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Arthur Smallrice, Abraham Harracles, Jos Rawnpike, and James Yarlett rose, stepped heavily on to the little platform, and stood in a line with their hands in their pockets. "As a bird is known by its note " was hidden by the rampart of their shoulders. They had no music. They knew the music; they had sung it a thousand times.
The machinations of the manager of the Hanbridge Choir always depressed and disgusted him into silence. "Oh!" said Eva Harracles. "It's all about." "And do they say Mr Loggerheads has accepted?" Mary demanded. "Yes," said Eva. "Well," said Mary, "it's not true!... A mistake!" she added. "How do you know it isn't true?" Mr Morfe inquired doubtfully.
"Well," said Mary, with conviction, "you may take it from me that it isn't so. I know Dick. Eva Harracles may throw herself at his head till there's no breath left in her body, and it'll make no difference to Dick. Do you see Dick a married man? I don't. I only wish he would take it into his head to get married. It would make me much easier in my mind.
Such was the clear course. But he dared scarcely suggest it. He dared scarcely suggest it because of his sister. He was afraid of Mary. The names of Richard Morfe and Eva Harracles had already been coupled in the mouth of gossip.
And Edwin could hear Mr Enoch Peake: "Gentlemen all, Mester Arthur Smallrice, Mester Abraham Harracles, Mester Jos Rampick, and Mester James Yarlett " Later that evening, Edwin sat at a small deal table in the embrasure of the dormer window of the empty attic next to his bedroom. During the interval between tea and the rendezvous with Big James he had formally planted his flag in that room.
"Since you're so curious," said Mary, defiantly, "Mr Loggerheads told me himself." "When?" "The other day." "You never said anything to me," protested Mr Morfe. "It didn't occur to me," Mary replied. "Well, I'm very glad!" remarked Eva Harracles. "But I thought I ought to let you know at once what was being said."
Mr Peake lifted his glass, held it from him, approached his lips towards it, and emptied it at a draught. He then glanced round and said thickly "Gentlemen all, Mester Smallrice, Mester Harracles, Mester Rampick, and Mester Yarlett will now oblige with one o' th' ould favourites." There was some applause, a few coats were removed, and Mr Peake fixed himself in a contemplative attitude. Messrs.
And naturally Eva Harracles herself could not suggest that Richard should sally out and leave his sister alone on this night specially devoted to sisterliness and brotherliness. And of course, Eva thought, Mary will never, never suggest it. But Eva was wrong there. To the amazement of both Richard and Eva, Mary calmly said: "Well, Dick, the least you can do now is to see Miss Harracles home.
She was a perfect librarian, and very good at unofficially prodding indolent members into a more regular attendance too. "Not at all!" said Mary. "We were only reading; you aren't disturbing us in the least." Which, though polite, was a lie. And Eva Harracles sat down between them. And brother and sister abandoned their literature.
And yet a caller! "It's a woman," murmured Mary. Until her ear had assured her of this fact she had seemed to be more disturbed than startled by the stir in the lobby. And it was a woman. It was Miss Eva Harracles, one of the principal contraltos in the glee and madrigal club. She entered richly blushing, and excusably a little nervous and awkward.
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