atonce
snubbed
by
wife
,
son
,
and
both
my
guests
.
Gowing
and
Cummings
had
dropped
in
during
the
evening
,
and
I
suddenly
remembered
an
extraordinary
dream
I
had
a
few
nights
ago
,
and
I
thought
I
would
tell
them
about
it
.
I
dreamt
I
saw
some
huge
blocks
of
ice
in
a
shop
with
a
bright
glare
behind
them
.
I
walked
into
the
shop
and
the
heat
was
overpowering
.
I
found
that
the
blocks
of
ice
were
on
fire
.
The
whole
thing
was
so
real
and
yet
so
supernatural
I
woke
up
in
a
cold
perspiration
.
Lupin
in
a
most
contemptuous
manner
,
said
:
"
What
utter
rot
.
"
Before
I
could
reply
,
Gowing
said
there
was
nothing
so
completely
uninteresting
as
other
people
's
dreams
.
I
appealed
to
Cummings
,
but
he
said
he
was
bound
to
agree
with
the
others
and
my
dream
was
especially
nonsensical
.
I
said
:
"
It
seemed
so
real
to
me
.
"
Gowing
replied
:
"
Yes
,
to
you
perhaps
,
but
not
to
us
.
"
Whereupon
they
all
roared
.
Carrie
,
who
had
hitherto
been
quiet
,
said
:
"
He
tells
me
his
stupid
dreams
every
morning
nearly
.
"
I
replied
:
"
Very
well
,
dear
,
I
promise
you
I
will
never
tell
you
or
anybody
else
another
dream
of
mine
the
longest
day
I
live
.
"
Lupin
said
:
"
Hear
!
hear
!
"
and
helped
himself
to
another
glass
of
beer
.
The
subject
was
fortunately
changed
,
and
Cummings
read
a
most
interesting
article
on
the
superiority
of
the
bicycle
to
the
horse
.
CHAPTER
XX
.
Dinner
at
Franching
's
to
meet
Mr.
Hardfur
Huttle
.
May
10
—
Received
a
letter
from
Franching
,
of
Peckham
,
asking
us
to
dine
with
him
to-night
,
at
seven
o'clock
,
to
meet
Mr.
Hardfur
Huttle
,
a
very
clever
writer
for
the
American
papers
.
Franching
apologised
for
the
short
notice
;
but
said
he
had
at
the
last
moment
been
disappointed
of
two
of
his
guests
and
regarded
us
as
old
friends
who
would
not
mind
filling
up
the
gap
.
Carrie
rather
demurred
at
the
invitation
;
but
I
explained
to
her
that
Franching
was
very
well
off
and
influential
,
and
we
could
not
afford
to
offend
him
.
"
And
we
are
sure
to
get
a
good
dinner
and
a
good
glass
of
champagne
.
"
"
Which
never
agrees
with
you
!
"
Carrie
replied
,
sharply
.
I
regarded
Carrie
's
observation
as
unsaid
.
Mr.
Franching
asked
us
to
wire
a
reply
.
As
he
had
said
nothing
about
dress
in
the
letter
,
I
wired
back
:
"
With
pleasure
.
Is
it
full
dress
?
"
and
by
leaving
out
our
name
,
just
got
the
message
within
the
sixpence
.
Got
back
early
to
give
time
to
dress
,
which
we
received
a
telegram
instructing
us
to
do
.
I
wanted
Carrie
to
meet
me
at
Franching
's
house
;
but
she
would
not
do
so
,
so
I
had
to
go
home
to
fetch
her
.
What
a
long
journey
it
is
from
Holloway
to
Peckham
!
Why
do
people
live
such
a
long
way
off
?
Having
to
change
'
buses
,
I
allowed
plenty
of
time-in
fact
,
too
much
;
for
we
arrived
at
twenty
minutes
to
seven
,
and
Franching
,
so
the
servant
said
,
had
only
just
gone
up
to
dress
.
However
,
he
was
down
as
the
clock
struck
seven
;
he
must
have
dressed
very
quickly
.
I
must
say
it
was
quite
a
distinguished
party
,
and
although
we
did
not
know
anybody
personally
,
they
all
seemed
to
be
quite
swells
.
Franching
had
got
a
professional
waiter
,
and
evidently
spared
no
expense
.
There
were
flowers
on
the
table
round
some
fairy-lamps
,
and
the
effect
,
I
must
say
,
was
exquisite
.
The
wine
was
good
and
there
was
plenty
of
champagne
,
concerning
which
Franching
said
he
,
himself
,
never
wished
to
taste
better
.
We
were
ten
in
number
,
and
a
menû
card
to
each
.
One
lady
said
she
always
preserved
the
menû
and
got
the
guests
to
write
their
names
on
the
back
.
We
all
of
us
followed
her
example
,
except
Mr.
Huttle
,
who
was
of
course
the
important
guest
.
The
dinner-party
consisted
of
Mr.
Franching
,
Mr.
Hardfur
Huttle
,
Mr.
and
Mrs.
Samuel
Hillbutter
,
Mrs.
Field
,
Mr.
and
Mrs.
Purdick
,
Mr.
Pratt
,
Mr.
R
.
Kent
,
and
,
last
but
not
least
,
Mr.
and
Mrs.
Charles
Pooter
.
Franching
said
he
was
sorry
he
had
no
lady
for
me
to
take
in
to
dinner
.
I
replied
that
I
preferred
it
,
which
I
afterwards
thought
was
a
very
uncompli­mentary
observation
to
make
.
I
sat
next
to
Mrs.
Field
at
dinner
,
she
seemed
a
well-informed
lady
,
but
was
very
deaf
.
It
did
not
much
matter
,
for
Mr.
Hardfur
Huttle
did
all
the
talking
.
He
is
a
marvellously
intellectual
man
and
says
things
which
from
other
people
would
seem
quite
alarming
.
How
I
wish
I
could
remember
even
a
quarter
of
his
brilliant
conversation
.
I
made
a
few
little
reminding
notes
on
the
menû
card
.
One
observation
struck
me
as
being
absolutely
powerful-though
not
to
my
way
of
thinking
of
course
.
Mrs.
Purdick
happened
to
say
:
"
You
are
certainly
unorthodox
,
Mr.
Huttle
.
"
Mr.
Huttle
,
with
a
peculiar
expression
(
I
can
see
it
now
)
said
in
a
slow
rich
voice
:
"
Mrs.
Purdick
,
'
orthodox
'
is
a
grandiloquent
word
implying
sticking-in-the-mud
.
If
Columbus
and
Stephenson
had
been
orthodox
,
there
would
neither
have
been
the
discovery
of
America
nor
the
steam-engine
.
"
There
was
quite
a
silence
.
It
appeared
to
me
that
such
teaching
was
absolutely
dangerous
,
and
yet
I
felt-in
fact
we
must
all
have
felt-there
was
no
answer
to
the
argument
.
A
little
later
on
,
Mrs.
Purdick
,
who
is
Franching
's
sister
and
also
acted
as
hostess
,
rose
from
the
table
,
and
Mr.
Huttle
said
:
"
Why
,
ladies
,
do
you
deprive
us
of
your
company
so
soon
?
Why
not
wait
while
we
have
our
cigars
?
"
The
effect
was
electrical
.
The
ladies
(
including
Carrie
)
were
in
no
way
inclined
to
be
deprived
of
Mr.
Huttle
's
fascinating
society
,
and
immediately
resumed
their
seats
,
amid
much
laughter
and
a
little
chaff
.
Mr.
Huttle
said
:
"
Well
,
that
's
a
real
good
sign
;
you
shall
not
be
insulted
by
being
called
orthodox
any
longer
.
"
Mrs.
Purdick
,
who
seemed
to
be
a
bright
and
rather
sharp
woman
,
said
:
"
Mr.
Huttle
,
we
will
meet
you
half-way-that
is
,
till
you
get
half-way
through
your
cigar
.
That
,
at
all
events
,
will
be
the
happy
medium
.
"
I
shall
never
forget
the
effect
the
words
,
"
happy
medium
,
"
had
upon
him
.
He
was
brilliant
and
most
daring
in
his
interpretation
of
the
words
.
He
positively
alarmed
me
.
He
said
something
like
the
following
:
"
Happy
medium
,
indeed
.
Do
you
know
'
happy
medium
'
are
two
words
which
mean
'
miserable
mediocrity
.
'
I
say
,
go
first
class
or
third
;
marry
a
duchess
or
her
kitchenmaid
.
The
happy
medium
means
respectability
,
and
respectability
means
insipidness
.
Does
it
not
,
Mr.
Pooter
?
"
I
was
so
taken
aback
by
being
personally
appealed
to
,
that
I
could
only
bow
apologetically
,
and
say
I
feared
I
was
not
competent
to
offer
an
opinion
.
Carrie
was
about
to
say
something
;
but
she
was
interrupted
,
for
which
I
was
rather
pleased
,
for
she
is
not
clever
at
argument
and
one
has
to
be
extra
clever
to
discuss
a
subject
with
a
man
like
Mr.
Huttle
.
He
continued
,
with
an
amazing
eloquence
that
made
his
unwelcome
opinions
positively
convincing
:
"
The
happy
medium
is
nothing
more
or
less
than
a
vulgar
half-measure
.
A
man
who
loves
champagne
and
,
finding
a
pint
too
little
,
fears
to
face
a
whole
bottle
and
has
recourse
to
an
imperial
pint
,
will
never
build
a
Brooklyn
Bridge
or
an
Eiffel
Tower
.
No
,
he
is
half-hearted
,
he
is
a
half-measure-respectable-in
fact
,
a
happy
medium
,
and
will
spend
the
rest
of
his
days
in
a
suburban
villa
with
a
stucco-column
portico
,
resembling
a
four-post
bedstead
.
"
We
all
laughed
.
"
That
sort
of
thing
,
"
continued
Mr.
Huttle
,
"
belongs
to
a
soft
man
,
with
a
soft
beard
,
with
a
soft
head
,
with
a
made
tie
that
hooks
on
.
"
This
seemed
rather
personal
and
twice
I
caught
myself
looking
in
the
glass
of
the
cheffonière
;
for
I
had
on
a
tie
that
hooked
on-and
why
not
?
If
these
remarks
were
not
personal
they
were
rather
careless
,
and
so
were
some
of
his
subsequent
observations
,
which
must
have
made
both
Mr.
Franching
and
his
guests
rather
uncomfortable
.
I
do
n't
think
Mr.
Huttle
meant
to
be
personal
,
for
he
added
:
"
We
do
n't
know
that
class
here
,
in
this
country
;
but
we
do
in
America
,
and
I
've
no
use
for
them
.
"
Franching
several
times
suggested
that
the
wine
should
be
passed
round
the
table
,
which
Mr.
Huttle
did
not
heed
;
but
continued
as
if
he
were
giving
a
lecture
:
"
What
we
want
in
America
is
your
homes
.
We
live
on
wheels
.
Your
simple
,
quiet
life
and
home
,
Mr.
Franching
,
are
charming
.
No
display
,
no
pretension
!
You
make
no
difference
in
your
dinner
,
I
dare
say
,
when
you
sit
down
by
yourself
and
when
you
invite
us
.
You
have
your
own
personal
attendant
—
no
hired
waiter
to
breathe
on
the
back
of
your
head
.
"
I
saw
Franching
palpably
wince
at
this
.
Mr.
Huttle
continued
:
"
Just
a
small
dinner
with
a
few
good
things
,
such
as
you
have
this
evening
.
You
do
n't
insult
your
guests
by
sending
to
the
grocer
for
champagne
at
six
shillings
a
bottle
.
"
I
could
not
help
thinking
of
"
Jackson
Frères
"
at
three-and-six
!
"
In
fact
,
"
said
Mr.
Huttle
,
"
a
man
is
little
less
than
a
murderer
who
does
.
That
is
the
province
of
the
milksop
,
who
wastes
his
evening
at
home
playing
dominoes
with
his
wife
.
I
've
heard
of
these
people
.
We
do
n't
want
them
at
this
table
.
Our
party
is
well
selected
.
We
've
no
use
for
deaf
old
women
,
who
cannot
follow
intellectual
conversation
.
"
All
our
eyes
were
turned
to
Mrs.
Field
,
who
fortunately
,
being
deaf
,
did
not
hear
his
remarks
;
but
continued
smiling
approval
.
"
We
have
no
representative
at
Mr.
Franching
's
table
,
"
said
Mr.
Huttle
,
"
of
the
unenlightened
frivolous
matron
,
who
goes
to
a
second
class
dance
at
Bayswater
and
fancies
she
is
in
Society
.
Society
does
not
know
her
;
it
has
no
use
for
her
.
"
Mr.
Huttle
paused
for
a
moment
and
the
opportunity
was
afforded
for
the
ladies
to
rise
.
I
asked
Mr.
Franching
quietly
to
excuse
me
,
as
I
did
not
wish
to
miss
the
last
train
,
which
we
very
nearly
did
,
by-the-by
,
through
Carrie
having
mislaid
the
little
cloth
cricket-cap
which
she
wears
when
we
go
out
.
It
was
very
late
when
Carrie
and
I
got
home
;
but
on
entering
the
sitting-room
I
said
:
"
Carrie
,
what
do
you
think
of
Mr.
Hardfur
Huttle
?
"
She
simply
answered
:
"
How
like
Lupin
!
"
The
same
idea
occurred
to
me
in
the
train
.
The
comparison
kept
me
awake
half
the
night
.
Mr.
Huttle
was
,
of
course
,
an
older
and
more
influential
man
;
but
he
was
like
Lupin
,
and
it
made
me
think
how
dangerous
Lupin
would
be
if
he
were
older
and
more
influential
.
I
feel
proud
to
think
Lupin
does
resemble
Mr.
Huttle
in
some
ways
.
Lupin
,
like
Mr.
Huttle
,
has
original
and
sometimes
wonderful
ideas
;
but
it
is
those
ideas
that
are
so
dangerous
.
They
make
men
extremely
rich
or
extremely
poor
.
They
make
or
break
men
.
I
always
feel
people
are
happier
who
live
a
simple
unsophis­ticated
life
.
I
believe
I
am
happy
because
I
am
not
ambitious
.
Somehow
I
feel
that
Lupin
,
since
he
has
been
with
Mr.
Perkupp
,
has
become
content
to
settle
down
and
follow
the
footsteps
of
his
father
.
This
is
a
comfort
.
CHAPTER
XXI
.
Lupin
is
discharged
.
We
are
in
great
trouble
.
Lupin
gets
engaged
elsewhere
at
a
handsome
salary
.
May
13
—
A
terrible
misfortune
has
happened
:
Lupin
is
discharged
from
Mr.
Perkupp
's
office
;
and
I
scarcely
know
how
I
am
writing
my
diary
.
I
was
away
from
office
last
Sat
,
the
first
time
I
have
been
absent
through
illness
for
twenty
years
.
I
believe
I
was
poisoned
by
some
lobster
.
Mr.
Perkupp
was
also
absent
,
as
Fate
would
have
it
;
and
our
most
valued
customer
,
Mr.
Crowbillon
,
went
to
the
office
in
a
rage
,
and
withdrew
his
custom
.
My
boy
Lupin
not
only
had
the
assurance
to
receive
him
,
but
recommended
him
the
firm
of
Gylterson
,
Sons
,
and
Co.
Limited
.
In
my
own
humble
judgment
,
and
though
I
have
to
say
it
against
my
own
son
,
this
seems
an
act
of
treachery
.
This
morning
I
receive
a
letter
from
Perkupp
,
informing
me
that
Lupin
's
services
are
no
longer
required
,
and
an
interview
with
me
is
desired
at
eleven
o'clock
.
I
went
down
to
the
office
with
an
aching
heart
,
dreading
an
interview
with
Mr.
Perkupp
,
with
whom
I
have
never
had
a
word
.
I
saw
nothing
of
Lupin
in
the
morning
.
He
had
not
got
up
when
it
was
time
for
me
to
leave
,
and
Carrie
said
I
should
do
no
good
by
disturbing
him
.
My
mind
wandered
so
at
the
office
that
I
could
not
do
my
work
properly
.
As
I
expected
,
I
was
sent
for
by
Mr.
Perkupp
,
and
the
following
conversation
ensued
as
nearly
as
I
can
remember
it
.
Mr.
Perkupp
said
:
"
Good-morning
,
Mr.
Pooter
!
This
is
a
very
serious
business
.
I
am
not
referring
so
much
to
the
dismissal
of
your
son
,
for
I
knew
we
should
have
to
part
sooner
or
later
.
I
am
the
head
of
this
old
,
influential
,
and
much-respected
firm
;
and
when
I
consider
the
time
has
come
to
revolutionise
the
business
,
I
will
do
it
myself
.
"
I
could
see
my
good
master
was
somewhat
affected
,
and
I
said
:
"
I
hope
,
sir
,
you
do
not
imagine
that
I
have
in
any
way
countenanced
my
son
's
unwarrantable
interference
?
"
Mr.
Perkupp
rose
from
his
seat
and
took
my
hand
,
and
said
:
"
Mr.
Pooter
,
I
would
as
soon
suspect
myself
as
suspect
you
.
"
I
was
so
agitated
that
in
the
confusion
,
to
show
my
gratitude
,
I
very
nearly
called
him
a
"
grand
old
man
.
"
Fortunately
I
checked
myself
in
time
,
and
said
he
was
a
"
grand
old
master
.
"
I
was
so
unaccountable
for
my
actions
that
I
sat
down
,
leaving
him
standing
.
Of
course
,
I
at
once
rose
,
but
Mr.
Perkupp
bade
me
sit
down
,
which
I
was
very
pleased
to
do
.
Mr.
Perkupp
,
resuming
,
said
:
"
You
will
understand
,
Mr.
Pooter
,
that
the
high-standing
nature
of
our
firm
will
not
admit
of
our
bending
to
anybody
.
If
Mr.
Crowbillon
chooses
to
put
his
work
into
other
hands-I
may
add
,
less
experienced
hands-it
is
not
for
us
to
bend
and
beg
back
his
custom
.
"
"
You
shall
not
do
it
,
sir
,
"
I
said
with
indignation
.
"
Exactly
,
"
replied
Mr.
Perkupp
;
"
I
shall
not
do
it
.
But
I
was
thinking
this
,
Mr.
Pooter
.
Mr.
Crowbillon
is
our
most
valued
client
,
and
I
will
even
confess-for
I
know
this
will
not
go
beyond
ourselves-that
we
cannot
afford
very
well
to
lose
him
,
especially
in
these
times
,
which
are
not
of
the
brightest
.
Now
,
I
fancy
you
can
be
of
service
.
"
I
replied
:
"
Mr.
Perkupp
,
I
will
work
day
and
night
to
serve
you
!
"
Mr.
Perkupp
said
:
"
I
know
you
will
.
Now
,
what
I
should
like
you
to
do
is
this
.
You
yourself
might
write
to
Mr.
Crowbillon-you
must
not
,
of
course
,
lead
him
to
suppose
I
know
anything
about
your
doing
so-and
explain
to
him
that
your
son
was
only
taken
on
as
a
clerk-quite
an
inexperienced
one
in
fact-out
of
the
respect
the
firm
had
for
you
,
Mr.
Pooter
.
This
is
,
of
course
,
a
fact
.
I
do
n't
suggest
that
you
should
speak
in
too
strong
terms
of
your
own
son
's
conduct
;
but
I
may
add
,
that
had
he
been
a
son
of
mine
,
I
should
have
condemned
his
interference
with
no
measured
terms
.
That
I
leave
to
you
.
I
think
the
result
will
be
that
Mr.
Crowbillon
will
see
the
force
of
the
foolish
step
he
has
taken
,
and
our
firm
will
neither
suffer
in
dignity
nor
in
pocket
.
"
I
could
not
help
thinking
what
a
noble
gentleman
Mr.
Perkupp
is
.
His
manners
and
his
way
of
speaking
seem
to
almost
thrill
one
with
respect
.
I
said
:
"
Would
you
like
to
see
the
letter
before
I
send
it
?
"
Mr.
Perkupp
said
:
"
Oh
no
!
I
had
better
not
.
I
am
supposed
to
know
nothing
about
it
,
and
I
have
every
confidence
in
you
.
You
must
write
the
letter
carefully
.
We
are
not
very
busy
;
you
had
better
take
the
morning
to-morrow
,
or
the
whole
day
if
you
like
.
I
shall
be
here
myself
all
day
to-morrow
,
in
fact
all
the
week
,
in
case
Mr.
Crowbillon
should
call
.
"
I
went
home
a
little
more
cheerful
,
but
I
left
word
with
Sarah
that
I
could
not
see
either
Gowing
or
Cummings
,
nor
in
fact
anybody
,
if
they
called
in
the
evening
.
Lupin
came
into
the
parlour
for
a
moment
with
a
new
hat
on
,
and
asked
my
opinion
of
it
.
I
said
I
was
not
in
the
mood
to
judge
of
hats
,
and
I
did
not
think
he
was
in
a
position
to
buy
a
new
one
.
Lupin
replied
carelessly
:
"
I
did
n't
buy
it
;
it
was
a
present
.
"
I
have
such
terrible
suspicions
of
Lupin
now
that
I
scarcely
like
to
ask
him
questions
,
as
I
dread
the
answers
so
.
He
,
however
,
saved
me
the
trouble
.
He
said
:
"
I
met
a
friend
,
an
old
friend
,
that
I
did
not
quite
think
a
friend
at
the
time
;
but
it
's
all
right
.
As
he
wisely
said
,
'
all
is
fair
in
love
and
war
,
'
and
there
was
no
reason
why
we
should
not
be
friends
still
.
He
's
a
jolly
,
good
,
all-round
sort
of
fellow
,
and
a
very
different
stamp
from
that
inflated
fool
of
a
Perkupp
.
"
I
said
:
"
Hush
,
Lupin
!
Do
not
pray
add
insult
to
injury
.
"
Lupin
said
:
"
What
do
you
mean
by
injury
?
I
repeat
,
I
have
done
no
injury
.
Crowbillon
is
simply
tired
of
a
stagnant
stick-in-the-mud
firm
,
and
made
the
change
on
his
own
account
.
I
simply
recommended
the
new
firm
as
a
matter
of
biz-good
old
biz
!
"
I
said
quietly
:
"
I
do
n't
understand
your
slang
,
and
at
my
time
of
life
have
no
desire
to
learn
it
;
so
,
Lupin
,
my
boy
,
let
us
change
the
subject
.
I
will
,
if
it
please
you
,
try
and
be
interested
in
your
new
hat
adventure
.
"
Lupin
said
:
"
Oh
!
there
's
nothing
much
about
it
,
except
I
have
not
once
seen
him
since
his
marriage
,
and
he
said
he
was
very
pleased
to
see
me
,
and
hoped
we
should
be
friends
.
I
stood
a
drink
to
cement
the
friendship
,
and
he
stood
me
a
new
hat-one
of
his
own
.
"
I
said
rather
wearily
:
"
But
you
have
not
told
me
your
old
friend
's
name
?
"
Lupin
said
,
with
affected
carelessness
:
"
Oh
!
did
n't
I
?
Well
,
I
will
.
It
was
Murray
Posh
.
"
May
14.
—
Lupin
came
down
late
,
and
seeing
me
at
home
all
the
morning
,
asked
the
reason
of
it
.
Carrie
and
I
both
agreed
it
was
better
to
say
nothing
to
him
about
the
letter
I
was
writing
,
so
I
evaded
the
question
.
Lupin
went
out
,
saying
he
was
going
to
lunch
with
Murray
Posh
in
the
City
.
I
said
I
hoped
Mr.
Posh
would
provide
him
with
a
berth
.
Lupin
went
out
laughing
,
saying
:
"
I
do
n't
mind
wearing
Posh
's
one-priced
hats
,
but
I
am
not
going
to
sell
them
.
"
Poor
boy
,
I
fear
he
is
perfectly
hopeless
.
It
took
me
nearly
the
whole
day
to
write
to
Mr.
Crowbillon
.
Once
or
twice
I
asked
Carrie
for
suggestions
;
and
although
it
seems
ungrateful
,
her
suggestions
were
none
of
them
to
the
point
,
while
one
or
two
were
absolutely
idiotic
.
Of
course
I
did
not
tell
her
so
.
I
got
the
letter
off
,
and
took
it
down
to
the
office
for
Mr.
Perkupp
to
see
,
but
he
again
repeated
that
he
could
trust
me
.
Gowing
called
in
the
evening
,
and
I
was
obliged
to
tell
him
about
Lupin
and
Mr.
Perkupp
;
and
,
to
my
surprise
,
he
was
quite
inclined
to
side
with
Lupin
.
Carrie
joined
in
,
and
said
she
thought
I
was
taking
much
too
melancholy
a
view
of
it
.
Gowing
produced
a
pint
sample-bottle
of
Maderia
,
which
had
been
given
him
,
which
he
said
would
get
rid
of
the
blues
.
I
dare
say
it
would
have
done
so
if
there
had
been
more
of
it
;
but
as
Gowing
helped
himself
to
three
glasses
,
it
did
not
leave
much
for
Carrie
and
me
to
get
rid
of
the
blues
with
.
May
15.
—
A
day
of
great
anxiety
,
for
I
expected
every
moment
a
letter
from
Mr.
Crowbillon
.
Two
letters
came
in
the
evening-one
for
me
,
with
"
Crowbillon
Hall
"
printed
in
large
gold-and-red
letters
on
the
back
of
the
envelope
;
the
other
for
Lupin
,
which
I
felt
inclined
to
open
and
read
,
as
it
had
"
Gylterson
,
Sons
,
and
Co.
Limited
,
"
which
was
the
recommended
firm
.
I
trembled
as
I
opened
Mr.
Crowbillon
's
letter
.
I
wrote
him
sixteen
pages
,
closely
written
;
he
wrote
me
less
than
sixteen
lines
.
His
letter
was
:
"
Sir
,
-I
totally
disagree
with
you
.
Your
son
,
in
the
course
of
five
minutes
'
conversation
,
displayed
more
intelligence
than
your
firm
has
done
during
the
last
five
years.-Yours
faithfully
,
Gilbert
E
.
Gillam
O
.
Crowbillon
.
"
What
am
I
to
do
?
Here
is
a
letter
that
I
dare
not
show
to
Mr.
Perkupp
,
and
would
not
show
to
Lupin
for
anything
.
The
crisis
had
yet
to
come
;
for
Lupin
arrived
,
and
,
opening
his
letter
,
showed
a
cheque
for
£
25
as
a
commission
for
the
recommendation
of
Mr.
Crowbillon
,
whose
custom
to
Mr.
Perkupp
is
evidently
lost
for
ever
.
Cummings
and
Gowing
both
called
,
and
both
took
Lupin
's
part
.
Cummings
went
so
far
as
to
say
that
Lupin
would
make
a
name
yet
.
I
suppose
I
was
melancholy
,
for
I
could
only
ask
:
"
Yes
,
but
what
sort
of
name
?
"
May
16.
—
I
told
Mr.
Perkupp
the
contents
of
the
letter
in
a
modified
form
,
but
Mr.
Perkupp
said
:
"
Pray
do
n't
discuss
the
matter
;
it
is
at
an
end
.
Your
son
will
bring
his
punishment
upon
himself
.
"
I
went
home
in
the
evening
,
thinking
of
the
hopeless
future
of
Lupin
.
I
found
him
in
most
extravagant
spirits
and
in
evening-dress
.
He
threw
a
letter
on
the
table
for
me
to
read
.
To
my
amazement
,
I
read
that
Gylterson
and
Sons
had
absolutely
engaged
Lupin
at
a
salary
of
£
200
a
year
,
with
other
advantages
.
I
read
the
letter
through
three
times
and
thought
it
must
have
been
for
me
.
But
there
it
was-Lupin
Pooter-plain
enough
.
I
was
silent
.
Lupin
said
:
"
What
price
Perkupp
now
?
You
take
my
tip
,
Guv.-'off
'
with
Perkupp
and
freeze
on
to
Gylterson
,
the
firm
of
the
future
!
Perkupp
's
firm
?
The
stagnant
dummies
have
been
standing
still
for
years
,
and
now
are
moving
back
.
I
want
to
go
on
.
In
fact
I
must
go
off
,
as
I
am
dining
with
the
Murray
Poshs
to-night
.
"
In
the
exuberance
of
his
spirits
he
hit
his
hat
with
his
stick
,
gave
a
loud
war
"
Whoo-oop
,
"
jumped
over
a
chair
,
and
took
the
liberty
of
rumpling
my
hair
all
over
my
forehead
,
and
bounced
out
of
the
room
,
giving
me
no
chance
of
reminding
him
of
his
age
and
the
respect
which
was
due
to
his
parent
.
Gowing
and
Cummings
came
in
the
evening
,
and
positively
cheered
me
up
with
congratu­lations
respecting
Lupin
.
Gowing
said
:
"
I
always
said
he
would
get
on
,
and
,
take
my
word
,
he
has
more
in
his
head
than
we
three
put
together
.
"
Carrie
said
:
"
He
is
a
second
Hardfur
Huttle
.
"
CHAPTER
XXII
.
Master
Percy
Edgar
Smith
James
.
Mrs.
James
(
of
Sutton
)
visits
us
again
and
introduces
"
Spiritual
Séances
.
"
May
26
,
Sunday
—
We
went
to
Sutton
after
dinner
to
have
meat-tea
with
Mr.
and
Mrs.
James
.
I
had
no
appetite
,
having
dined
well
at
two
,
and
the
entire
evening
was
spoiled
by
little
Percy-their
only
son-who
seems
to
me
to
be
an
utterly
spoiled
child
.
Two
or
three
times
he
came
up
to
me
and
deliberately
kicked
my
shins
.
He
hurt
me
once
so
much
that
the
tears
came
into
my
eyes
.
I
gently
remonstrated
with
him
,
and
Mrs.
James
said
:
"
Please
do
n't
scold
him
;
I
do
not
believe
in
being
too
severe
with
young
children
.
You
spoil
their
character
.
"
Little
Percy
set
up
a
deafening
yell
here
,
and
when
Carrie
tried
to
pacify
him
,
he
slapped
her
face
.
I
was
so
annoyed
,
I
said
:
"
That
is
not
my
idea
of
bringing
up
children
,
Mrs.
James
.
"
Mrs.
James
said
:
"
People
have
different
ideas
of
bringing
up
children-even
your
son
Lupin
is
not
the
standard
of
perfection
.
"
A
Mr.
Mezzini
(
an
Italian
,
I
fancy
)
here
took
Percy
in
his
lap
.
The
child
wriggled
and
kicked
and
broke
away
from
Mr.
Mezzini
,
saying
:
"
I
do
n't
like
you-you
've
got
a
dirty
face
.
"
A
very
nice
gentleman
,
Mr.
Birks
Spooner
,
took
the
child
by
the
wrist
and
said
:
"
Come
here
,
dear
,
and
listen
to
this
.
"
He
detached
his
chronometer
from
the
chain
and
made
his
watch
strike
six
.
To
our
horror
,
the
child
snatched
it
from
his
hand
and
bounced
it
down
upon
the
ground
like
one
would
a
ball
.
Mr.
Birks
Spooner
was
most
amiable
,
and
said
he
could
easily
get
a
new
glass
put
in
,
and
did
not
suppose
the
works
were
damaged
.
To
show
you
how
people
's
opinions
differ
,
Carrie
said
the
child
was
bad-tempered
,
but
it
made
up
for
that
defect
by
its
looks
,
for
it
was-in
her
mind-an
unquestionably
beautiful
child
.
I
may
be
wrong
,
but
I
do
not
think
I
have
seen
a
much
uglier
child
myself
.
That
is
my
opinion
.
May
30.
—
I
do
n't
known
why
it
is
,
but
I
never
anticipate
with
any
pleasure
the
visits
to
our
house
of
Mrs.
James
,
of
Sutton
.
She
is
coming
again
to
stay
for
a
few
days
.
I
said
to
Carrie
this
morning
,
as
I
was
leaving
:
"
I
wish
,
dear
Carrie
,
I
could
like
Mrs.
James
better
than
I
do
.
"
Carrie
said
:
"
So
do
I
,
dear
;
but
as
for
years
I
have
had
to
put
up
with
Mr.
Gowing
,
who
is
vulgar
,
and
Mr.
Cummings
,
who
is
kind
but
most
uninteresting
,
I
am
sure
,
dear
,
you
wo
n't
mind
the
occasional
visits
of
Mrs.
James
,
who
has
more
intellect
in
her
little
finger
than
both
your
friends
have
in
their
entire
bodies
.
"
I
was
so
entirely
taken
back
by
this
onslaught
on
my
two
dear
old
friends
,
I
could
say
nothing
,
and
as
I
heard
the
'
bus
coming
,
I
left
with
a
hurried
kiss-a
little
too
hurried
,
perhaps
,
for
my
upper
lip
came
in
contact
with
Carrie
's
teeth
and
slightly
cut
it
.
It
was
quite
painful
for
an
hour
afterwards
.
When
I
came
home
in
the
evening
I
found
Carrie
buried
in
a
book
on
Spiritualism
,
called
There
is
no
Birth
,
by
Florence
Singleyet
.
I
need
scarcely
say
the
book
was
sent
her
to
read
by
Mrs.
James
,
of
Sutton
.
As
she
had
not
a
word
to
say
outside
her
book
,
I
spent
the
rest
of
the
evening
altering
the
stair-carpets
,
which
are
beginning
to
show
signs
of
wear
at
the
edges
.
Mrs.
James
arrived
and
,
as
usual
,
in
the
evening
took
the
entire
management
of
everything
.
Finding
that
she
and
Carrie
were
making
some
preparations
for
table-turning
,
I
thought
it
time
really
to
put
my
foot
down
.
I
have
always
had
the
greatest
contempt
for
such
nonsense
,
and
put
an
end
to
it
years
ago
when
Carrie
,
at
our
old
house
,
used
to
have
séances
every
night
with
poor
Mrs.
Fussters
(
who
is
now
dead
)
.
If
I
could
see
any
use
in
it
,
I
would
not
care
.
As
I
stopped
it
in
the
days
gone
by
,
I
determined
to
do
so
now
.
I
said
:
"
I
am
very
sorry
Mrs.
James
,
but
I
totally
disapprove
of
it
,
apart
from
the
fact
that
I
receive
my
old
friends
on
this
evening
.
"
Mrs.
James
said
:
"
Do
you
mean
to
say
you
have
n't
read
There
is
no
Birth
?
I
said
:
"
No
,
and
I
have
no
intention
of
doing
so
.
"
Mrs.
James
seemed
surprised
and
said
:
"
All
the
world
is
going
mad
over
the
book
.
"
I
responded
rather
cleverly
:
"
Let
it
.
There
will
be
one
sane
man
in
it
,
at
all
events
.
"
Mrs.
James
said
she
thought
I
was
very
unkind
,
and
if
people
were
all
as
prejudiced
as
I
was
,
there
would
never
have
been
the
electric
telegraph
or
the
telephone
.
I
said
that
was
quite
a
different
thing
.
Mrs.
James
said
sharply
:
"
In
what
way
,
pray-in
what
way
?
"
I
said
:
"
In
many
ways
.
"
Mrs.
James
said
:
"
Well
,
mention
one
way
.
"
I
replied
quietly
:
"
Pardon
me
,
Mrs.
James
;
I
decline
to
discuss
the
matter
.
I
am
not
interested
in
it
.
"
Sarah
at
this
moment
opened
the
door
and
showed
in
Cummings
,
for
which
I
was
thankful
,
for
I
felt
it
would
put
a
stop
to
this
foolish
table-turning
.
But
I
was
entirely
mistaken
;
for
,
on
the
subject
being
opened
again
,
Cummings
said
he
was
most
interested
in
Spiritualism
,
although
he
was
bound
to
confess
he
did
not
believe
much
in
it
;
still
,
he
was
willing
to
be
convinced
.
I
firmly
declined
to
take
any
part
in
it
,
with
the
result
that
my
presence
was
ignored
.
I
left
the
three
sitting
in
the
parlour
at
a
small
round
table
which
they
had
taken
out
of
the
drawing-room
.
I
walked
into
the
hall
with
the
ultimate
intention
of
taking
a
little
stroll
.
As
I
opened
the
door
,
who
should
come
in
but
Gowing
!
On
hearing
what
was
going
on
,
he
proposed
that
we
should
join
the
circle
and
he
would
go
into
a
trance
.
He
added
that
he
knew
a
few
things
about
old
Cummings
,
and
would
invent
a
few
about
Mrs.
James
.
Knowing
how
dangerous
Gowing
is
,
I
declined
to
let
him
take
part
in
any
such
foolish
performance
.
Sarah
asked
me
if
she
could
go
out
for
half
an
hour
,
and
I
gave
her
permission
,
thinking
it
would
be
more
comfortable
to
sit
with
Gowing
in
the
kitchen
than
in
the
cold
drawing-room
.
We
talked
a
good
deal
about
Lupin
and
Mr.
and
Mrs.
Murray
Posh
,
with
whom
he
is
as
usual
spending
the
evening
.
Gowing
said
:
"
I
say
,
it
would
n't
be
a
bad
thing
for
Lupin
if
old
Posh
kicked
the
bucket
.
"
My
heart
gave
a
leap
of
horror
,
and
I
rebuked
Gowing
very
sternly
for
joking
on
such
a
subject
.
I
lay
awake
half
the
night
thinking
of
it-the
other
half
was
spent
in
nightmares
on
the
same
subject
.
May
31.
—
I
wrote
a
stern
letter
to
the
laundress
.
I
was
rather
pleased
with
the
letter
,
for
I
thought
it
very
satirical
.
I
said
:
"
You
have
returned
the
handkerchiefs
without
the
colour
.
Perhaps
you
will
return
either
the
colour
or
the
value
of
the
handkerchiefs
.
"
I
shall
be
rather
curious
to
know
what
she
will
have
to
say
.
More
table-turning
in
the
evening
.
Carrie
said
last
night
was
in
a
measure
successful
,
and
they
ought
to
sit
again
.
Cummings
came
in
,
and
seemed
interested
.
I
had
the
gas
lighted
in
the
drawing-room
,
got
the
steps
,
and
repaired
the
cornice
,
which
has
been
a
bit
of
an
eyesore
to
me
.
In
a
fit
of
unthinkingness-if
I
may
use
such
an
expression
,
-I
gave
the
floor
over
the
parlour
,
where
the
séance
was
taking
place
,
two
loud
raps
with
the
hammer
.
I
felt
sorry
afterwards
,
for
it
was
the
sort
of
ridiculous
,
foolhardy
thing
that
Gowing
or
Lupin
would
have
done
.
However
,
they
never
even
referred
to
it
;
but
Carrie
declared
that
a
message
came
through
the
table
to
her
of
a
wonderful
description
,
concerning
someone
whom
she
and
I
knew
years
ago
,
and
who
was
quite
unknown
to
the
others
.
When
we
went
to
bed
,
Carrie
asked
me
as
a
favour
to
sit
to-morrow
night
,
to
oblige
her
.
She
said
it
seemed
rather
unkind
and
unsociable
on
my
part
.
I
promised
I
would
sit
once
.
June
1.
—
I
sat
reluctantly
at
the
table
in
the
evening
,
and
I
am
bound
to
admit
some
curious
things
happened
.
I
contend
they
were
coincidences
,
but
they
were
curious
.
For
instance
,
the
table
kept
tilting
towards
me
,
which
Carrie
construed
as
a
desire
that
I
should
ask
the
spirit
a
question
.
I
obeyed
the
rules
,
and
I
asked
the
spirit
(
who
said
her
name
was
Lina
)
if
she
could
tell
me
the
name
of
an
old
aunt
of
whom
I
was
thinking
,
and
whom
we
used
to
call
Aunt
Maggie
.
The
table
spelled
out
C
A
T
.
We
could
make
nothing
out
of
it
,
till
I
suddenly
remembered
that
her
second
name
was
Catherine
,
which
it
was
evidently
trying
to
spell
.
I
do
n't
think
even
Carrie
knew
this
.
But
if
she
did
,
she
would
never
cheat
.
I
must
admit
it
was
curious
.
Several
other
things
happened
,
and
I
consented
to
sit
at
another
séance
on
Monday
.
June
3.
—
The
laundress
called
,
and
said
she
was
very
sorry
about
the
handkerchiefs
,
and
returned
ninepence
.
I
said
,
as
the
colour
was
completely
washed
out
and
the
handkerchiefs
quite
spoiled
,
ninepence
was
not
enough
.
Carrie
replied
that
the
two
handkerchiefs
originally
only
cost
sixpence
,
for
she
remembered
buying
them
at
a
sale
at
the
Holloway
Bon
Marché
.
In
that
case
,
I
insisted
that
threepence
should
be
returned
to
the
laundress
.
Lupin
has
gone
to
stay
with
the
Poshs
'
for
a
few
days
.
I
must
say
I
feel
very
uncomfortable
about
it
.
Carrie
said
I
was
ridiculous
to
worry
about
it
.
Mr.
Posh
was
very
fond
of
Lupin
,
who
,
after
all
,
was
only
a
mere
boy
.
In
the
evening
we
had
another
séance
,
which
,
in
some
respects
,
was
very
remarkable
,
although
the
first
part
of
it
was
a
little
doubtful
.
Gowing
called
,
as
well
as
Cummings
,
and
begged
to
be
allowed
to
join
the
circle
.
I
wanted
to
object
,
but
Mrs.
James
,
who
appears
a
good
Medium
(
that
is
,
if
there
is
anything
in
it
at
all
)
,
thought
there
might
be
a
little
more
spirit-power
if
Gowing
joined
;
so
the
five
of
us
sat
down
.
The
moment
I
turned
out
the
gas
,
and
almost
before
I
could
get
my
hands
on
the
table
,
it
rocked
violently
and
tilted
,
and
began
moving
quickly
across
the
room
.
Gowing
shouted
out
:
"
Way
,
oh
!
steady
,
lad
,
steady
!
"
I
told
Gowing
if
he
could
not
behave
himself
I
should
light
the
gas
,
and
put
an
end
to
the
séance
.
To
tell
the
truth
,
I
thought
Gowing
was
playing
tricks
,
and
I
hinted
as
much
;
but
Mrs.
James
said
she
had
often
seen
the
table
go
right
off
the
ground
.
The
spirit
Lina
came
again
,
and
said
,
"
WARN
"
three
or
four
times
,
and
declined
to
explain
.
Mrs.
James
said
"
Lina
"
was
stubborn
sometimes
.
She
often
behaved
like
that
,
and
the
best
thing
to
do
was
to
send
her
away
.
She
then
hit
the
table
sharply
,
and
said
:
"
Go
away
,
Lina
;
you
are
disagreeable
.
Go
away
!
"
I
should
think
we
sat
nearly
three-quarters
of
an
hour
with
nothing
happening
.
My
hands
felt
quite
cold
,
and
I
suggested
we
should
stop
the
séance
.
Carrie
and
Mrs.
James
,
as
well
as
Cummings
,
would
not
agree
to
it
.
In
about
ten
minutes
'
time
there
was
some
tilting
towards
me
.
I
gave
the
alphabet
,
and
it
spelled
out
S
P
O
O
F
.
As
I
have
heard
both
Gowing
and
Lupin
use
the
word
,
and
as
I
could
hear
Gowing
silently
laughing
,
I
directly
accused
him
of
pushing
the
table
.
He
denied
it
;
but
,
I
regret
to
say
,
I
did
not
believe
him
.
Gowing
said
:
"
Perhaps
it
means
'
Spook
,
'
a
ghost
.
"
I
said
:
"
You
know
it
does
n't
mean
anything
of
the
sort
.
"
Gowing
said
:
"
Oh
!
very
well-I
'm
sorry
I
'
spook
,
'
"
and
he
rose
from
the
table
.
No
one
took
any
notice
of
the
stupid
joke
,
and
Mrs.
James
suggested
he
should
sit
out
for
a
while
.
Gowing
consented
and
sat
in
the
arm-chair
.
The
table
began
to
move
again
,
and
we
might
have
had
a
wonderful
séance
but
for
Gowing
's
stupid
interruptions
.
In
answer
to
the
alphabet
from
Carrie
the
table
spelt
"
NIPUL
,
"
then
the
"
WARN
"
three
times
.
We
could
not
think
what
it
meant
till
Cummings
pointed
out
that
"
NIPUL
"
was
Lupin
spelled
backwards
.
This
was
quite
exciting
.
Carrie
was
particularly
excited
,
and
said
she
hoped
nothing
horrible
was
going
to
happen
.
Mrs.
James
asked
if
"
Lina
"
was
the
spirit
.
The
table
replied
firmly
,
"
No
,
"
and
the
spirit
would
not
give
his
or
her
name
.
We
then
had
the
message
,
"
NIPUL
will
be
very
rich
.
"
Carrie
said
she
felt
quite
relieved
,
but
the
word
"
WARN
"
was
again
spelt
out
.
The
table
then
began
to
oscillate
violently
,
and
in
reply
to
Mrs.
James
,
who
spoke
very
softly
to
the
table
,
the
spirit
began
to
spell
its
name
.
It
first
spelled
"
DRINK
.
"
Gowing
here
said
:
"
Ah
!
that
's
more
in
my
line
.
"
I
asked
him
to
be
quiet
as
the
name
might
not
be
completed
.
The
table
then
spelt
"
WATER
.
"
Gowing
here
interrupted
again
,
and
said
:
"
Ah
!
that
's
not
in
my
line
.
Out
side
if
you
like
,
but
not
inside
.
"
Carrie
appealed
to
him
to
be
quiet
.
The
table
then
spelt
"
CAPTAIN
,
"
and
Mrs.
James
startled
us
by
crying
out
,
"
Captain
Drinkwater
,
a
very
old
friend
of
my
father
's
,
who
has
been
dead
some
years
.
"
This
was
more
interesting
,
and
I
could
not
help
thinking
that
after
all
there
must
be
something
in
Spiritualism
.
Mrs.
James
asked
the
spirit
to
interpret
the
meaning
of
the
word
"
Warn
"
as
applied
to
"
NIPUL
.
"
The
alphabet
was
given
again
,
and
we
got
the
word
"
BOSH
.
"
Gowing
here
muttered
:
"
So
it
is
.
"
Mrs.
James
said
she
did
not
think
the
spirit
meant
that
,
as
Captain
Drinkwater
was
a
perfect
gentleman
,
and
would
never
have
used
the
word
in
answer
to
a
lady
's
question
.
Accordingly
the
alphabet
was
given
again
.
This
time
the
table
spelled
distinctly
"
POSH
.
"
We
all
thought
of
Mrs.
Murray
Posh
and
Lupin
.
Carrie
was
getting
a
little
distressed
,
and
as
it
was
getting
late
we
broke
up
the
circle
.
We
arranged
to
have
one
more
to-morrow
,
as
it
will
be
Mrs.
James
'
last
night
in
town
.
We
also
determined
not
to
have
Gowing
present
.
Cummings
,
before
leaving
,
said
it
was
certainly
interesting
,
but
he
wished
the
spirits
would
say
something
about
him
.
June
4.
—
Quite
looking
forward
to
the
séance
this
evening
.
Was
thinking
of
it
all
the
day
at
the
office
.
Just
as
we
sat
down
at
the
table
we
were
annoyed
by
Gowing
entering
without
knocking
.
He
said
:
"
I
am
not
going
to
stop
,
but
I
have
brought
with
me
a
sealed
envelope
,
which
I
know
I
can
trust
with
Mrs.
Pooter
.
In
that
sealed
envelope
is
a
strip
of
paper
on
which
I
have
asked
a
simple
question
.
If
the
spirits
can
answer
that
question
,
I
will
believe
in
Spiritualism
.
"
I
ventured
the
expression
that
it
might
be
impossible
.
Mrs.
James
said
:
"
Oh
no
!
it
is
of
common
occurrence
for
the
spirits
to
answer
questions
under
such
conditions-and
even
for
them
to
write
on
locked
slates
.
It
is
quite
worth
trying
.
If
'
Lina
'
is
in
a
good
temper
,
she
is
certain
to
do
it
.
"
Gowing
said
:
"
All
right
;
then
I
shall
be
a
firm
believer
.
I
shall
perhaps
drop
in
about
half-past
nine
or
ten
,
and
hear
the
result
.
"
He
then
left
and
we
sat
a
long
time
.
Cummings
wanted
to
know
something
about
some
undertaking
in
which
he
was
concerned
,
but
he
could
get
no
answer
of
any
description
whatever-at
which
he
said
he
was
very
disappointed
and
was
afraid
there
was
not
much
in
table-turning
after
all
.
I
thought
this
rather
selfish
of
him
.
The
séance
was
very
similar
to
the
one
last
night
,
almost
the
same
in
fact
.
So
we
turned
to
the
letter
.
"
Lina
"
took
a
long
time
answering
the
question
,
but
eventually
spelt
out
"
ROSES
,
LILIES
,
AND
COWS
.
"
There
was
great
rocking
of
the
table
at
this
time
,
and
Mrs.
James
said
:
"
If
that
is
Captain
Drinkwater
,
let
us
ask
him
the
answer
as
well
?
"
It
was
the
spirit
of
the
captain
,
and
,
most
singular
,
he
gave
the
same
identical
answer
:
"
ROSES
,
LILIES
,
AND
COWS
.
"
I
cannot
describe
the
agitation
with
which
Carrie
broke
the
seal
,
or
the
disappointment
we
felt
on
reading
the
question
,
to
which
the
answer
was
so
inappropriate
.
The
question
was
,
"
What
's
old
Pooter
's
age
?
"
This
quite
decided
me
.
As
I
had
put
my
foot
down
on
Spiritualism
years
ago
,
so
I
would
again
.
I
am
pretty
easy-going
as
a
rule
,
but
I
can
be
extremely
firm
when
driven
to
it
.
I
said
slowly
,
as
I
turned
up
the
gas
:
"
This
is
the
last
of
this
nonsense
that
shall
ever
take
place
under
my
roof
.
I
regret
I
permitted
myself
to
be
a
party
to
such
tomfoolery
.
If
there
is
anything
in
it-which
I
doubt-it
is
nothing
of
any
good
,
and
I
wo
n't
have
it
again
.
That
is
enough
.
"
Mrs.
James
said
:
"
I
think
,
Mr.
Pooter
,
you
are
rather
overstepping--
"
I
said
:
"
Hush
,
madam
.
I
am
the
master
of
this
house-please
understand
that
.
"
Mrs.
James
made
an
observation
which
I
sincerely
hope
I
was
mistaken
in
.
I
was
in
such
a
rage
I
could
not
quite
catch
what
she
said
.
But
if
I
thought
she
said
what
it
sounded
like
,
she
should
never
enter
the
house
again
.
CHAPTER
XXIII
.
Lupin
leaves
us
.
We
dine
at
his
new
apartments
,
and
hear
some
extraordinary
information
respecting
the
wealth
of
Mr.
Murray
Posh
.
Meet
Miss
Lilian
Posh
.
Am
sent
for
by
Mr.
Hardfur
Huttle
.
Important
.
July
1
—
I
find
,
on
looking
over
my
diary
,
nothing
of
any
consequence
has
taken
place
during
the
last
month
.
To-day
we
lose
Lupin
,
who
has
taken
furnished
apartments
at
Bayswater
,
near
his
friends
,
Mr.
and
Mrs.
Murray
Posh
,
at
two
guineas
a
week
.
I
think
this
is
most
extravagant
of
him
,
as
it
is
half
his
salary
.
Lupin
says
one
never
loses
by
a
good
address
,
and
,
to
use
his
own
expression
,
Brickfield
Terrace
is
a
bit
"
off
.
"
Whether
he
means
it
is
"
far
off
"
I
do
not
know
.
I
have
long
since
given
up
trying
to
understand
his
curious
expressions
.
I
said
the
neighbourhood
had
always
been
good
enough
for
his
parents
.
His
reply
was
:
"
It
is
no
question
of
being
good
or
bad
.
There
is
no
money
in
it
,
and
I
am
not
going
to
rot
away
my
life
in
the
suburbs
.
"
We
are
sorry
to
lose
him
,
but
perhaps
he
will
get
on
better
by
himself
,
and
there
may
be
some
truth
in
his
remark
that
an
old
and
a
young
horse
ca
n't
pull
together
in
the
same
cart
.
Gowing
called
,
and
said
that
the
house
seemed
quite
peaceful
,
and
like
old
times
.
He
liked
Master
Lupin
very
well
,
but
he
occasionally
suffered
from
what
he
could
not
help-youth
.
July
2.
—
Cummings
called
,
looking
very
pale
,
and
said
he
had
been
very
ill
again
,
and
of
course
not
a
single
friend
had
been
near
him
.
Carrie
said
she
had
never
heard
of
it
,
whereupon
he
threw
down
a
copy
of
the
Bicycle
News
on
the
table
,
with
the
following
paragraph
:
-
"
We
regret
to
hear
that
that
favourite
old
roadster
,
Mr.
Cummings
(
'
Long
'
Cummings
)
,
has
met
with
what
might
have
been
a
serious
accident
in
Rye
Lane
.
A
mischievous
boy
threw
a
stick
between
the
spokes
of
one
of
the
back
wheels
,
and
the
machine
overturned
,
bringing
our
brother
tricyclist
heavily
to
the
ground
.
Fortunately
he
was
more
frightened
than
hurt
,
but
we
missed
his
merry
face
at
the
dinner
at
Chingford
,
where
they
turned
up
in
good
numbers
.
'
Long
'
Cummings
'
health
was
proposed
by
our
popular
Vice
,
Mr.
Westropp
,
the
prince
of
bicyclists
,
who
in
his
happiest
vein
said
it
was
a
case
of
'
Cumming
(
s
)
thro
'
the
Rye
,
but
fortunately
there
was
more
wheel
than
woe
,
'
a
joke
which
created
roars
of
laughter
.
"
We
all
said
we
were
very
sorry
,
and
pressed
Cummings
to
stay
to
supper
.
Cummings
said
it
was
like
old
times
being
without
Lupin
,
and
he
was
much
better
away
.
July
3
,
Sunday
.
—
In
the
afternoon
,
as
I
was
looking
out
of
the
parlour
window
,
which
was
open
,
a
grand
trap
,
driven
by
a
lady
,
with
a
gentleman
seated
by
the
side
of
her
,
stopped
at
our
door
.
Not
wishing
to
be
seen
,
I
withdrew
my
head
very
quickly
,
knocking
the
back
of
it
violently
against
the
sharp
edge
of
the
window-sash
.
I
was
nearly
stunned
.
There
was
a
loud
double-knock
at
the
front
door
;
Carrie
rushed
out
of
the
parlour
,
upstairs
to
her
room
,
and
I
followed
,
as
Carrie
thought
it
was
Mr.
Perkupp
.
I
thought
it
was
Mr.
Franching
.
I
whispered
to
Sarah
over
the
banisters
:
"
Show
them
into
the
drawing-room
.
"
Sarah
said
,
as
the
shutters
were
not
opened
,
the
room
would
smell
musty
.
There
was
another
loud
rat-tat
.
I
whispered
:
"
Then
show
them
into
the
parlour
,
and
say
Mr.
Pooter
will
be
down
directly
.
"
I
changed
my
coat
,
but
could
not
see
to
do
my
hair
,
as
Carrie
was
occupying
the
glass
.
Sarah
came
up
,
and
said
it
was
Mrs.
Murray
Posh
and
Mr.
Lupin
.
This
was
quite
a
relief
.
I
went
down
with
Carrie
,
and
Lupin
met
me
with
the
remark
:
"
I
say
,
what
did
you
run
away
from
the
window
for
?
Did
we
frighten
you
?
"
I
foolishly
said
:
"
What
window
?
"
Lupin
said
:
"
Oh
,
you
know
.
Shut
it
.
You
looked
as
if
you
were
playing
at
Punch
and
Judy
.
"
On
Carrie
asking
if
she
could
offer
them
anything
,
Lupin
said
:
"
Oh
,
I
think
Daisy
will
take
on
a
cup
of
tea
.
I
can
do
with
a
B
.
and
S.
"
I
said
:
"
I
am
afraid
we
have
no
soda
.
"
Lupin
said
:
"
Do
n't
bother
about
that
.
You
just
trip
out
and
hold
the
horse
;
I
do
n't
think
Sarah
understands
it
.
"
They
stayed
a
very
short
time
,
and
as
they
were
leaving
.
Lupin
said
:
"
I
want
you
both
to
come
and
dine
with
me
next
Wednesday
,
and
see
my
new
place
.
Mr.
and
Mrs.
Murray
Posh
,
Miss
Posh
(
Murray
's
sister
)
are
coming
.
Eight
o'clock
sharp
.
No
one
else
.
"
I
said
we
did
not
pretend
to
be
fashionable
people
,
and
would
like
the
dinner
earlier
,
as
it
made
it
so
late
before
we
got
home
.
Lupin
said
:
"
Rats
!
You
must
get
used
to
it
.
If
it
comes
to
that
,
Daisy
and
I
can
drive
you
home
.
"
We
promised
to
go
;
but
I
must
say
in
my
simple
mind
the
familiar
way
in
which
Mrs.
Posh
and
Lupin
address
each
other
is
reprehensible
.
Anybody
would
think
they
had
been
children
together
.
I
certainly
should
object
to
a
six
months
'
acquaintance
calling
my
wife
"
Carrie
,
"
and
driving
out
with
her
.
July
4.
—
Lupin
's
rooms
looked
very
nice
;
but
the
dinner
was
,
I
thought
,
a
little
too
grand
,
especially
as
he
commenced
with
champagne
straight
off
.
I
also
think
Lupin
might
have
told
us
that
he
and
Mr.
and
Mrs.
Murray
Posh
and
Miss
Posh
were
going
to
put
on
full
evening
dress
.
Knowing
that
the
dinner
was
only
for
us
six
,
we
never
dreamed
it
would
be
a
full
dress
affair
.
I
had
no
appetite
.
It
was
quite
twenty
minutes
past
eight
before
we
sat
down
to
dinner
.
At
six
I
could
have
eaten
a
hearty
meal
.
I
had
a
bit
of
bread-and-butter
at
that
hour
,
feeling
famished
,
and
I
expect
that
partly
spoiled
my
appetite
.
We
were
introduced
to
Miss
Posh
,
whom
Lupin
called
"
Lillie
Girl
,
"
as
if
he
had
known
her
all
her
life
.
She
was
very
tall
,
rather
plain
,
and
I
thought
she
was
a
little
painted
round
the
eyes
.
I
hope
I
am
wrong
;
but
she
had
such
fair
hair
,
and
yet
her
eyebrows
were
black
.
She
looked
about
thirty
.
I
did
not
like
the
way
she
kept
giggling
and
giving
Lupin
smacks
and
pinching
him
.
Then
her
laugh
was
a
sort
of
a
scream
that
went
right
through
my
ears
,
all
the
more
irritating
because
there
was
nothing
to
laugh
at
.
In
fact
,
Carrie
and
I
were
not
at
all
prepossessed
with
her
.
They
all
smoked
cigarettes
after
dinner
,
including
Miss
Posh
,
who
startled
Carrie
by
saying
:
"
Do
n't
you
smoke
,
dear
?
"
I
answered
for
Carrie
,
and
said
:
"
Mrs.
Charles
Pooter
has
not
arrived
at
it
yet
,
"
whereupon
Miss
Posh
gave
one
of
her
piercing
laughs
again
.
Mrs.
Posh
sang
a
dozen
songs
at
least
,
and
I
can
only
repeat
what
I
have
said
before-she
does
not
sing
in
tune
;
but
Lupin
sat
by
the
side
of
the
piano
,
gazing
into
her
eyes
the
whole
time
.
If
I
had
been
Mr.
Posh
,
I
think
I
should
have
had
something
to
say
about
it
.
Mr.
Posh
made
himself
very
agreeable
to
us
,
and
eventually
sent
us
home
in
his
carriage
,
which
I
thought
most
kind
.
He
is
evidently
very
rich
,
for
Mrs.
Posh
had
on
some
beautiful
jewellery
.
She
told
Carrie
her
necklace
,
which
her
husband
gave
her
as
a
birthday
present
,
alone
cost
£
300.
Mr.
Posh
said
he
had
great
belief
in
Lupin
,
and
thought
he
would
make
rapid
way
in
the
world
.
I
could
not
help
thinking
of
the
£
600
Mr.
Posh
lost
over
the
Parachikka
Chlorates
through
Lupin
's
advice
.
During
the
evening
I
had
an
opportunity
to
speak
to
Lupin
,
and
expressed
a
hope
that
Mr.
Posh
was
not
living
beyond
his
means
.
Lupin
sneered
,
and
said
Mr.
Posh
was
worth
thousands
.
"
Posh
's
one-price
hat
"
was
a
household
word
in
Birmingham
,
Manchester
,
Liverpool
,
and
all
the
big
towns
throughout
England
.
Lupin
further
informed
me
that
Mr.
Posh
was
opening
branch
establishments
at
New
York
,
Sydney
,
and
Melbourne
,
and
was
negotiating
for
Kimberley
and
Johannesburgh
.
I
said
I
was
pleased
to
hear
it
.
Lupin
said
:
"
Why
,
he
has
settled
over
£
10
,
000
on
Daisy
,
and
the
same
amount
on
'
Lillie
Girl
.
'
If
at
any
time
I
wanted
a
little
capital
,
he
would
put
up
a
couple
of
'
thou
'
at
a
day
's
notice
,
and
could
buy
up
Perkupp
's
firm
over
his
head
at
any
moment
with
ready
cash
.
"
On
the
way
home
in
the
carriage
,
for
the
first
time
in
my
life
,
I
was
inclined
to
indulge
in
the
radical
thought
that
money
was
not
properly
divided
.
On
arriving
home
at
a
quarter-past
eleven
,
we
found
a
hansom
cab
,
which
had
been
waiting
for
me
for
two
hours
with
a
letter
.
Sarah
said
she
did
not
know
what
to
do
,
as
we
had
not
left
the
address
where
we
had
gone
.
I
trembled
as
I
opened
the
letter
,
fearing
