Mildred now with all his heart. He knew that the
best thing he could do was to cease coming to the
tea-shop, but he could not bear to think that he had
been worsted in the affair, and he devised a plan to
show her that he despised her. Next day he sat
down at another table and ordered his tea from another
waitress. Mildred’s friend was there again
and she was talking to him. She paid no attention
to Philip, and so when he went out he chose a moment
when she had to cross his path: as he passed he
looked at her as though he had never seen her before.
He repeated this for three or four days. He expected
that presently she would take the opportunity to say
something to him; he thought she would ask why he never
came to one of her tables now, and he had prepared
an answer charged with all the loathing he felt for
her. He knew it was absurd to trouble, but he
could not help himself. She had beaten him again.
The German suddenly disappeared, but Philip still
sat at other tables. She paid no attention to
him. Suddenly he realised that what he did was
a matter of complete indifference to her; he could
go on in that way till doomsday, and it would have
no effect.
“I’ve not finished yet,” he said
to himself.
The day after he sat down in his old seat, and when
she came up said good-evening as though he had not
ignored her for a week. His face was placid,
but he could not prevent the mad beating of his heart.
At that time the musical comedy had lately leaped
into public favour, and he was sure that Mildred would
be delighted to go to one.
“I say,” he said suddenly, “I wonder
if you’d dine with me one night and come to
The Belle of New York. I’ll get a couple
of stalls.”
He added the last sentence in order to tempt her.
He knew that when the girls went to the play it was
either in the pit, or, if some man took them, seldom
to more expensive seats than the upper circle.
Mildred’s pale face showed no change of expression.
“I don’t mind,” she said.
“When will you come?”
“I get off early on Thursdays.”
They made arrangements. Mildred lived with an
aunt at Herne Hill. The play began at eight so
they must dine at seven. She proposed that he
should meet her in the second-class waiting-room at
Victoria Station. She showed no pleasure, but
accepted the invitation as though she conferred a favour.
Philip was vaguely irritated.
Philip arrived at Victoria Station nearly half an
hour before the time which Mildred had appointed,
and sat down in the second-class waiting-room.
He waited and she did not come. He began to grow
anxious, and walked into the station watching the
incoming suburban trains; the hour which she had fixed
passed, and still there was no sign of her. Philip
was impatient. He went into the other waiting-rooms
and looked at the people sitting in them. Suddenly
his heart gave a great thud.
