"By Jove, Proctor," he said, when the operation was over at last, and
the man was brushing his hair and spraying bay rum upon his face--"by
Jove, this is one of the best things I've ever struck! In the old days
one had to have a small bottle of Pol Roger about half-past eleven if
one had been sitting up late at cards the night before. Beastly bad for
the liver it was. But I never come out of this room without feeling
absolutely fit."
"Ah, sir," said Mr. Proctor, "it's astonishing what the treatment can
do, and it's astonishing what a lot of gentlemen come to me every day at
all hours. My appointment book is simply filled, sir, filled! And no
gentleman need be afraid now of doing exactly as he likes, till what
hour he likes, as long as he is prepared to come to me to put him right
in the morning."
After making an appointment for two days ahead, Mr. Charliewood passed
out into the ante-room once more. During the time while he had been
massaged another client had entered and was waiting there, lounging upon
a sofa and smoking a cigarette.
He was a tall, youngish looking man, of about the same height and build
as Mr. Charliewood, clean-shaved, and with dark red hair. He looked up
languidly as Proctor helped Charliewood into his fur coat. The first
arrival hardly noticed him, but bade the masseur a good-day, and went
out jauntily into Bond Street with a nod and a smile for the pretty girl
who sat behind the counter of the shop.
It was a different person who walked down Bond Street towards
Piccadilly--a Mr. Charliewood who looked younger in some indefinite way,
who walked with sprightliness, and over whose lips played a slight and
satisfied smile.
It was not far down Bond Street--now more bright and animated than
ever--to Mr. Charliewood's club in St. James's Street, a small but
well-known establishment which had the reputation of being more select
than it really was.
Swinging his neatly-rolled umbrella and humming a tune to himself under
his breath, he ran up the steps and entered. A waiter helped him off
with his overcoat, and he turned into the smoking-room to look at the
letters which the porter had handed him, and to get himself in a right
frame of mind for the important function of lunch.
In a minute or two, with a sherry and bitters by his side and a Parascho
cigarette between his lips he seemed the personification of correctness,
good-humour, and mild enjoyment.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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