The Grey Hawk said it was too soon after dinner. But they went across the room towards the piano.
I was following, when the man who had taken me in to dinner said: "This is a comfortable chair." So I sat down.
He said something about the strangeness of London "just at first." It would pass away.
I told him I hoped Bettina would find it so. As for me, I was only staying till to-morrow.
He looked so surprised that I explained I had to go back and take care of my mother.
"You have never been to London since you were a child—and you come all this way just for a few hours?"
"I came to take care of Betty," I said. "She has never travelled alone."
He looked at me: "And you?"
"Oh, I haven't either. To-morrow will be the first time. But then, I am older."
He said nothing for several moments. I looked across the room to where I could see the back of Bettina's head, between the bare crown of the Colonel and The Tartar's black bullet. The Tartar was bending over towards Bettina. Aunt Josephine sat near them, facing the door, and us.