hisarm.Theyturnedoutthelightsandsetoffdownthestreet,holdingontheirwaythroughallthepeople,motorcars,omnibuses,carts,untiltheyreachedLeicesterSquare,fiveminutesbeforeJacobreachedit,forhiswaywasslightlylonger,andhehadbeenstoppedbyablockinHolbornwaitingtoseetheKingdriveby,sothatNickandFannywerealreadyleaningoverthebarrierinthepromenadeattheEmpirewhenJacobpushedthroughtheswingdoorsandtookhisplacebesidethem.
"Hullo,nevernoticedyou,"saidNick,fiveminuteslater.
"Bloodyrot,"saidJacob.
"MissElmer,"saidNick.
Jacobtookhispipeoutofhismouthveryawkwardly.
Veryawkwardhewas.Andwhentheysatuponaplushsofaandletthesmokegoupbetweenthemandthestage,andheardfaroffthehigh-pitchedvoicesandthejollyorchestrabreakinginopportunelyhewasstillawkward,onlyFannythought:"Whatabeautifulvoice!"Shethoughthowlittlehesaidyethowfirmitwas.Shethoughthowyoungmenaredignifiedandaloof,andhowunconscioustheyare,andhowquietlyonemightsitbesideJacobandlookathim.Andhowchildlikehewouldbe,comeintiredofanevening,shethought,andhowmajesticalittleoverbearingperhaps"ButIwouldn'tgiveway,"shethought.Hegotupandleantoverthebarrier.Thesmokehungabouthim.
Andforeverthebeautyofyoungmenseemstobesetinsmoke,howeverlustilytheychasefootballs,ordrivecricketballs,dance,run,orstridealongroads.Possiblytheyaresoontoloseit.Possiblytheylookintotheeyesoffarawayheroes,andtaketheirstationamongushalfcontemptuously,shethought(vibratinglikeafiddle-string,tobeplayedonandsnapped).Anyhow,theylovesilence,andspeakbeautifully,eachwordfallinglikeadiscnewcut,notahubble-bubbleofsmallsmoothcoinssuchasgirlsuseandtheymovedecidedly,asiftheyknewhowlongtostayandwhentogo—oh,butMr.Flanderswasonlygonetogetaprogramme.
"Thedancerscomerightattheend,"hesaid,comingbacktothem.
Andisn'titpleasant,Fannywentonthinking,howyoungmenbringoutlotsofsilvercoinsfromtheirtrouserpockets,andlookatthem,insteadofhavingjustsomanyinapurse?
Thenthereshewasherself,whirlingacrossthestageinwhiteflounces,andthemusicwasthedanceandflin