"He shouldn't have worn such clothes," she said, as though in self defense. "Anybody would have looked absurd in them.""It was all the clothes," I agreed. "Besides, when a man doesn't know a place, he always moons about and looks--""Yes. Rather awkward, doesn't he, Mr. Carter?""And the mere fact of his looking at you--"
"At us, please."
"Is nothing, although we made a grievance of it at the time.""That was very absurd of you," said Dolly.
"It was certainly unreasonable of us," said I.
"We ought have known he was a gentleman."
"But we scouted the idea of it," said I.
"It was a most curious mistake to make," said Dolly.
"O, well, it's put right now," said I.
"Oh, Mr. Carter, do you remember mamma's face when we described him?""That was a terrible moment," said I, with a shudder.
"I said he was--ugly," whispered Dolly.
"And I said--something worse," murmured I.
"And mamma knew at once from our description that it was--""She saw it in a minute," said I.
"And then you went away."
"Well, I rather suppose I did," said I.
"Mamma is just a little like the Dowager sometimes," said Dolly.
"There is a touch now and then," I conceded.
"And when I was introduced to him the next day I absolutely blushed.""I don't altogether wonder at that," I observed.
"But it wasn't as if he'd heard what we were saying.""No; but he'd seen what we were doing."
"Well, what were we doing?" cried Dolly defiantly.
"Conversing confidentially," said I.
"And a week later you went home!"
"Just one week later," said I.
There was a long pause.
"Well, you'll take me to the theater?" asked Dolly, with something which, if I were so disposed, I might consider a sigh.
"I've seen the piece twice," said I.
"How tiresome of you! You've seen everything twice.""I've seen some things much oftener," I observed.
"I'll get a nice girl for you to talk to, and I'll have a young man.""I don't want my girl to be too nice," I observed.
"She shall be pretty," said Dolly generously.
"I don't mind if I do come with you," said I. "What becomes of Archie?""He's going to take his mother and his sisters to the Albert Hall."My face brightened.
"I am unreasonable," I admitted.
"Sometimes you are," said Dolly.
"I have much to be thankful for. Have you ever observed a small boy eat a penny ice?""Of course I have," said Dolly.
"What does he do when he's finished it?"
"Stop, I suppose."
"On the contrary," said I, "he licks the glass.""Yes, he does," said Dolly meditatively.
"It's not so bad--licking the glass," said I.
Dolly stood opposite me, smiling. At this moment Archie entered.
He had been working at his lathe. He is very fond of ****** things which he doesn't want, and then giving them to people who have no use for them.
"How are you, old chap?" he began. "I've just finished an uncommon pretty--"He stopped, paralyzed by a cry from Dolly--"Archie, what in the world are you wearing?"
I turned a startled gaze upon Archie.
"It's just an old suit I routed out," said he apologetically.
I looked at Dolly; her eyes were closed shut, and she gasped--"My dear, dear boy, go and change it!"
"I don't see why it's not--"
"Go and change it, if you love me," besought Dolly.
"Oh, all right."
"You look hideous in it," she said, her eyes still shut.
Archie, who is very docile, withdrew. A guilty silence reigned for some moments. Then Dolly opened her eyes. "It was the suit," she said, with a shudder. "Oh, how it all came back to me!""I could wish," I observed, taking my hat, "that it would all come back to me.""I wonder if you mean that!"
"As much as I ever did," said I earnestly.
"And that is--?
"Quite enough."
"How tiresome you are!" she said, turning away with a smile.
Outside I met Archie in another suit.
"A quick change, eh, my boy?" said he.
"It took just a week," I remarked absently.
Archie stared.
