Part 59 (2/2)
He sat forward, cards in hand, with a deepening sense of social disaster. The things were laid upon the table, toast sheltered under a cover, at mid fender, the teapot warmed beside it, and the kettle just lifted from the hob, sang amidst the coals. Ann glanced at him for a moment, then stooped with the kettle-holder to wet the tea.
”Tcha!” said Kipps, with his mental state developing.
”I don't see it's any use getting in a state about it now,” said Ann.
”Don't you? I do. See? 'Ere's these people, good people, want to 'sociate with us, and 'ere you go and slap 'em in the face!”
”I didn't slap 'em in the face.”
”You do--practically. You slams the door in their face, and that's all we see of 'em ever. I wouldn't 'ave 'ad this 'appen not for a ten-pound note.”
He rounded his regrets with a grunt. For a while there was silence, save for the little stir of Ann's movements preparing the tea.
”Tea, Artie,” said Ann, handing him a cup.
Kipps took it.
”I put sugar _once_,” said Ann.
”Oo, dash it! Oo cares?” said Kipps, taking an extraordinarily large additional lump with fury quivering fingers, and putting his cup with a slight excess of force on the recess cupboard. ”Oo cares?
”I wouldn't 'ave 'ad that 'appen,” he said, bidding steadily against accomplished things, ”for twenty pounds.”
He gloomed in silence through a long minute or so. Then Ann said the fatal thing that exploded him. ”Artie!” she said.
”What?”
”There's b.u.t.tud Toce down there! By your foot!” There was a pause, husband and wife regarded one another.
”b.u.t.tud Toce!” he said. ”You go and mess up them callers and then you try and stuff me up with b.u.t.tud Toce! b.u.t.tud Toce indeed! 'Ere's our first chance of knowing anyone that's at all fit to 'sociate with----.
Look 'ere, Ann! Tell you what it is--you got to return that call.”
”Return that call!”
”Yes, you got to return that call. That's what you got to do! I know----” He waved his arm vaguely towards the miscellany of books in the recess. ”It's in Manners and Rools of Good S'ity. You got to find jest 'ow many cards to leave and you got to go and leave 'em. See?”
Ann's face expressed terror. ”But, Artie, 'ow _can_ I?”
”'Ow _can_ you? 'Ow _could_ you? You got to do it, any'ow. They won't know you--not in your Bond Street 'at! If they do, they won't say nothing.”
His voice a.s.sumed a note of entreaty. ”You mus', Ann.”
”I can't.”
”You mus'.”
”I can't and I won't. Anything in reason I'll do, but face those people again I can't--after what 'as 'appened.”
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