Page:Walpole - Fortitude.djvu/148

 features were her piercing black eyes and with these she stared at Peter.

“Zis is Mrs. Dantzig,” said Mr. Zanti, “an old friend—Mr. Peter Westcott, Mrs. Dantzig. 'E will work wiz us.”

The woman said nothing but nodded her head and continued her work. They passed out of the room. Stairs ran both up and down.

“What is down there?” asked Peter.

“Ah, zat is ze kitchen,” said Mr. Zanti, laughing. Upstairs there was a clean and neat bedroom with a large bed in it, an old sofa and two chairs.

“Zis is where I sleep,” said Mr. Zanti. “For a night or two until you 'ave discovered a lodging you shall sleep on zat sofa. Zay will make it whilst we 'ave supper.”

It was now late and Peter was very very tired. Downstairs there was much bread and butter and bacon and eggs, and beer. The woman waited upon them but they were all very silent and Peter was too sleepy to be hungry.

The table was cleared and Mr. Zanti sat smoking his pipe and talking to the woman. Peter sat there, nodding, and he thought that their conversation was in a foreign tongue and he thought that they looked at him and that the woman was angry about something—but the sleep always gained upon him—he could not keep it away.

At last a hand was upon his shoulder and he was led up to bed.

He tumbled out of his clothes and his last impression was of Mr. Zanti standing in front of him, looking vast and very solemn in a blue cotton night-shirt.

“Peter,” Mr. Zanti seemed to be saying, “you see in me, one, two, a hundred men All my life I seek adventure—fun—and I find it—but there 'as not been room for ze affections. Then I find you—I love you as my son and I say ‘Come to my bookshop’—But only ze bookshop mind you—you are there for ze books and because I care for you—I care for you ver' much, Peter, and zere 'as not been room in my life for ze affections but I will be a ver' good friend to you—and you shall only be in ze shop—with ze books—I will be a good friend—”

Then it seemed that Mr. Zanti kissed Peter on both