"An impertinent young jackanapes!" said he; "damnation, I think
I'll pull your nose!"
"Why, you may try, and welcome, sir," said I; "though I should
advise you not, for should you make the attempt I should be
compelled to throw you out of the window."
At this moment the pretty maid appeared, and tendered him the
bill with a curtesy. He glanced at it, tossed some money upon
the table, and turned to stare at me again.
"If ever I meet you again--" he began.
"You'd probably know me," I put in.
"Without a doubt," he answered, putting on his hat and buttoning
his befrogged surtout; "and should you," he continued, drawing on
his gloves, "should you stare at me with those damned, impertinent
fishes' eyes of yours, I should, most certainly, pull your nose
for you--on the spot, sir."
"And I should as certainly throw you out of the window!" I nodded.
"An impertinent young jackanapes!" said he again, and went out,
banging the door behind him. Glancing from the window, I saw him
catch up with the other two, and all three walk on together down
the road. Sir Jasper was in the middle, and I noticed that his
hands were still deep in his pockets. Now, as I watched their
forms getting smaller and smaller in the distance, there grew
upon me a feeling that he who walked between would nevermore come
walking back.
And, in a little, having knocked out my negro-head pipe upon my
palm, I called for and settled my score. As I rose, the pretty
chambermaid picked up my knapsack from the corner, and blushing,
aided me to put it on.
"My dear, thank you," said I, and kissed her. This time she
neither shrieked nor ran from the room; she merely blushed a
trifle rosier.
"Do you think I have fishes' eyes, my dear?"
"La! no, sir--handsome they be, I'm sure, so bright an' black an'
wi' little lights a-dancing in them--there, sir, do ha' done, and
go along wi' you!"
"By the way," I said, pausing upon the worn steps, and looking
back at her, "by the way, how far is it to Deepdene Wood?"