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Chapter 4
Tothinkthatamanwhomendsourscrapershouldknowanymemberofouraristocracy!IwasjustmovingwithCarrie,whenFarmersonseizedmeratherroughlybythecollar,andaddressingthesheriff,said:“Letmeintroducemyneighbour,Pooter.”Hedidnotevensay“Mister.”Thesheriffhandedmeaglassofchampagne.Ifelt,afterall,itwasagreathonourtodrinkaglassofwinewithhim,andItoldhimso.Westoodchattingforsometime,andatlastIsaid:“YoumustexcusemenowifIjoinMrs.Pooter.”WhenIapproachedher,shesaid:“Don’tletmetakeyouawayfromfriends.Iamquitehappystandingherealoneinacrowd,knowingnobody!”
Asittakestwotomakeaquarrel,andasitwasneitherthetimenortheplaceforit,IgavemyarmtoCarrie,andsaid:“Ihopemydarlinglittlewifewilldancewithme,ifonlyforthesakeofsayingwehaddancedattheMansionHouseasguestsoftheLordMayor.”Findingthedancingaftersupperwaslessformal,andknowinghowmuchCarrieusedtoadmiremydancinginthedaysgoneby,Iputmyarmroundherwaistandwecommencedawaltz.
Amostunfortunateaccidentoccurred.Ihadgotonanewpairofboots.Foolishly,IhadomittedtotakeCarrie’sadvice;namely,toscratchthesolesofthemwiththepointsofthescissorsortoputalittlewetonthem.Ihadscarcelystartedwhen,likelightning,myleftfootslippedawayandIcamedown,thesideofmyheadstrikingthefloorwithsuchviolencethatforasecondortwoIdidnotknowwhathadhappened
