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Mr Peake dropped his eyes again, and when the young man had gone, he murmured, to his stomach "I well knowed it were th' ophicleide as his father used to play at th' owd church!" And suddenly starting up, he continued hoarsely, "Gentlemen all, Mr James Yarlett will now kindly oblige with `The Miller of the Dee." And one of the women relighted his pipe and served him with beer.
Mr Arthur Smallrice, Mr Abraham Harracles, Mr Jos Rawnpike, and Mr James Yarlett, entirely inattentive to the acclamations, stepped heavily from the platform and sat down. When Edwin caught Big James's eye he clapped again, reanimating the general approval, and Big James gazed at him with bland satisfaction.
"There's a parrot in a cage over at the Duck, there, as is eighty-five years old, and that's proved by record kept, young sir." "No!" protested Edwin's incredulity politely. "By record kept," said Big James. "Do you often sing at the Dragon, Mr Yarlett?" "Time was," said Big James, "when some of us used to sing there every night, Sundays excepted, and concerts and whatnot excepted. Aye!
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.
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.
"Am I going to the Dragon, young sir!" exclaimed Big James, in his majestic voice. James Yarlett was worthy of his nickname. He stood six feet four and a half inches in height, and his girth was proportionate; he had enormous hands and feet, large features, and a magnificent long dark brown beard; owing to this beard his necktie was never seen.
"This is Mr Yarlett, our foreman," said Edwin, and to Big James: "Miss Lessways has just come to look round." Hilda smiled. Big James suavely nodded his head. "Here are some of the types," said Edwin, because a big case was the object nearest him, and he glanced at Big James.
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.
And I've known the nights when my bed ne'er saw me." "You must be strong, Mr Yarlett, my word!" Edwin exclaimed. These revelations of the habits and prowess of Big James astounded him. He had never suspected that such things went on in the town. "Aye! Middling!" "I suppose it's a free-and-easy at the Dragon, to-night, Mr Yarlett?" "In a manner of speaking," said Big James.
"You needn't talk about it," he murmured, indicating the first floor by an upward movement of the head. "That I shall not, sir," Big James smoothly replied, and proceeded in the same bland tone: "And what's more, never will I raise my voice in song again! James Yarlett has sung his last song." There was silence.
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