Part 19 (1/2)

”How d'yer know the 'ouse----?”

”They told me.”

”Well,” said Old Kipps, and nodded his head portentously towards his nephew, with the corners of his mouth pulled down in a portentous, discouraging way. ”Well, you _are_ a young Gaby.”

”I didn't _think_ it of you, Artie!” said Mrs. Kipps.

”Wadjer mean?” asked Kipps faintly, looking from one to the other with a withered face.

Old Kipps closed the shop door. ”They been 'avin' a lark with you,” said Old Kipps in a mournful undertone. ”That's what I mean, my boy. They jest been seein' what a Gaby like you 'ud do.”

”I dessay that young Quodling was in it,” said Mrs. Kipps. ”'E's jest that sort.”

(For Quodling of the green baize bag had grown up to be a fearful dog, the terror of New Romney.)

”It's somebody after your place very likely,” said Old Kipps.

Kipps looked from one sceptical, reproving face to the other, and round him at the familiar shabby, little room, with his familiar cheap portmanteau on the mended chair, and that banjo amidst the supper things like some irrevocable deed. Could he be rich indeed? Could it be that these things had really happened? Or had some insane fancy whirled him hither?

Still--perhaps a hundred pounds----

”But,” he said. ”It's all right, reely, Uncle. You don't think----? I 'ad a letter.”

”Got up,” said Old Kipps.

”But I answered it and went to a norfis.”

Old Kipps felt staggered for a moment, but he shook his head and chins sagely from side to side. As the memory of old Bean and Shalford revived, the confidence of Kipps came back to him.

”I saw a nold gent, Uncle--perfect gentleman. And 'e told me all about it. Mos' respectable 'e was. Said 'is name was Watson and Bean--leastways 'e was Bean. Said it was lef' me----” Kipps suddenly dived into his breast pocket. ”By my Grandfather----”

The old people started.

Old Kipps uttered an exclamation and wheeled round towards the mantel shelf above which the daguerreotype of his lost younger sister smiled its fading smile upon the world.

”Waddy 'is name was,” said Kipps, with his hand still deep in his pocket. ”It was _'is_ son was my father----”

”Waddy!” said Old Kipps.

”Waddy!” said Mrs. Kipps.

”She'd never say,” said Old Kipps.

There was a long silence.

Kipps fumbled with a letter, a crumpled advertis.e.m.e.nt and three bank notes. He hesitated between these items.

”Why! That young chap what was arsting questions----” said Old Kipps, and regarded his wife with an eye of amazement.

”Must 'ave been,” said Mrs. Kipps.

”Must 'ave been,” said Old Kipps.