"I was at the Royal the day!" he called to her.
She turned round quickly. "Were you?" she said. "Was it good?"
"It was grand. I enjoyed it the best," he answered.
She came towards him and sat down at a table near to his. "What piece was it you saw?" she asked. "It's Benson's Company, isn't it?"
"Oh, that's an awful sad piece. I cried my eyes out one year when I saw it!"
"Last Saturday was the first time I ever went to a theatre. I saw _The Merchant of Venice_. I'll go every Saturday after this, when there's a good piece on. I'm going again to-night to see _Julius Caesar!_"
"Aye, indeed I would. I'm just doting on the theatre. The last piece I saw was _The Lights of London_. It was lovely."
"I never saw that bit," John answered. "You see I live in Ballyards and I only come up to town on Saturdays."
He nodded his head. He poured out his tea, and then began to spread butter on a piece of soda-farl.
"I'd be awful dull walking the streets by myself," she said, watching him as he did so. "I'm a terrible one for company. I can't bear being by myself!"
"Company's good," he said. "Have you had your tea yet?"
"I wish you'd have it with me!" He spoke hesitatingly.
"Sure, what's to hinder you?" His voice became bolder.
"You might as well have it with me as have it by yourself. And there's nobody'll see you. Where's Mrs. Bothwell?"
"Then you're all by yourself here!" She nodded her head. "What time do you shut?" he went on.
"Half-six generally, but Mrs. Bothwell said I'd better shut at six the night!"
He took a cup and saucer and a knife and plate from an adjoining table and put them down opposite his own.
He poured out some of the tea for her, "I suppose you take milk and sugar?" he said.
"You're a terrible fellow," she murmured admiringly, and he could see that her eyes were shining with pleasure.
She hesitated for a little while, and then she sat down. "This is not very like the thing," she murmured.
"It doesn't matter whether it is or not," he replied. "What'll you have ... bread or soda-farl?"
"You know," he said, "I was thinking it would be a good plan for the two of us to go to the theatre to-night!"
"The two of us," she exclaimed. "Me and you!"
She put down her cup and laughed. "I never met anybody in my life that made so much progress in a short time as you do," she said. "What in the earthly world put that notion into your head?"