Dido and Pa Read Online Free PDF Page B

trust; soon's you know each other a bit, then you can be friends.
    The question certainly had an electrifying effect on the boy Wally. He gaped at Dido as if she had told him, that she was the queen of Japan. He did not immediately answer.
    Meanwhile Dido turned to the stall owner. "I'd like one o' your apples, please, mister. Can I take this one with the leaf, in front?"
    "They're four for a yenap, daughter."
    "I only want one."
    At that moment Mr. Twite and the carriage driver emerged from the tavern, wafting strong fumes of Geneva spirit.
    "Hey, cockalorum, what's this?" demanded Mr. Twite, in tones of strong disapproval, as he advanced. "M'daughter hobnobbing with all the scaff and raff of London in the public street? That won't do, no it won't, by bilboes! Giving money and—and tokens to barrow boys and crossing sweepers—chatting up louts and cads! Where's your sense of pride and propriety, child?"
    And Dido's father, who must, she realized with dismay, have been watching through the tavern window, suddenly pounced on Wally Greenaway, shook him till his teeth rattled, and removed from him the button and the silver sixpence. Mr. Twite pocketed the latter, and gave the former back to Dido, wagging his finger at her admonishingly and saying, with a knowing wink, "Mustn't give coins and tokens to young lads in the streets, stap me, no, you mustn't! That's
flighty,
daughter, and owdacious—can't have ye demeaning the name of Twite; no, damme, we can't. Come along, come along now—bundle back in the carriage and look sharp about it."
    "
Hey
—leggo of me, Pa—" Dido began furiously, but the driver was plainly prepared to assist Mr. Twite in bundling his daughter into the carriage; she saw that resistance would be a waste of time and undignified as well.
    But she was very angry indeed, affronted at being shamed in front of the boy and his father. Resolving to bide
her time and to get away at the very first opportunity, she bit her lip, and climbed back into the stuffy conveyance.
    The driver jumped back onto his box, and Mr. Twite was preparing to follow Dido when a voice called,
    "Wait a minute! Wait just a minute, mister! You forgot something!"
    It was the apple seller calling after them—in a surprisingly loud, deep, resonant voice.
    Mr. Twite turned, startled and not pleased.
    "You forgot her apple!" called the stall keeper, and he took an apple from the front of his stall and tossed it toward Mr. Twite, who, more by luck than judgment, caught it in his left hand.
    "Mister! You better watch out for that liddle maid!" called the apple seller warningly. "She be a rare 'un, she be! I can see crossed sparkling lines over her head, an' a whole shower o' lucky stars. I can see a gold crown in her hand, look so, and a velvet carpet under her foot. So take good care of her, do-ee; or else the luck'll turn inside out for 'ee, and the shining lines'll turn to flint stones and sharp fangs, as'll strike and batter ye to the heart. There's a warning plain and clear for them as'll heed it!"
    "Godblessmysoul!" ejaculated Mr. Twite, looking quite pale and shattered at this unexpected harangue. Dismayed, he stared at the apple, then at the apple seller, then, shaking his head from side to side as if wasps were buzzing round it, he clambered into the carriage and slammed the door.
    "What next, I'd like to know?" he grumbled. "Blind costermongers roaring out warnings—who the deuce do they think we are, King Solly the First and the queen o' Sheep's Head Bay?"
    But just the same, Mr. Twite gave Dido a narrow, appraising look, as if wondering, perhaps for the first time, whether there might be more to her than met the eye; and he sat frowningly regarding her as the driver cracked his whip and the horses began to move once more.
    "You better give me my apple, Pa, I'm hungry, and you never brought me that jossop you promised," said Dido, and he absently handed her the apple. Noticing with interest that it was the very one she had asked