Will you be
Smythe on November the twentieth?'
"'Ye--as,' he replied; 'oh, yas--bound to be by then.'
"'Very well, then,' I said, 'I'll call round for you at the Albany, and
we'll go together.'
"He rose and stood smoothing his hat with his sleeve. 'Fust time I've
ever looked for'ard to bein' that hanimated corpse, Smythe,' he said
slowly. 'Blowed if I don't try to 'urry it up--'pon my sivey I will.'
"'He'll be no good to you till the twentieth,' I reminded him. 'And,' I
added, as I stood up to ring the bell, 'you're sure it's a genuine case
this time. You won't be going back to 'Liza?'
"'Oh, don't talk 'bout 'Liza in the same breath with Hedith,' he replied,
'it sounds like sacrilege.'
"He stood hesitating with the handle of the door in his hand. At last,
opening it and looking very hard at his hat, he said, 'I'm goin' to
'Arley Street now. I walk up and down outside the 'ouse every evening,
and sometimes, when there ain't no one lookin', I get a chance to kiss
the doorstep.'
"He disappeared, and I returned to my chair.
"On November twentieth, I called for him according to promise. I found
him on the point of starting for the club: he had forgotten all about our
appointment. I reminded him of it, and he with difficulty recalled it,
and consented, without any enthusiasm, to accompany me.
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