CHAPTER XII
_In which may be found a full, true, and particular account of the sale_
"Uncle Porges, there's a little man in the hall with a red, red nose,an' a blue, blue chin,--"
"Yes, I've seen him,--also his nose, and chin, my Porges."
"But he's sticking little papers with numbers on them, all over myAuntie Anthea's chairs,--an' tables. Now what do you s'pose he's doingthat for?"
"Who knows? It's probably all on account of his red nose, and blue chin,my Porges. Anyway, don't worry about him,--let us rather, find ourAuntie Anthea."
They found her in the hall. And it _was_ a hall, here, at Dapplemere,wide, and high, and with a minstrel's gallery at one end; a hall that,years and years ago, had often rung with the clash of men-at-arms, andechoed with loud, and jovial laughter, for this was the most ancientpart of the Manor.
It looked rather bare, and barren, just now, for the furniture was allmoved out of place,--ranged neatly round the walls, and stacked at thefarther end, beneath the gallery where the little man in question, blueof chin, and red of nose, was hovering about it, dabbing little ticketson chairs, and tables,--even as Small Porges had said.
And, in the midst of it all, stood Anthea, a desolate figure, Bellewthought, who, upon his entrance, bent her head to draw on her drivinggloves, for she was waiting for the dog-cart which was to bear her, andSmall Porges to Cranbrook, far away from the hollow tap of theauctioneer's hammer.
"We're getting rid of some of the old furniture, you see, Mr. Bellew,"she said, laying her hand on an antique cabinet nearby,--"we really havemuch more than we ever use."
"Yes," said Bellew. But he noticed that her eyes were very dark andwistful, despite her light tone, and that she had laid her hand upon theold cabinet with a touch very like a caress.
"Why is that man's nose so awful' red, and his chin so blue, AuntieAnthea?" enquired Small Porges, in a hissing stage whisper.
"Hush Georgy!--I don't know," said Anthea.
"An' why is he sticking his little numbers all over our best furniture!"
"That is to guide the auctioneer."
"Where to,--an' what is an auctioneer?"
But, at this moment, hearing the wheels of the dog-cart at the door,Anthea turned, and hastened out into the sunshine.
"A lovely day it do be for drivin'," said Adam touching his hat, "an'Bess be thinkin' the same, I do believe!" and he patted the glossy coatof the mare, who arched her neck, and pawed the gravel with an impatienthoof. Lightly, and nimbly Anthea swung herself up to the high seat,turning to make Small Porges secure beside her, as Bellew handed him up.
"You'll--look after things for me, Adam?" said Anthea, glancing backwistfully into the dim recesses of the cool, old hall.
"Aye,--I will that, Miss Anthea!"
"Mr. Bellew, we can find room for you if you care to come with us?"
"Thanks," said he, shaking his head, "but I rather think I'll stay here,and--er--help Adam to--to--look after things, if you don't mind."
"Then,--'Good-bye!'" said Anthea, and, nodding to Adam, he gave the mareher head, and off they went.
"Good-bye!" cried Small Porges, "an' thank you for the shilling UnclePorges."
"The mare is--er--rather fresh this morning, isn't she, Adam?" enquiredBellew, watching the dog-cart's rapid course.
"Fresh sir?"
"And that's rather a--er--dangerous sort of thing for a woman to drive,isn't it?"
"Meanin' the dog-cart, sir?"
"Meaning the dog-cart, Adam."
"Why, Lord love ye, Mr. Belloo sir!" cried Adam with his great laugh,"there ain't nobody can 'andle the ribbons better than MissAnthea,--there ain't a horse as she can't drive,--ah! or ride, for thatmatter,--not no-wheres, sir."
"Hum!" said Bellew, and, having watched the dog-cart out of sight, heturned and followed Adam into the stables.
And here, sitting upon a bale of hay, they smoked many pipes together inearnest converse, until such time as the sale should begin.
As the day advanced, people began arriving in twos and threes, and,among the first, the Auctioneer himself. A jovial-faced man, was thisAuctioneer, with jovial manner, and a jovial smile. Indeed, hisjoviality seemed, somehow or other, to have got into the very buttons ofhis coat, for they fairly winked, and twinkled with joviality. Uponcatching sight of the furniture he became, if possible, more jovial thanever, and beckoning to his assistant,--that is to say to the small manwith the red nose and the blue chin, who, it seemed answered to the nameof Theodore,--he clapped him jovially upon the back,--(rather as thoughhe were knocking him down to some unfortunate bidder),--and immediatelyfell into business converse with him,--albeit jovial still.
But all the while intending purchasers were arriving; they came onhorse, and afoot, and in conveyances of every sort and kind, and thetread of their feet, and the buzz of their voices awoke unwonted echoesin the old place. And still they came, from far and near, until somehundred odd people were crowded into the hall.
Conspicuous among them was a large man with a fat, red neck which he wascontinually mopping at, and rubbing with a vivid bandanna handkerchiefscarcely less red. Indeed, red seemed to be his pervading colour, forhis hair was red, his hands were red, and his face, heavy and round, wasreddest of all, out of whose flaming circumference two diminutive butvery sharp eyes winked and blinked continually. His voice, like himself,was large with a peculiar brassy ring to it that penetrated to thefarthest corners and recesses of the old hall. He was, beyond all doubt,a man of substance, and of no small importance, for he was greeteddeferentially on all hands, and it was to be noticed that people elbowedeach other to make way for him, as people ever will before substance,and property. To some of them he nodded, to some he spoke, and withothers he even laughed, albeit he was of a solemn, sober, and seriousnature, as becomes a man of property, and substance.
Between whiles, however, he bestowed his undivided attention upon thefurniture. He sat down suddenly and heavily, in chairs; he pummelledthem with his plump, red fists,--whereby to test their springs; heopened the doors of cabinets; he peered into drawers; he rapped upontables, and altogether comported himself as a thoroughly knowing manshould, who is not to be hocussed by veneer, or taken in by the shine,and splendour of well applied bees-wax. Bellew, watching all this fromwhere he sat screened from the throng by a great carved sideboard, anddivers chairs, and whatnots,--drew rather harder at his pipe, and,chancing to catch Adam's eye, beckoned him to approach.
"Who is that round, red man, yonder, Adam?" he enquired, nodding towhere the individual in question was engaged at that moment poking atsomething or other with a large, sausage-like finger.
"That!" replied Adam in a tone of profound disgust, "that be Mr. Grimes,o' Cranbrook, sir. Calls hisself a corn-chandler,--but I calls'im,--well, never mind what, sir,--only it weren't at corn-chandling as'e made all 'is money, sir,--and it be him as we all work, and slavefor,--here at Dapplemere Farm."
"What do you mean, Adam?"
"I mean as it be him as holds the mortgage on Dapplemere, sir."
"Ah,--and how much?"
"Over three thousand pound, Mr. Belloo sir!" sighed Adam, with ahopeless shake of the head, "an' that be a powerful lot o' money, sir."
Bellew thought of the sums he had lavished upon his yacht, upon histhree racing cars, and certain other extravagances. Three thousandpounds,--fifteen thousand dollars! It would make her a freewoman,--independent,--happy! Just fifteen thousand dollars,--and he hadthrown away more than that upon a poker game, before now!
"Lord!" exclaimed Adam, "the very sight o' that theer Grimes's pig eyesa-starin' at Miss Anthea's furnitur' do make the Old Adam rise up in meto that amazin' extent, Mr. Belloo sir--why, jest look at 'im a-thumpin'an' a poundin' at that theer chair!" Saying which, Adam turned, andelbowing his way to where Mr. Grimes was in the act of testing thesprings of an easy chair, he promptly,--and as though forced by astruggling mob,--fell up against Mr. Grimes, and jostled Mr. Grimes, andtrod heavily upon t
he toes of Mr. Grimes, and all with an expression ofthe most profound unconsciousness and abstraction, which, upon theindignant Corn-chandler's loud expostulations, immediately changed to alook of innocent surprise.
"Can't you look where you're going?--you clumsy fool!" fumed the irateGrimes, redder of neck than ever.
"Ax your pardon, Mr. Grimes," said Adam solemnly, "but what wi' people'slegs, an' cheer legs, an' the legs o' tables,--not to mention sideboardsan' cab'nets,--which, though not 'aving no legs, ain't to be by nomanner o' means despised therefore,--w'ot wi' this an' that, an't'other, I am that con-fined, or as you might say, con-fused, I don'tknow which legs is mine, or yourn, or anybody else's. Mr. Grimes sir,--Imakes so bold as to ax your pardon all over again, sir." During whichspeech, Adam contrived, once more, to fall against, to tread upon, andto jostle the highly incensed Mr. Grimes back into the crowd again.Thereafter he became a Nemesis to Mr. Grimes, haunting him through thejungle of chairs, and tables, pursuing him into distant corners, andshady places, where, so sure as the sausage-like finger poised itselffor an interrogatory poke, or the fat, red fist doubled itself for aspring-testing punch, the innocent-seeming Adam would thereupon fallagainst him from the rear, sideways, or in front.
Meanwhile, Bellew sat in his secluded corner, watching the crowd throughthe blue wreaths of his pipe, but thinking of her who, brave though shewas, had nevertheless run away from it all at the last moment.Presently, however, he was aware that the Corn-chandler had seatedhimself on the other side of the chiffonier, puffing, and panting withheat, and indignation,--where he was presently joined by anotherindividual,--a small, rat-eyed man, who bid Mr. Grimes a deferential"Good-day!"
"That there Adam," puffed the Corn-chandler, "that there Adam ought tobe throwed out into the stables where he belongs. I never see a man aswas so much growed to feet and elbers, in all my days! He ought to betook," repeated the Corn-chandler, "and shook, and throwed out intothe yard."
"Yes," nodded the other, "took, and shook, and throwed out--neck, andcrop, sir! And now,--what might you think o' the furniture, Mr. Grimes?"
"So so, Parsons," nodded Grimes, "so so!"
"Shall you buy?"
"I am a-going," said the Corn-chandler with much deliberation, "I ama-going to take them tapestry cheers, sir, likewise the grand-feytherclock in the corner here, likewise the four-post bed-stead wi' thecarved 'ead-board,--and--most particular, Parsons, I shall take thishere side-board. There ain't another piece like this in the county, as Iknow of,--solid ma-hogany, sir!--and the carvings!" and herewith, hegave two loud double knocks upon the article of furniture in question."Oh! I've 'ad my eye on this side-board for years, and years,--knowedI'd get it some day, too,--the only wonder is as she ain't had to sellup afore now."
"Meaning Miss Anthea, sir?"
"Ah,--her! I say as it's a wonder to me,--wo't wi' the interest on themortgage I 'old on the place, and one thing and another,--it's a wonderto me as she's kept her 'ead above water so long. But--mark me, Parsons,mark me,--she'll be selling again soon, and next time it'll be lock,stock, and barrel, Parsons!"
"Well, I don't 'old wi' women farmers, myself!" nodded Parsons."But,--as to that cup-board over there,--Sheraton, I think,--what mightyou suppose it to be worth,--betwixt friends, now?" enquired Parsons,the rat eyed.
"Can't say till I've seed it, and likewise felt it," answered theCorn-chandler, rising. "Let me lay my 'and upon it, and I'll tellyou--to a shilling," and here, they elbowed their way into the crowd.But Bellew sat there, chin in hand, quite oblivious to the fact that hispipe was out, long since.
The tall, old grand-father clock ticking in leisurely fashion in thecorner behind him, solemn and sedate, as it had done since, (as the neatinscription upon the dial testified), it had first been made in the Yearof Grace 1732, by one Jabez Havesham, of London;--this ancienttime-piece now uttered a sudden wheeze, (which, considering its greatage, could scarcely be wondered at), and, thereafter, the wheezinghaving subsided, gave forth a soft, and mellow chime, proclaiming to alland sundry, that it was twelve o'clock. Hereupon, the Auctioneer,bustling to and fro with his hat upon the back of his head, consultedhis watch, nodded to the red nosed, blue-chinned Theodore, and, perchinghimself above the crowd, gave three sharp knocks with his hammer.
"Gentlemen!" he began, but here he was interrupted by a loud voiceupraised in hot anger.
"Confound ye for a clumsy rascal! Will ye keep them elbers o' yourn toout o' my weskit, eh? Will ye keep them big feet o' yourn to yeself? Ifthere ain't room enough for ye,--out ye go, d'ye hear--I'll have yetook, and shook,--and throwed out where ye belong; so jest mind where yecome a trampin', and a treadin'."
"Tread!" repeated Adam, "Lord! where am I to tread? If I steps backwardI tread on ye,--If I steps sideways I tread on ye, if I steps for-ard Itread on ye. It do seem to me as I can't go nowhere but there you bea-waitin' to be trod on, Mr. Grimes, sir."
Hereupon the Auctioneer rapped louder than ever, upon which, the clamoursubsiding, he smiled his most jovial smile, and once more began:
"Gentlemen! you have all had an opportunity to examine the furniture Iam about to dispose of, and, as fair minded human beings I think youwill admit that a finer lot of genuine antique was never offered at oneand the same time. Gentlemen, I am not going to burst forth intolaudatory rodomontade, (which is a word, gentlemen that I employ onlyamong an enlightened community such as I now have the honour ofaddressing),--neither do I propose to waste your time in purposelessverbiage, (which is another of the same kind, gentlemen),--therefore,without further preface, or preamble, we will proceed at once tobusiness. The first lot I have to offer you is a screen,--six foothigh,--bring out the screen, Theodore! There it is, gentlemen,--open itout, Theodore! Observe, Gentlemen it is carved rosewood, the panels handpainted, and representing shepherds, and shepherdesses, disportingthemselves under a tree with banjo and guitar. Now what am I offered forthis hand-painted, antique screen,--come?"
"Fifteen shillings!" from someone deep hidden in the crowd.
"Start as low as you like, gentlemen! I am offered a miserable fifteenshillings for a genuine, hand-painted--"
"Sixteen!" this from a long, loose-limbed fellow with a patch over oneeye, and another on his cheek.
"A pound!" said Adam, promptly.
"A guinea!" nodded he of the patches.
"Twenty-five shillin's!" said Adam.
"At twenty-five shillings!" cried the Auctioneer, "any advance?--agenuine, hand-painted, antique screen,--going at twenty-five--attwenty-five,--going--going--gone! To the large gentleman in theneckcloth, Theodore!"
"Theer be that Job Jagway, sir," said Adam, leaning across theside-board to impart this information,--"over yonder, Mr. Belloosir,--'im as was bidding for the screen,--the tall chap wi' the patches.Two patches be pretty good, but I do wish as I'd give him a couple more,while I was about it, Mr. Belloo sir." Here, the Auctioneer's voice putan end to Adam's self-reproaches, and he turned back to the businessin hand.
"The next lot I'm going to dispose of, gentlemen, is a fine set of sixchairs with carved antique backs, and upholstered in tapestry. Also twoarm-chairs to match,--wheel 'em out, Theodore! Now what is your pricefor these eight fine pieces,--look 'em over and bid accordingly."
"Thirty shillings!" Again from the depths of the crowd.
"Ha! ha!--you joke sir!" laughed the Auctioneer, rubbing his hands inhis most jovial manner, "you joke! I can't see you, but you joke ofcourse, and I laugh accordingly, ha! ha! Thirty shillings for eight,fine, antique, tapestried, hand-carved chairs,--Oh verygood,--excellent, upon my soul!"
"Three pound!" said the fiery-necked Corn-chandler.
"Guineas!" said the rat-eyed Parsons.
"Four pound!" nodded the Corn-chandler.
"Four pound ten!" roared Adam.
"Five!" nodded Grimes, edging away from Adam's elbow.
"Six pound ten!" cried Adam.
"Seven!"--from Parsons.
"Eight!" said Grimes.
"Ten!" roared Ada
m, growing desperate.
"Eleven!" said Grimes, beginning to mop at his neck again.
Adam hesitated; eleven pounds seemed so very much for those chairs, thathe had seen Prudence and the rosy-cheeked maids dust regularly everymorning, and then,--it was not his money, after all. Therefore Adamhesitated, and glanced wistfully towards a certain distant corner.
"At eleven,--at eleven pounds!--this fine suite of hand-carved antiquechairs, at eleven pounds!--at eleven!--at eleven, going--going!--"
"Fifteen!" said a voice from the distant corner; whereupon Adam drew agreat sigh of relief, while the Corn-chandler contorted himself in hisefforts to glare at Bellew round the side-board.
"Fifteen pounds!" chanted the Auctioneer, "I have fifteen,--I am givenfifteen,--any advance? These eight antique chairs, going atfifteen!--going! for the last time,--going!--gone! Sold to the gentlemanin the corner behind the side-board, Theodore."
"They were certainly fine chairs, Mr. Grimes!" said Parsons shaking hishead.
"So so!" said the Corn-chandler, sitting down heavily, "So so, Parsons!"and he turned to glare at Bellew, who, lying back in an easy chair withhis legs upon another, puffed at his pipe, and regarded all things witha placid interest.
It is not intended to record in these pages all the bids that were madeas the afternoon advanced, for that would be fatiguing to write, and aweariness to read; suffice it that lots were put up, and regularlyknocked down but always to Bellew, or Adam. Which last, encouraged byBellew's bold advances, gaily roared down, and constantly out-bid allcompetitors with such unhesitating pertinacity, that murmurs rose, andswelled into open complaint. In the midst of which, the fiery-visagedCorn-chandler, purple now, between heat, and vexation, loudly demandedthat he lay down some substantial deposit upon what he had alreadypurchased, failing which, he should, there and then, be took, and shook,and throwed out into the yard.
"Neck, and crop!" added Mr. Parsons.
"That seems to be a fair proposition," smiled the Auctioneer, who hadalready experienced some doubts as to Adam's financial capabilities, yetwith his joviality all unruffled,--"that seems to be a very fairproposal indeed. If the gentleman will put down some substantialdeposit now--"
"Aye, for sure!" nodded Adam, stepping forward; and, unbuttoning acapacious pocket he drew out a handful of bank-notes, "shall I gi'e ye ahundred pound,--or will fifty be enough?"
"Why," said the Auctioneer, rubbing his hands as he eyed the fistful ofbank-notes, "ten pound will be all that is necessary, sir,--just toensure good faith, you understand."
Hereupon, Bellew beckoning to Adam, handed him a like amount which wasduly deposited with the Auctioneer.
So, once more, the bidding began,--once more lots were put up,--andknocked down--now to Adam, and now to Bellew. The bed with the carvedhead-board had fallen to Adam after a lively contest between him, andParsons, and the Corn-chandler, which had left the latter in a state ofperspiring profanity, from which he was by no means recovered, when theAuctioneer once more rapped for silence.
"And now, gentlemen, last, but by no means least, we come to the gem ofthe sale,--a side-board, gentlemen,--a magnificent, mahoganyside-board, being a superb example of the carver's art! Here is aside-board, gentlemen, which,--if it can be equalled,--cannot beexcelled--no, gentlemen, not if you were to search all the baronialhalls, and lordly mansions in this land of mansions, and baronials. Itis a truly magnificent piece, in perfect condition,--and to be sold atyour own price. I say no more. Gentlemen,--how much for thismagnificent, mahogany piece?"
"Ten pound!"
"Eleven!"
"Fifteen!"
"Seventeen!" said Adam, who was rapidly drawing near the end of hisresources.
"Eighteen!" This from Job Jagway.
"Go easy there, Job!" hissed Adam, edging a little nearer to him, "goeasy, now,--Nineteen!"
"Come, come Gentlemen!" remonstrated the Auctioneer, "this isn't acoal-scuttle, nor a broom, nor yet a pair of tongs,--this is amagnificent mahogany side-board,--and you offer me--nineteen pound!"
"Twenty!" said Job.
"Twenty-one!" roared Adam, making his last bid, and then, turning, hehissed in Job's unwilling ear,--"go any higher, an' I'll pound ye to ajelly, Job!"
"Twenty-five!" said Parsons.
"Twenty-seven!"
"Twenty-eight!"
"Thirty!" nodded Grimes, scowling at Adam.
"Thirty-two!" cried Parsons.
"Thirty-six!"
"Thirty-seven!"
"Forty!" nodded Grimes.
"That drops me," said Parsons, sighing, and shaking his head.
"Ah!" chuckled the Corn-chandler, "well, I've waited years for thatside-board, Parsons, and I ain't going to let you take it away fromme--nor nobody else, sir!"
"At forty!" cried the Auctioneer, "at forty!--this magnifi--"
"One!" nodded Bellew, beginning to fill his pipe.
"Forty-one's the bid,--I have forty-one from the gent in the corner--"
"Forty-five!" growled the Corn-chandler.
"Six!" said Bellew.
"Fifty!" snarled Grimes.
"One!" said Bellew.
"Gent in the corner gives me fifty-one!" chanted the Auctioneer--"anyadvance?--at fifty-one--"
"Fifty-five!" said Grimes, beginning to mop at his neck harder thanever.
"Add ten!" nodded Bellew.
"What's that?" cried Grimes, wheeling about.
"Gent in the corner offers me sixty-five,--at sixty-five,--thismagnificent piece at sixty-five! What, are you all done?--at sixty-five,and cheap at the price,--come, gentlemen, take your time, give itanother look over, and bid accordingly."
The crowd had dwindled rapidly during the last hour, which was scarcelyto be wondered at seeing that they were constantly out-bid--either by ahoarse voiced, square-shouldered fellow in a neck-cloth, or a dreamyindividual who lolled in a corner, and puffed at a pipe.
But now, as Grimes, his red cheeks puffed out, his little eyes snappingin a way that many knew meant danger (with a large D)--as the richCorn-chandler, whose word was law to a good many, turned and confrontedthis lounging, long-legged individual,--such as remained closed roundthem in a ring, in keen expectation of what was to follow. Observingwhich, the Corn-chandler feeling it incumbent upon him now or never, tovindicate himself as a man of property, and substance, and not to be putdown, thrust his hands deep into his pockets, spread his legs wideapart, and stared at Bellew in a way that most people had found highlydisconcerting, before now. Bellew, however, seemed wholly unaffected,and went on imperturbably filling his pipe.
"At sixty-five!" cried the Auctioneer, leaning towards Grimes with hishammer poised, "at sixty-five--Will you make it another pound,sir!--come,--what do you say?"
"I say--no sir!" returned the Corn-chandler, slowly, and impressively,"I say no, sir,--I say--make it another--twenty pound, sir!" Hereuponheads were shaken, or nodded, and there rose the sudden shuffle of feetas the crowd closed in nearer.
"I get eighty-five! any advance on eighty-five?"
"Eighty-six!" said Bellew, settling the tobacco in his pipe-bowl withhis thumb.
Once again the Auctioneer leaned over and appealed to the Corn-chandler,who stood in the same attitude, jingling the money in his pocket, "Comesir, don't let a pound or so stand between you and a side-board thatcan't be matched in the length and breadth of the United Kingdom,--come,what do you say to another ten shillings?"
"I say, sir," said Grimes, with his gaze still riveted upon Bellew, "Isay--no sir,--I say make it another--twenty pound sir!"
Again there rose the shuffle of feet, again heads were nodded, andelbows nudged neighbouring ribs, and all eyes were focussed upon Bellewwho was in the act of lighting his pipe.
"One hundred and six pounds!" cried the Auctioneer, "at one six!--at onesix!--"
Bellew struck a match, but the wind from the open casement behind him,extinguished it.
"I have one hundred and six pounds! is there any advance, yes orno?--going at one hundred
and six!"
Adam who, up till now, had enjoyed the struggle to the utmost,experienced a sudden qualm of fear.
Bellew struck another match.
"At one hundred and six pounds!--at one six,--going at one hundred andsix pounds--!"
A cold moisture started out on Adam's brow, he clenched his hands, andmuttered between his teeth. Supposing the money were all gone, like hisown share, supposing they had to lose this famous old side-board,--andto Grimes of all people! This, and much more, was in Adam's mind whilethe Auctioneer held his hammer poised, and Bellew went on lightinghis pipe.
"Going at one hundred and six!--going!--going!--"
"Fifty up!" said Bellew. His pipe was well alight at last, and he wasnodding to the Auctioneer through a fragrant cloud.
"What!" cried Grimes, "'ow much?"
"Gent in the corner gives me one hundred and fifty six pounds," said theAuctioneer, with a jovial eye upon the Corn-chandler's lowering visage,"one five six,--all done?--any advance? Going at one five six,--going!going!--gone!" The hammer fell, and with its tap a sudden silence cameupon the old hall. Then, all at once, the Corn-chandler turned, caughtup his hat, clapped it on, shook a fat fist at Bellew, and crossing tothe door, lumbered away, muttering maledictions as he went.
By twos and threes the others followed him until there remained onlyAdam, Bellew, the Auctioneer, and the red-nosed Theodore. And yet, therewas one other, for, chancing to raise his eyes to the minstrel'sgallery, Bellew espied Miss Priscilla, who, meeting his smiling glance,leaned down suddenly over the carved rail, and very deliberately, threwhim a kiss, and then hurried away with a quick, light tap-tap ofher stick.