Steptoe

“ When the last man had disappeared Hall turned quickly to Steptoe. “Well, what did he say? Where has he gone?”
“Don't know,” said Steptoe, with uneasy curtness. “He was running away with a woman—well, Mrs. Barker, if you want to know,” he added, with rising anger, “the wife of one of those cursed partners. Jack Hamlin was here, and was jockeying to stop him, and interfered. But what the devil has that job to do with our job?” He was losing his temper; everything seemed to turn upon this infernal Van Loo! ”

“ Rash, and let you know.”
While first the waistcoat and then the coat were extended and slipped over the shoulders, Allerton did his best to put Steptoe in possession of the mad facts of the previous day. Though the account he gave was incoherent, the old man understood enough.
“It wasn’t her fault, you must understand,” Allerton explained further, as Steptoe brushed his hat. “She didn’t want to. I persuaded her. I wanted to do something that would wring Miss Walbrook’s heart—and I’ve done it! Wrung my own, too! What’s to become of me, Steptoe? Is the best thing I can do to shoot myself? ”

“ Steptoe wouldn’t let me, if I wanted to.”
“He doesn’t like me.”
“Oh, that’s just your imagination, Barbe. I’ll answer for him when it comes to––”
“You needn’t take the trouble to do that, because I don’t like him.”
“Oh, but you will when you come to understand him.”
“Possibly; but I don’t mean to come to understand him. Old servants can be an awful nuisance, Rash––”
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“But Steptoe isn’t exactly an old servant. He’s more like––”
“Oh, I know what he’s like. He’s a habit; and habits are always dangerous, even when they’re good. But we’re not going to quarrel about Steptoe yet. ”

“ Phillipson. Don't be so solemn, Mr. Undershell! I'm sure you can be as comical as any play-actor when you choose!
Undershell. I really don't know how I can have given you that impression. If you expect me to treat my lyre like a horse-collar, and grin through it, I'm afraid I am unable to gratify you.
Steptoe (at sea) . Capital, sir, the professional allusion very neat. You'll come out presently, I can see, when supper's on the table. Can't expect you to rattle till you've something inside of you, can we?
Miss Stickler. Reelly, Mr. Steptoe, I am surprised at such commonness from you! ”

“ Steptoe glanced suspiciously at Jack. But at the same moment they were all startled—even Jack himself—at the apparition of Mrs. Barker passing hurriedly along the veranda before the windows in the direction of the still waiting buggy. “D—n it!” said Steptoe in a fierce whisper to the man next him. “Tell her not THERE—at the back door!” But before the messenger reached the door there was a sudden rattle of wheels, and with one accord all except Hamlin rushed to the veranda, only to see Mrs. Barker driving rapidly away alone. Steptoe turned back into the room, but Jack also had disappeared. ”

“ Mrs. Steptoe found some more voice. "Didn't the mistress say Tulse Hill, Harmood?" She asked the question of the unseen, above, not without recognition of her own necessity as a go-between. Direct communications from a house-and-parlour-maid, single, in a nightgown, could hardly be in order under the circumstances.
[462] "Mrs. Challis said Tulse Hill, Mrs. Steptoe." The delicacy of the position is recognized, and the intercessor and mediator installed. Who repeats the words officially, and adds, as a mere human creature: "My word a mercy, what a turn it giv'!" ”

“ Only five years ago I was livin' over on the Bar at Heavy Tree Hill under the name of Steptoe, and folks here might recognize me. I was here when your particular friend, Jim Stacy, who only knew me as Steptoe, and doesn't know me as Horncastle, your HUSBAND,—for all he's bound up my property for you,—made his big strike with his two partners. I was in his cabin that very night, and drank his whiskey. Oh, I'm all right there! I left everything all right behind me—only it's just as well he doesn't know I'm Horncastle. ”

“ Even the men who would have willingly “held him up” a moment after, at the bidding of Steptoe, saw no reason for declining a free drink “without prejudice.” And it was a part of the irony of the situation that Steptoe and Van Loo were also obliged to participate to keep in with their partisans. It was, however, an opportune diversion to Van Loo, who managed to get nearer the door leading to the back entrance of the hotel, and to Mr. Jack Hamlin, who was watching him, as the men closed up to the bar. ”

“ Steptoe sprang to attention.
“There’s Mr. Rashleigh now. Don’t you women go to mykin’ a to-do. There’s lots o’ troubles that ’ud never ’ave ’appened if women ’ad been able to ’old their tongues.”
“But I suppose, Steptoe, you don’t deny that there’s such a thing as right.”
“I don’t deny that there’s such a thing as right, Mrs. Courage, but I only wonder if you knows more about it than the rest of us.”
In Allerton’s room Steptoe found the young master of the house half dressed. ”

“ Steptoe was not without his diplomacy. “It’s a fine thing for us, girls. This sweet young lydy is not goin’ to myke us no trouble like what the other one would, and belongs right in our own class.”
“’Enery Steptoe, speak for yourself,” Mrs. Courage said, severely. “There’s no baggages in my class, nor never was, nor never will be.”
Jane began to cry. “I’m sure I try to think the best of everyone, but when such awful things ’appens and ’omes is broken up––”
“Jynie,” Steptoe said with authority, “the young missus is wytin’ for ’er breakfast. ’Ave the goodness to tyke ’er in ’er grypefruit.” ”

“ She had reached this point when Steptoe entered the 190 library on one of his endless tasks of re-arranging that which seemed to be in sufficiently good order. Putting the big desk to rights he said over his shoulder:
“Perhaps I’d better tell madam as she’s to ’ave a caller this afternoon.”
Letty sprang up in alarm. “A—what?”
“A lydy what’ll myke a call. Oh, madam don’t need to be afryde. She’s an old friend o’ Mr. Rash’s, and’ll want, no doubt, to be a friend o’ madam too.” ”

“ Taking words at their face value, as she, Letty, did herself, Steptoe admitted that she was. Madam made it plain that she understood this honor, which often came to girls of the humblest classes, and the need there could be for supplementing wardrobes suddenly. After that it was confidence for confidence. Madame had seen that in the matter of lingerie mademoiselle “left to desire,” and though Margot made no specialty in 127 this line, they happened to have on an upper floor a consignment just arrived from Paris, and if monsieur would allow mademoiselle to come up and inspect it.... ”

“ Courage’s voice had become low and firm, with emotion in its tone, making Letty catch her breath. “My ’eart’s breakin’, and I ain’t a-goin’ to let it break without mykin’ them that’s broken it know what they’ve done to me.”
“Now, Mary Ann,” Steptoe tried to say, peaceably, “madam’s grytely pressed for time––”
“’Enery Steptoe, do you suppose that you’re the only one in the world as ’as loved that boy? Ain’t ’e my boy just as much as ever ’e was yours?”
“’E’s boy to them as stands by ’im, Mrs. Courage—and stands by them that belongs to ’im. The first thing you do is to quit––”
“I’m not quittin’ ”

“ Mrs. Barker turned away, and ascended the stairs. Selfishness is quick to recognize selfishness, and she saw in a flash the reason of Van Loo's abandonment of her. Some fear of discovery had alarmed him; perhaps Steptoe knew her husband; perhaps he had heard of Mrs. Horncastle's possession of the sitting-room ”

“ Anyone can see you’re a nice girl, just from the way you walk.”
Letty was astounded. Was the way you walked part of Steptoe’s “trick to it?” In the hope of getting information she said, still in the secondary tongue: “What’s the matter with the way I walk?”
“There’s nothin’ the matter with it. That’s the trouble. Anyone can see that you’re not a girl that’s used to bein’ on the street at this hour of the night. Ain’t you goin’ anywheres?”
Fear of the police-station suddenly made her faint. If she wasn’t going anywheres he might arrest her. She bethought her of Steptoe’s scrawled address. ”

“ Courage,” Steptoe reasoned. “If you won’t serve the new missus, Mr. Rashleigh, will ’ave to get some one else who will.”
“Mr. Rashleigh will ’ave to do that very selfsame 60 thing. Not another night will none of us sleep hunder this paternal roof with them that their very presence is a houtrage. ’Enery Steptoe was always a time-server, and a time-server ’e will be, but as for us women, we shall see the new missus in goin’ in to give ’er notice. ”

“ Steptoe has asked as an especial favor if the young ladies would not dance. Nancy had given her hand to Jim for the dance. It was the third time she 152 had bestowed this honor upon him, and with unconcealed joy he stood at the top of the line ready to lead off. Billie was dancing with Barney McGee. Mary had accepted Brek Steptoe as a partner and Elinor, with Algernon Blackstone de Willoughby Winston now joined the line. ”

“ You mustn't hide your bushel under a napkin like this; don't reserve all your sparklers for Miss Phillipson there.
Und. (stiffly) . I—ah—was not making any remark that could be described as a sparkler, Sir. I don't sparkle.
Phill. (demurely) . He was being rather sentimental just then, Mr. Steptoe, as it happens. Not that he can't sparkle, when he likes. I'm sure if you'd heard how he went on in the fly!
Steptoe (with malice) . Not having been privileged to be present, perhaps our friend here could recollect a few of the best and repeat them.
Miss Dolman. Do, Mr. Undershell, please. ”

“ Shutting the book with a bang, and throwing it on the table, he wheeled round to where Steptoe, having folded the letter, was taking off his spectacles.
“Well, what do you say to that?”
“What I’d sye to that, Mr. Rash, is that it’s as good as a legal document. If any young lydy what wrote that letter was to bring a haction for breach, this ’ere pyper’d nyle ’er.”
“So where am I now?”
“Free as a lark, Mr. Rash. One young lydy ’as turned you down, and the other ’as gone to the bad for you; so if you was to begin agyne with a third you’d ’ave a clean sheet.” ”

“ We might have been but for foolin' our time away on that man Van Loo.”
“Van Loo!” repeated Hall eagerly,—“Van Loo! Was he here?”
“Yes,” said Steptoe shortly, administering a kick under the table to Hall, as he had no wish to revive the previous irritability of his comrades. “He's gone, but,” turning to the others, “you'd have had to wait for Mr. Hall's arrival, anyhow. And now you've got your order you can start. Go in two parties by different roads, and meet on the other side of the hotel at Hymettus. I'll be there before you. Pick up some shovels and drills as you go ”

“ He was dwelling on this bit of satisfaction when Steptoe continued.
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“And as long as the young lydy remynes with us, Mr. Rash, I thought it’d be discreeter like not to ’ave no more women pokin’ about, and tryin’ to find out what ’ad better not be known. It mykes it simpler as she ’erself arsks to be called Miss Gravely––”
“Oh, she does?”
“Yes, sir; and that’s what I’ve told William and Golightly, the waiter and the chef, is ’er nyme. It mykes it all plyne to ’em––”
“Plain? Why, they’ll think––”
“No, sir. ”

“ Rashleigh ’imself and tell ’im that hunder the syme roof with a baggage none of us will stye.”
“You can syve yourself the trouble, Mrs. Courage,” Steptoe informed her. “Mr. Rash ’as just gone out. Besides, I’ve good news for all of you.” He waited for each to take an appropriate expression, Mrs. Courage determined, Jane with face eager and alight, Nettie tittering behind her hand. “Miss Walbrook, which all of us ’as dreaded, is not a-comin’ to our midst. The young lydy Nettie see in the back spare-room is Mr. ”

“ Steppling gazed slowly toward the jade vase. The withered branch was withered no longer. Life had come to it again, for on the branch was a flower of the soft warm color of a tea rose, but unlike any flower he had ever known before. The fragrant, cool petals were as velvet-soft as the cheek of any maiden.
Again John Steppling turned to Hi Ling, and he was not surprized that even in death he looked young. For youth had come to him in the return of 'Dawn-Girl', Old age at best is mainly a matter of attitude. ”

“ Stephano's gloomy face contrasted with his gay attire. He leant against the open window, carelessly holding in his hand a bouquet of faded jasmine, whilst he gazed with melancholy eyes upon the festive scene before him, and only by a shake of the head and a sad smile replied to the light badinage of the dancers as they passed the window. But now and then his eyes lighted up, and he sighed deeply as a certain dancer, prettier than the rest, approached him. [Pg 303]
"How pretty she is!" ”

“ For two hours Marcus Stepney wrestled with his love for a girl who was plainly a murderess, and in the end love won. When darkness fell he provisioned the Jungle Queen, loaded her with petrol, and heading her out to sea made the swimming cove of Cap Martin. ”

“ If it is necessary to obtain some amusement for my dear mistress I would not hesitate for a cheap piece of ribbon.”
“Ah, Stephanette, Stephanette! you are a real coquette. I have seen the sharp black eyes of this vagabond looking into yours more than once.”
“That shows, mademoiselle, that he approves of Lu-quin’s taste, and my captain ought to feel flattered by it,” answered Stephanette, smiling.
“You are wrong; you will make your betrothed angry,” replied Reine, with a more serious expression. ”