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Suddenly a remembered voice； in mimicking accents； fell upon his ear
with the quotation； 〃Do you know？〃 Then； in a hansom passing swiftly
by him； Golly； in hospital dress with flying ribbons； appeared； sitting
between Lord Brownstone Ewer and Francis Horatio Nelson Drake；
completely grown up。 And from behind floated the inexpressibly sad
refrain； 〃Hi tiddli hi！〃
This is how it happened。 One morning； Jinny Jones； another hospital
nurse； had said to her； 〃Have you any objection； dear； to seeing a friend of
another gent； a friend of mine？〃
〃None in the least； dear；〃 said Golly。 〃I want to see all that can be
seen； and do all that can be done in London； and know the glory thereof。
I only require that I shall be allowed to love John Gale whenever he
permits it； which isn't often； and that I may be permitted to write simple
letters to my doting relations at the rate of twelve pages a day； giving an
accountMY OWN accountof my doings。 There！ Go on now！
Bring on your bears。〃
They had visited the chambers which Lord Brownstone and Drake
occupied together； and in girlish innocence had put on the gentlemen's
clothes and danced before them。 Then they all went to the theatre； where
Golly's delightful simplicity and childish ignorance of the world had
charmed them。 Everything to her was new； strange； and thrilling。 She
even leaned from the carriage windows to see the 〃wheels go round。〃
She was surprised at the number of people in the theatre； and insisted on
knowing if it was church； because they all sat there in their best clothes so
quietly。 She believed that the play was real； and frequently； from a stage
box； interrupted the acting with explanations。 She informed the heroine
of the design of the villain waiting at the wings。 And when the aged
mother of the heroine was dying of starvation in a hovel； and she threw a
bag of bonbons on the stage； with the vociferous declaration that 〃Lord
Brownstone had just given them to herbutLordy！SHE didn't want
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them；〃 they were obliged to lead her away； closely followed by an usher
and a policeman。 〃To think；〃 she wrote to John Gale； 〃that the audience
only laughed and shouted； and never offered to help！ And yet look at the
churches in London； where they dare to preach the gospel！〃
Fired by this simple letter； and alarmed by Golly's simplicity； John
Gale went to his clerical chief； Archdeacon Luxury； and demanded
permission to preach next Sunday。 〃Certainly；〃 said the Archdeacon；
〃you shall take my curate's place。 I shall inform the congregation that
you are the son of Lord Gale。 They are very particular churchmenall
society peopleand of course will be satisfied with the work of the Lord；
especially；〃 he added； with a polite smile； 〃when that work happens to be
the Lord Gale's son。〃 Accordingly； the next Sunday； John Gale occupied
the pulpit of St。 Swithin。 But an unexpected event happened。 His pent…
up eagerness to denounce the present methods of Christianity； his fullness
of utterance； defeated his purpose。 He was overcome with a kind of
pulpit fright。 His ideas of time and place fled him。 After beginning；
〃Mr。 Chairman； in rising to propose the toast of our worthy Archdeacon
Fellow Manxmenthe present momentererthe proudest in myer
lifeDearly beloved Gollyunaccustomed as I am to public speaking；〃 he
abruptly delivered the benediction and sat down。 The incident； however；
provoked little attention。 The congregation； accustomed to sleep through
the sermon； awoke at the usual time and went home。 Only a single
Scotchwoman said to him in passing： 〃Verra weel for a beginning； laddie。
But give it hotter to 'em next time。〃 Discomfited and bewildered； he
communed with himself gloomily。 〃I can't marry Golly。 I can't talk。 I
hate society。 What's to be done？ I have it！ I'll go into a monastery。〃
He went into a monastery in Bishopsgate Street； reached by a
threepenny 'bus。 He gave out vaguely that he had got into 〃Something
Good； in the City。〃 Society was satisfied。 Only Golly suspected the
truth。 She wrote to her grandfather：
〃I saw John Gale the other day with a crowd following him in the
Strand。 He had on only a kind of brown serge dressing…gown； tied
around his waist by a rope； and a hood on his head。 I think his poor 'toe…
toes' were in sandals； and I dare say his legs were cold； poor dear。
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However； if he calls THAT protection of GollyI don't！ I might be run off
at any momentfor all he'd help。 No matter！ If this Court understands
herself； and she thinks she do； Golly can take care of herselfyou bet。〃
Nevertheless； Golly lost her place at the hospital through her heroic
defense of her friend Jinny Jones； who had been deceived by Lord
Brownstone Ewer。 〃You would drive that poor girl into the street；〃 she
said furiously to the Chairman of the Board； throwing her cap and apron in
their faces。 〃You're a lot of rotten old hypocrites； and I'm glad to get shut
of you。〃 Not content with that； she went to Drake and demanded that he
should make his friend Lord Brownstone marry Jinny。
〃Sorryawfully sorrymy dear Golly； but he's engaged to a rich
American girl who is to pay his debts； but I'll see that he does something
handsome for Jinny。 And YOU； my child； what are YOU going to do
without a situation？〃 he added； with touching sympathy。 〃You see； I've
some vague idea of marrying you myself；〃 he concluded meditatively。
〃Thank you for nothing；〃 interrupted Golly gayly； 〃but I can take care
of myself and follow out my mission like John Gale。〃
〃There's a pair of you； certainly；〃 said Drake； with a tinge of jealous
bitterness。
〃You bet it's 'a pair' that will take your 'two knaves；' you