Deep Waters, the Entire Collection. William Wymark Jacobs

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СКАЧАТЬ about accosting the pretty, well-dressed girl who had stepped from the train and gazed around with dove-like eyes in search of him. Now he was comfortably conscious of the admiring gaze of his younger fellow-townsmen.

      “You’ll find it a bit dull after London, I expect,” he remarked, as he inserted his key in the door of a small house in a quiet street.

      “I’m tired of London,” said Miss Garland. “I think this is a beautiful little old town—so peaceful.”

      Mr. Mott looked gratified.

      “I hope you’ll stay a long time,” he said, as he led the way into the small front room. “I’m a lonely old man.”

      His niece sank into an easy chair, and looked about her.

      “Thank you,” she said, slowly. “I hope I shall. I feel better already. There is so much to upset one in London.”

      “Noise?” queried Mr. Mott.

      “And other things,” said Miss Garland, with a slight shudder.

      Mr. Mott sighed in sympathy with the unknown, and, judging by his niece’s expression, the unknowable. He rearranged the teacups, and, going to the kitchen, returned in a few minutes with a pot of tea.

      “Mrs. Pett leaves at three,” he said, in explanation, “to look after her children, but she comes back again at eight to look after my supper. And how is your mother?”

      Miss Garland told him.

      “Last letter I had from her,” said Mr. Mott, stealing a glance at the girl’s ring-finger, “I understood you were engaged.”

      His niece drew herself up.

      “Certainly not,” she said, with considerable vigour. “I have seen too much of married life. I prefer my freedom. Besides, I don’t like men.”

      Mr. Mott said modestly that he didn’t wonder at it, and, finding the subject uncongenial, turned the conversation on to worthier subjects. Miss Garland’s taste, it seemed, lay in the direction of hospital nursing, or some other occupation beneficial to mankind at large. Simple and demure, she filled the simpler Mr. Mott with a strong sense of the shortcomings of his unworthy sex.

      Within two days, under the darkling glance of Mrs. Pett, she had altered the arrangements of the house. Flowers appeared on the meal-table, knives and forks were properly cleaned, and plates no longer appeared ornamented with the mustard of a previous meal. Fresh air circulated through the house, and, passing from Mrs. Pett’s left knee to the lumbar region of Mr. Mott, went on its beneficent way rejoicing.

      On the fifth day of her visit, Mr. Mott sat alone in the front parlour. The window was closed, the door was closed, and Mr. Mott, sitting in an easy chair with his feet up, was aroused from a sound nap by the door opening to admit a young man, who, deserted by Mrs. Pett, stood bowing awkwardly in the doorway.

      “Is Miss Garland in?” he stammered.

      Mr. Mott rubbed the remnants of sleep from his eyelids.

      “She has gone for a walk,” he said, slowly.

      The young man stood fingering his hat.

      “My name is Hurst,” he said, with slight emphasis. “Mr. Alfred Hurst.”

      Mr. Mott, still somewhat confused, murmured that he was glad to hear it.

      “I have come from London to see Florrie,” continued the intruder. “I suppose she won’t be long?”

      Mr. Mott thought not, and after a moment’s hesitation invited Mr. Hurst to take a chair.

      “I suppose she told you we are engaged?” said the latter.

      “Engaged!” said the startled Mr. Mott. “Why, she told me she didn’t like men.”

      “Playfulness,” replied Mr. Hurst, with an odd look. “Ah, here she is!”

      The handle of the front door turned, and a moment later the door of the room was opened and the charming head of Miss Garland appeared in the opening.

      “Back again,” she said, brightly. “I’ve just been–”

      She caught sight of Mr. Hurst, and the words died away on her lips. The door slammed, and the two gentlemen, exchanging glances, heard a hurried rush upstairs and the slamming of another door. Also a key was heard to turn sharply in a lock.

      “She doesn’t want to see you,” said Mr. Mott, staring.

      The young man turned pale.

      “Perhaps she has gone upstairs to take her things off,” he muttered, resuming his seat. “Don’t—don’t hurry her!”

      “I wasn’t going to,” said Mr. Mott.

      He twisted his beard uneasily, and at the end of ten minutes looked from the clock to Mr. Hurst and coughed.

      “If you wouldn’t mind letting her know I’m waiting,” said the young man, brokenly.

      Mr. Mott rose, and went slowly upstairs. More slowly still, after an interval of a few minutes, he came back again.

      “She doesn’t want to see you,” he said, slowly.

      Mr. Hurst gasped.

      “I—I must see her,” he faltered.

      “She won’t see you,” repeated Mr. Mott. “And she told me to say she was surprised at you following her down here.”

      Mr. Hurst uttered a faint moan, and with bent head passed into the little passage and out into the street, leaving Mr. Mott to return to the sitting-room and listen to such explanations as Miss Garland deemed advisable. Great goodness of heart in the face of persistent and unwelcome attentions appeared to be responsible for the late engagement.

      “Well, it’s over now,” said her uncle, kindly, “and no doubt he’ll soon find somebody else. There are plenty of girls would jump at him, I expect.”

      Miss Garland shook her head.

      “He said he couldn’t live without me,” she remarked, soberly.

      Mr. Mott laughed.

      “In less than three months I expect he’ll be congratulating himself,” he said, cheerfully. “Why, I was nearly cau—married, four times. It’s a silly age.”

      His niece said “Indeed!” and, informing him in somewhat hostile tones that she was suffering from a severe headache, retired to her room.

      Mr. Mott spent the evening by himself, and retiring to bed at ten-thirty was awakened by a persistent knocking at the front door at half-past one. Half awakened, he lit a candle, and, stumbling downstairs, drew back the bolt of the door, and stood gaping angrily at the pathetic features of Mr. Hurst.

      “Sorry to disturb you,” said the young man, “but would you mind giving this letter to Miss Garland?”

      “Sorry to disturb me!” stuttered Mr. Mott. “What do you mean by it? Eh? What do you mean by it?”

      “It СКАЧАТЬ