"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 making 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.
