[Reginald Cruden by Talbot Baines Reed]@TWC D-Link bookReginald Cruden CHAPTER ELEVEN 10/18
And it seemed like a deliberate mockery of his trouble that his three companions and the waiter stood silent at the table, eyeing him, and waiting for his answer. "I'm sorry," he said at length, bringing up the words with a tremendous effort, "I find I've not money enough to pay it.
I made a mistake in coming here." All four listeners stood with faces of mingled amazement and amusement at the boy's agitation and the tragic manner in which he accounted for it.
Any one else would have carried it off with a jest; but to Reginald it was like passing through the fire. "Would you mind--may I trouble you--that is, will you lend me three-and- sixpence, Blandford ?" he said at last. Blandford burst out laughing. "I thought at least you'd swallowed a silver spoon!" said he.
"Here, waiter, I'll settle that bill.
How much is it ?" "No," said Reginald, laying down his three shillings; "if you can lend me three-and-sixpence, that's all I want." "Bosh!" said Blandford, pitching half a sovereign to the waiter; "take it out of that, and this coffee too, and come along into the smoking- room, you fellows." Reginald would fain have escaped; but the horrid dread of being suspected of caring more about his dinner than his company deterred him, and he followed dejectedly to the luxurious smoking-room of the Shades. He positively refused to touch the coffee or the cigar, even though Blandford took care to remind him they had been paid for.
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