30 лучших рассказов британских писателей / 30 Best British Short Stories

Somehow I had expected her to signal when she saw me, and, though her message could not interest me, I was in the mood in which one is irritated at that not taking place which he is awaiting. Ultimately she seemed to be making up her mind to go away.

A boy was passing with the evening papers, and I hurried out to get one, rather thoughtlessly, for we have all the papers in the club. Unfortunately, I misunderstood the direction the boy had taken; but round the first corner (out of sight of the club windows) I saw the girl Jenny, and so asked her how William’s wife was.

�Did he send you to me?’ she replied, impertinently taking me for a waiter. �My!’ she added, after a second scrutiny, �I b’lieve you’re one of them. His missis is a bit better, and I was to tell him as she took all the tapiocar.’

�How could you tell him?’ I asked.

�I was to do like this,’ she replied, and went through the supping of something out of a plate in dumb-show.

�That would not show she ate all the tapioca,’ I said.

�But I was to end like this,’ she answered, licking an imaginary plate with her tongue.

I gave her a shilling (to get rid of her), and returned to the club disgusted.

Later in the evening I had to go to the club library for a book, and while William was looking in vain for it (I had forgotten the title) I said to him:

�By the way, William, Mr. Myddleton Finch is to tell the committee that he was mistaken in the charge he brought against you, so you will doubtless be restored to the dining-room to-morrow.

The two members were still in their chairs, probably sleeping lightly; yet he had the effrontery to thank me.

�Don’t thank me,’ I said, blushing at the imputation. �Remember your place, William!’

�But Mr. Myddleton Finch knew I swore,’ he insisted.

�A gentleman,’ I replied, stiffly, �cannot remember for twenty-four hours what a waiter has said to him.’

�No, sir; but–’

To stop him I had to say: �And, ah, William, your wife is a little better.

�How can you know, sir?’

�By an accident.’

�Jenny signed to the window?’

�No.’

�Then you saw her, and went out, and–’

�Nonsense!’

�Oh, sir, to do that for me! May God bl–’

�William!’

�Forgive me, sir; but – when I tell my missis, she will say it was thought of your own wife as made you do it.