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Johnny was allowed to make his way down to the platform, and there
find his own carpet-bag. One young porter, however, came up and
fraternised with him.
"You guve it him tidy just at that last moment, sir. But, laws, sir,
you should have let out at him at fust. What's the use of clawing a
man's neck-collar?"
It was then a quarter past eleven, but, nevertheless, Eames appeared
at his office precisely at twelve.


CHAPTER XXXV
Vae Victis

Crosbie had two engagements for that day; one being his natural
engagement to do his work at his office, and the other an engagement,
which was now very often becoming as natural, to dine at St. John's
Wood with Lady Amelia Gazebee. It was manifest to him when he
looked at himself in the glass hat he could keep neither of these
engagements. "Oh, laws, Mr Crosbie," the woman of the house exclaimed
when she saw him.
"Yes, I know," said he. "I've had an accident and got a black eye.
What's a good thing for it?"
"Oh! an accident!" said the woman, who knew well that that mark had
been made by another man's fist.


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