But he stopped his ears and shut his eyes, and blindly dared his fate.

He went that evening to the music- hall.

He met Gus and Mortimer, and two other friends.

He had taken care to get himself up in a nearer approach to his companions' style.
He bought some cigars of his own on the way, and offered them with a less awkward swagger than he had been able to assume the night before.
He found himself able to nod familiarly to the barmaid, and fancied that even Mortimer must have approved of the way in which he ordered about the billiard-marker.
In the match with Gus for half-crowns he lost, though only narrowly--so narrowly that he was not content, without a further trial of skill, to own himself beaten, and therefore challenged his adversary to a second meeting the next evening.

Then he watched the others play, and betted with Mortimer on the result--and alas! for him, he won.
It was Tom himself who said, at nine o'clock,-- "And now, suppose we see what's going on below." It was the same stupid, disgusting spectacle, but to Tom it seemed less repulsive than he had found it the night before.