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insolence in likening himself to a member of the club； so afraid was I
of the sleepers waking and detecting me in talk with a waiter。
〃For the love of God；〃 William cried； with coarse emotion； 〃don't let
them dismiss me！〃
〃Speak lower！〃 I said。 〃Who sent you here？〃
〃I was turned out of the dining…room at once； and told to attend to
the library until they had decided what to do with me。 Oh； sir； I'll
lose my place！〃
He was blubbering； as if a change of waiters； was a matter of
importance。
〃This is very bad； William；〃 I said。 〃I fear I can do nothing for
you。〃
〃Have mercy on a distracted man！〃 he entreated。 〃I'll go on my knees
to Mr。 Myddleton Finch。〃
How could I but despise a fellow who would be thus abject for a pound
a week？
〃I dare not tell her；〃 he continued； 〃that I have lost my place。 She
would just fall back and die。〃
〃I forbade your speaking of your wife；〃 I said； sharply； 〃unless you
can speak pleasantly of her。〃
〃But she may be worse now； sir； and I cannot even see Jenny from here。
The library windows look to the back。〃
〃If she dies；〃 I said； 〃it will be a warning to you to marry a
stronger woman next time。〃
Now every one knows that there is little real affection among the
lower orders。 As soon as they have lost one mate they take another。
Yet William； forgetting our relative positions； drew himself up and
raised his fist； and if I had not stepped back I swear he would have
struck me。
The highly improper words William used I will omit； out of
consideration for him。 Even while he was apologising for them I
retired to the smoking…room； where I found the cigarettes so badly
rolled that they would not keep alight。 After a little I remembered
that I wanted to see Myddleton Finch about an improved saddle of which
a friend of his has the patent。 He was in the newsroom； and； having
questioned him about the saddle； I said：
〃By the way； what is this story about your swearing at one of the
waiters？〃
〃You mean about his swearing at me；〃 Myddleton Finch replied；
reddening。
〃I am glad that was it；〃 I said； 〃for I could not believe you guilty
of such bad form。〃
〃If I did swear〃 he was beginning； but I went on：
〃The version which has reached me was that you swore at him； and he
repeated the word。 I heard he was to be dismissed and you
reprimanded。〃
〃Who told you that？〃 asked Myddleton Finch； who is a timid man。
〃I forget； it is club talk；〃 I replied； lightly。 〃But of course the
committee will take your word。 The waiter； whichever one he is； richly
deserves his dismissal for insulting you without provocation。〃
Then our talk returned to the saddle； but Myddleton Finch was
abstracted； and presently he said：
〃Do you know； I fancy I was wrong in thinking that the waiter swore at
me； and I'll withdraw my charge to…morrow。〃
Myddleton Finch then left me； and； sitting alone； I realised that I
had been doing William a service。 To some slight extent I may have
intentionally helped him to retain his place in the club； and I now
see the reason； which was that he alone knows precisely to what extent
I like my claret heated。
For a mere second I remembered William's remark that he should not be
able to see the girl Jenny from the library windows。 Then this
recollection drove from my head that I had only dined in the sense
that my dinner…bill was paid。 Returning to the dining…room； I happened
to take my chair at the window； and while I was eating a deviled
kidney I saw in the street the girl whose nods had such an absurd
effect on William。
The children of the poor are as thoughtless as their parents； and this
Jenny did not sign to the windows in the hope that William might see
her； though she could not see him。 Her face； which was disgracefully
dirty； bore doubt and dismay on it； but whether she brought good news
it would not tell。 Somehow I had expected her to signal when she saw
me； and； though her message could not interest me； I was in the mood
in which one is irritated at that not taking place which he is
awaiting。 Ultimately she seemed to be making up her mind to go away。
A boy was passing with the evening papers； and I hurried out to get
one； rather thoughtlessly； for we have all the papers in the club。
Unfortunately； I misunderstood the direction the boy had taken； but
round the first corner （out of sight of the club windows） I saw the
girl Jenny； and so asked her how William's wife was。
〃Did he send you to me？〃 she replied； impertinently taking me for a
waiter。 〃My！〃 she added； after a second scrutiny； 〃I b'lieve you're
one of them。 His missis is a bit better； and I was to tell him as she
took all the tapiocar。〃
〃How could you tell him？〃 I asked。
〃I was to do like this；〃 she replied； and went through the supping of
something out of a plate in dumb…show。
〃That would not show she ate all the tapioca；〃 I said。
〃But I was to end like this；〃 she answered； licking an imaginary plate
with her tongue。
I gave her a shilling （to get rid of her）； and returned to the club
disgusted。
Later in the evening I had to go to the club library for a book； and
while William was looking in vain for it （I had forgotten the title） I
said to him：
〃By the way； William； Mr。 Myddleton Finch is to tell the committee
that he was mistaken in the charge he brought against you； so you will
doubtless be restored to the dining…room to…morrow。〃
The two members were still in their chairs； probably sleeping lightly；
yet he had the effrontery to thank me。
〃Don't thank me；〃 I said； blushing at the imputation。 〃Remember your
place； William！〃
〃But Mr。 Myddleton Finch knew I swore；〃 he insisted。
〃A gentleman；〃 I replied； stiffly； 〃cannot remember for twenty…four
hours what a waiter has said to him。〃
〃No； sir； but〃
To stop him I had to say： 〃And； ah； William； your wife is a little
better。 She has eaten the tapiocaall of it。〃
〃How can your know； sir？〃
〃By an accident。〃
〃Jenny signed to the window？〃
〃No。〃
〃Then you saw her； and went out； and〃
〃Nonsense！〃
〃Oh； sir； to do that for me！ May God bl〃
〃William！〃
〃Forgive me； sir； butwhen I tell my missis； she will say it was
thought of your own wife as made you do it。〃
He wrung my hand。 I dared not withdraw it； lest we should waken the
sleepers。
William returned to the dining…room； and I had to show him that if he
did not cease looking gratefully at me I must change my waiter。 I also
ordered him to stop telling me nightly how his wife was； but I
continued to know； as I could not help seeing the girl Jenny from the
window。 Twice in a week I learned from this objectionable child that
the ailing woman had again eaten all the tapioca。 Then I became
suspicious of William。 I will tell why。
It began with a remark of Captain Upjohn's。 We had been speaking of
the inconvenience of not being able to get a hot dish served after 1
A。M。； and he said：
〃It is because these lazy waiters would strike。 If the beggars had a
love of their work they would not rush away from the club the moment
one o'clock strikes。 That glum fellow who often waits on you takes to
his heels the moment he is clear of the club steps。 He ran into me the
other night at the top of the street； and was off without
apologising。〃
〃You mean the foot of the street； Upjohn；〃 I said； for such is the way
to Drury Lane。
〃No； I mean the top。 The man was running west。〃
〃East。〃
〃West。〃
I smiled； which so annoyed him that he bet me two to one in
sovereigns。 The bet could have been decided most quickly by asking
William a question； but I thought； foolishly doubtless； that it might
hurt his feelings； so I watched him leave the club。 The possibility of
Upjohn's winning the bet had seemed remote to me。 Conceive my
surprise； therefore when William went westward。
Amazed； I pursued him along two streets without realising that I was
doing so。 Then curiosity put me into a hansom。 We followed William；
and it proved to be a three…shilling fare； for； running when he was in
breath and walking when he was out of it； he took me to West
Kensington。
I discharged my cab； and from across the street watched William's
incomprehensible behaviour。 He had stopped at a dingy row of workmen's
houses； and knocked at the darkened window of one of them。 Presently a
light showed。 So far as I could see； some one pulled up the blind and
for ten minutes talked to William。 I was uncertain whether they
talked； for the window was not opened； and I felt that； had William
spoken through the glass loud enough to be heard inside； I must have
heard him too。 Yet he nodded and beckoned。 I was still bewildered
when； by setting off the way he had come； he gave me the opportunity
of going home。
Knowing from the talk of the club