The back door stood open, and a grave
butler was awaiting me.
'Come this way, Sir,' he said, and he led me along a passage and
up a back staircase to a pleasant bedroom looking towards the
river. There I found a complete outfit laid out for me--dress
clothes with all the fixings, a brown flannel suit, shirts, collars, ties,
shaving things and hair-brushes, even a pair of patent shoes. 'Sir
Walter thought as how Mr Reggie's things would fit you, Sir,' said
the butler. 'He keeps some clothes 'ere, for he comes regular on the
week-ends. There's a bathroom next door, and I've prepared a 'ot
bath. Dinner in 'alf an hour, Sir. You'll 'ear the gong.'
The grave being withdrew, and I sat down in a chintz-covered
easy-chair and gaped. It was like a pantomime, to come suddenly out
of beggardom into this orderly comfort. Obviously Sir Walter
believed in me, though why he did I could not guess. I looked at
myself in the mirror and saw a wild, haggard brown fellow, with a
fortnight's ragged beard, and dust in ears and eyes, collarless,
vulgarly shirted, with shapeless old tweed clothes and boots that
had not been cleaned for the better part of a month. I made a fine
tramp and a fair drover; and here I was ushered by a prim butler
into this temple of gracious ease. And the best of it was that they
did not even know my name.
I resolved not to puzzle my head but to take the gifts the gods
had provided.
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