The ultimate result of these mutterings being that, in another week, Williams was discharged as convalescent, and by Christmas was well enough to dictate to his mistress as to what greenery she might cut for the decoration of the house.
"Ladies, they did cum," said he to his wife, "and did read in that there ’orspital, but they did spake so secret-like and quiet, I couldn’t never yer what it were all about; and the doctor ’e cum, and passun ’e cum, but I didn’t seem to take no sort of delight in none of ’em. Then Mazter Billy ’e cum, and did talk the most sensiblest of the lot.... And, in spite of that there influinzy, yer Oi be!"
They did not know that Billy had so many friends until he lay a-dying. Then they knew.
It takes some of us more than four years to make one friend. Billy had only lived four years altogether, but every one he knew was his friend, and he knew every one in his little world.
"I want some ice for Master Billy’s head!" said the parlour-maid. "He’s that feverish, doctor says it’s to be kept on all the time."
Mr. Stallon, the fishmonger, looked grave.
"I haven’t a bit of ice on the premises. It’s ordered, but it won’t be here till to-morrow. Dear! dear! and to think as the little gentleman’s so bad!"
Mr. Stallon was a stout, seafaring-looking man, with a short brown beard. He shook his head, and looked really sorry.
"Whatever shall we do?" cried the parlour-maid. "Whatever shall we do?"
"Do!" echoed Mr. Stallon. "Do! why, get some, to be sure. I’ll go to Farenam for it myself. Tell your lady she shall have it in a’ hour or so."
Mr. Stallon owned an inn as well as a fish-shop. He crossed the road to his inn yard; there he harnessed his horse to his spring cart, and he drove to Fareham for the ice. Billy’s town is a very little one, but Fareham, six miles off, is big, and Mr. Stallon got the ice. I’m afraid that he drove furiously, and beat his horse. But he quite forgot to charge for the ice, and no one ever thanked him for getting it. He didn’t mind, he was one of Billy’s friends.
The Earl was another. The Earl is young, fresh-coloured, and chubby, and somewhat lacking in dignity. He is an M.F.H. for all that, and Billy was wont to go with him to the kennels, and knew all the old hounds by name.