OF AN EXPEDITION BY NIGHT "Why, Mr. Geoffrey, what you settin' here in the dark for?" "Is it dark, Mrs. Trapes?" "My land! Can't you see as it's too dark t' see, and--oh, shucks, Mr. Geoffrey!" "Certainly, Mrs. Trapes! But can't you see that the whole world--my world, anyway--is full of a refulgent glory, a magic light where nothing mean or sordid can possibly be, a light that my eyes never saw till now nor hoped to see, a radiance that may never fail, I hope--a--er--" "Oh, go on, Mr. Geoffrey, go on. Only I guess I'll light the gas jest the same, if you don't mind!" Which Mrs. Trapes did forthwith. "But what was you a-doin' of all alone in the dark?" "Glorying in life, Mrs. Trapes, and praising the good God for health and strength to enjoy it and the fulness thereof--" "'Fulness thereof' meanin' jest what, Mr. Geoffrey?" "The most beautiful thing in a beautiful world, Mrs. Trapes." "An' that's Hermy, I s'pose. An' all that talk o' glory an' radiance an' magic light means as you've been an' spoke, I guess?" "It does." "An' what did she say?" "Nothing." "Nothin'?" "Not with her lips, but--" "Oh--her eyes, was it? Mr. Geoffrey, I'll tell you what--a girl may look 'yes' with her eyes a whole week an' say 'no' with her mouth jest once and mean 'no'--when it's to a peanut man--Lordy Lord! what's that?" And Mrs. Trapes jumped as a hand rapped softly on the door, and stared horrified to see a human head protrude itself into the room while a voice said: "Da Signorina she out, so me come tell-a you piece-a-da-noos--" "Why, if it ain't that blessed guinney! Go away--what d'ye want?" Hereupon Tony flashed his white teeth, and opening the door, bowed with his inimitable grace, grew solemn, tapped his nose, winked knowingly, and laid finger to lip. "My land!" said Mrs. Trapes, staring. "What's the matter with the Eyetalian iji't now?" "Spike--he go make-a-da-fight!" whispered Tony hoarsely. "Eh--Arthur fightin'--where?" "He go make-a-da-box--he drink-a-da-booze, den he walk-a--so! Den da Signorina she-a-cry--" "Oh!" exclaimed Mrs. Trapes, "you mean as that b'y's off boxin' again?" "Si, si--he go make-a-da-box-fight." "Is he over at O'Rourke's, Tony?" enquired Ravenslee, sitting upright. "I bet-a-my-life, yes--" "Oh, Mr. Geoffrey!" exclaimed Mrs. Trapes, clasping bony hands. "If they bring him home drunk like they did last time!" "They shan't do that, Mrs. Trapes. Don't worry, I'll go and fetch him," said Ravenslee, getting to his feet. "Fetch him? From O'Rourke's? Are ye crazy? You'd get half-killed like as not. Oh, they're a bad, ugly lot down there!" "I feel rather ugly myself," said Ravenslee, looking around for the shabby hat; "anyway, I'm going to see."