Page:Gissing - The Nether World, vol. I, 1889.djvu/169

 asleep, I'm glad to say, so you can't see him. Sam'll be back in a few minutes; at least I expect him, but there's no knowin' now-a-days when he can leave the warehouse. What's brought you to-night, I wonder? You needn't tell me anything about the Upper Street business; I know all about that!"

"Oh, do you? From Clara herself?"

"Yes. Don't talk to me about her! There! I'm sick an' tired of her,—an so are you, I should think, if you've any sense left. Her an' me can't get along, an' that's the truth. Why, when I met her on Sunday afternoon, she was that patronisin' you'd have thought she'd got a place in Windsor Castle. Would she come an' have a cup of tea? Oh, dear no! Hadn't time! The Princess of Wales, I suppose, was waitin round the corner!"

Having so relieved her mind, Mrs. Byass laughed with a genuine gaiety which proved how little malice there was in her satire. Sidney could not refuse a smile, but it was a gloomy one.