Mr. Nugent leaned back in his chair and regarded him with an air of kindly interest. "Well, there"s no need for you to worry about my father for that," he said; "he would raise no objection."
"Eh?" said Hardy, starting up from his chair.
"He would welcome it," said Mr. Nugent, positively. "There is nothing that he would like better; and I don"t mind telling you a secret--she likes you."
Hardy reddened. "How do you know?" he stammered.
"I know it for a fact," said the other, impressively. "I have heard her say so. But you"ve been very plain-spoken about me, Jem, so that I shall say what I think."
"Do," said his bewildered friend.
"I think you"d be throwing yourself away," said Nugent; "to my mind it"s a most unsuitable match in every way. She"s got no money, no looks, no style. Nothing but a good kind heart rather the worse for wear. I suppose you know she"s been married once?"
"What!" shouted the other. "Married?"
Mr. Nugent nodded. His face was perfectly grave, but the joke was beginning to prey upon his vitals in a manner which brooked no delay.
"I thought everybody knew it," he said. "We have never disguised the fact. Her husband died twenty years ago last----"
"Twenty" said his suddenly enlightened listener. "Who?--What?"
Mr. Nugent, incapable of reply, put his head on the table and beat the air frantically with his hand, while gasping sobs rent his tortured frame.
"Dear--aunt," he choked, "how pleas--pleased she"d be if--she knew. Don"t look like that, Hardy. You"ll kill me."
"You seem amused," said Hardy, between his teeth.
"And you"ll be Kate"s uncle," said Mr. Nugent, sitting up and wiping his eyes. "Poor little Kate."
He put his head on the table again. "And mine," he wailed. "Uncle jemmy!--will you tip us half-crowns, nunky?"
Mr. Hardy"s expression of lofty scorn only served to r.e.t.a.r.d his recovery, but he sat up at last and, giving his eyes a final wipe, beamed kindly upon his victim.
"Well, I"ll do what I can for you," he observed, "but I suppose you know Kate"s off for a three months" visit to London to-morrow?"
The other observed that he didn"t know it, and, taught by his recent experience, eyed him suspiciously.
"It"s quite true," said Nugent; "she"s going to stay with some relatives of ours. She used to be very fond of one of the boys--her cousin Herbert--so you mustn"t be surprised if she comes back engaged. But I daresay you"ll have forgotten all about her in three months. And, anyway, I don"t suppose she"d look at you if you were the last man in the world. If you"ll walk part of the way home with me I"ll regale you with anecdotes of her chilhood which will probably cause you to change your views altogether."
In Fullalove Alley Mr. Edward Silk, his forebodings fulfilled, received the news of Amelia Kybird"s faithlessness in a spirit of" quiet despair, and turned a deaf ear to the voluble sympathy of his neighbours. Similar things had happened to young men living there before, but their behaviour had been widely different to Mr. Silk"s. Bob Crump, for instance, had been jilted on the very morning he had arranged for his wedding, but instead of going about in a state of gentle melancholy he went round and fought his beloved"s father--merely because it was her father--and wound up an exciting day by selling off his household goods to the highest bidders. Henry Jones in similar circ.u.mstances relieved his great grief by walking up and down the alley smashing every window within reach of his stick.
But these were men of spirit; Mr. Silk was cast in a different mould, and his fair neighbours sympathized heartily with him in his bereavement, while utterly failing to understand any man breaking his heart over Amelia Kybird.
His mother, a widow of uncertain age, shook her head over him and hinted darkly at consumption, an idea which was very pleasing to her son, and gave him an increased interest in a slight cold from which he was suffering.
"He wants taking out of "imself," said Mr. Wilks, who had stepped across the alley to discuss the subject with his neighbour; "cheerful society and "obbies--that"s what "e wants."
"He"s got a faithful "eart," sighed Mrs. Silk. "It"s in the family; "e can"t "elp it."
"But "e might be lifted out of it," urged Mr. Wilks. "I "ad several disappointments in my young days. One time I "ad a fresh gal every v"y"ge a"most."
Mrs. Silk sniffed and looked up the alley, whereat two neighbours who happened to be at their doors glanced up and down casually, and retreated inside to continue their vigil from the windows.
"Silk courted me for fifteen years before I would say "yes,"" she said, severely.
"Fifteen years!" responded the other. He cast his eyes upwards and his lips twitched. The most casual observer could have seen that he was engaged in calculations of an abstruse and elusive nature.
"I was on"y seven when "e started," said Mrs. Silk, sharply.
Mr. Wilks brought his eyes to a level again. "Oh, seven," he remarked.
"And we was married two days before my nineteenth birthday," added Mrs. Silk, whose own arithmetic had always been her weak point.
"Just so," said Mr. Wilks. He glanced at the sharp white face and shapeless figure before him. "It"s hard to believe you can "ave a son Teddy"s age," he added, gallantly.
"It makes you feel as if you"re getting on," said the widow.
The ex-steward agreed, and after standing a minute or two in silence made a preliminary motion of withdrawal.
"Beautiful your plants are looking," said Mrs. Silk, glancing over at his window; "I can"t think what you do to "em."
The gratified Mr. Wilks began to explain. It appeared that plants wanted almost as much looking after as daughters.
"I should like to see "em close," said Mrs. Silk. "Come in and "ave a look at "em," responded her neighbour.
Mrs. Silk hesitated and displayed a maidenly coyness far in excess of the needs of the situation. Then she stepped across, and five seconds later the two matrons, with consternation writ large upon their faces, appeared at their doors again and, exchanging glances across the alley, met in the centre.
They were more surprised an evening or two later to see Mr. Wilks leave his house to pay a return visit, bearing in his hand a small bunch of his cherished blooms. That they were blooms which would have paid the debt of Nature in a few hours at most in no way detracted from the widow"s expressions of pleasure at receiving them, and Mr. Wilks, who had been invited over to cheer up Mr. Silk, who was in a particularly black mood, sat and smiled like a detected philanthropist as she placed them in water.
"Good evenin", Teddy," he said, breezily, with a side-glance at his hostess. "What a lovely day we"ve "ad."
"So bright," said Mrs. Silk, nodding with spirit.
Mr. Wilks sat down and gave vent to such a cheerful laugh that the ornaments on the mantelpiece shook with it. "It"s good to be alive," he declared.
"Ah, you enjoy your life, Mr. Wilks," said the widow.
"Enjoy it!" roared Mr. Wilks; "enjoy it! Why shouldn"t I? Why shouldn"t everybody enjoy their lives? It was what they was given to us for."
"So they was," affirmed Mrs. Silk; "n.o.body can deny that; not if they try."
"n.o.body wants to deny it, ma"am," retorted Mr. Wilks, in the high voice he kept for cheering-up purposes. "I enjoy every day o" my life."
He filled his pipe, chuckling serenely, and having lit it sat and enjoyed that. Mrs. Silk retired for a s.p.a.ce, and returning with a jug of ale poured him out a gla.s.s and set it by his elbow.
"Here"s your good "ealth, ma"am," said Mr. Wilks, raising it. "Here"s yours, Teddy--a long life and a "appy one."
Mr. Silk turned listlessly. "I don"t want a long life," he remarked.