’That’sall，’hesaid，returningthepapertobedroppedintothefire。
’Whatwasintheletter？’askedMrsBeeton，whenAlfreturned。
’Idon’tknowIthinkitwasacircularoratractaboutnotwhistlin’
ateverythingwhenyou’reyoung。’
’ImusthavesteppedonsomethingwhenIwasaliveandwalkingaboutandithasbouncedupandhitmeGodhelpit，whateveritis——unlessitwasallajokeButIdon’tknowanyonewho’dtakethetroubletoplayajokeonmeLoveandloyaltyfornothingItsoundstemptingenough。
IwonderwhetherIhavelostanythingreally？’
Dickconsideredforalongtimebutcouldnotrememberwhenorhowhehadputhimselfinthewayofwinningthesetriflesatawoman’shands。
Still，theletterastouchingonmattersthathepreferrednottothinkaboutstunghimintoafitoffrenzythatlastedforadayandnight。
Whenhisheartwassofullofdespairthatitwouldholdnomore，bodyandsoultogetherseemedtobedroppingwithoutcheckthroughthedarkness。
ThencamefearofdarknessanddesperateattemptstoreachthelightagainButtherewasnolighttobereachedWhenthatagonyhadlefthimsweatingandbreathless，thedownwardflightwouldrecommencetillthegatheringtortureofitspurredhimintoanotherfightashopelessasthefirstFollowedsomefewminutesofsleepinwhichhedreamedthathesawThentheprocessionofeventswouldrepeatitselftillhewasutterlywornoutandthebraintookupitseverlastingconsiderationofMaisieandmight-have-beens。
AttheendofeverythingMrBeetoncametohisroomandvolunteeredtotakehimout’Notmarketingthistime，butwe’llgointotheParksifyoulike。’
’BedamnedifIdo，’quothDick’KeeptothestreetsandwalkupanddownIliketohearthepeopleroundme。’
ThiswasnotaltogethertrueTheblindinthefirststagesoftheirinfirmitydislikethosewhocanmovewithafreestrideandunliftedarms——butDickhadnoearthlydesiretogototheParksOnceandonlyoncesinceMaisiehadshutherdoorhehadgonethereunderAlf’schargeAlfforgothimandfishedforminnowsintheSerpentinewithsomecompanionsAfterhalfanhour’swaitingDick，almostweepingwithrageandwrath，caughtapasser-by，whointroducedhimtoafriendlypoliceman，wholedhimtoafour-wheeleroppositetheAlbertHallHenevertoldMrBeetonofAlf’sforgetfulness，butthiswasnotthemannerinwhichhewasusedtowalktheParksaforetime。
’Whatstreetswouldyouliketowalkdown，then？’saidMrBeeton，sympatheticallyHisownideasofariotousholidaymeantpicnickingonthegrassofGreenParkwithhisfamily，andhalfadozenpaperbagsfulloffood。
’Keeptotheriver，’saidDick，andtheykepttotheriver，andtherushofitwasinhisearstilltheycametoBlackfriarsBridgeandstruckthenceontotheWaterlooRoad，MrBeetonexplainingthebeautiesofthesceneryashewenton。
’Andwalkingontheothersideofthepavement，’saidhe，’unlessI’mmuchmistaken，istheyoungwomanthatusedtocometoyourroomstobedrawedIneverforgetsafaceandIneverremembersaname，exceptpayingtenants，o’course！’
’Stopher，’saidDick’It’sBessieBrokeTellherI’dliketospeaktoheragainQuick，man！’
MrBeetoncrossedtheroadunderthenosesoftheomnibusesandarrestedBessiethenonherwaynorthwardSherecognisedhimasthemaninauthoritywhousedtoglareatherwhenshepassedupDick’sstaircase，andherfirstimpulsewastorun。
’Wasn’tyouMrHeldar’smodel？’saidMrBeeton，plantinghimselfinfrontofher’YouwasHe’sontheothersideoftheroadandhe’dliketoseeyou。’
’Why？’saidBessie，faintlySheremembered——indeedhadneverforlongforgotten——anaffairconnectedwithanewlyfinishedpicture。
’Becausehehasaskedmetodoso，andbecausehe’smostparticularblind。’
’Drunk？’
’No’OrspitalblindHecan’tseeThat’shimoverthere。’
DickwasleaningagainsttheparapetofthebridgeasMrBeetonpointedhimout——astub-bearded，bowedcreaturewearingadirtymagenta-colouredneckclothoutsideanunbrushedcoatTherewasnothingtofearfromsuchanoneEvenifhechasedher，Bessiethought，hecouldnotfollowfarShecrossedover，andDick’sfacelightedupItwaslongsinceawomanofanykindhadtakenthetroubletospeaktohim。
’Ihopeyou’rewell，MrHeldar？’saidBessie，alittlepuzzledMr。
Beetonstoodbywiththeairofanambassadorandbreathedresponsibly。
’I’mverywellindeed，and，byJove！I’mgladtosee——hearyou，I
mean，BessYouneverthoughtitworthwhiletoturnupandseeusagainafteryougotyourmoneyIdon’tknowwhyyoushouldAreyougoinganywhereinparticularjustnow？’
’Iwasgoingforawalk，’saidBessie。
’Nottheoldbusiness？’Dickspokeunderhisbreath。
’Lor，no！Ipaidmypremium’——Bessiewasveryproudofthatword——’forabarmaid，sleepingin，andI’matthebarnowquiterespectable。
IndeedI
am。’
MrBeetonhadnospecialreasontobelieveintheloftinessofhumannatureThereforehedissolvedhimselflikeamistandreturnedtohisgas-plugswithoutawordofapologyBessiewatchedtheflightwithacertainuneasiness；butsolongasDickappearedtobeignorantoftheharmthathadbeendonetohim。
’It’shardworkpullingthebeer-handles，’shewenton，’andthey’vegotoneofthempenny-in-the-slotcash-machines，soifyougetwrongbyapennyattheendoftheday——butthenIdon’tbelievethemachineryisrightDoyou？’
’I’veonlyseenitworkMrBeeton。’
’He’sgone。
’I’mafraidImustaskyoutohelpmehome，thenI’llmakeitworthyourwhileYousee。’ThesightlesseyesturnedtowardsherandBessiesaw。
’Itisn’ttakingyououtofyourway？’hesaidhesitatingly’Icanaskapolicemanifitis。’
’NotatallIcomeonatsevenandI’moffatfourThat’seasyhours。’
’GoodGod！——butI’monallthetimeIwishIhadsomeworktodotoo。
Let’sgohome，Bess。’
Heturnedandcannonedintoamanonthesidewalk，recoilingwithanoathBessietookhisarmandsaidnothing——asshehadsaidnothingwhenhehadorderedhertoturnherfacealittlemoretothelightTheywalkedforsometimeinsilence，thegirlsteeringhimdeftlythroughthecrowd。
’Andwhere’s——where’sMrTorpenhow？’sheinquiredatlast。
’Hehasgoneawaytothedesert。’
’Where’sthat？’
Dickpointedtotheright’East——outofthemouthoftheriver，’saidhe。
’Thenwest，thensouth，andtheneastagain，allalongtheunder-sideofEuropeThensouthagain，Godknowshowfar。’TheexplanationdidnotenlightenBessieintheleast，butsheheldhertongueandlookedtoDick’spatchtilltheycametothechambers。
’We’llhaveteaandmuffins，’hesaidjoyously’Ican’ttellyou，Bessie，howgladIamtofindyouagainWhatmadeyougoawaysosuddenly？’
’Ididn’tthinkyou’dwantmeanymore，’shesaid，emboldenedbyhisignorance。
’Ididn’t，asamatteroffact——butafterwards——AtanyrateI’mgladyou’vecomeYouknowthestairs。’
SoBessieledhimhometohisownplace——therewasnoonetohinder——andshutthedoorofthestudio。
’Whatamess！’washerfirstword’Allthesethingshaven’tbeenlookedafterformonthsandmonths。’
’No，onlyweeks，BessYoucan’texpectthemtocare。’
’Idon’tknowwhatyouexpectthemtodoTheyoughttoknowwhatyou’vepaidthemforThedust’sjustawfulIt’sallovertheeasel。’
’Idon’tuseitmuchnow。’
’Alloverthepicturesandthefloor，andalloveryourcoatI’dliketospeaktothemhousemaids。’
’Ringfortea，then。’Dickfelthiswaytotheonechairheusedbycustom。
Bessiesawtheactionand，asfarasinherlay，wastouchedButthereremainedalwaysakeensenseofnew-foundsuperiority，anditwasinhervoicewhenshespoke。
’Howlonghaveyoubeenlikethis？’shesaidwrathfully，asthoughtheblindnessweresomefaultofthehousemaids。
’How？’
’Asyouare。’
’Thedayafteryouwentawaywiththecheck，almostassoonasmypicturewasfinished；Ihardlysawheralive。’
’Thenthey’vebeencheatingyoueversince，that’sallIknowtheirnicelittleways。’
Awomanmayloveonemananddespiseanother，butongeneralfeminineprinciplesshewilldoherbesttosavethemanshedespisesfrombeingdefraudedHerlovedonecanlooktohimself，buttheotherman，beingobviouslyanidiot，needsprotection。
’Idon’tthinkMrBeetoncheatsmuch，’saidDickBessiewasflouncingupanddowntheroom，andhewasconsciousofakeensenseofenjoymentasheheardtheswishofherskirtsandthelightstepbetween。
’Teaandmuffins，’shesaidshortly，whentheringatthebellwasanswered；’twoteaspoonfulsandoneoverforthepotIdon’twanttheoldteapotthatwasherewhenIusedtocomeItdon’tdrawGetanother。’
Thehousemaidwentawayscandalised，andDickchuckledThenhebegantocoughasBessiebangedupanddownthestudiodisturbingthedust。
’Whatareyoutryingtodo？’
’PutthingsstraightThisislikeunfurnishedlodgingsHowcouldyouletitgoso？’
’HowcouldIhelpit？Dustaway。’
Shedustedfuriously，andinthemidstofallthepotherenteredMrs。
BeetonHerhusbandonhisreturnhadexplainedthesituation，windingupwiththepeculiarlyfelicitousproverb，’Dountoothersasyouwouldbedoneby。’Shehaddescendedtoputintoherplacethepersonwhodemandedmuffinsandanuncrackedteapotasthoughshehadarighttoboth。
’Muffinsreadyyet？’saidBess，stilldustingShewasnolongeradrabofthestreetsbutayoungladywho，thankstoDick’scheck，hadpaidherpremiumandwasentitledtopullbeer-handleswiththebestBeingneatlydressedinblackshedidnothesitatetofaceMrsBeeton，andtherepassedbetweenthetwowomencertainregardsthatDickwouldhaveappreciatedThesituationadjusteditselfbyeyeBessiehadwon，andMrsBeetonreturnedtocookmuffinsandmakescathingremarksaboutmodels，hussies，trollops，andthelike，toherhusband。
’There’snothingtobegotofinterferingwithhim，Liza，’hesaid。
’Alf，yougoalongintothestreettoplayWhenheisn’tcrossedhe’saskindlyaskind，butwhenhe’scrossedhe’sthedevilandallWetooktoomanylittlethingsoutofhisroomssincehewasblindtobethatparticularaboutwhathedoesTheyain’tnoobjectstoablindman，ofcourse，butifitwastocomeintocourtwe’dgetthesackYes，IdidintroducehimtothatgirlbecauseI’mafeelin’manmyself。’
’Muchtoofeelin’！’MrsBeetonslappedthemuffinsintothedish，andthoughtofcomelyhousemaidslongsincedismissedonsuspicion。
’Iain’tashamedofit，anditisn’tforustojudgehimhardsolongashepaysquietandregularashedoIknowhowtomanageyounggentlemen，youknowhowtocookforthem，andwhatIsaysis，leteachsticktohisownbusinessandthentherewon’tbeanytroubleTakethemmuffinsdown，Liza，andbesureyouhavenowordswiththatyoungwomanHislotiscruelhard，andifhe’scrossedhedoswearworsethananyoneI’veeverserved。’
’That’salittlebetter，’saidBessie，sittingdowntothetea’Youneedn’twait，thankyou，MrsBeeton。’
’Ihadnointentionofdoingsuch，Idoassureyou。’
BessiemadenoanswerwhateverThis，sheknew，wasthewayinwhichrealladiesroutedtheirfoes，andwhenoneisabarmaidatafirst-classpublic-houseonemaybecomearealladyattenminutes’notice。
HereyesfellonDickoppositeherandshewasbothshockedanddispleasedThereweredroppingsoffoodalldownthefrontofhiscoat；
themouthundertheraggedill-grownbearddroopedsullenly；theforeheadwaslinedandcontracted；andontheleantemplesthehairwasadustyindeterminatecolourthatmightormightnothavebeencalledgrayTheuttermiseryandself-abandonmentofthemanappealedtoher，andatthebottomofherheartlaythewickedfeelingthathewashumbledandbroughtlowwhohadoncehumbledher。