Page:The Princess Casamassima (London and New York, Macmillan & Co., 1886), Volume 2.djvu/76

 'On what errand of mercy, of secret tenderness?' the Captain went on, laughing.

'Secret yourself!' cried Millicent. 'Do you two always hunt in couples?'

'All right, we'll turn round and go with you as far as your friend's,' Hyacinth said.

'All right,' Millicent replied.

'All right,' the Captain added; and the three took their way together in the direction of Curzon Street. They walked for a few moments in silence, though the Captain whistled, and then Millicent suddenly turned to Hyacinth.

'You haven't told me where you were going, yet.'

'We met in that public-house,' the Captain said, 'and we were each so ashamed of being found in such a place by the other that we tumbled out together, without much thinking what we should do with ourselves.'

'When he's out with me he pretends he can't abide them houses,' Miss Henning declared. 'I wish I had looked in that one, to see who was there.'

'Well, she's rather nice,' the Captain went on. 'She told me her name was Georgiana.'

'I went to get a piece of money changed,' Hyacinth said, with a sense that there was a certain dishonesty in the air; glad that he, at least, could afford to speak the truth.

'To get your grandmother's nightcap changed! I recommend you to keep your money together—you've none too much of it!' Millicent exclaimed.

'Is that the reason you are playing me false?' Hyacinth flashed out. He had been thinking, with still intentness,