s.Andweshouldbeveryprim,andtalkabouttheweather,andgoinagrowlerforpropriety'ssake.Iknowthatsortofevening.Andafterthemaidenauntshadseenmesafetyhome,Ishouldsimplyhowlfromboredom.Mydearboy,I'mrespectableenoughhere.WhenI'monmyown,Iwanttogoontheloose.Now,I'lltellyouwhatIwanttodoifeverweareintowntogether.Willyoupromisetodoit?"
"IfIpossiblycan."
"Allright!Well,youshallfetchmeinthefastesthansomyoucanfind,andremembertotellthedrivertogoasquickaseverhedare.We'lldinealone,please,atthemostexpensiverestaurantinLondon!You'llengageatableinthemiddleoftheroom,andyoumustseethatthepeopleallroundusareverysmartandveryshady.Italwaysmakesmefeelsovirtuoustolookatdisreputablewomen!DoIshockyou?"
"Notmorethanusual."
"Howabsurdyouare!Thenwe'llgototheEmpire.Andafterthatwe'llgosomewhereelse,andhavesupperwherethepeoplearestillsmarterandstillshadierandthenwe'llgotoCoventGardenBall.Oh,youdon'tknowhowIlongtogoontherampagesometimes!Igetsotiredofpropriety."
"AndwhatwillP.W.saytoallthis?"
"Oh,I'llwriteandtellhimthatIspenttheeveningwithsomeofhispoorrelations,andgiveeightpagesofcorroborativeevidence."
JamesthoughtofPritchard-Wallace,gentlestandbest-humouredofmen.Hewasagreatbigfellow,withaheavymoustacheandkindeyesalwaysreadytostandbyanyoneindifficulties,alwaysreadywithcomfortorwithcheeryadvicewhoeverwantedhelpwenttohimasthoughitwerethemostnaturalthingintheworld.Anditwastouchingtoseethedog-likedevotiontohiswifehehadsuchconfidenceinherthathenevernoticedhernumerousflirtations.Pritchard-Wallacethoughthimselfratheradullstick,andhewantedhertoamuseherself.Sobrilliantacreaturecouldnotbeexpectedtofindsufficiententertainmentinaquietmanofeasy-goinghabits.
"Goyourownway,mygirl,"hesaid"Iknowyou'reallright.Andsolongasyoukeepaplaceformeinthebottomofyourheart,youcandowhateveryoulike."
"Ofcourse,Idon'tcaretwostrawsforanyonebutyou,sillyoldthing!"
Andshepulledhismoustacheandkissedhislipsandhewentoffonhisbusiness,hisheartswel