don't ye come up till I pass, for I'm no hand at play-acting; an' if you
called me "sir," or was coming it dignified and distant, you know, I'd be
sure to laugh, a'most, and let all out. So good-bye, d'ye see, and if you
want me again be sharp to time, mind.

From habit he looked about for his dogs, but he had not brought one. He had
come unostentatiously by rail, travelling in a third-class carriage, for
the advantage of Jack Briderly's company, and getting a world of useful
wrinkles about the steeplechase that was coming off next week.

So he strode away, cutting off the heads of the nettles with his cane as he
went; and Madame walked forth into the open space among the graves, where I
might have seen her, had I stood up, looking with the absorbed gaze of an
artist on the ruin.

In a little while, along the path, I heard the clank of a step, and the
gentleman in the green cutaway coat, sucking his cane, and eyeing me
with an offensive familiar sort of stare the while, passed me by, rather
hesitating as he did so. I was glad when he turned the corner in the little
hollow close by, and disappeared. I stood up at once, and was reassured
by a sight of Madame, not very many yards away, looking at the ruin, and
apparently restored to her right mind. The last beams of the sun were by
this time touching the uplands, and I was longing to recommence our walk
home. I was hesitating about calling to Madame, because that lady had a
certain spirit of opposition within her, and to disclose a small wish
of any sort was generally, if it lay in her power, to prevent its
accomplishment.

At this moment the gentleman in the green coat returned, approaching me
with a slow sort of swagger.