Thus far, in my helpless state of mind, the man's confidence had
impressed me in spite of myself, and I had listened to him in
superstitious silence. But as he continued to rise, by regular
gradations, from one climax of upholstery to another, warning
visions of his bill disclosed themselves in the remote background
of the scene of luxury and magnificence which my friend was
conjuring up. Certain sharp professional instincts of bygone
times resumed their influence over me; I began to start doubts
and ask questions; and as a necessary consequence the interview
between us soon assumed something like a practical form.
Having ascertained what the probable expense of furnishing would
amount to and having discovered that the process of transforming
the lean-to (allowing for the time required to procure certain
articles of rarity from Bristol) would occupy nearly a fortnight,
I dismissed the upholsterer with the understanding that I should
take a day or two for consideration, and let him know the result.
It was then the fifth of September, and our Queen of Hearts was
to arrive on the twentieth. The work, therefore, if it was begun
on the seventh or eighth, would be begun in time.
In making all my calculations with a reference to the twentieth
of September, I relied implicitly, it will be observed, on a
young lady's punctuality in keeping an appointment which she had
herself made.
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