William grew pale.
The cab contained his family.
Two hours later a small feminine friend of William"s who had called with a note for his mother, looked up to William"s window and caught sight of William"s untidy head.
"Come and play with me, William," she called eagerly.
"I can"t. I"m goin" to bed," said William sternly.
"Why? Are you ill, William?"
"No."
"Well, why are you going to bed, William?"
William leant out of the window.
"I"m goin" to bed," he said, ""cause my father don"t understand "bout English Grammar, that"s why!"
CHAPTER VII
WILLIAM JOINS THE BAND OF HOPE
"William! you"ve been playing that dreadful game again!" said Mrs. Brown despairingly.
William, his suit covered with dust, his tie under one ear, his face begrimed and his knees cut, looked at her in righteous indignation.
"I haven"t. I haven"t done anything what you said I"d not to. It was "Lions an" Tamers" what you said I"d not to play. Well, I"ve not played "Lions an" Tamers," not since you said I"d not to. I wouldn"t _do_ it--not if thousands of people asked me to, not when you said I"d not to. I----"
Mrs. Brown interrupted him.
"Well, what _have_ you been playing at?" she said wearily.
"It was "Tigers an" Tamers."" said William. "It"s a different game altogether. In "Lions an" Tamers" half of you is lions an" the other half tamers, an" the tamers try to tame the lions an" the lions try not to be tamed. That"s "Lions an" Tamers". It"s all there is to it. It"s quite a little game."
"What do you do in "Tigers and Tamers"?" said Mrs. Brown suspiciously.
"Well----"
William considered deeply.
"Well," he repeated lamely, "in "_Tigers_ an" Tamers" half of you is _tigers_--you see--and the other half----"
"It"s exactly the same thing, William," said Mrs. Brown with sudden spirit.
"I don"t see how you can call it the same thing," said William doggedly.
"You can"t call a _lion_ a _tiger_, can you? It jus" isn"t one. They"re in quite different cages in the Zoo. "_Tigers_ an" Tamers" can"t be "zactly the same as "_Lions_ an" Tamers.""
"Well, then," said Mrs. Brown firmly, "you"re never to play "Tigers and Tamers" either. And now go and wash your face."
William"s righteous indignation increased.
"My _face_?" he repeated as if he could hardly believe his ears. "My _face_? I"ve washed it twice to-day. I washed it when I got up an" I washed it for dinner. You told me to."
"Well, just go and look at it."
William walked over to the looking-gla.s.s and surveyed his reflection with interest. Then he pa.s.sed his hands lightly over the discoloured surface of his face, stroked his hair back and straightened his tie.
This done, he turned hopefully to his mother.
"It"s no good," she said. "You must wash your face and brush your hair and you"d better change your suit--and stockings. They"re simply covered with dust!"
William turned slowly to go from the room.
"I shouldn"t think," he said bitterly, as he went, "I shouldn"t think there"s many houses where so much washin" and brushin" goes on as in this, an" I"m glad for their sakes."
She heard him coming downstairs ten minutes later.
"William!" she called.
He entered. He was transformed. His face and hair shone, he had changed his suit. His air of righteous indignation had not diminished.
"That"s better," said his mother approvingly. "Now, William, do just sit down here till tea-time. There"s only about ten minutes, and it"s no good your going out. You"ll only get yourself into a mess again if you don"t sit still."
William glanced round the drawing-room with the air of one goaded beyond bearing.
"Here?"
"Well, dear--just till tea-time."
"What can I do in here? There"s nothing to _do_, is there? I can"t sit still and not _do_ anything, can I?"
"Oh, read a book. There are ever so many books over there you haven"t read, and I"m sure you"d like some of them. Try one of Scott"s," she ended rather doubtfully.
William walked across the room with an expression of intense suffering, took out a book at random, and sat down in an att.i.tude of aloof dignity, holding the book upside down.
It was thus that Mrs. de Vere Carter found him when she was announced a moment later.
Mrs. de Vere Carter was a recent addition to the neighbourhood. Before her marriage she had been one of _the_ Randalls of Hertfordshire.
Everyone on whom Mrs. de Vere Carter smiled felt intensely flattered.
She was tall, and handsome, and gushing, and exquisitely dressed. Her arrival had caused quite a sensation. Everyone agreed that she was "charming."
[Ill.u.s.tration: MRS. DE VERE CARTER PRESSED WILLIAM"S HEAD TO HER BOSOM.]