“Whatnumber？“askedthedriver。
　　“Idon’tknow，“repliedGodfrey，“theBall，GrosvenorSquare。“
　　Offtheywent，andinduecourse，reachingthesquare，droveroundituntiltheycametoagreathousewherethereweresignsoffestivityintheshapeofanawningabovetheentranceandacarpetonthepavement。
　　Thecabstoppedwithajerkandavoicefromabove——neverhavingbeeninahansombefore，atfirstGodfreycouldnotlocateit——exclaimed：
　　“Here’syourBall，younggent。Nowyou’dbetterhopoutanddance。“
　　Hisfarebegantoexplainthesituationthroughthelittletrapintheroof，demonstratingtotheJehuthathisobjectwastoobservetheballfromwithout，nottodanceatitwithin，andthatitwasnecessaryforhimtodriveonalittlefurther。Thatworthygrewindignant。
　　“BlowedifIdon’tbelieveyou’reabilk，“heshoutedthroughthehole。“Here，youpaymemyfareandhookit，youngcodger。“
　　Godfreydescendedandcommencedasearchformoney，onlytorememberthathehadlefthispurseinhisbagatthehotel。Thisalsoheexplainedwithmanyapologiestotheinfuriatedcabby，twogorgeousflunkeyswhobynowhadarrivedtoescorthimintothehouse，andagroupofidlerswhohadcollectedroundthedoor。
　　“Itoldyerhewasabilk。Youlookafteryourspoons，Thomas；I
　　expectthat’swothe’scomefor。Nowyoufindthatbob，Sonny，orI
　　fetchestheperlice。“
　　ThenaninspirationflashedonGodfrey’sbewilderedmind。Suddenlyherecollectedthat，bythedirectionofheaven，Mrs。Parsonshadsewnatenshillingpieceintotheliningofhiswaistcoat，“incaseheshouldeverwantanymoneysudden-like。“Heundidthatgarmentandheedlessofthemockeryoftheaudience，begantofeelwildlyatitsinteriorcalico。Joy!thereitwasinthelefthandcorner。
　　“IhavemoneyhereifonlyIcangetitout，“hegasped。
　　Awomaninthegatheringcrowd，perhapsfrompity，orcuriosity，inthemostunexpectedwayproducedapairofscissorsfromherpocketwithwhichhebegantohackatthewaistcoat，gashingitsadly。Atlengththejobwasdoneandthehalf-sovereignappearedwrappedinapieceofcottonwool。
　　“Takeit，“saidGodfrey，“andgoaway。Letitteachyoutohavemoretrustinyourfellowcreatures，Mr。Cabman。“
　　Themanseizedthecoin，examineditbythelightofhislamp，tastedit，bitit，threwitonthetopofthecabtoseethatitrangtrue，thenwitha“Well，I’mblowed!“whippeduphishorseandwentoff。
　　Godfreyfollowedhisexample，astheflunkeysandtheaudiencesupposedtorecoverhischange，thoughthelastthinghewasthinkingofatthatmomentwaschange——exceptoflocality。Heranahundredyardsormoretoapartofthesquarewheretherewasnolamp，thenpausedtoconsider。
　　“Ihavemadeafoolofmyself，“hereflected，“asIsobelalwayssaysI
　　dowhenIgetthechance。Ihavecomeallthiswayandbeenabusedandlaughedatfornothing。“
　　Thenhisnativedeterminationbegantoassertitself。Whyshoulditbefornothing？Therewasthehouse，andinitwasIsobel，andoh!hewantedtoseeher。Hecrossedtothesquare-gardensideandwalkeddownintheshadowofthetreeswhichgrewthere。
　　Underoneofthesehetookhisstand，squeezinghimselfagainsttherailings，andwatchedtheglowinghousethatwasopposite，fromwhichcamethesoundsofmusic，ofdancingfeet，oflaughterandthetinklingofglasses。Ithadbalconies，andontheseappearedpeopledressedinallsortsofcostumes。AmongthemhetriedtorecogniseIsobel，butcouldnot。Eithershedidnotcomeorhewastoofarofftoseeher。
　　Adancewasending，themusicgrewfasterandfaster，thenceasedwithaflourish。Morepeopleappearedonthebalconies。Otherscrowdedintothehall，whichhecouldsee，forthedoorwasopen。Presentlyapaircameontothesteps。Oneofthemwasdressedasaknightinshiningarmour。Hewasafine，tallyoungman，andhisfacewashandsome，asthewatchercouldperceive，forhehadtakenoffhisplumedhelmandcarrieditinhishand。TheotherwasIsobelinherPlantagenetcostume，towhichwereaddedoneroseandaneckletofpinkpearls。
　　Theystoodonthestepsalittlewhilelaughingandtalking。Thenheheardhersay：
　　“Letusgointothesquare。Itwillbecooler。Thekeyishangingonthenail。“
　　Shevanishedforamoment，doubtlesstofetchthekey。Thentheywalkeddownthesteps，overthespreadcarpet，andacrosstheroadway。
　　WithinthreepacesofwhereGodfreystoodtherewasagate。Shegavethekeytotheknight，andafteroneortwoattemptsthegateswungopen。Whilsthewasfumblingatthelockshestoodlookingabouther，andpresentlycaughtsightofGodfrey’sslimfigurecrouchedagainsttherailingsinthedeepestoftheshadows。
　　“Thereissomeonethere，LordCharles，“shesaid。
　　“Isthere？“heanswered，indifferently。“Acab-toutorabeggar，I
　　expect。Theyalwayshangaboutparties。Comeon，itisopenatlast。“
　　Theypassedintothegardenandvanished。AwildjealousyseizedGodfrey，andheslippedafterthemwiththeintentionofrevealinghimselftoIsobel。Insidetherailingswasabroadbeltofshrubsborderedbyagravelpath。Thepairwalkedalongthepath，Godfreyfollowingatadistance，tilltheycametoarecessedseatonwhichtheysatdown。Hehaltedbehindalilacbushtenpacesorsoaway，notthathewantedtolisten，butbecausehewasashamedtoshowhimself。
　　Indeed，hestoppedhisearswithhisfingersthathemightnotoverheartheirtalk。Buthedidnotshuthiseyes，andasthepathcurvedhereandthemoonshoneonthem，hecouldseethemwell。Theyseemedverymerryandtobeplayingsomegame。
　　Atanyrate，firstwithherfingershecountedtheair-holesintheknight’shelmetwhichhehelduptoher。Thenwithhisfingerhecountedthepearlsuponherneck。Whenhehadfinishedsheclappedherhandsasthoughshehadwonabet。Afterthistheybegantowhispertoeachother，atleasthewhisperedandshesmiledandshookherhead。
　　Finally，sheseemedtogiveway，forsheunfastenedtheflowerwhichsheworeinthebreastofherdress，andpresentedtohim。Godfreystartedatthesightwhichcausedhimtotakehisfingersfromhisearsandclutchthebush。Adrytwigbrokewithaloudcrack。
　　“What’sthat？“saidIsobel。
　　“Don’tknow，“answeredLordCharles。“Whatafunnygirlyouare，alwaysseeingandhearingthings。Astraycat，Iexpect；Londonsquaresarefullofthem。NowIhavewonmylady’sfavourandshemustfastenittomyhelmaftertheancientfashion。“
　　“Can’t，“saidIsobel。“TherearenopinsinPlantagenetdresses。“
　　“ThenImustdoitformyself。Kissitfirst，thatwastherule，youknow。“
　　“Verywell，“saidIsobel。“Wemustkeepupthegame，andthereareworsethingstokissthanroses。“
　　Heheldtheflowertoherandshebentforwardtotouchitwithherlips。Suddenlyhedidthesame，andtheirlipscameveryclosetogetheroneithersideoftherose。
　　ThiswastoomuchforGodfrey。Heglidedforward，asthestraycatmighthavedone，ofwhichthefineknighthadspoken，meaningtointerruptthem。
　　Thenherememberedsuddenlythathehadnorighttointerfere；thatitwasnoaffairofhiswithwhomIsobelchosetokissrosesinagarden，andthathewasdoingameanthinginspyinguponher。Sohehaltedbehindanotherbush，butnotwithoutnoise。Hishandsomeyoungfacewasthrustforward，andonitwerewrittengrief，surpriseandshame。
　　Themoonlightcaughtit，butnothingelseofhim。Isobellookedupandsaw。
　　Heknewthatshehadseenandturning，slippedawayintothedarknessbacktothegate。AshewentheheardtheknightcalledLordCharles，exclaim：
　　“What’sthematterwithyou？“andIsobelanswer，“Nothing。Ihaveseenaghost，that’sall。It’sthishorribledress!“
　　Heglancedbackandsawherrise，snatchtherosefromtheknight’shand，throwitdownandstampuponit。Thenhesawandheardnomoreforhewasthroughthegateandrunningdownthesquare。Atitsend，asheturnedintosomestreet，hewassurprisedtohearagruffvoicecallingtohimtostop。Onlookinguphesawthatitcamefromhisenemy，thehansom-cabman，whowasapparentlykeepingalookoutonthesquarefromhisloftyperch。
　　“Hi!youngsir，“hesaid，“I’vebeenwatchingforyouandthinkingofwotyousaidtome。Yougavemehalfaquid，youdid。JumpinandI’lldriveyouwhereveryouwanttogo，formyfarewasonlyabob。“
　　“Ihavenomoremoney，“repliedGodfrey，“foryoukeptthechange。“
　　“Iwasn’taskingfornone，“saidthecabby。“Hopinandnamewhereitistobe。“
　　GodfreytoldhimandpresentlywasbeingrattledbacktotheCharingCrossHotel，whichtheyreachedalittlelater。Hegotoutofthecabtogointothehotelwhenonceagainthemanaddressedhim。
　　“Ioweyousomething，“hesaid，andtenderedthehalf-sovereign。
　　“Ihavenochange，“saidGodfrey。
　　“Nor’ain’tI，“saidthecabman，“andifIhadIwouldn’tgiveityou。
　　IplayedadirtytrickonyouandadirtieronestillwhenItookyourhalfsov，Idid，seeingthatIoughttohaveknownthatyouerejustanobfusticatedyoungsterandnobilkasIcalledyoutothemflunkeys。Whatyousaidmademeashamed，thoughIwouldn’townitbeforetheflunkeys。SoIdeterminedtopayyoubackifIcould，sinceotherwiseIshouldn’thavesleptwellto-night。Nowwe’requits，andgoodbye，anddoyoualwaysthinkkindlyofThomasSims，thoughIdon’tsupposeIshalldriveyounomoreinthisworld。“
　　“Goodbye，Mr。Sims，“saidGodfrey，whowastouched。MoreoverMr。Simsseemedtobefamiliartohim，atthemomenthecouldnotrememberhow，orwhy。
　　Themanwheeledhiscabround，whippingthehorsewhichwasaspiritedanimal，andstartedatafastpace。
　　Godfrey，lookingafterhim，heardacrashasheemergedfromthegates，andrantoseewhatwasthematter。Hefoundthecaboverturnedandthehorsewitha’buspoledrivendeepintoitsside，kickingonthepavement。ThomasSimslaybeneaththecab。Whenthepoliceandothersdraggedhimclear，hewasquitedead!
　　Godfreywenttobedthatnightaverywearyandchastenedyouth，forneverbeforehadheexperiencedsomanyemotionsinafewshorthours。