Torpenhow looked very uncomfortable. "But it"s absurd and impossible. I can"t drag her back by the hair."
"Our business--the business for which we draw our money--is to do absurd and impossible things,--generally with no reason whatever except to amuse the public. Here we have a reason. The rest doesn"t matter. I shall share these rooms with the Nilghai till Torpenhow returns. There will be a batch of unbridled "specials" coming to town in a little while, and these will serve as their headquarters. Another reason for sending Torpenhow away. Thus Providence helps those who help others, and"--here the Keneu dropped his measured speech--"we can"t have you tied by the leg to d.i.c.k when the trouble begins. It"s your only chance of getting away; and d.i.c.k will be grateful."
"He will,--worse luck! I can but go and try. I can"t conceive a woman in her senses refusing d.i.c.k."
"Talk that out with the girl. I have seen you wheedle an angry Mahdieh woman into giving you dates. This won"t be a t.i.the as difficult. You had better not be here tomorrow afternoon, because the Nilghai and I will be in possession. It is an order. Obey."
"d.i.c.k," said Torpenhow, next morning, "can I do anything for you?"
"No! Leave me alone. How often must I remind you that I"m blind?"
"Nothing I could go for to fetch for to carry for to bring?"
"No. Take those infernal creaking boots of yours away."
"Poor chap!" said Torpenhow to himself. "I must have been sitting on his nerves lately. He wants a lighter step." Then, aloud, "Very well. Since you"re so independent, I"m going off for four or five days. Say goodbye at least. The housekeeper will look after you, and Keneu has my rooms."
d.i.c.k"s face fell. "You won"t be longer than a week at the outside? I know I"m touched in the temper, but I can"t get on without you."
"Can"t you? You"ll have to do without me in a little time, and you"ll be glad I"m gone."
d.i.c.k felt his way back to the big chair, and wondered what these things might mean. He did not wish to be tended by the housekeeper, and yet Torpenhow"s constant tenderness jarred on him. He did not exactly know what he wanted. The darkness would not lift, and Maisie"s unopened letters felt worn and old from much handling. He could never read them for himself as long as life endured; but Maisie might have sent him some fresh ones to play with. The Nilghai entered with a gift,--a piece of red modelling-wax. He fancied that d.i.c.k might find interest in using his hands. d.i.c.k poked and patted the stuff for a few minutes, and, "Is it like anything in the world?" he said drearily. "Take it away. I may get the touch of the blind in fifty years. Do you know where Torpenhow has gone?"
The Nilghai knew nothing. "We"re staying in his rooms till he comes back. Can we do anything for you?"
"I"d like to be left alone, please. Don"t think I"m ungrateful; but I"m best alone."
The Nilghai chuckled, and d.i.c.k resumed his drowsy brooding and sullen rebellion against fate. He had long since ceased to think about the work he had done in the old days, and the desire to do more work had departed from him. He was exceedingly sorry for himself, and the completeness of his tender grief soothed him. But his soul and his body cried for Maisie--Maisie who would understand. His mind pointed out that Maisie, having her own work to do, would not care. His experience had taught him that when money was exhausted women went away, and that when a man was knocked out of the race the others trampled on him. "Then at the least,"
said d.i.c.k, in reply, "she could use me as I used Binat,--for some sort of a study. I wouldn"t ask more than to be near her again, even though I knew that another man was making love to her. Ugh! what a dog I am!"
A voice on the staircase began to sing joyfully--
"When we go--go--go away from here, Our creditors will weep and they will wail, Our absence much regretting when they find that we"ve been getting Out of England by next Tuesday"s Indian mail."
Following the trampling of feet, slamming of Torpenhow"s door, and the sound of voices in strenuous debate, some one squeaked, "And see, you good fellows, I have found a new water-bottle--firs"-cla.s.s patent--eh, how you say? Open himself inside out."
d.i.c.k sprang to his feet. He knew the voice well. "That"s Ca.s.savetti, come back from the Continent. Now I know why Torp went away. There"s a row somewhere, and--I"m out of it!"
The Nilghai commanded silence in vain. "That"s for my sake," d.i.c.k said bitterly. "The birds are getting ready to fly, and they wouldn"t tell me. I can hear Morten-Sutherland and Mackaye. Half the War Correspondents in London are there;--and I"m out of it."
He stumbled across the landing and plunged into Torpenhow"s room. He could feel that it was full of men. "Where"s the trouble?" said he. "In the Balkans at last? Why didn"t some one tell me?"
"We thought you wouldn"t be interested," said the Nilghai, shamefacedly.
"It"s in the Soudan, as usual."
"You lucky dogs! Let me sit here while you talk. I shan"t be a skeleton at the feast.--Ca.s.savetti, where are you? Your English is as bad as ever."
d.i.c.k was led into a chair. He heard the rustle of the maps, and the talk swept forward, carrying him with it. Everybody spoke at once, discussing press censorships, railway-routes, transport, water-supply, the capacities of generals,--these in language that would have horrified a trusting public,--ranting, a.s.serting, denouncing, and laughing at the top of their voices. There was the glorious certainty of war in the Soudan at any moment. The Nilghai said so, and it was well to be in readiness. The Keneu had telegraphed to Cairo for horses; Ca.s.savetti had stolen a perfectly inaccurate list of troops that would be ordered forward, and was reading it out amid profane interruptions, and the Keneu introduced to d.i.c.k some man unknown who would be employed as war artist by the Central Southern Syndicate. "It"s his first outing," said the Keneu. "Give him some tips--about riding camels."
"Oh, those camels!" groaned Ca.s.savetti. "I shall learn to ride him again, and now I am so much all soft! Listen, you good fellows. I know your military arrangement very well. There will go the Royal Argalshire Sutherlanders. So it was read to me upon best authority."
A roar of laughter interrupted him.
"Sit down," said the Nilghai. "The lists aren"t even made out in the War Office."
"Will there be any force at Suakin?" said a voice.
Then the outcries redoubled, and grew mixed, thus: "How many Egyptian troops will they use?--G.o.d help the Fellaheen!--There"s a railway in Plumstead marshes doing duty as a fives-court.--We shall have the Suakin-Berber line built at last.--Canadian voyageurs are too careful.
Give me a half-drunk Krooman in a whale-boat.--Who commands the Desert column?--No, they never blew up the big rock in the Ghineh bend. We shall have to be hauled up, as usual.--Somebody tell me if there"s an Indian contingent, or I"ll break everybody"s head.--Don"t tear the map in two.--It"s a war of occupation, I tell you, to connect with the African companies in the South.--There"s Guinea-worm in most of the wells on that route." Then the Nilghai, despairing of peace, bellowed like a fog-horn and beat upon the table with both hands.
"But what becomes of Torpenhow?" said d.i.c.k, in the silence that followed.
"Torp"s in abeyance just now. He"s off love-making somewhere, I suppose," said the Nilghai.
"He said he was going to stay at home," said the Keneu.
"Is he?" said d.i.c.k, with an oath. "He won"t. I"m not much good now, but if you and the Nilghai hold him down I"ll engage to trample on him till he sees reason. He"ll stay behind, indeed! He"s the best of you all.
There"ll be some tough work by Omdurman. We shall come there to stay, this time.
"But I forgot. I wish I were going with you."
"So do we all, d.i.c.kie," said the Keneu.
"And I most of all," said the new artist of the Central Southern Syndicate.
"Could you tell me----"
"I"ll give you one piece of advice," d.i.c.k answered, moving towards the door. "If you happen to be cut over the head in a scrimmage, don"t guard. Tell the man to go on cutting. You"ll find it cheapest in the end. Thanks for letting me look in."
"There"s grit in d.i.c.k," said the Nilghai, an hour later, when the room was emptied of all save the Keneu.
"It was the sacred call of the war-trumpet. Did you notice how he answered to it? Poor fellow! Let"s look at him," said the Keneu.
The excitement of the talk had died away. d.i.c.k was sitting by the studio table, with his head on his arms, when the men came in. He did not change his position.
"It hurts," he moaned. "G.o.d forgive me, but it hurts cruelly; and yet, y"know, the world has a knack of spinning round all by itself. Shall I see Torp before he goes?"
"Oh, yes. You"ll see him," said the Nilghai.
CHAPTER XIII
The sun went down an hour ago, I wonder if I face towards home; If I lost my way in the light of day How shall I find it now night is come?
--Old Song
"Maisie, come to bed."