Utopian budgets multiplied themselves in
his brain and his note-books. He devised imposts such as Minister
never dreamt of, yet which, he declared, could not fail of vast
success. 'You just look at these figures!' he would exclaim to
Sidney, in his low, intense voice. 'There it is in black and white!'
But Sidney's faculties were quite unequal to calculations of this
kind, and Eagles could never summon resolve to explain his schemes
before an audience. Indefatigably he worked on, and the work had to
be its own reward.
He was busy in the usual way this afternoon, as he sat on the bed,
coatless, a trade journal open on his knees. His wife never
disturbed him; she was a placid, ruminative woman, generally finding
the details of her own weekly budget quite a sufficient occupation.
When she had taken off her bonnet and was turning out the contents
of her bag, Eagles remarked quietly:
'They'll have a bad journey.'
'What a day for her to be travelling all that distance, poor thing!
But perhaps it ain't so bad out o' London.'
Lowering their voices, they began to talk of John Hewett and the
daughter he was bringing from Lancashire, where she had lain in
hospital for some weeks.
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