It was in the Belgian papers, and a German friend of
mine--Oh! quite proper I assure you! He's a Secretary of their
legation at Brussels and ages ago he used to be one of my clients
when the Hotel had a different name. Well, he was full of it.
'Madam,' 'e said, 'your English women are splendid. They're going to
bring about a revolt, you'll see, and that, an' your Ulster movement
'll give you a lot of trouble next year.'
"Well: I wrote at once to Praddy, givin' him an order on my London
agents, 'case he should want cash for your defence. I offered to
come over meself, but he replied that for the present I'd better
keep away. Soon as I heard you was sent to prison I come over and
went straight to Praddy. My! He _was_ good. He made me put up with
him, knowin' I wanted to live quiet and keep away from the old set.
'There's my parlour-maid,' 'e says, 'sort of housekeeper to
me--good sort too, but wants a bit of yumourin.' You'll fix it up
with her,' he says. And I jolly soon did. I give her to begin with
a good tip, an' I said: 'Look 'ere, my gal--she's forty-five I
should think--Every one's in trouble _some_ time or other in their
lives, and _I'm_ in trouble now, if you like. And the day's come,' I
said, 'when all women ought to stick by one another.' 'Pears she's
always had the highest opinion of you; very different, you was, from
_some_ of 'er master's friends.
Pages:
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356