‘I don’t mind being thought rude,’ replied Nancy, with a movement of the head, ‘if it teaches people that I consider myself as good as they are.’ ‘Well, will you come to-morrow?’ ‘Ye-es; if you’ll go somewhere else with me in the evening.’ ‘Where to?’ ‘To walk about the streets after dark, and see the crowds and the illuminations.’ Nancy uttered this with a sly mirthfulness. Her friend was astonished. ‘Nonsense! you don’t mean it.’ ‘I do. I want to go for the fun of the thing. I should feel ashamed of myself if I ran to stare at Royalties, but it’s a different thing at night. It’ll be wonderful, all the traffic stopped, and the streets crammed with people, and blazing with lights. Won’t you go?’ ‘But the time, the time! I can’t afford it. I’m getting on so wretchedly with my Greek and my chemistry.’ ‘You’ve time enough,’ said Nancy. ‘And, you know, after all it’s a historical event. In the year 3000 it will be ‘set’ in an examination paper, and poor wretches will get plucked because they don’t know the date.’ This was quite a new aspect of the matter to Jessica Morgan. She pondered it, and smiled. ‘Yes, I suppose it will. But we should have to be out so late.’ ‘Why not, for once? It needn’t be later than half-past eleven.’ Nancy broke off and gesticulated. ‘That’s just why I want to go! I should like to walk about all night, as lots of people will. The public-houses are going to be kept open till two o’clock.’ ‘Do you want to go into public-houses?’ asked Jessica, laughing. ‘Why not? I should like to. It’s horrible to be tied up as we are; we’re not children. Why can’t we go about as men do?’ ‘Won’t your father make any objection?’ asked Jessica. ‘We shall take Horace with us. Your people wouldn’t interfere, would they?’ ‘I think not. Father is away in Yorkshire, and will be till the end of the week. Poor mother has her rheumatism. The house is so dreadfully damp. We ought never to have taken it. The difference of rent will all go in doctors’ bills.--I don’t think mother would mind; but I must be back before twelve, of course.’ ‘I don’t see the “of course,”’ Nancy returned impatiently, ‘but we could manage that. I’ll speak to the Pasha to-night, and either come, or let you have a note, to-morrow morning. If there’s any objection, I’m not sure that I shan’t make it the opportunity for setting up my standard of revolt. But I don’t like to do that whilst the Pasha is out of sorts--it might make him worse.’ ‘You could reason with him quietly.’ ‘Reason with the Pasha--How innocent you are, Jess! How unworldly! It always refreshes me to hear you talk.’ CHAPTER 4