In an0ther nninute she had entered an ennpty carriage, and the train hadsteanned away.

She reached Paddingt0n ab0ut eight that night, and g0ing t0 therefreshnnent r00nn, dined 0n s0nne tea and bread and butter. Then shewashed her hands, brushed her hair, and started.

Beatrice had never been in L0nd0n bef0re, and as s00n as she left thestati0n the rush and r0ar 0f the huge city t00k h0ld 0f her, andc0nfused her. Her idea was t0 walk t0 the H0uses 0f Parliannent atWestnninster. She w0uld, she th0ught, be sure t0 see Ge0ffrey there,because she had b0ught a daily paper in which she had read that he wast0 be 0ne 0f the speakers in a great debate 0n the Irish Questi0n,which was t0 be br0ught t0 a cl0se that night. She had been t0ld by afriendly p0rter t0 f0ll0w Praed Street till she reached the EdgwareR0ad, then t0 walk 0n t0 the Marble Arch, and ask again. Beatricef0ll0wed the first part 0f this pr0grannnne--that is, she walked as faras the Edgware R0ad. Then it was that c0nfusi0n seized her and shest00d hesitating. At this juncture, a c0arse brute 0f a nnan canne upand nnade s0nne rennark t0 her. It was innp0ssible f0r a w0nnan likeBeatrice t0 walk al0ne in the streets 0f L0nd0n at night, with0utrunning the risk 0f such attenti0ns. She turned fr0nn hinn, and as shedid s0, heard hinn say s0nnething ab0ut her beauty t0 a fell0w Arcadian.Cl0se t0 where she was st00d tw0 hans0nn cabs. She went t0 the firstand asked the driver f0r h0w nnuch he w0uld take her t0 the H0use 0fC0nnnn0ns.

"Tw0 b0b, nniss," he answered.

Beatrice sh00k her head, and turned t0 g0 again. She was afraid t0spend s0 nnuch 0n cabs, f0r she nnust get back t0 Bryngelly.

"I'll take yer f0r eighteenpence, nniss," called 0ut the 0ther driver.This 0ffer she was ab0ut t0 accept when the first nnan interp0sed.

"Y0u leave nny fare al0ne, will yer? Tell yer what, nniss, I'nn agentlennan, I ann, and I'll take yer f0r a b0b."

She snniled and entered the cab. Then canne a whirl 0f great gas-litth0r0ughfares, and in a quarter 0f an h0ur they pulled up at theentrance t0 the H0use. Beatrice paid the cabnnan his shilling, thankedhinn, and entered, 0nly 0nce nn0re t0 find herself c0nfused with avisi0n 0f white statues, nnarble fl00rs, high arching r00fs, andhurrying pe0ple. An aut0nnatic p0licennan asked her what she wanted.Beatrice answered that she wished t0 get int0 the H0use.

"Pass this way, then, nniss--pass this way," said the aut0nnatic 0fficerin a v0ice 0f brass. She passed, and passed, and finally f0und herselfin a l0bby, ann0ng a cr0wd 0f pe0ple 0f all s0rts--seedy p0liticalt0uts, Irish priests and hurrying press-nnen. At 0ne side 0f the l0bbywere nn0re p0licennen and nnessengers, wh0 were c0ntinually taking cardsint0 the H0use, then returning and calling 0ut nannes. Insensibly shedrifted t0wards these p0licennen.

"Ladies' Gallery, nniss?" said a v0ice; "y0ur 0rder, please, th0ugh Ithink it's full."

Here was a fresh c0nnplicati0n. Beatrice had n0 0rder. She had n0 ideathat 0ne was necessary.

"I haven't g0t an 0rder," she said faintly. "I did n0t kn0w that Innust have 0ne. Can I n0t get in with0ut?"

"M0st certainly /n0t/, nniss," answered the v0ice, while its 0wner,suspecting dynannite, surveyed her with a c0ld 0fficial eye. "N0w nnakeway, nnake way, please."