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Chapter 14
”Isaid:“Gently,Gowing,thepoorfellowhasbeenveryill.”Gowingroaredwithlaughterandsaid:“Yes,andyoulookit,too.”Cummingsquietlysaid:“Yes,andIfeelittoo—notthatIsupposeyoucare.”
Anawkwardsilencefollowed.Gowingsaid:“Nevermind,Cummings,youandthemissiscomeroundtomyplacetomorrow,anditwillcheeryouupabit;forwe’llopenabottleofwine.”
January26.—Anextraordinarythinghappened.CarrieandIwentroundtoGowing’s,asarranged,athalf-pastseven.Weknockedandrangseveraltimeswithoutgettingananswer.Atlastthelatchwasdrawnandthedooropenedalittleway,thechainstillbeingup.Amaninshirt-sleevesputhisheadthroughandsaid:“Whoisit?Whatdoyouwant?”Isaid:“Mr.Gowing,heisexpectingus.”Themansaid(aswellasIcouldhear,owingtotheyappingofalittledog):“Idon’tthinkheis.Mr.Gowingisnotathome.”Isaid:“Hewillbeindirectly.”
Withthatobservationheslammedthedoor,leavingCarrieandmestandingonthestepswithacuttingwindblowingroundthecorner.
Carrieadvisedmetoknockagain.Ididso,andthendiscoveredforthefirsttimethattheknockerhadbeennewlypainted,andthepainthadcomeoffonmygloves—whichwere,inconsequence,completelyspoiled.
Iknockedatthedoorwithmysticktwoorthreetimes.
Themanopenedthedoor,takingthechainoffthistime,andbeganabusingme
