The fit spent itself before he reached the hotel, for most of Parliament Street was blocked for the spectacular purposes of his funeral, and his driver had to seek devious ways.

The cursing over, he began to smooth his plumes in detail.

At the hotel, out of sheer nervousness, he gave the cabman half-a-crown, which was preposterous.
Another cab drove up nearly at the exact instant of his arrival.

And, as a capping to the day, Mrs.Alice Challice stepped out of it.
* * * * *.