Sparrows: The Story of an Unprotected GirlNewte, Horace W. C. (Horace Wykeham Can)
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Sparrows: The Story of an Unprotected Girl
Newte, Horace W. C. (Horace Wykeham Can)
London (England) -- Fiction
The man said nothing. The cab drove onward. Mavis, now that her
resentment against Windebank's prosperity had found relief in words,
was sorry that she had spoken as she had. After all, the man's
well-being was entirely his own affair; it was not remotely associated
with the decline in the fortunes of her family. She would like to say
or do something to atone for her bitter words.
"Poor little girl! Poor little girl!"
This was said by Windebank feelingly, pityingly; he seemed unconscious
that they had been overheard by Mavis. She was firmly, yes, quite
firmly, resolved to hate him, whatever he might do to efface her
animosity.
Meanwhile, the cab had fetched something of a compass, and had now
turned into Regent Street.
"Here we are: this'll do," suddenly cried Windebank.
"What for?"
"Grub. Hi, stop!"
Obedient to his summons, the cabman stopped. Mavis got out on the
pavement, where she stood irresolute.
"You'll come in?"
Mavis did not reply.
"We must have a talk. Please, please don't refuse me this."
"I shan't eat anything."
"If you don't, I shan't."
"I won't--I swear I won't accept the least favour from you."
She looked at him resentfully: she would go any lengths to conceal her
lessening dislike for him.
"You'd better wait," he called to the cabman, as he led the way to a
restaurant.
Two attendants, in gold-laced coats, opened double folding doors at the
approach of the man and the girl.
Mavis found herself in a large hall, elaborately decorated with red and
gold, upon the floor of which were many tables, that just now were
sparsely occupied.
Windebank looked from table to table, as if in search of something. His
eye, presently, rested on one, at which an elderly matron was supping
with a parson, presumably her husband.
"Good luck!" Windebank murmured, adding to the girl, "This way."
Mavis followed him up the hall to the table next the one where the
elderly couple were sitting.
"This is about our mark," he said.
"Why specially here?" she asked.
"Those elderly geesers are a sort of chaperone for unprotected
innocence; a parson and all that," he remarked.
She could hardly forbear smiling at his conception of protection.
A waiter assisted her with her cloak. When she took a seat opposite to
Windebank, he said:
"I like this place; there's no confounded music to interfere with what
one's got to say."
"I like music," Mavis remarked.
"Then let's go where they have it," he suggested, half rising.
"I want to go straight home, if you'll let me."
"Then we'll stay here. What are you going to eat?"
"Nothing."
"Rot! Here's the waiter chaps. Tell 'em what you want."
Two waiters approached the table, one with a list of food, the other
with like information concerning wines, which, at a nod from Windebank,
they put before Mavis.
She glanced over these; beyond noticing the high prices charged, she
gave no attention to the lists' contents.
"Well?" said Windebank.
"I'm not hungry and I'm not thirsty," remarked Mavis.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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