby，twogorgeousflunkeyswhobynowhadarrivedtoescorthimintothehouse，andagroupofidlerswhohadcollectedroundthedoor。
“Itoldyerhewasabilk。Youlookafteryourspoons，Thomas；I
expectthat’swothe’scomefor。Nowyoufindthatbob，Sonny，orI
fetchestheperlice。“
ThenaninspirationflashedonGodfrey’sbewilderedmind。Suddenlyherecollectedthat，bythedirectionofheaven，Mrs。Parsonshadsewnatenshillingpieceintotheliningofhiswaistcoat，“incaseheshouldeverwantanymoneysudden-like。“Heundidthatgarmentandheedlessofthemockeryoftheaudience，begantofeelwildlyatitsinteriorcalico。Joy!thereitwasinthelefthandcorner。
“IhavemoneyhereifonlyIcangetitout，“hegasped。
Awomaninthegatheringcrowd，perhapsfrompity，orcuriosity，inthemostunexpectedwayproducedapairofscissorsfromherpocketwithwhichhebegantohackatthewaistcoat，gashingitsadly。Atlengththejobwasdoneandthehalf-sovereignappearedwrappedinapieceofcottonwool。
“Takeit，“saidGodfrey，“andgoaway。Letitteachyoutohavemoretrustinyourfellowcreatures，Mr。Cabman。“
Themanseizedthecoin，examineditbythelightofhislamp，tastedit，bitit，threwitonthetopofthecabtoseethatitrangtrue，thenwitha“Well，I’mblowed!“whippeduphishorseandwentoff。
Godfreyfollowedhisexample，astheflunkeysandtheaudiencesupposedtorecoverhischange，thoughthelastthinghewasthinkingofatthatmomentwaschange——exceptoflocality。Heranahundredyardsormoretoapartofthesquarewheretherewasnolamp，thenpausedtoconsider。
“Ihavemadeafoolofmyself，“hereflected，“asIsobelalwayssaysI
dowhenIgetthechance。Ihavecomeallthiswayandbeenabusedandlaughedatfornothing。“
Thenhisnativedeterminationbegantoassertitself。Whyshoulditbefornothing？Therewasthehouse，andinitwasIsobel，andoh!hewantedtoseeher。Hecrossedtothesquare-gardensideandwalkeddownintheshadowofthetreeswhichgrewthere。
Underoneofthesehetookhisstand，squeezinghimselfagainsttherailings，andwatchedtheglowinghousethatwasopposite，fromwhichcamethesoundsofmusic，ofdancingfeet，oflaughterandthetinklingofglasses。Ithadbalconies，andontheseappearedpeopledressedinallsortsofcostumes。AmongthemhetriedtorecogniseIsobel，butcouldnot。Eithershedidnotcomeorhewastoofarofftoseeher。
Adancewasending，themusicgrewfasterandfaster，thenceasedwithaflourish。Morepeopleappearedonthebalconies。Otherscrowdedintothehall，whichhecouldsee，forthedoorwasopen。Presentlyapaircameontothesteps。Oneofthemwasdressedasaknightinshiningarmour。Hewasafine，tallyoungman，andhisfacewashandsome，asthewatchercouldperceive，forhehadtakenoffhisplumedhelmandcarrieditinhishand。TheotherwasIsobelinherPlantagenetcostume，towhichwereaddedoneroseandaneckletofpinkpearls。
Theystoodonthestepsalittlewhilelaughingandtalking。Thenheheardhersay：
“Letusgointothesquare。Itwillbecooler。Thekeyishangingonthenail。“
Shevanishedforamoment，doubtlesstofetchthekey。Thentheywalkeddownthesteps，overthespreadcarpet，andacrosstheroadway。
WithinthreepacesofwhereGodfreystoodtherewasagate。Shegavethekeytotheknight，andafteroneortwoattemptsthegateswungopen。Whilsthewasfumblingatthelockshestoodlookingabouther，andpresentlycaughtsightofGodfrey’sslimfigurecrouchedagainsttherailingsinthedeepestoftheshadows。
“Thereissomeonethere，LordCharles，“shesaid。
“Isthere？“heanswered，indifferently。“Acab-toutorabeggar，I
expect。Theyalwayshangaboutparties。Comeon，itisopenatlast。“
Theypassedintothegardenandvanished。AwildjealousyseizedGodfrey，andheslippedafterthemwiththeintentionofrevealinghimselftoIsobel。Insidetherailingswasabroadbeltofshrubsborderedbyagravelpath。Thepairwalkedalongthepath，Godfreyfollowingatadistance，tilltheycametoarecessedseatonwhichtheysatdown。Hehaltedbehindalilacbushtenpacesorsoaway，notthathewantedtolisten，butbecausehewasashamedtoshowhimself。
Indeed，hestoppedhisearswithhisfingersthathemightnotoverheartheirtalk。Buthedidnotshuthiseyes，andasthepathcurvedhereandthemoonshoneonthem，hecouldseethemwell。Theyseemedverymerryandtobeplayingsomegame。
Atanyrate，firstwithherfingershecountedtheair-holesintheknight’shelmetwhichhehelduptoher。Thenwithhisfingerhecountedthepearlsuponherneck。Whenhehadfinishedsheclappedherhandsasthoughshehadwonabet。Afterthistheybegantowhispertoeachother，atleasthewhisperedandshesmiledandshookherhead。
Finally，sheseemedtogiveway，forsheunfastenedtheflowerwhichsheworeinthebreastofherdress，andpresentedtohim。Godfreystartedatthesightwhichcausedhimtotakehisfingersfromhisearsandclutchthebush。Adrytwigbrokewithaloudcrack。
“What’sthat？“saidIsobel。
“Don’tknow，“answeredLordCharles。“Whatafunnygirlyouare，alwaysseeingandhearingthings。Astraycat，Iexpect；Londonsquaresarefullofthem。NowIhavewonmylady’sfavourandshemustfastenittomyhelmaftertheancientfashion。“
“Can’t，“saidIsobel。“TherearenopinsinPlantagenetdresses。“
“ThenImustdoitformyself。Kissitfirst，thatwastherule，youknow。“
“Verywell，“saidIsobel。“Wemustkeepupthegame，andthereareworsethingstokissthanroses。“
Heheldtheflowertoherandshebentforwardtotouchitwithherlips。Suddenlyhedidthesame，andtheirlipscameveryclosetogetheroneithersideoftherose。
ThiswastoomuchforGodfrey。Heglidedforward，asthestraycatmighthavedone，ofwhichthefineknighthadspoken，meaningtointerruptthem。
Thenherememberedsuddenlythathehadnorighttointerfere；thatitwasnoaffairofhiswithwhomIsobelchosetokissrosesinagarden，andthathewasdoingameanthinginspyinguponher。Sohehaltedbehindanotherbush，butnotwithoutnoise。Hishandsomeyoungfacewasthrustforward，andonitwerewrittengrief，surpriseandshame。
Themoonlightcaughtit，butnothingelseofhim。Isobellookedupandsaw。
Heknewthatshehadseenandturning，slippedawayintothedarknessbacktothegate。AshewentheheardtheknightcalledLordCharles，exclaim：
“What’sthematterwithyou？“andIsobelanswer，“Nothing。Ihaveseenaghost，that’sall。It’sthishorribledress!“
Heglancedbackandsawherrise，snatchtherosefromtheknight’shand，throwitdownandstampuponit。Thenhesawandheardnomoreforhewasthroughthegateandrunningdownthesquare。Atitsend，asheturnedintosomestreet，hewassurprisedtohearagruffvoicecallingtohimtostop。Onlookinguphesawthatitcamefromhisenemy，thehansom-cabman，whowasapparentlykeepingalookoutonthesquarefromhisloftyperch。
“Hi!youngsir，“hesaid，“I’vebeenwatchingforyouandthinkingofwotyousaidtome。Yougavemehalfaquid，youdid。JumpinandI’lldriveyouwhereveryouwanttogo，formyfarewasonlyabob。“
“Ihavenomoremoney，“repliedGodfrey，“foryoukeptthechange。“
“Iwasn’taskingfornone，“saidthecabby。“Hopinandnamewhereitistobe。“
GodfreytoldhimandpresentlywasbeingrattledbacktotheCharingCrossHotel，whichtheyreachedalittlelater。Hegotoutofthecabtogointothehotelwhenonceagainthemanaddressedhim。
“Ioweyousomething，“hesaid，andtenderedthehalf-sovereign。
“Ihavenochange，“saidGodfrey。
“Nor’ain’tI，“saidthecabman，“andifIhadIwouldn’tgiveityou。
IplayedadirtytrickonyouandadirtieronestillwhenItookyourhalfsov，Idid，seeingthatIoughttohaveknownthatyouerejustanobfusticatedyoungsterandnobilkasIcalledyoutothemflunkeys。Whatyousaidmademeashamed，thoughIwouldn’townitbeforetheflunkeys。SoIdeterminedtopayyoubackifIcould，sinceotherwiseIshouldn’thavesleptwellto-night。Nowwe’requits，andgoodbye，anddoyoualwaysthinkkindlyofThomasSims，thoughIdon’tsupposeIshalldriveyounomoreinthisworld。“
“Goodbye，Mr。Sims，“saidGodfrey，whowastouched。MoreoverMr。Simsseemedtobefamiliartohim，atthemomenthecouldnotrememberhow，orwhy。
Themanwheeledhiscabround，whippingthehorsewhichwasaspiritedanimal，andstartedatafastpace。
Godfrey，lookingafterhim，heardacrashasheemergedfromthegates，andrantoseewhatwasthematter。Hefoundthecaboverturnedandthehorsewitha’buspoledrivendeepintoitsside，kickingonthepavement。ThomasSimslaybeneaththecab。Whenthepoliceandothersdraggedhimclear，hewasquitedead!
Godfreywenttobedthatnightaverywearyandchastenedyouth，forneverbeforehadheexperiencedsomanyemotionsinafewshorthours。