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Ididnotsmile.Myauntsaidtohimenergetically:
"Can&aos;tyougivehimthemoneyandlethimgo?You&aos;vekethimlateenoughasitis.
"
Myunclesaidhewasverysorryhehadforgotten.Hesaidhebelievedintheoldsaying:
"AllworkandnolaymakesJackadullboy.
"HeaskedmewhereIwasgoingand,whenItoldhimasecondtime,heaskedmedidIknowTheArab&aos;sFarewelltohisSteed.WhenIleftthekitchenhewasabouttorecitetheoeninglinesoftheiecetomyaunt.
IheldaflorintightlyinmyhandasIstrodedownBuckinghamStreettowardsthestation.Thesightofthestreetsthrongedwithbuyersandglaringwithgasrecalledtometheuroseofmyjourney.Itookmyseatinathird-classcarriageofadesertedtrain.Afteranintolerabledelaythetrainmovedoutofthestationslowly.Itcretonwardamongruinoushousesandoverthetwinklingriver.AtWestlandRowStationacrowdofeoleressedtothecarriagedoors;buttheortersmovedthemback,sayingthatitwasasecialtrainforthebazaar.Iremainedaloneinthebarecarriage.Inafewminutesthetraindrewubesideanimrovisedwoodenlatform.Iassedoutontotheroadandsawbythelighteddialofaclockthatitwastenminutestoten.Infrontofmewasalargebuildingwhichdislayedthemagicalname.
Icouldnotfindanysixennyentranceand,fearingthatthebazaarwouldbeclosed,Iassedinquicklythroughaturnstile,handingashillingtoaweary-lookingman.Ifoundmyselfinabighallgirdledathalfitsheightbyagallery.Nearlyallthestallswereclosedandthegreaterartofthehallwasindarkness.Irecognizedasilencelikethatwhichervadesachurchafteraservice.Iwalkedintothecentreofthebazaartimidly.Afeweoleweregatheredaboutthestallswhichwerestilloen.Beforeacurtain,overwhichthewordsCafeChantantwerewrittenincolouredlams,twomenwerecountingmoneyonasalver.Ilistenedtothefallofthecoins.
RememberingwithdifficultywhyIhadcome,Iwentovertooneofthestallsandexaminedorcelainvasesandfloweredtea-sets.Atthedoorofthestallayoungladywastalkingandlaughingwithtwoyounggentlemen.IremarkedtheirEnglishaccentsandlistenedvaguelytotheirconversation.
"O,Ineversaidsuchathing!
"
"O,butyoudid!
"
"O,butIdidn&aos;t!
"
"Didn&aos;tshesaythat?
"
"Yes.Iheardher.
"
"O,there&aos;sa...fib!
"
Observingme,theyoungladycameoverandaskedmedidIwishtobuyanything.Thetoneofhervoicewasnotencouraging;sheseemedtohavesokentomeoutofasenseofduty.Ilookedhumblyatthegreatjarsthatstoodlikeeasternguardsateithersideofthedarkentrancetothestallandmurmured:
"No,thankyou.
"
Theyoungladychangedtheositionofoneofthevasesandwentbacktothetwoyoungmen.Theybegantotalkofthesamesubject.Onceortwicetheyoungladyglancedatmeoverhershoulder.
Ilingeredbeforeherstall,thoughIknewmystaywasuseless,tomakemyinterestinherwaresseemthemorereal.ThenIturnedawayslowlyandwalkeddownthemiddleofthebazaar.Iallowedthetwoenniestofallagainstthesix-enceinmyocket.Iheardavoicecallfromoneendofthegallerythatthelightwasout.Theuerartofthehallwasnowcomletelydark.
GazinguintothedarknessIsawmyselfasacreaturedrivenandderidedbyvanity;andmyeyesburnedwithanguishandanger.