The second was
that when he was told to fetch a cab, he would be good enough to do so,
instead of persuading other people's servants to do his work. Lord
Pomfret, who was present at the arraignment, supported his mother
dutifully. Anthony said nothing at all. Four and a half years in the
Army had left their mark.

* * * * *

If Lyveden was a Conservative, so was his dog. For the two there was
only one walk in all Hertfordshire, and that, after six fair miles,
brought them thirsty or wet, as the weather might order, to the shade
or shelter of _The Leather Bottel_. This was, in fact, Anthony's
country house. Here for one glorious week the two had shared the same
bed. Heaven only knew when such a prolonged visit would be repeated.
It had cost two whole pounds, and, do what he would, Anthony could save
very little out of his wages. Of his six pounds a month the Dogs' Home
took four precious guineas. Then there were railway fares at three
shillings a time--twelve shillings a month. Teas, clothes, and a
little--a very little--tobacco had to be paid for. It was a tight fit.

With his back to a beech tree, Lyveden thought upon these things. The
weather, perhaps, invited Melancholy.

Without the wood a sudden shower was falling down from heaven,
drenching anew wet pastures, thinning the mud upon brown lanes,
poppling upon the washed highway. Dainty scale-armour of a million
leaves protected Anthony. Ere this was penetrated, the fusillade would
have stopped.

It was more than a month now since he had seen the lady. At the moment
he supposed gloomily that she had gone out of his life. Considering
what his life was, it was just as well. (Melancholy smiled to herself,
sighed sympathetically, and laid her dark head upon Anthony's
shoulder.) His thoughts flew over the blowing country to Eaton Square.
The squalor of his bedroom rose up before him. The walls were peeling,
and upon one there was a vast brown stain. The floor was bare. The
cracked American cloth upon the chest of drawers made this a washstand.
The fact that the ensemble had lost a foot made it unsteady. True,
some one had placed a Bradshaw under the bereaved corner, but the piece
listed heavily. The Bradshaw, by the way, was out of date. In fact,
its value as a guide to intending passengers had expired on the
thirty-first of October, 1902. That looked as if the chest were an
antique. Three of the china knobs, how