She would, she thought, be sure to see Geoffrey there,
because she had bought a daily paper in which she had read that he was
to be one of the speakers in a great debate on the Irish Question, which
was to be brought to a close that night. She had been told by a friendly
porter to follow Praed Street till she reached the Edgware Road, then to
walk on to the Marble Arch, and ask again. Beatrice followed the first
part of this programme--that is, she walked as far as the Edgware Road.
Then it was that confusion seized her and she stood hesitating. At this
juncture, a coarse brute of a man came up and made some remark to her.
It was impossible for a woman like Beatrice to walk alone in the streets
of London at night, without running the risk of such attentions. She
turned from him, and as she did so, heard him say something about her
beauty to a fellow Arcadian. Close to where she was stood two hansom
cabs. She went to the first and asked the driver for how much he would
take her to the House of Commons.
"Two bob, miss," he answered.
Beatrice shook her head, and turned to go again.
Pages:
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461