’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。