Page:Adams - A Child of the Age.djvu/150

138 did then? No. Lampless yet. Who lives here? God knows? And yet, foolish though it be, will not the thought occur again: Is it nothing to you, all ye who pass by, my weariness and my woe. Here I put my hand on the nearer cemented gate-post, brown and cracked like the low wall, and think of the figure that leant against it in that dreary rain of half-darkness when my body seemed all bloodless, and the girl hurried by me with her huddled-up dress and umbrella spread over her. I see her now—her quick glance, and that hurry by: the devil that rose in me' The door above opened and an old lady came out and, looking at me through the spectacles on her elevated nose, asked:

'Do you want anything, young man?'

I took off my hat and held it off.

'Nothing,' I said, 'madam, I thank you. I hope my stopping a moment to examine your gate-post has not troubled you? I see that the cement is cracked and peeling off. Now I am the patentee of a cement which is warranted' 'No,' she said sharply, looking at me over the spectacles of her depressed nose, 'I don't want any of your cement, young man. Good-day!'

And was in and viewing me suspiciously through the glass panel of the closed door. If I had not been afraid of disturbing her feelings, I should have given a shout. As it was, I repressed the shout, and marched off quickly, laughing to myself.

It was a little past seven when I reached the canal bridge at the bottom of Maida Vale. I stayed a little there, looking at the flowers, finally buying a rose, and carrying it off with me. This I took to No. 3, and inquired of Mrs. Smith if Miss Howlet was in? She wasn't: as I expected. I left the rose, and went for a prowl about the streets.

All at once I found myself looking at the Marble Arch clock, by which it was five minutes past eight. Away I went up the Edgware Road, and was marching along at full speed, a little past Praed Street on the right side, when, passing before a gas-flaming fruiterer's, my eye took in a girl's form, and by the time I had