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Page 46
Santa Deodata was better company than Harriet, and she
kept Philip in a pleasant dream until the legno drew up at
the hotel. Every one there was asleep, for it was still the
hour when only idiots were moving. There were not even any
beggars about. The cabman put their bags down in the
passage--they had left heavy luggage at the station--and
strolled about till he came on the landlady's room and woke
her, and sent her to them.
Then Harriet pronounced the monosyllable "Go!"
"Go where?" asked Philip, bowing to the landlady, who
was swimming down the stairs.
"To the Italian. Go."
"Buona sera, signora padrona. Si ritorna volontieri a
Monteriano!" (Don't be a goose. I'm not going now. You're
in the way, too.) "Vorrei due camere--"
"Go. This instant. Now. I'll stand it no longer. Go!"
"I'm damned if I'll go. I want my tea."
"Swear if you like!" she cried. "Blaspheme! Abuse me!
But understand, I'm in earnest."
"Harriet, don't act. Or act better."
"We've come here to get the baby back, and for nothing
else. I'll not have this levity and slackness, and talk
about pictures and churches. Think of mother; did she send
you out for THEM?"
"Think of mother and don't straddle across the stairs.
Let the cabman and the landlady come down, and let me go up
and choose rooms."
"I shan't."
"Harriet, are you mad?"
"If you like. But you will not come up till you have
seen the Italian."
"La signorina si sente male," said Philip, "C' e il sole."
"Poveretta!" cried the landlady and the cabman.
"Leave me alone!" said Harriet, snarling round at them.
"I don't care for the lot of you. I'm English, and neither
you'll come down nor he up till he goes for the baby."
"La prego-piano-piano-c e un' altra signorina che dorme--"
"We shall probably be arrested for brawling, Harriet.
Have you the very slightest sense of the ludicrous?"
Harriet had not; that was why she could be so powerful.
She had concocted this scene in the carriage, and nothing
should baulk her of it. To the abuse in front and the
coaxing behind she was equally indifferent. How long she
would have stood like a glorified Horatius, keeping the
staircase at both ends, was never to be known. For the
young lady, whose sleep they were disturbing, awoke and
opened her bedroom door, and came out on to the landing.
She was Miss Abbott.
Philip's first coherent feeling was one of indignation.
To be run by his mother and hectored by his sister was as
much as he could stand. The intervention of a third female
drove him suddenly beyond politeness. He was about to say
exactly what he thought about the thing from beginning to
end. But before he could do so Harriet also had seen Miss
Abbott. She uttered a shrill cry of joy.
"You, Caroline, here of all people!" And in spite of
the heat she darted up the stairs and imprinted an
affectionate kiss upon her friend.
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