Irksome as all this necessarily was to a man of taste， Isuffered even more when we reached our destination. As wedrove through the village the girl Jenny uttered shrieks ofdelight at the sight of flowers growing up the cottage walls，and declared they were “just like music-"all without the drinklicense.” As my horses required a rest， I was forced to abandonmy intention of dropping these persons at their lodgingsand returning to town at once， and I could not go to the innlest I should meet inquisitive acquaintances. Disagreeablecircumstances， therefore， compelled me to take tea with awaiter’s family—close to a window， too， through which Icould see the girl Jenny talking excitedly to villagers， andtelling them， I felt certain， that I had been good to William. Ihad a desire to go out and put myself right with those people.
William’s long connection with the club should have givenhim some manners， but apparently his class cannot take themon， for， though he knew I regarded his thanks as an insult， helooked them when he was not speaking them， and hardly hadhe sat down， by my orders， than he remembered that I was amember of the club， and jumped up. Nothing is in worse formthan whispering， yet again and again， when he thought I wasnot listening， he whispered to Mrs. Hicking， “You don’t feelfaint？” or “How are you now？” He was also in extravagantglee because she ate two cakes （it takes so little to put thesepeople in good spirits）， and when she said she felt like anotherbeing already， the fellow’s face charged me with the change.
I could not but conclude， from the way Mrs. Hicking let thebaby pound her， that she was stronger than she had pretended.
I remained longer than was necessary， because I hadsomething to say to William which I knew he wouldmisunderstand， and so I put off saying it. But when heannounced that it was time for him to return to London， atwhich his wife suddenly paled， so that he had to sign to her notto break down， I delivered the message.
“William，” I said， “the head waiter asked me to say that youcould take a fortnight’s holiday just now. Your wages will bepaid as usual.”
Confound them！ William had me by the hand， and his wifewas in tears before I could reach the door.
“Is it your doing again， sir？” William cried.
“William！” I said， fiercely.
“We owe everything to you，” he insisted. “The port wine—”
“Because I had no room for it in my cellar.”
“The money for the nurse in London—”
“Because I objected to being waited on by a man who got nosleep.”
“These lodgings—”
“Because I wanted to do something for my old nurse.”
“And， now， sir， a fortnight’s holiday！”
“Good-by， William！” I said， in a fury.
But before I could get away， Mrs. Hicking signed to Williamto leave the room， and then she kissed my hand. She saidsomething to me. It was about my wife. Somehow I— Whatbusiness had William to tell her about my wife？
They are all back in Drury Lane now， and William tells methat his wife sings at her work just as she did eight years ago. Ihave no interest in this， and try to check his talk of it； but suchpeople have no sense of propriety， and he even speaks of thegirl Jenny， who sent me lately a gaudy pair of worsted glovesworked by her own hand. The meanest advantage they took ofmy weakness， however， was in calling their baby after me. Ihave an uncomfortable suspicion， too， that William has giventhe other waiters his version of the affair， but I feel safe solong as it does not reach the committee.