It was not safe, he
protested, for her to be in that dark dreary waste alone at night and he
was right. Lincoln's Inn Fields was one of the worst places in London.
The most daring robberies even in daylight were of common occurrence.
Despite the short days of winter they took long walks together. On the
day "betwixt Saturday and Monday," like the lad and the lass of Carey's
famous ballad at that time all the rage, to them Sunday was the day of
days. Sometimes they strolled to the pleasant fields of Islington and
Hornsey; sometimes they revisited Hampstead, and occasionally by way of
the Westminster and Lambeth ferry to the leafy groves of Camberwell, and
the Dulwich Woods. They never talked of love; they were contented and
happy, may be because both were conscious they _were_ in love.
CHAPTER XXVI
"POLLY IS TO BE MY NAME FOR EVER AFTER"
The new year brought the first rehearsal of "The Beggar's Opera."
Hippisley with his rich, unctuous humour was Peachum, and not less well
suited to Lockit was Jack Hall's quaint face and naive manner. James
Spiller, the favourite of the gods, was Mat o' the Mint, and the solemn
visaged Quin essayed Macheath. Lavinia as Polly was both excited and
nervous, and Lucy (Mrs. Egleton) not less so. The rest of the cast
comprised actors and actresses of experience, and they went through
their parts philosophically and without enthusiasm.
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