“Oh, rapidly now; and if I can get her abroad—Ah, we must talk about this another time. Goodnight.”
“Good-night.”
It was like the opening out of a new life to me, and I walked back to Camberwell as if the distance was nothing, thinking as I was all the time about the conversation, of Mrs John’s sweet, patient face, and the constantly attentive manner of Mr John, every action of his being repaid by a grateful smile. “I wonder,” I thought, “how it is possible that Mr Dempster and Mr John could be cousins;” and then I went on thinking about the interview at the office when Mr Dempster was so harsh.
This kept my attention till I reached the Deans’, and then I walked straight in to find Mrs Dean making believe to read, while Esau was bending his head slowly in a swaying motion nearer and nearer to the candle every moment. In fact I believe if I had not arrived as I did, Esau’s hair would have been singed so as to need no cutting for some time. As it was, he leaped up at a touch.
“Oh, here you are!” he said. “If you hadn’t come I believe I should soon have dropped asleep.”
Chapter Four.
How Mr Dempster used his Cane.
My life at the office grew more miserable every day, and Mr Isaac Dempster more tyrannical.