But he was chiefly tormented in these days by the want of amusement. He had so spent his life hitherto that he did not know how to get through a day in which no excitement was provided for him. He never read. Thinking was altogether beyond him. And he had never done a day's work in his life. He could lie in bed. He could eat and drink. He could smoke and sit idle. He could play cards; and could amuse himself with women,--the lower the culture of the women, the better the amusement. Beyond these things the world had nothing for him. Therefore he again took himself to the pursuit of Ruby Ruggles.
Poor Ruby had endured a very painful incarceration at her aunt's house. She had been wrathful and had stormed, swearing that she would be free to come and go as she pleased. Free to go, Mrs Pipkin told her that she was;--but not free to return if she went out otherwise than as she, Mrs Pipkin, chose. 'Am I to be a slave?' Ruby asked, and almost upset the perambulator which she had just dragged in at the hall door. Then Mrs Hurtle had taken upon herself to talk to her, and poor Ruby had been quelled by the superior strength of the American lady. But she was very unhappy, finding that it did not suit her to be nursemaid to her aunt. After all John Crumb couldn't have cared for her a bit, or he would have come to look after her. While she was in this condition Sir Felix came to Mrs Pipkin's house, and asked for her at the door, it happened that Mrs Pipkin herself had opened the door,-- and, in her fright and dismay at the presence of so pernicious a young man in her own passage, had denied that Ruby was in the house. But Ruby had heard her lover's voice, and had rushed up and thrown herself into his arms. Then there had been a great scene. Ruby had sworn that she didn't care for her aunt, didn't care for her grandfather, or for Mrs Hurtle, or for John Crumb,--or for any person or anything. She cared only for her lover. Then Mrs Hurtle had asked the young man his intentions. Did he mean to marry Ruby? Sir Felix had said that he supposed he might as well some day. 'There,' said Ruby, 'there!'-- shouting in triumph as though an offer had been made to her with the completest ceremony of which such an event admits. Mrs Pipkin had been very weak. Instead of calling in the assistance of her strong-minded lodger, she had allowed the lovers to remain together for half an hour in the dining-room. I do not know that Sir Felix in any way repeated his promise during that time, but Ruby was probably too blessed with the word that had been spoken to ask for such renewal. 'There must be an end of this,' said Mrs Pipkin, coming in when the half-hour was over. Then Sir Felix had gone, promising to come again on the following evening. 'You must not come here, Sir Felix,' said Mrs Pipkin, 'unless you puts it in writing.' To this, of course, Sir Felix made no answer. As he went home he congratulated himself on the success of his adventure. Perhaps the best thing he could do when he had realized the money for the shares would be to take Ruby for a tour abroad. The money would last for three or four months,--and three or four months ahead was almost an eternity.