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Long called at half-past eight, to take me to the market, and my first step was to send another telegram, this time taking care to see that it really was despatched. We then walked through the streets to the market-hall, a handsome iron building, commodiously arranged, which was sent out from England in pieces, and put together here.
Columbine encouraged him with a friendly smile that displayed her large white teeth, and M. Binet swore yet once again that he would be a great success, since he threw himself with such spirit into the undertaking. Then in a voice that for the moment he appeared to have borrowed from the roaring captain, M. Binet marshalled them for the short parade across to the market-hall.
"I am glad we met him," said Mr. Harper, looking back down the street. "There he is, talking to a knot of people at the market-hall farmers, no doubt, whom he will try to make Free-traders of, and who would listen to him affectionately, even if he tried to make them Mahometans. The good soul! There isn't a better man in all Dorsetshire." It was evident that Nathanael greatly liked "Duke Dugdale."
He could not but compare the Helena of this adventure this competent and admirable Helena with the girl of the night before. Had the war produced the same dual personality in thousands of English men and English women? in the English nation itself? They drew up at the steps of the market-hall, where a group of persons were standing, including a nurse in uniform.
She had given him tea in the coffee-room and taken him out again, on foot, showing him the town the half-timbered houses, the immense castle, the market-hall, the spacious flat-fronted residences, the multiplicity of solicitors, banks and surveyors, the bursting provision shops with imposing fractions of animals and expensive pies, and the drapers with ladies' blouses at 2s. 4d.
The market-place, behind the market-hall, and on the steep slope to the Protestant Cathedral, was very busy indeed. Market gardeners were there with young plants, useful and ornamental, for sale. Home-made chairs with rushen seats were offered by their rural makers. Wooden churns, troughs for cattle, and agricultural implements were there galore.
"Men die every day, you know, and I fancy that this one was on his last legs. Good-night." Her lips parted as though in an answering greeting, but it was inaudible. As I looked round at the top of the street I saw her still standing there in the little flood of yellow light, gazing across towards the old market-hall. On my little table lay the letter I expected, large, square, and white.
"If Pantaloon is to play Rhodomont, I think I'll leave you. He is not amusing in the part." And he swaggered out before M. Binet had recovered from his speechlessness. Ar four o'clock on Monday afternoon the curtain rose on "Figaro-Scaramouche" to an audience that filled three quarters of the market-hall.
"How then does he come to leave it there and take himself off?" "Perhaps he has gone on to the inn," suggested some one. "But he couldn't walk without his crutch," M. Binet insisted. Nevertheless, since clearly he was not anywhere about the market-hall, to the inn they all trooped, and deafened the landlady with their inquiries. "Oh, yes, M. Cordemais came in some time ago." "Where is he now?"
Now he laughed, and took his comrades' hands, and bade farewells, all distractedly, and with impatience. The theatre, awesome now in its emptiness, he left gladly, hastening like a flame stretched level on the wind. With his black violin-case he hurried down the street, then halted to pity the flowers massed pallid under the gaslight of the market-hall.
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