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"But you needn't tell him any one told you." Diamond gave him a stare which came from the very back of the north wind, where that kind of thing is unknown. "That would be cheating," he said at last. "Ain't you a cabby, then?" "Cabbies don't cheat." "Don't they? I am of a different opinion." "I'm sure my father don't." "What's your fare, young innocent?"
"Nothin' else to do, mother!" exclaimed Willie; with an offended look. "Haven't I got to converse in a friendly way with all the crossin'-sweepers an' shoeblacks an' stall-women as I go along, an' chaff the cabbies, an' look in at all the shop-windows, and insult the bobbies? I always insult the bobbies. It does me good. I hurt 'em, mentally, as much as I can, an' I'd hurt 'em bodily if I could.
He was aroused by the voice of Ginsling out of his day-dream to realize that several cabbies were exerting the utmost of their lung power in crying up the merits of their respective hotels. "British American, sir the best house in town. Won't cost you a cent to ride there, sir." "Don't you believe that fellow," shouted another.
Breezy, picturesque Yaroslavl, with its dainty, independent cabbies, who object to the mud which must have been their portion all their lives, and reject rare customers rather than drive through it; with its churches never to be forgotten; its view of the Volga, and its typical Russian features!
He raised the hatch of his storm-tossed vessel and made the inquiry that cabbies do make in the park. "Like shtop at the Cas-sino, lady? Gezzer r'freshm's, 'n lish'n the music. Ev'body shtops." "I think that would be nice," said the fare. They reined up with a plunge at the Casino entrance. The cab doors flew open. The fare stepped directly upon the floor.
Old cabbies hear very many things, because to the cabby, sitting in front, everything is readily audible, which is not at all suspected by the conversing fares; and many things do the old cabbies know of that which takes place among people. Who knows, perhaps he had heard more than once even more disordered, more lofty speeches?
Hansom-cabs, with ancient, glistening horses driven by ancient, glistening cabbies, felt for elbow-space in the throng of motor-vehicles. And on all sides the badinage of the streets, the eternal wordy conflict of London's mariners of traffic, rose in cheerful, insulting abundance.
"Why, bless your soul, sir, if I was to write down all I've seen since I've been in the trade, there's not a man in London would believe me, unless maybe some o' the other cabbies. I tell ye I took a dead man for a fare once, and drove about with him nigh half the night. Oh, you needn't look shocked, sir, for this wasn't the cab no, nor the last one I had neither." "How did it happen?"
"Oh-h sometimes these cabbies think they're funny." Presently the cab stopped. Jan looked out. It was a hotel, with a wide door and a narrow one. The narrow door was marked "Ladies' Entrance," and through the transom a red light shone. "Wait," said Jan. He went through the wide door to the desk. "I want a room for a lady," he said to the clerk. "Lady? Sure. Four dollars."
Between 12,000 and 13,000 spectators were present, and as the weather was fine the match was a most enjoyable one. The cash drawn at the gate amounted to fully £600, and, as on the previous meeting, will be equally apportioned among the two clubs and the Association. The city cabbies made a day of it, and pocketed a good round sum.
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