Part 28 (1/2)

They stood side by side--looking down upon the harbour. Behind, the evening band played remotely and the black little promenaders went to and fro under the tall electric lights. I think Chatteris decided to be very self-possessed at first--a man of the world.

”It's a gorgeous night,” he said.

”Glorious,” said Melville, playing up to the key set.

He clicked his cutter on a cigar. ”There was something you wanted me to tell you----”

”I know all that,” said Chatteris with the shoulder towards Melville becoming obtrusive. ”I know everything.”

”You have seen and talked to her?”

”Several times.”

There was perhaps a minute's pause.

”What are you going to do?” asked Melville.

Chatteris made no answer and Melville did not repeat his question.

Presently Chatteris turned about. ”Let's walk,” he said, and they paced westward, side by side.

He made a little speech. ”I'm sorry to give everybody all this trouble,”

he said with an air of having prepared his sentences; ”I suppose there is no question that I have behaved like an a.s.s. I am profoundly sorry.

Largely it is my own fault. But you know--so far as the overt kick-up goes--there is a certain amount of blame attaches to our outspoken friend Mrs. Bunting.”

”I'm afraid there is,” Melville admitted.

”You know there are times when one is under the necessity of having moods. It doesn't help them to drag them into general discussion.”

”The mischief's done.”

”You know Adeline seems to have objected to the presence of--this sea lady at a very early stage. Mrs. Bunting overruled her. Afterwards when there was trouble she seems to have tried to make up for it.”

”I didn't know Miss Glendower had objected.”

”She did. She seems to have seen--ahead.”

Chatteris reflected. ”Of course all that doesn't excuse me in the least.

But it's a sort of excuse for _your_ being dragged into this bother.”

He said something less distinctly about a ”stupid bother” and ”private affairs.”

They found themselves drawing near the band and already on the outskirts of its territory of votaries. Its cheerful rhythms became insistent. The canopy of the stand was a focus of bright light, music-stands and instruments sent out beams of reflected brilliance, and a luminous red conductor in the midst of the lantern guided the ratatoo-tat, ratatoo-tat of a popular air. Voices, detached fragments of conversation, came to our talkers and mingled impertinently with their thoughts.

”I wouldn't 'ave no truck with 'im, not after that,” said a young person to her friend.

”Let's get out of this,” said Chatteris abruptly.

They turned aside from the high path of the Leas to the head of some steps that led down the declivity. In a few moments it was as if those imposing fronts of stucco, those many-windowed hotels, the electric lights on the tall masts, the band-stand and miscellaneous holiday British public, had never existed. It is one of Folkestone's best effects, that black quietness under the very feet of a crowd. They no longer heard the band even, only a remote suggestion of music filtered to them over the brow. The black-treed slopes fell from them to the surf below, and out at sea were the lights of many s.h.i.+ps. Away to the westward like a swarm of fire-flies hung the lights of Hythe. The two men sat down on a vacant seat in the dimness. For a time neither spoke.