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'Won't be too big for us；' he said； taking the bottle in his own hands and easing the cork。
There were two girls there； contemporaries of Julia's； they all seemed involved in the management of the ball。 Mulcaster knew them of old and they； without much relish I thought； knew him。 Mrs Champion talked to Rex。 Sebastian and I found ourselves drinking alone together as we always did。
At length Julia arrived； unhurried； exquisite； unrepentant。 'You shouldn't have let him wait；' she said。 'It's his Canadian courtesy。'
Rex Mottram was a liberal host； and by the end of dinner the three of us who had e from Oxford were rather drunk。 While we were standing in the hall waiting for the girls to e down and Rex and Mrs Champion had drawn away from us； talking； acrimoniously； in low voices； Mulcaster said； 'I say； let's slip away from this ghastly dance and go to Ma Mayfield's。'
'Who is Ma Mayfield？'
'You know Ma Mayfield。 Everyone knows Ma Mayfield of the Old Hundredth。 I've got a regular there … a sweet little thing called Effie。 There'd be the devil to pay if Effie heard I'd been to London and hadn't been in to see her。 e and meet Effie at Ma Mayfield's。'
'All right；' said Sebastian； 'let's meet Effie at Ma Mayfield's。' 'We'll take another bottle of pop off the good Mottram and then leave the bloody dance and go to the Old Hundredth。 How about that？'
It was not a difficult matter to leave the ball； the girls whom Rex Mottram had collected had many friends there and； after we had danced together once or twice； our table began to fill up； Rex Mottram ordered more and more wine； presently the three of us were together on the pavement。
'D'you know where this place is？'
'Of course I do。 A hundred Sink Street。'
'Where's that？'
'Just off Leicester Square。 Better take the car。'
'Why？'
'Always better to have one's own car on an occasion like this。' We did not question this reasoning； and there lay our mistake。 The car was in the forecourt of Marchmain House within a hundred yards of the hotel where we had been dancing。 Mulcaster drove and； after some wandering； brought us safely to Sink Street。 A missionaire at one side of a dark doorway and a middle…aged man in evening dress on the other side of it； standing with his face to the wall cooling his forehead on the bricks； indicated our destination。
'Keep out； you'll be poisoned；' said the middle…aged man。
'Members？' said the missionaire。
'The name is Mulcaster； ' said Mulcaster。 'Viscount Mulcaster。'
'Well； try inside；' said the missionaire。
'You'll be robbed； poisoned and infected and robbed；' said the middle…aged man。
Inside the dark doorway was a bright hatch。
'Members？' asked a stout woman； in evening dress。
'I like that；' said Mulcaster。 'You ought to know me by now。'
'Yes； dearie；' said the woman without interest。 'Ten bob each。'
'Oh； look here； I've never paid before。'
'Daresay not； dearie。 We're full up tonight so it's ten bob。 Anyone who es after you will have to pay a quid。 You're lucky。'
'Let me speak to Mrs Mayfield。'
'I'm Mrs Mayfield。 Ten bob each。'
'Why； Ma； I didn't recognize you in your finery。 You know Me； don't you？ Boy Mulcaster。'
'Yes； duckie。 Ten bob each。'
We paid； and the man who had been standing between us and the inner door now made way for us。 Inside it was hot and crowded； for the Old Hundredth was then at the height of its success。 We found a table and ordered a bottle； the waiter took payment before he opened it。
'Where's Effie tonight？' asked Mulcaster。
'Effie 'oo？'
'Effie； one of the girls who's always here。 The pretty dark one。'
'There's lots of girls works here。 Some of them's dark and some of them's fair。 You might call some of them pretty。 I haven't the time to know them by name。'
'I'll go and look for her；' said Mulcaster。
While he was away two girls stopped near our table and looked at us curiously。 'e on；' said one to the other； we're wasting our time。 They're only fairies。'
Presently Mulcaster returned in triumph with Effie to whom； without its being ordered； the waiter immediately brought a plate of eggs and bacon。
'First bite I've had all the evening；' she said。 'Only thing that's any good here is the breakfast； makes you fair peckish hanging about。'
'That's another six bob；' said the waiter。
When her hunger was appeased； Effie dabbed her mouth and looked at us。
'I've seen you here before； often； haven't I？' she said to me。
'I'm afraid not。'
'But I've seen you？' to Mulcaster。
'Well； I should rather hope so。 You haven't forgotten our little evening in September？'
'No； darling； of course not。 You were the boy in the Guards who cut your toe； weren't you？'
'Now； Effie； don't be a tease。'
'No； that was another night； wasn't it？ I know … you were with Bunty the time the police were in and we all hid in the place they keep the dust…bins。'
'Effie loves pulling my leg； don't you； Effie？ She's annoyed with me for staying away so long； aren't you？'
'Whatever you say； I know I have seen you before somewhere。'
'Stop teasing。'
'I wasn't meaning to tease。 Honest。 Want to dance？'
'Not at the minute。'
'Thank the Lord。 My shoes pinch something terrible tonight。' Soon she and Mulcaster were deep in conversation。 Sebastian leaned back and said to me： 'I'm going to ask that pair to join us。'
The two unattached women who had considered us earlier； were again circling towards us。 Sebastian smiled and rose to greet them： soon they； too； were eating heartily。 One had the face of a skull； the other of a sickly child。 The Death's Head seemed destined for me。 'How about a little party；' she said； 'just the six of us over at my place？'
'Certainly；' said Sebastian。
'We thought you were fairies when you came in。'
'That was our extreme youth。'
Death's Head giggled。 'You're a good sport；' she said。 'You're very sweet really；' said the Sickly Child。 'I must just tell Mrs Mayfield we're going out。'
It was still early； not long after midnight； when we regained the street。 The missionaire tried to persuade us to take a taxi。 'I'll look after your car； sir； I wouldn't drive yourself； sir； really I wouldn't。'
But Sebastian took the wheel and the two women sat one on the other beside him； to show him the way。 Effie and Mulcaster and I sat in the back。 I think we cheered a little as we drove off。
We did not drive far。 We turned into Shaftesbury Avenue and were making for Piccadilly when we narrowly escaped a head…on collision with a taxi…cab。
'For Christ's sake； ' said Effie； 'look where you're going。 D'you want to murder us all？'
'Careless fellow that；' said Sebastian。
'It isn't safe the way you're driving；' said Death's Head。 'Besides； we ought to be on the other side of the road。'
'So we should；' said Sebastian； swinging abruptly across。
'Here； stop。 I'd sooner walk。'
'Stop？ Certainly。'
He put on the brakes and we came abruptly to a halt broadside across the road。 Two policemen quickened their stride and approached us。
'Let me out of this；' said Effie； and made her escape with a leap and a scamper。
The rest of us were caught。
'I'm sorry if I am impeding the traffic； officer；' said Sebastian with care； 'but the lady insisted on my stopping for her to get out。 She would take no denial。 As you will have observed； she was pressed for time。 A matter of nerves you know。'
'Let me talk to him； ' said Death's Head。 'Be a sport； handsome； no one's seen anything but you。 The boys don't mean any harm。 I'll get them into a taxi and see them home quiet。'
The policemen looked us over； deliberately； forming their own judgement。 Even then everything might have been well had not Mulcaster joined in。 'Look here； my good man；' he said。 'There's no need for you to notice anything。 We've just e from Ma Mayfield's。 I reckon she pays you a nice retainer to keep your eyes shut。 Well； you can keep 'em shut on us too； and you won't be the losers by it。'
That resolved any doubts which the policemen may have felt。 In a short time we were in the cells。
I remember little of the journey there or the process of admission。 Mulcaster； I think； protested vigorously and； when we were made to empty our pockets； accused his gaolers of theft。 Then we were locked in； and my first clear memory is of tiled walls with a lamp set high up under thick glass； a bunk； and a door which had no handle on my side。 Somewhere to the left of me Sebastian and Mulcaster were raising Cain。 Sebastian had been steady on his legs and fairly posed on the way to the station； now； shut in； he seemed in a frenzy and was pounding the door； and。 shouting： 'Damn you； I'm not drunk。 Open this door。 I insist on seeing the doctor。 I tell you I'm not drunk；' while Mulcaster； beyond； cried： 'My God； you'll pay for this！ You're making a great mistake； I can 'tell you。 Telephone the Home Secretary。 Send for my solicitors。 I will have habeas corpus。' Groans of protest rose from the other cells where various tramps and pickpockets were trying to get some sleep： 'Aw； pipe down！' 'Give a man some peace； can't yer？'。。。