'Here you are! all right--come along quick!' says Howel, taking them to
a cab, and putting them in.
'Half Moon Street, Piccadilly,' and off they go, as fast as the poor
cab-horse can take them.
'Now, what do you think of it, Netta?' asks Howel, as they drive through
the magnificent streets and squares of the West End of London, where
every house looks a palace.
Netta was so bewildered that she could not answer; but Mrs Jenkins
talked for both.
'Look you! well to be seure! that's grander than I ever see. There's a
church! Trees too! Who'd be thinking of trees in London? Well, name o'
goodness, where are all they people going? That church 'ont hold 'em
all! There's beauty! Is that St Paul's, Howel, bach! or the Monument? My
Griffey was talking of them! There's houses! Seure that's Prince
Albert's coach! There again! Where was all those carriages going? Ach a
fi! that man was just driving into our horse. Howel, name o' goodness
tell the coachman to tak' care. He'll be upsetting us. Yes, indeet,
Netta, there's shops! One after another. Did you be buying Netta's
wedding clothes there, Howel! Is that a play-house? No! not a
gentleman's house? I 'ould like to see a play for wanst, if nobody 'ould
tell our minister.'
'If you are not too tired, I'll take you to-night, mother,' here broke
in Howel. 'We may go, perhaps, after you have had some tea. What do you
say, Netta?'
'Anywhere you like, Howel,' said Netta, 'I am no more ready than if I
was just starting.'
'Pic what, Howel, was you calling this?' asked Jenkins.
'Piccadilly, mother. One of the best parts of London.'
'Deet, and I should think so. 'Tis like a 'lumination lights. There's no
night here. Daylight all the year round. Trees again, like Glanyravon
Park, and lights along by. There pretty--what a many carriages! Was they
all going to the play? Soldiers, too, I am thinking! And more o' them
gentlemen's servants in blue and white. Do all the servants in London be
wearing the same livery, Howel?'
'Those are the police, mother,' said Howel, laughing.
'The pleece! Well, I do be calling them handsome men. When will the
noise stop, Howel? I can't hear myself speak, much less you and Netta.
'Tis more noise than Hollantide fair! But maybe 'tis fairday here
to-day, only I wasn't seeing no cattle. There for you! that man 'll
upset us, seure he will.'
'Here we are, mother,' interrupted Howel, as the cab stopped in Half
Moon Street. 'Now, you must remember that the landlady is not to be in
all our secrets.'
'Seure, and this isn't half as grand as Pic--what's that long name,
Howel?'
'Will you walk upstairs, ma'am,' said a well-dressed woman who stood in
the passage of the house at which they stopped.
'Thank you, ma'am,' said Mrs Jenkins, making her very best curtsey to
the landlady.
'Is tea ready, Mrs Thompson?' asked Howel, hastening into the passage.
'Yes, sir!' replied Mrs Thompson, trying to catch a glimpse of Netta's
face.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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