" Poor Pen and Sir Derby Oaks
were very constant at the play: Sir Derby in the stage-box, throwing
bouquets and getting glances.--Pen in the almost deserted boxes, haggard,
wretched and lonely. Nobody cared whether Miss Fotheringay was going or
staying except those two--and perhaps one more, which was Mr. Bows of the
orchestra.
He came out of his place one night, and went into the house to the box
where Pen was; and he held out his hand to him, and asked him to come and
walk. They walked down the street together; and went and sate upon
Chatteris bridge in the moonlight, and talked about Her. "We may sit on
the same bridge," said he; "we have been in the same boat for a long
time. You are not the only man who has made a fool of himself about that
woman. And I have less excuse than you, because I am older and know her
better. She has no more heart than the stone you are leaning on; and it
or you or I might fall into the water, and never come up again, and she
wouldn't care. Yes--she would care for me, because she wants me to teach
her: and she won't be able to get on without me, and will be forced to
send for me from London.
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