'
'But you never walk out in the daytime.'
'Not often; indeed, I may say never, unless it is to go to the Zoo,
or to Jamrach's, which I do about once in three months.'
'Jamrach's!' I said. 'Why, he's the importer of animals, isn't he? Of
all places in London that is the one I should most like to see.' He
then took me into a long panelled room with bay windows looking over
the Thames, furnished with remarkable Chinese chairs and tables. And
then we left the house.
In Maud Street a hansom passed us; D'Arcy hailed it.
'We will take this to the Bank,' said he, 'and then walk through the
East End to Jamrach's. Jump in.'
As we drove off, the sun was shining brilliantly, and London seemed
very animated--seemed to be enjoying itself. Until we reached the
Bank our drive was through all the most cheerful-looking and
prosperous streets of London. It acted like a tonic on me, and for
the first time since my trouble I felt really exhilarated. As to
D'Arcy, after we had left behind us what he called the 'stucco world'
of the West End, his spirits seemed to rise every minute, and by the
time we reached the Strand he was as boisterous as a boy on a
holiday.
Pages:
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420