Still William Read Online Free Page A

watching.’
    Henri, who had spent the afternoon watching the game, was on his way home. He had enjoyed watching the game. He had watched a realistically insane Mr Burwash resist all
attempts at capture on the part of the local policeman. He had watched Mr Luton propose to Miss Milton, and he had watched Mr Buck in his end house being gloriously and realistically drunk. This
was an accomplishment of Douglas’s that was forbidden at home under threat of severe punishment, but it was greatly appreciated by the Outlaws.
    Henri walked along jauntily, practising slang to himself.
    ‘Oh, ze Crumbs . . . oh, ze Crikey . . . ze jolly well . . . righto . . . git out . . . ze bash on ze mug . . . ’
    General Moult – fat and important-looking – came breezily down the road.
    ‘Ah, Henri . . . how are you getting on?’
    ‘Ze jolly well,’ said Henri.
    ‘Been for a walk?’ said the General yet more breezily.
    ‘Non . . . I been to Jasmine Villas . . . Oh, ze Crumbs . . . I see ole Meester Burwash go – ’ow you say it? – off ze head – out of ze chump.’
    ‘What? ’
    ‘Oh, yes,’ said Henri, ‘an’ the policeman ’e come an’ try to take ’im away an’ ’e fight an’ fight, an’ ze policeman ’e go
for ’elp—’
    The General’s mouth was hanging open in amazement.
    ‘B-but, are you sure ?’ he gasped.
    ‘Oh, yes,’ said Henri cheerfully. ‘I ’ave been zere, I ’ave ze jolly well watch eet.’
    ‘But, good heavens!’ said the General, and hastened in the direction of Jasmine Villas.
    Henri sauntered on by himself.
    ‘Ze ’oly aunt . . . a’right . . . ze booze . . .’ he murmured softly.
    At the corner of the road he ran into Mr Graham Graham. Mr Graham Graham was tall and lank, with pince-nez and an earnest expression. Mr Graham Graham’s earnest expression did not belie
his character. He was, among other things, the President of the local Temperance Society. He had met Henri with his godmother the day before.
    ‘Well, Henri,’ he said earnestly. ‘And how have you been spending your time?’
    ‘I ’ave been to Jasmine Villas,’ said Henri.
    ‘Ah, yes – to whom—?’
    Henri interrupted.
    ‘An’ I ’ave seen Meester Buck . . . oh, ze crumbs . . . ’ow say you? . . . tight . . . boozed . . . derrunk.’
    Mr Graham Graham paled.
    ‘Never!’ he said.
    Mr Buck was the Secretary of the local Temperance Society.
    ‘Oh, yes, ze ’oly aunt!’ said Henri, ‘ze policeman ’e ’elp ’im into the ’ouse – ’e was, ’ow say you? Ro-o-o-o-olling.’
    ‘This is impossible,’ said Mr Graham Graham sternly.
    ‘I ’ave seed it,’ said Henri simply. ‘I laugh . . . oh, ze Crikey . . .’ow I laugh . . .’
    Mr Graham Graham turned upon Henri a cold condemning silent glance then set off in the direction of Jasmine Villas.
    Henri wandered homewards.
    He met his godmother coming out of her front gate.
    ‘We’re going to Mrs Brown’s to tea, you know, Henri,’ she reminded him.
    ‘A’right,’ said Henri. ‘A’right – righto.’
    He accompanied her to Mrs Brown’s.
    ‘And did you spend the afternoon with William?’ said Mrs Brown pleasantly.
    ‘Oh, yes,’ said Henri as he sat down comfortably by the fire, ‘at ze Jasmine Villas . . . Mr Luton e’ kees Miss Milton in the garden.’
    Henri’s godmother dropped her buttered scone.
    ‘Nonsense! ’ she said.
    ‘ ’E did,’ said Henri calmly. ‘I ’ave seed ’im. An’ she gave ’im – ’ow say you? – ze bash on ze mug. But she tell me she
goin’ to marry ’im – righto.’
    ‘She told you?’ gasped Mrs Brown.
    ‘Oh, yes,’ said Henri, ‘she tell me so ’erself.’
    Both Mrs Brown and Henri’s godmother were pale.
    ‘Do you think she doesn’t know that he’s married and separated from his wife?’ said Henri’s godmother.
    ‘I don’t know,’ said Mrs Brown. ‘I feel that I can’t eat a thing now. Someone ought to tell her at once.’
    ‘Let’s go,’ said Henri’s godmother