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Oh, Eustace, I have heard her mutter prayers backwards; and last night oh! last night! at the dead hour, there came in a procession of that I would take my oath seven black cats, each holding a torch with a blue flame, and danced around me, till one laid his paw upon my breast, and grew and grew, with its flaming eyes fixed on me, till it was as big as an ox, and the weight was intolerable, the while her spells were over me, and I could not open my lips to say so much as an Ave Mary.
And then she came, not dancing this time, but barefooted and walking like a poem of the early days of Greece. She picked up his corselet and buckled it on him, making him hold up his arms and kneel while she slipped it over his head. And the grim men-at-arms hove their long spears up into the air and roared her an ovation, bringing down their right feet with a thunder all together. "Ave!"
"I don't know," ses Gerty. "I couldn't tell you if you paid me. I must 'ave taken a wrong turning. Oh, hurrah! Here's a cab!" Afore George could stop 'er she held up 'er umbrella, and a 'ansom cab, with bells on its horse, crossed the road and pulled up in front of 'em. Ted nipped in first and Gerty followed 'im. "Tell 'im the address, dear, and make 'aste and get in," ses Gerty.
I don' know what I'd ha' done if I'd lost a leg, same as some of them other poor jossers in th' hospital!" The motor ride was another source of gratification to Briggs. Seated beside me, the wind beating on his sightless orbs, he discoursed of the wonders of petrol. "Proper to take you about, them cars. W'ere are we now? 'Ave we far to run, like?"
"Wot woz 'e like?" "Tall, shadowy." "An' you really believes it?" "Yus. I 'ave proof " "I see. I, I s'pose 'e could give you anything you asked 'im for?" "Within reason." "Then," whispered ironically, "ask 'im next time to give me a soft Blighty an' a drop of toddy, an', oh, some bloomin' fags." "Can't be done, for something will 'appen to me to-morrow."
No reply forth coming from the sagacious animal, which had gone into hiding, he turned to Sam, and bade him call it. "No, sir, I won't 'ave no 'and in it," said the old man. "Putting aside my liking for the animal, I'M not going to 'ave anything to do with the killing of a black cat." "Rubbish!" said the skipper. "Very good, sir," said Sam, shrugging his shoulders, "you know best, o' course.
As he stood silent, he became conscious of another presence an august, impressive one, familiar in the past but veiled now, as it were, in a midst of human emotion. It was Jepson, the butler. He coughed humbly. "Hexcuse me, sir," he faltered. "But Mrs. Hordway h'ain't quite so well lately, sir. 'Ave you hobserved that?" Laurie nodded. "I noticed it to-day," he admitted.
On awaking, if it were fine, his Eminence drove out towards the ancient Appian Way, returning at sunset when the Ave Maria began to ring. And finally, after again giving audience between seven and nine, he supped and retired into his room, where he worked all alone or went to bed.
And this they found without difficulty: a reed, probably used as a walking-stick, being thrust into His right hand. Thus was the mock king dressed up. And then, as on occasions of state they had seen subjects bow the knee to the emperor, saying, "Ave, Caesar!" so they advanced one after another to Jesus and, bending low, said, "Hail, King of the Jews!"
Kennedy's masterpiece is Robert, a coarse, filthy drunkard, whom respectable society has repudiated. Robert, the sewer cleaner, is the real hero of the play; nay, its true and only savior. It is he who volunteers to go down into the dangerous sewer, so that his comrades "can 'ave light and air." After all, has he not sacrificed his life always, so that others may have light and air?
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