Was he saying to himself, "I shall never, never see Piccadilly
again"? They passed St. James's Street. The Circus, with its mob of
prostitutes, came into view; the "Criterion" bar, with its loafers
standing outside. William leaned a little forward, and Esther was sure he
was thinking that he would never go into that bar again. The cab turned to
the left, and Esther said that it would cross Soho, perhaps pass down Old
Compton Street, opposite their old house. It happened that it did, and
Esther and William wondered who were the new people who were selling beer
and whisky in the bar? All the while boys were crying, "Win-ner, all the
win-ner!"
"The ---- was run to-day. Flat racing all over, all over for this year."
Esther did not answer. The cab passed over a piece of asphalte, and he
said--
"Is Jack waiting for us?"
"Yes, he came home yesterday."
The fog was thick in Bloomsbury, and when he got out of the cab he was
taken with a fit of coughing, and had to cling to the railings. She had to
pay the cab, and it took some time to find the money. Would no one open
the door? She was surprised to see him make his way up the steps to the
bell, and having got her change, she followed him into the house.
"I can manage. Go on first; I'll follow."
And stopping every three or four steps for rest, he slowly dragged himself
up to the first landing.
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