Tom was quite delighted. So was Ruth. She
would go with them.
‘Thank you, my love,’ said Mr Chuzzlewit.
’But I am afraid I must take Tom a little out
of the way, on business. Suppose you go on first,
my dear?’
Pretty little Ruth was equally delighted to do that.
‘But not alone,’ said Martin, ’not
alone. Mr Westlock, I dare say, will escort you.’
Why, of course he would: what else had Mr Westlock
in his mind? How dull these old men are!
‘You are sure you have no engagement?’
he persisted.
Engagement! As if he could have any engagement!
So they went off arm-in-arm. When Tom and Mr
Chuzzlewit went off arm-in-arm a few minutes after
them, the latter was still smiling; and really, for
a gentleman of his habits, in rather a knowing manner.
What John Westlock said to
Tom Pinch’s sister; what
Tom Pinch’s sister said
to John Westlock; what Tom
pinch said to both of them;
and how they all passed the
remainder of the day
Brilliantly the Temple Fountain sparkled in the sun,
and laughingly its liquid music played, and merrily
the idle drops of water danced and danced, and peeping
out in sport among the trees, plunged lightly down
to hide themselves, as little Ruth and her companion
came toward it.
And why they came toward the Fountain at all is a
mystery; for they had no business there. It was
not in their way. It was quite out of their way.
They had no more to do with the Fountain, bless you,
than they had with—with Love, or any out-of-the-way
thing of that sort.
It was all very well for Tom and his sister to make
appointments by the Fountain, but that was quite another
affair. Because, of course, when she had to wait
a minute or two, it would have been very awkward for
her to have had to wait in any but a tolerably quiet
spot; but that was as quiet a spot, everything considered,
as they could choose. But when she had John Westlock
to take care of her, and was going home with her arm
in his (home being in a different direction altogether),
their coming anywhere near that Fountain was quite
extraordinary.
However, there they found themselves. And another
extraordinary part of the matter was, that they seemed
to have come there, by a silent understanding.
Yet when they got there, they were a little confused
by being there, which was the strangest part of all;
because there is nothing naturally confusing in a
Fountain. We all know that.
‘What a good old place it was!’ John said.
With quite an earnest affection for it.
‘A pleasant place indeed,’ said little
Ruth. ‘So shady!’
