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Updated: June 26, 2025
But the mule had his own views about policemen. In the early days of Denry's ownership of him he had nearly always shied at the spectacle of a policemen. He would tolerate steam-rollers, and even falling kites, but a policeman had ever been antipathetic to him.
He wondered, now, what was to be the next revelation of her surprising character. "I had our bill this morning," said Ruth. She leaned gracefully on the handle of her sunshade, and they both stared at the sea. She was very elegant, with an aristocratic air. The bill, as she mentioned it, seemed a very negligible trifle. Nevertheless, Denry's heart quaked. "Oh!" he said. "Did you pay it?"
"I don't expect anyone can teach you much about the value o' property in this town. You know as well as I do. If you happened to have a couple of thousand loose by gosh! it's a chance in a million." "Yes," said Denry. "I should say that was just about what it was." "I put it before you," Cotterill proceeded, gathering way, and missing the flavour of Denry's remark.
This fact alone gave a tremendous prestige to Denry's mayoralty. When, with Nellie on his arm, he emerged from the church to the thunders of the organ, the greeting which he received in the churchyard, though the solemnity of the occasion forbade clapping, lacked naught in brilliance and efficacy. The real point and delight of that Corporation Sunday was not fully appreciated till later.
The next moment a Bengal light illuminated the pier, and the lifeboat was silhouetted with strange effectiveness against the storm. And some one flung a rope, and then another rope arrived out of the sea, and fell on Denry's shoulder. "Haul on there!" yelled a hoarse voice. The Bengal light expired. Denry hauled with a will. The occasion was unique.
It had a large photograph, taken by a photographer on Cauldon Bank, which showed Denry actually driving the Countess, and the Countess's face was full in the picture. It presented, too, an excellently appreciative account of Denry's speech, and it congratulated Denry on his first appearance in the public life of the Five Towns. It obliterated, too, all rumours adverse to the Thrift Club.
The Superintendent had said: "I have very great pleasure in proposing the vote of thanks to the Countess of Chell." And so Denry heard himself saying: "I have very great pleasure in seconding the vote of thanks to the Countess of Chell." He could not think of anything else to say. And there was a pause, a real pause, not a pause merely in Denry's sick imagination. Then the cloud was dissipated.
Besides, she was young, though a countess, and adored dancing. Thus they waltzed together, while the flower of Bursley's chivalry gazed in enchantment. The Countess's fan, depending from her arm, dangled against Denry's suit in a rather confusing fashion, which withdrew his attention from his feet. He laid hold of it gingerly between two unemployed fingers. After that he managed fairly well.
The Countess despatched one to Longshaw Road to settle with the old woman whose vegetables they had brought away with them. The other policeman, who, owing to the Countess's philanthropic energy, had received a course of instruction in first aid, arranged a sling for Denry's arm. And then the Countess said that Denry ought certainly to go with her to the inauguration ceremony.
Also Shillitoe, cause of another of Denry's wicked crimes. The group was taciturn, critical, and very doggish. The group observed that the Countess was not dancing. Possibly she was getting her breath; possibly nobody had had the pluck to ask her. Anyhow, she seemed to be stranded there, on a beach of aldermen. Very wisely she had brought with her no members of a house-party from Sneyd Hall.
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