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Chapter 24. The Evening of a Long Day

           

           ‘Candles!’saidMrsSparkler,withawordofexcuseforthedarkness.

           ‘It’slightenoughforme,’saidMrMerdle.

           Whenthecandleswerebroughtin,MrMerdlewasdiscoveredstandingbehindthedoor,pickinghislips.‘IthoughtI’dgiveyouacall,’hesaid.‘Iamratherparticularlyoccupiedjustnow;and,asIhappenedtobeoutforastroll,IthoughtI’dgiveyouacall.’

           Ashewasindinnerdress,Fannyaskedhimwherehehadbeendining?

           ‘Well,’saidMrMerdle,‘Ihaven’tbeendininganywhere,particularly.’

           ‘Ofcourseyouhavedined?’saidFanny.

           ‘Why—no,Ihaven’texactlydined,’saidMrMerdle.

           Hehadpassedhishandoverhisyellowforeheadandconsidered,asifhewerenotsureaboutit.Somethingtoeatwasproposed.‘No,thankyou,’saidMrMerdle,‘Idon’tfeelinclinedforit.IwastohavedinedoutalongwithMrsMerdle.ButasIdidn’tfeelinclinedfordinner,IletMrsMerdlegobyherselfjustasweweregettingintothecarriage,andthoughtI’dtakeastrollinstead.’

           Wouldhehaveteaorcoffee?‘No,thankyou,’saidMrMerdle.‘IlookedinattheClub,andgotabottleofwine.’

           Atthisperiodofhisvisit,MrMerdletookthechairwhichEdmundSparklerhadofferedhim,andwhichhehadhithertobeenpushingslowlyaboutbeforehim,likeadullmanwithapairofskatesonforthefirsttime,whocouldnotmakeuphismindtostart.Henowputhishatuponanotherchairbesidehim,and,lookingdownintoitasifitweresometwentyfeetdeep,saidagain:‘YouseeIthoughtI’dgiveyouacall.

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