Part 59 (1/2)
”There wasn't no _'im_.”
”Not----?” He held out the little card.
”No; there was a lady and two young ladies.”
”But--these cards! Wad they go and leave these two little cards with the Rev. G. Smith on for? Not if 'e wasn't with 'em.”
”'E wasn't with 'em.”
”Not a little chap--dodgin' about be'ind the others? And didn't come in?”
”I didn't see no gentleman with them at all,” said Ann.
”Rum!” said Kipps. A half-forgotten experience came back to him. ”_I_ know,” he said, waving the reverend gentleman's card; ”'e give 'em the slip, that's what he'd done. Gone off while they was rapping before you let 'em in. It's a fair call, any'ow.” He felt a momentary base satisfaction at his absence. ”What did they talk about, Ann?”
There was a pause. ”I didn't let 'em in,” said Ann.
He looked up suddenly and perceived that something unusual was the matter with Ann. Her face was flushed, her eyes were red and hard.
”Didn't let 'em in?”
”No! They didn't come in at all.”
He was too astonished for words.
”I answered the door,” said Ann; ”I'd been upstairs 'namelling the floor. 'Ow was I to think about Callers, Artie? We ain't never 'ad Callers all the time we been 'ere. I'd sent Gwendolen out for a bref of fresh air, and there I was upstairs 'namelling that floor she done so bad, so's to get it done before she came back. I thought I'd 'namel that floor and then get tea and 'ave it quiet with you, toce and all, before she came back. 'Ow was I to think about Callers?”
She paused. ”Well,” said Kipps, ”what them?”
”They came and rapped. 'Ow was I to know? I thought it was a tradesman or something. Never took my ap.r.o.n off, never wiped the 'namel off my 'ands--nothing. There they was!”
She paused again. She was getting to the disagreeable part.
”Wad they say?” said Kipps.
”She says, 'Is Mrs. Kipps at home?' See? To me.”
”Yes.”
”And me all painty and no cap on and nothing, neither missis nor servant like. There, Artie, I could 'a sunk through the floor with shame, I really could. I could 'ardly get my voice. I couldn't think of nothing to say but just 'Not at 'Ome,' and out of 'abit like I 'eld the tray.
And they give me the cards and went, and 'ow I shall ever look that lady in the face again I don't know.... And that's all about it, Artie! They looked me up and down, they did, and then I shut the door on 'em.”
”Goo!” said Kipps.
Ann went and poked the fire needlessly with a pa.s.sion quivering hand.
”I wouldn't 'ave 'ad that 'appen for five pounds,” said Kipps. ”A clergyman and all!”
Ann dropped the poker into the fender with some _eclat_ and stood up and looked at her hot face in the gla.s.s. Kipps' disappointment grew. ”You did ought to 'ave known better than that, Ann! You reely did.”