And they entered.
'Nasty night, sir,' the hall-porter greeted them.
'Very,' said Henry. 'This lady wants a room. Have you one?'
'Certainly, sir.'
At the foot of the staircase they shook hands, and kissed in imagination.
'Good-night,' he said, and she said the same.
But when she had climbed three or four stairs, she gave a little start and returned to him, smiling, appealing.
'I've only got a shilling or two,' she whispered. 'Can you lend me some money to pay the bill with?'
He produced a sovereign. Since the last kiss in the cab, nothing had afforded him one hundredth part of the joy which he experienced in parting with that sovereign. The transfer of the coin, so natural, so right, so proper, seemed to set a seal on what had occurred, to make it real and effective. He wished to shower gold upon her.
As, bathed in joy and bliss, he watched her up the stairs, a little, obscure compartment of his brain was thinking: 'If anyone had told me two hours ago that before midnight I should be engaged to be married to the finest woman I ever saw, I should have said they were off their chumps. Curious, I've never mentioned her at home since she called! Rather awkward!'