Театр

           NoonetohearherprattlingawaywouldhaveguessedthatshewasthegreatestactressinEngland.Andiftheydidn’tbelievehimhe’dhaveherphotographtoproveit,signedyourssincerely.He’dlaughandsaythatofcourseifhehadn’tbeensuchakidhe’dneverhavehadthecheektoaskher.

           Whenshearrivedatthehouseandhadpaidoffthetaxishesuddenlyrememberedthatshedidnotknowhisnameandwhenthemaidansweredthedoorwouldnotknowwhomtoaskfor.Butonlookingforthebellshenoticedthattherewereeightofthem,fourrowsoftwo,andbythesideofeachwasacardoranamewrittenininkonapieceofpaper.Itwasanoldhousethathadbeendividedupintoflats.Shebeganlooking,ratherhopelessly,atthenameswonderingwhetheroneofthemwouldrecallsomething,whenthedooropenedandhestoodbeforeher.

           "IsawyoudriveupandIrandown.I’mafraidI’monthethirdfloor.Ihopeyoudon’tmind."

           "Ofcoursenot."

           Sheclimbedtheuncarpetedstairs.Shewasatrifleoutofbreathwhenshecametothethirdlanding.Hehadskippedupeagerly,likeayounggoat,shethought,andshehadnotlikedtosuggestthatshewouldprefertogomoreleisurely.Theroomintowhichheledherwasfairlylarge,butdingilyfurnished.Onthetablewasaplateofcakesandtwocups,asugarbasinandamilk-jug.Thecrockerywasofthecheapestsort.

           "Takeapew,"hesaid."Thewater’sjustontheboil.I’llonlybeaminute.I’vegotagas-ringinthebathroom."

           Heleftherandshelookedabout.