Part 34 (1/2)
He absently dipped a piece of bread and b.u.t.ter in the Third's tea, and losing it chased it round and round the bottom of the cup with his finger, the Third regarding the operation with an interest and emotion which he was at first unable to understand.
”You'd better pour yourself out another cup,” he said thoughtfully as he caught the Third's eye.
”I'm going to,” said the other dryly.
”The man I bought it of,” said the Chief, giving the bird the sop, ”said that it was a perfectly respectable parrot and wouldn't know a bad word if it heard it. I hardly like to give it to my wife now.”
”It's no good being too particular,” said the Third, regarding the other with an ill-concealed grin, ”that's the worst of all you young married fellows. Seem to think your wife has got to be wrapped up in brown paper. Ten chances to one she'll be amused.”
The Chief shrugged his shoulders disdainfully. ”I bought the bird to be company for her,” he said slowly, ”she'll be very lonesome without me, Rogers.”
”How do you know?” inquired the other.
”She said so,” was the reply.
”When you've been married as long as I have,” said the Third, who having been married some fifteen years felt that their usual positions were somewhat reversed, ”you'll know that generally speaking they're glad to get rid of you.”
”What for?” demanded the Chief in a voice that Oth.e.l.lo might have envied.
”Well, you get in the way a bit,” said Rogers with secret enjoyment, ”you see you upset the arrangements. House-cleaning and all that sort of thing get interrupted. They're glad to see you back at first, and then glad to see the back of you.”
”There's wives and wives,” said the bridegroom tenderly.
”And mine's good one,” said the Third, ”registered A 1 at Lloyds', but she don't worry about me going away. Your Wife's thirty years younger than you, isn't she?”
”Twenty-five,” corrected the other shortly. ”You see what I'm afraid of is, that she'll get too much attention.”
”Well, women like that,” remarked the Third.
”But I don't, d.a.m.n it,” cried the Chief hotly. ”When I think of it I get hot all over. Boiling hot.”
”That won't last,” said the other rea.s.suringly, ”you won't care twopence this time next year.”
”We're not all alike,” growled the Chief, ”some of us have got finer feelings than others have. I saw the chap next door looking at her as we pa.s.sed him this morning.”
”Lor',” said the Third
”I don't want any of your d.a.m.ned impudence,” said the Chief sharply. ”He put his hat on straighter when he pa.s.sed us. What do you think of that?”
”Can't say,” replied the other with commendable gravity, ”it might mean anything.”
”If he has any of his nonsense while I'm away I'll break his neck,” said the Chief pa.s.sionately. ”I shall know of it.”
The other raised his eyebrows.
”I've asked the landlady to keep her eyes open a bit,” said the Chief.
”My wife was brought up in the country and she's very young and simple, so that it is quite right and proper for her to have a motherly old body to look after her.”
”Told your wife?” queried Rogers.