Well, things goes on for a matter o months, and twiste a week I pockets my three-and-six; but I keeps thinking as it couldnt last much longer. So the old gentleman got tired, says you. Right you are! He did get tired at last, but not as you might think. He allus came same time, and stopped same time, and then I drove him back to his own door. Summer went by. The gals had cried the lavendy up and down the streets, and the swells had all gone outer town to the sea-side and the furrin waterin places; and for long enough, whenever a decent job had come, it had been luggage on the roof, and a bundle of sticks and umbrellys inside, and then off to some railway station or another. Kensington Gardings was a rainin yaller leaves all day long, while the robins was tunin up their melancholy little pipes, just as if there was no one else left to sing, and they was werry miserable becos the cold weather was a-comin; while there was no sing left in me, for my asthmy was a beginning to tickle me up a bit, as it allus does in autumn time; but still my old gentleman comes as reglar as clockwork.
One afternoon, as I was sitting on my box, rather cold
and chilly, for the fog was a-comin creepin on earlier nor usual, I was amusin myself a pickin ov a few walnuts eight a penny, you know, without the port wine and salt. It was a dull sort of time, when you could hear the muffin bell a-going down the side streets; and the fires shining through the window-blinds looked warm and cosy. I was a pickin and growlin away at my nuts for they didnt skin easy, besides being werry dry, when who should I see a-comin but my reglar fare. Up he comes along the street, straight and stiff as a drill-sergeant, and though half a dozen whips runs up touting for the job, he never takes no notice of em, and I draws up to the kerb, jumps down to let him in, and opens the door, when he stops with one leg in the keb.
Yer see, this wasnt a reglar thing, for arter the first time I allus knew what he wanted, and we understood one another, so that it was all done this way: jump in set down take up agin set down agin pay up touch yer at jump on the box and nary word spoken. Sooted him, yer know; and it sooted me; so what more did you want? But now on this day it was diffurnt, for, as I said afore, he stops with one leg in the keb, and begins to speak, quite pleasant, and quiet, and civil, as a gentleman could speak, and he says, Kebman, I thank you for your attention. Heres a suffrin for you. Drive on.
In course, I thanked him; but he didnt seem to want to be talked to, and I drives on, thinking it was a rum start paying aforehand. Not as Id got anything to grumble about, for a suffrin warnt to be sneezed at, as the sayin is. So I drives up to the cemetery gates; sets him down; puts the nose-bag on the mare I drove then; an lights my pipe.
One pipe allus used to do for me while he went in and came out; so I used to smoke it, and then put it away. But this time he didnt come back so soon as usual, or else, being a bit outer sorts in stummick and pocket, Id smoked faster; so I pulls it out and lights up agen, and a good deal o bother I had, I remember, for the matches was damp, and there was I a-rubbin one arter the other again the pipe bowl for long enough, inside my hat.
Well, I finished that pipe, and then another, for it seemed to me as he was having a long stay on the strength of the suffrin. And welcome, I says; for, of course, being a good sort, I wasnt going to grudge him an hour. But it got to be more than an hour, and dusky, and foggy, and damp; and that blessed rheumatic shoulder o mine began a-going it orful. It was just for all the world as though some one had made a hole right through the blade-bone, and then, shovin a piece of clothes-line through, was a sawin of it backards and furards. Then it began to rain a little mizzly, yer know and the mare havin tossed her old nose-bag about till she couldnt get not anuther taste o chaff, let alone a hoat or a bean, stands hanging all together like, same as those fiery steeds as they used to send up under a balloon, Cremorne way, years ago, and lookin for all the world like a hannimal cut out for the knackers.
Last of all out comes Mr Crusp, all hot tea and buttered toast, shining beautiful, and looking as though hed been going on to the tune o four cups and three rounds. Then he begins to fasten up; and Ulloa! says he, what are you a-waitin for? Colonel, says I. Out long ago, says he. No, says I; hes been in moren two hours. Well, he looks gallus hard at me, and then he says, He must ha gone out without you seein of him. Hes give you the slip. Then he must ha come away inside that there black omblibus with plumes on it, then, I says, for I knowed as I must ha seen him if he had come out; and then I tells him about the suffrin.
Why didnt you say that afore, says Crusp. You see if he aint been and committed hisself, or fell a wictim to his sorrow. And then he turns short round, and goes puffin along one o the side walks; while, knowin as my old mare wouldnt run away to save her life, I follered.