Trade was as actively carried on as it had been before.
When he judged it to be nearly eight o'clock, Dick nudged Surajah, who
said, a minute afterwards:
"We have forgotten the Benares cloth-of-gold. I am sure that will
please the ladies for waist bands, or for trimmings. It must have got
into the other bales, by mistake."
"I will go and fetch it," Dick said, and, rising, left the room.
A figure was standing at the door, when he reached the house.
"I was afraid you had forgotten me," the man said. "It is not quite
eight o'clock yet, but as I found that you were both out, I began to
be afraid that you might be detained until after I had to go; and you
don't know how I long for a pipe of that tobacco. The very thought of
it seems to bring old days back again."
By this time they had entered the house, and Dick shut the door behind
him. He had left a light burning, when they went out. Dick was so
agitated that he felt unable to speak, but gazed earnestly in the
man's face.
"What is it, old chap?" the latter said, surprised at the close
scrutiny. "Is anything wrong with you?"
Dick took off his spectacles, rather to gain time than to see more
clearly, for a plain glass had been substituted for the lenses.
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