Fell from his hand and splashed all over the table and his trousers . He leaped up brushing the latter down with Colonel Murga's table - napkin . “ Damn , ' he exclaimed forcibly . " Put your hands up , ' she ordered again . He looked across at her and the slightest suspicion of a smile flickered about his lips , then slowly he raised his hands and waited .
Lucy certainly presented rather a comical figure to tackle burglar ; she was little and slight , and with the long bob at which she kept her hair , she looked much younger than her years . It was thick and black and cut in a fringe on her forehead ; she had to keep it unwaved since she could not afford money for hairdressers or even for attending to her hair at home .
But she did brush it night and morning , so that it shone like lacquer . Her face was white and her deep blue eyes shadowed ; her features had a certain gamin quality about them ; her mouth was too large for beauty , but it had generous curves and if she had been able to use lipstick would have been attractive . There was a powdering of freckles across the bridge of her slightly retroussée nose . Her dressing - gown was a hideous garment and buttoned right up to the throat , and the slippers she was wearing - other cast - offs of Aunt Lilian-- were too large for her so that she shuffled .
She was holding a revolver very determinedly , but it wobbled and she had to use her other hand to steady it ; he guessed that she had never handled such a weapon before and was dead scared of it going off . The smile about his lips deepened while he waited . ' I've still got my hands up , ' he reminded her. ' What do you want me to do next ? ' ' Put back all the spoons and forks and other things you have stolen .
"What ? ' "You heard . Do as I tell you . ' But I haven't stolen anything , ' he protested . " You - you mean you're - not a burglar ? quavered Jessica. ' I certainly am not - at least where spoons and forks are concerned . Technically , I suppose I am a burglar of sorts since I am just in the middle of a very good supper and bottle of beer which doesn't belong to me . ' Lucy was at a complete loss . This was something she hadn't bargained for . His voice , everything about him , proclaimed the man of culture , although his attire was distinctly shabby . She noticed how slender his hands were - not the hands of a working man , and he'd proved his good manners by not blustering and showing an antagon istic attitude when she had accused him of being a thief . Her eyes wandered round the dining - room . Nothing appeared to be missing ; everything was as it had been when she had gone to bed a few hours earlier . " What are you doing here ? ' she demanded . ' Were you sen
Sergio Dim smiled again into her scared and apprehensive eyes . ' Look , won't you sit down , and I'll tell you in as few words as possible why I am here . ' As he spoke he drew out a chair , and almost without her own volition she found herself sitting on it . ' I was hungry , ' he began . ' Darned hungry ! I haven't had a meal for two days . I passed your house and saw the remains of supper on the table - you shouldn't leave your curtains drawn back , by the way . The window catch was loose and I simply couldn't resist the temptation to come in and - finish off the grub . I hopped in through the window and here I am . I intend to try and join the regular army tomorrow , and I'll send you the cost of the eatables out of the very first pay I get . I can safely promise you that . I'm not a thief , Miss Big Eyes , whatever else I may be . If you don't believe me , hand me over to the police .' Lucy realized that it was her own fault this extraordinary situation had com
Sergio Dim smiled again into her scared and apprehensive eyes . ' Look , won't you sit down , and I'll tell you in as few words as possible why I am here . ' As he spoke he drew out a chair , and almost without her own volition she found herself sitting on it . ' I was hungry , ' he began . ' Darned hungry ! I haven't had a meal for two days . I passed your house and saw the remains of supper on the table - you shouldn't leave your curtains drawn back , by the way . The window catch was loose and I simply couldn't resist the temptation to come in and - finish off the grub . I hopped in through the window and here I am . I intend to try and join the regular army tomorrow , and I'll send you the cost of the eatables out of the very first pay I get . I can safely promise you that . I'm not a thief , Miss Big Eyes , whatever else I may be . If you don't believe me , hand me over to the police .' Lucy realized that it was her own fault this extraordinary situation had com
Sergio Dim smiled again into her scared and apprehensive eyes . ' Look , won't you sit down , and I'll tell you in as few words as possible why I am here . ' As he spoke he drew out a chair , and almost without her own volition she found herself sitting on it . ' I was hungry , ' he began . ' Darned hungry ! I haven't had a meal for two days . I passed your house and saw the remains of supper on the table - you shouldn't leave your curtains drawn back , by the way . The window catch was loose and I simply couldn't resist the temptation to come in and - finish off the grub . I hopped in through the window and here I am . I intend to try and join the regular army tomorrow , and I'll send you the cost of the eatables out of the very first pay I get . I can safely promise you that . I'm not a thief , Miss Big Eyes , whatever else I may be . If you don't believe me , hand me over to the police .' Lucy realized that it was her own fault this extraordinary situation had com
Sergio Dim smiled again into her scared and apprehensive eyes . ' Look , won't you sit down , and I'll tell you in as few words as possible why I am here . ' As he spoke he drew out a chair , and almost without her own volition she found herself sitting on it . ' I was hungry , ' he began . ' Darned hungry ! I haven't had a meal for two days . I passed your house and saw the remains of supper on the table - you shouldn't leave your curtains drawn back , by the way . The window catch was loose and I simply couldn't resist the temptation to come in and - finish off the grub . I hopped in through the window and here I am . I intend to try and join the regular army tomorrow , and I'll send you the cost of the eatables out of the very first pay I get . I can safely promise you that . I'm not a thief , Miss Big Eyes , whatever else I may be . If you don't believe me , hand me over to the police .' Lucy realized that it was her own fault this extraordinary situation had com
To help with the clearing away and washing up afterwards , and you that you'll sit down and talk to me while I eat . She fetched him another bottle of beer from the larder to make up for the one that had been spilled ; the beer belonged to Colonel Murga, but he had gone away indefinitely , and in any case , she didn't suppose he would grudge it . As he attacked the food and drink with renewed vigour , Sergio Dim told her something of his circumstances , I've only been in Bilbao three days . I was in South America when a jolly little revolution broke out - they have'em periodically over there , you know . But I'd been working for the losing side , and it didn't look too healthy . So I got a temporary berth as steward on a liner and returned to Bilbao . I went to the War Office this afternoon to see if I could be taken into my old regiment and sent to Malaya where there's a spot of trouble , but they hoofed me out . Told me my fortune good and proper . The only thing f
Strictly against regulations , I happened to get mixed the war that was raging there , and actually took part in it . up in I offered my services to Chiang Kai - shek's army and it just happened that I couldn't get back in time . You see , a subaltern in , the Spanish Army can't do that sort of thing and hope to get away with it .What a shame ! cried Lucy indignantly . But you'll have a chance to make up for it now . Old Colonel Murga who lived here he's gone down to some relations in Sussex while this flu scare is on - says that the situation in the East is appalling and a real war will flare up there at any moment . Who knows , you may end up as a General even yet ? ' 'If I do it will be partly due to your kindness in allowing me to finish this excellent meal , ' said Sergio Dim lightly . What do you intend to do when you leave here ? It's a good many hours before the recruiting offices open . Have you relations or friends in Sevila who would take you in ? ' His li
you'll be gone before she is back in the morning . I can manage breakfast for you , too . He took both her hands in his . " If you only knew how grateful I am . You've positively saved my life ! ' He squeezed her fingers gently . ' If ever 1 can do any mortal thing for you , just command me , that's all . Sergio Dim had gone and Lucy did not suppose she would ever see him again ; he had been a bright episode in the drabness of her life , and she would be able to remember her night's adventure when she was slaving for Aunt Moreno while other girls were out in the world , making careers for themselves , finding niches which they alone could fill , and being made to feel important in the general scheme of things . She would never be important to any body . Morrison had sensed it when he said good - bye and had held her hands tightly in his . ' Don't let that aunt of yours bully you , Big Eyes , ' he'd advised . ' Everyone has a right to his or her individuality ... Pers