was,
briefly
,
that
he
could
not
bring
himself
to
believe
in
two
separate
mysteries
,
at
one
and
the
same
time
and
place
,
with
no
sort
of
connection
between
them
.
“
That
would
be
too
much
of
a
coincidence
,
”
said
Mullins
,
sententiously
.
Thrush
looked
at
him
for
a
moment
.
“
But
life
's
one
long
collection
of
coincidences
!
That
's
what
I
'm
always
telling
you
;
the
mistake
is
to
look
on
them
as
anything
else
.
Do
n't
you
call
it
a
bit
of
a
coincidence
that
both
these
men
should
meet
their
death
at
the
very
hour
of
the
morning
when
you
're
on
your
way
over
here
from
Netting
Hill
,
and
in
much
the
same
degree
of
latitude
,
which
you
've
got
to
cross
somewhere
or
other
on
your
way
?
Yet
who
has
the
nerve
to
say
you
must
have
gone
through
Holland
Walk
that
other
morning
,
and
been
mixed
up
in
that
affair
because
you
are
in
this
?
”
“
I
do
n't
admit
I
'm
mixed
up
in
anything
,
”
replied
Mullins
,
with
some
warmth
.
“
I
mean
as
a
witness
of
sorts
.
I
was
merely
reducing
your
argument
to
the
absurd
,
Mullins
;
you
did
n't
take
me
literally
,
did
you
?
It
's
no
use
talking
when
we
both
seem
to
have
made
up
our
minds
;
but
I
'm
always
ready
to
unmake
mine
if
you
show
me
that
young
Mr.
Upton
carried
a
pistol
,
Mullins
!
Now
I
should
like
my
breakfast
,
Mullins
,
and
you
must
be
roaring
inside
for
yours
.
The
man
who
's
been
knocking
up
chemists
all
night
is
the
man
to
whom
breakfast
is
due
;
get
your
own
and
then
mine
,
and
after
that
you
can
tell
me
how
you
got
on
.
”
Anything
more
genial
than
the
garrulous
banter
of
Eugene
Thrush
,
at
his
best
,
it
was
impossible
to
encounter
or
incur
;
he
had
been
,
however
,
for
a
few
minutes
at
his
worst
,
and
it
was
difficult
to
see
why
the
pendulum
should
have
swung
so
suddenly
to
the
other
extreme
.
Mullins
went
about
his
business
with
his
usual
sleek
solemnity
.
But
Thrush
was
yet
another
man
the
moment
he
was
alone
.
His
face
was
a
sunny
background
for
ideas
,
misgivings
,
and
half-formed
plans
,
one
after
the
other
,
whirling
like
clouds
across
a
crimson
sky
.
But
the
sky
was
clear
whenever
Mullins
was
in
the
room
.
And
at
the
breakfast-table
there
was
not
a
cloud
.
“
To
come
back
to
those
chemists
,
and
this
shop-to-shop
canvassing
,
”
resumed
Thrush
,
as
Mullins
poured
out
his
tea
;
“
how
many
have
you
done
,
and
how
many
have
we
still
to
do
between
us
?
”
Mullins
produced
a
pocket-book
that
did
him
credit
,
and
consulted
notes
as
neat
.
“
Rung
up
when
you
were
out
at
dinner
—
seventeen
.
Kept
Cigarettes
d'Auvergne
—
one
.
That
was
Thornycroft
's
in
Shaftesbury
Avenue
,
where
I
'd
just
been
when
I
met
you
down
below
in
the
street
.
In
the
night
I
knocked
up
other
eight-and-twenty
,
all
either
in
the
neighbourhood
of
Trafalgar
Square
or
else
on
the
line
of
the
Park
.
”
“
Poor
devils
!
I
suppose
you
urged
a
pretty
bad
case
?
”
“
A
matter
of
life
or
death
.
”
“
Well
?
”
“
Three
more
kept
them
,
not
counting
Harbens
:
one
in
Knightsbridge
,
one
in
New
Bond
Street
,
and
one
a
little
way
down
the
Brompton
Road
.
”
“
Much
demand
in
any
of
those
quarters
?
”
“
Only
in
the
Brompton
Road
;
a
literary
gentleman
has
a
box
regularly
every
week
,
and
two
in
the
autumn
.
Pringle
,
his
name
is
.
”
“
I
know
him
;
so
he
's
as
breathless
as
his
own
yarns
,
is
he
?
”
murmured
Thrush
,
to
his
buttered
egg
.
“
But
has
one
of
these
apothecaries
sold
a
box
of
d'Auvergnes
since
Wednesday
afternoon
?
”
“
Two
have
,
”
said
Mullins
,
“
but
one
was
to
Mr.
Pringle
.
”
Thrush
levelled
inquiring
spectacles
.
“
How
did
you
worm
that
out
,
Mullins
?
”
“
By
changing
my
tune
a
bit
,
sir
.
I
started
asking
if
they
knew
anybody
who
could
recommend
the
cigarettes
from
personal
experience
,
as
we
were
only
trying
them
on
hearsay
.
”
“
Very
smart
of
you
,
Mullins
!
And
one
wheezy
novelist
is
the
only
consumer
?
”
“
That
's
right
,
sir
,
but
the
man
in
Knights-bridge
sold
a
box
on
Thursday
to
a
doctor
.
”
“
Did
you
get
the
name
?
”
“
Bone-Gardner
,
I
think
it
was
a
Dr.
Otto
Bone-Gardner
.
”
“
Baumgartner
,
I
expect
you
mean
!
”
cried
Thrush
,
straightening
a
wry
face
to
spell
the
name
.
“
I
've
heard
of
an
Otto
Baumgartner
,
though
I
ca
n't
say
when
or
where
.
What
's
his
address
?
”
“
He
could
n't
tell
me
,
sir
;
or
else
he
would
n't
.
Suppose
he
thought
I
'd
be
turning
the
doctor
out
next
.
Old
customer
,
I
understood
he
was
.
”
“
For
d'Auvergne
Cigarettes
?
”
“
I
did
n't
inquire
.
”
“
My
good
fellow
,
that
's
the
whole
point
!
I
'll
go
myself
and
ask
for
the
asthma
cigarettes
that
Dr.
Baumgartner
always
has
;
if
they
say
he
never
had
them
before
,
that
'll
be
talking
.
His
being
a
doctor
looks
well
.
But
I
'm
certain
I
know
his
name
;
you
might
look
it
up
in
Who
's
Who
,
and
read
out
what
they
say
.
”
And
Mullins
did
so
with
due
docility
,
albeit
with
queer
gulps
at
barbaric
mouthfuls
such
as
the
list
of
battle-fields
on
which
Dr.
Baumgartner
had
fought
in
his
martial
youth
;
the
various
Universities
whereat
he
had
studied
psychology
and
theology
in
an
evident
reaction
of
later
life
;
even
the
titles
of
his
subsequent
publications
,
which
contained
some
long
English
words
,
but
were
given
in
German
too
.
A
copious
contribution
concluded
with
the
information
that
photography
and
billiards
were
the
doctor
's
recreations
,
and
that
he
belonged
to
a
polysyllabically
unpronounceable
Berlin
club
,
and
to
one
in
St.
James
's
which
Mullins
more
culpably
miscalled
the
Parthenian
.
“
Parthenon
!
”
said
Thrush
,
as
though
he
had
bitten
on
a
nerve
.
“
But
what
about
his
address
?
”
“
There
's
no
getting
hold
of
that
address
,
”
said
Mullins
,
demoralised
and
perspiring
.
“
It
's
not
given
here
either
.
”
“
Well
,
the
chemist
or
the
directory
will
supply
that
if
we
want
it
,
but
I
'm
afraid
he
sounds
a
wheezy
old
bird
.
The
author
of
“
Peripatetic
Psychology
”
deserves
to
have
asthma
all
his
nights
,
and
“
After
this
Life
”
smacks
of
the
usual
Schopenhauer
and
Lager
.
No
,
we
wo
n't
build
on
Dr.
Baumgartner
,
Mullins
;
but
we
'll
go
through
the
chemists
of
London
with
a
small
tooth-comb
,
from
here
to
the
four-mile
radius
.
”
Thrush
had
finished
breakfast
,
and
Mullins
was
beginning
to
clear
away
,
when
a
stormy
step
was
heard
upon
the
stairs
,
and
in
burst
Mr.
Upton
with
a
panic-stricken
face
.
He
was
colourless
almost
to
the
neck
,
but
he
denied
that
he
had
any
news
,
though
not
without
a
pregnant
glance
at
Mullins
,
and
fell
to
abusing
London
and
the
Londoners
,
but
City
men
above
all
others
,
till
Thrush
and
he
should
be
alone
together
.
The
incidental
diatribe
was
no
mere
padding
,
either
;
it
was
the
sincere
utterance
of
a
passionately
provincial
soul
.
Nobody
in
all
London
,
he
declared
,
and
apparently
without
excepting
Mr.
Thrush
,
cared
a
twopenny
curse
what
became
of
his
poor
boy
.
In
view
of
the
fact
that
the
present
company
alone
knew
of
his
disappearance
,
and
not
so
very
many
more
of
the
boy
's
existence
,
this
was
an
extravagantly
sweeping
statement
.
But
the
distracted
man
had
a
particular
instance
to
bear
him
out
;
he
had
been
to
see
his
boy
's
friends
'
father
,
“
a
swine
called
Knaggs
,
”
that
very
morning
at
his
house
in
St.
John
's
Wood
.
“
Rather
early
,
was
n't
it
?
”
suggested
Thrush
,
whose
manner
was
more
softly
sympathetic
than
it
had
been
the
night
before
.
The
change
was
slight
,
and
yet
marked
.
He
was
more
solicitous
.
“
Early
!
”
cried
Mr.
Upton
.
“
Have
n't
I
lost
my
boy
,
and
was
n't
it
these
Cockney
cads
who
turned
him
adrift
in
London
?
I
ought
to
have
gone
to
them
last
night
.
I
wish
I
had
,
when
my
blood
was
up
after
your
dinner
;
for
I
do
n't
mind
telling
you
now
,
Mr.
Thrush
,
that
in
spite
of
your
hospitality
I
was
none
too
pleased
at
your
anxiety
to
get
rid
of
me
afterwards
.
It
made
me
feel
like
doing
a
little
bit
for
the
boy
on
my
own
;
but
I
'd
called
once
on
my
way
into
town
,
and
only
seen
a
servant
then
,
so
I
thought
I
'd
make
sure
of
putting
salt
on
somebody
by
waiting
till
this
morning
.
”
The
visitor
paused
to
look
harder
than
ever
at
Mullins
,
and
Thrush
seized
the
opportunity
to
offer
an
apology
for
his
abrupt
behaviour
in
the
street
.
“
I
confess
I
showed
indecent
haste
,
”
said
he
;
“
but
Mullins
and
I
had
our
night
's
work
cut
out
,
and
he
at
any
rate
has
not
had
his
boots
off
since
you
saw
him
.
”
“
Has
n't
he
?
”
cried
Mr.
Upton
,
in
remorseful
recognition
of
an
unsuspected
devotion
;
“
then
I
'll
say
what
I
've
got
to
say
in
front
of
him
,
for
you
're
both
my
friends
,
and
I
'll
unsay
all
I
said
just
now
.
Bear
with
my
temper
,
both
of
you
,
if
you
can
,
for
I
feel
beside
myself
about
the
boy
!
It
was
all
I
could
do
to
keep
my
hands
off
that
smug
little
lump
of
London
inhumanity
!
Kept
me
waiting
while
he
finished
his
breakfast
,
he
did
,
and
then
came
in
polishing
a
hat
as
sleek
as
himself
,
and
saying
“
Rather
early
!
”
—
just
as
you
set
me
off
by
saying
yourself
a
minute
ago
.
”
“
But
he
seems
to
have
told
you
something
,
Mr.
Upton
?
”
“
Has
he
not
!
He
began
by
telling
me
he
was
sorry
for
me
,
confound
him
!
I
could
have
made
him
sorrier
for
himself
!
He
was
sorry
for
me
,
but
what
could
he
do
?
London
was
a
large
place
,
and
“
we
Londoners
”
were
busy
men
.
I
told
him
so
were
some
of
us
in
the
iron-trade
,
but
not
too
busy
to
keep
an
eye
on
boys
who
were
friends
of
our
boys
.
He
said
London
life
was
different
;
and
I
said
so
I
could
see
.
They
never
had
spare
beds
at
a
moment
's
notice
,
much
less
for
boys
who
might
set
fire
to
the
house
or
—
or
shoot
themselves
—
—
”
His
two
hearers
uttered
a
simultaneous
exclamation
,
and
Mr.
Upton
stood
glancing
piteously
from
one
to
the
other
,
as
though
his
lad
's
death-warrant
were
written
in
their
faces
.
Eugene
Thrush
,
however
,
looked
so
genuinely
distressed
that
the
less
legible
handwriting
on
the
face
of
Mullins
also
attracted
less
attention
.
“
Had
he
anything
to
shoot
himself
with
?
”
inquired
Thrush
,
in
a
curiously
gentle
voice
.
Mr.
Upton
nodded
violently
as
he
moistened
his
lips
.
“
He
had
,
after
all
!
”
he
croaked
.
“
Little
as
I
dreamt
it
yesterday
,
my
unhappy
boy
,
who
had
never
to
my
knowledge
pulled
a
trigger
in
his
life
before
,
was
going
about
London
with
a
loaded
revolver
in
his
pocket
!
”
“
Had
he
brought
it
from
school
?
”
asked
Thrush
,
with
a
covert
frown
at
the
transfigured
Mullins
.
Mr.
Upton
repeated
what
he
had
heard
through
the
young
Westminsters
,
with
their
father
's
opinion
of
pawnbrokers
'
shops
as
resorts
for
young
schoolboys
,
of
young
schoolboys
who
frequented
them
,
and
of
parents
and
guardians
who
gave
them
the
chance
.
How
the
two
gentlemen
had
parted
without
fisticuffs
became
the
latest
mystery
to
Eugene
Thrush
,
whose
only
comment
was
that
it
behoved
him
all
the
more
to
do
something
to
redeem
the
capital
in
the
other
's
eyes
.
“
Now
we
know
why
my
poor
wife
heard
a
shot
!
”
was
the
only
rejoinder
,
in
a
voice
not
too
broken
to
make
Mullins
prick
up
his
ears
;
it
was
the
first
he
had
heard
about
the
dream
.
“
I
would
n't
say
that
,
Mr.
Upton
.
We
know
no
more
than
we
knew
before
.
Yet
I
will
own
now
,
”
exclaimed
Thrush
,
catching
Mullins
's
bright
eye
,
“
that
the
coincidence
will
be
tremendous
if
there
's
nothing
in
it
!
”
But
only
half
the
coincidence
was
present
in
the
father
's
mind
;
no
thought
of
the
murder
had
yet
entered
it
in
connection
with
his
boy
;
and
to
hear
so
emphatic
an
echo
to
his
foreboding
was
more
than
his
fretted
nerves
could
stand
.
In
the
same
breath
he
pounced
on
Thrush
for
a
pessimist
—
apologised
—
and
humbly
entreated
him
to
take
a
more
hopeful
view
.
“
There
may
have
been
an
accident
,
Thrush
,
but
not
necessarily
a
fatal
one
!
”
An
accident
!
Thrush
had
never
thought
of
that
explanation
of
the
public
mystery
;
but
evidently
Mullins
had
,
judging
by
his
almost
fiendish
grins
and
nods
behind
the
poor
father
's
back
.
Thrush
looked
at
both
men
with
the
troubled
frown
of
a
strenuously
reasoning
being
—
looked
and
frowned
again
—
frowned
and
reasoned
afresh
.
And
then
,
all
in
an
instant
,
the
trouble
lifted
from
his
face
;
light
had
come
to
him
in
an
almost
blinding
flash
,
such
as
might
well
obscure
the
quality
of
the
light
;
enough
for
Eugene
Thrush
that
it
lit
him
back
to
his
mystery
every
bit
as
brightly
as
it
lit
him
onward
to
its
solution
.
He
was
even
man
enough
to
refrain
from
reflecting
it
automatically
in
his
face
,
as
he
put
a
number
of
apparently
irrelevant
questions
to
Mr.
Upton
about
the
missing
boy
.
What
was
his
character
?
what
its
chief
points
?
Was
he
a
boy
with
the
moral
courage
of
his
acts
?
Would
he
face
their
consequences
like
a
man
?
“
I
never
knew
him
tell
a
lie
in
his
life
,
”
said
Mr.
Upton
,
“
either
to
save
his
own
skin
or
any
thing
else
;
and
it
was
a
case
of
their
young
skins
when
they
got
into
trouble
with
me
!
Poor
Tony
was
the
most
conscientious
of
them
all
,
and
I
hear
that
's
what
they
say
of
him
at
school
.
”
Thrush
put
one
or
two
further
questions
,
and
then
said
he
had
a
clue
,
though
a
very
slight
one
,
which
he
was
rather
in
a
hurry
to
follow
up
himself
;
and
this
time
the
ironmaster
went
off
quietly
of
his
own
accord
,
with
a
dejected
undertaking
to
be
at
his
hotel
when
he
was
wanted
.
“
I
do
n't
like
the
look
of
our
friend
,
”
remarked
Thrush
,
looking
hard
at
Mullins
when
at
last
they
were
alone
.
“
He
shapes
none
too
well
for
the
strain
he
's
got
to
bear
;
if
he
cracks
up
there
'll
be
a
double
tragedy
,
if
not
a
triple
one
,
in
that
family
.
We
must
catch
our
hare
quickly
,
Mullins
,
or
we
may
catch
him
too
late
.
”
Mullins
turned
on
the
disagreeable
grin
that
Thrush
had
so
resented
a
few
minutes
before
;
he
took
no
notice
of
it
now
.
“
You
'll
find
your
man
,
”
said
Mullins
significantly
,
“
the
very
moment
that
I
find
mine
,
Mr.
Thrush
.
”
“
Meaning
they
're
the
same
person
?
”
“
To
be
sure
.
”
“
That
this
lad
is
the
actual
slayer
of
the
man
Holdaway
?
”
“
Surely
,
sir
,
it
's
as
plain
as
a
pikestaff
now
?
”
“
Not
to
me
,
Mullins
—
not
to
me
.
”
Thrush
was
twinkling
behind
his
great
round
goggles
.
“
Then
who
do
you
think
has
done
it
,
sir
?
”
inquired
Mullins
,
in
deferential
derision
.
“
Ah
!
that
's
another
matter
,
my
man
;
but
I
can
tell
you
whom
I
hope
to
get
arrested
within
another
hour
!
”
Mullins
looked
as
though
he
could
hardly
believe
his
ears
;
his
jaw
,
black
as
a
crape
hat-band
this
morning
,
fell
in
front
of
his
grimy
collar
.
“
You
're
actually
thinking
of
arresting
some
one
else
?
”
“
I
am
—
with
your
permission
,
Mullins
.
”
“
Tell
me
who
it
is
,
sir
,
for
Heaven
's
sake
!
”
And
with
his
fattest
smile
Thrush
whispered
into
an
ear
that
recoiled
from
his
words
as
though
they
had
been
so
many
drops
of
boiling
oil
.
BOY
AND
GIRL
Pocket
Upton
was
able
to
relieve
his
soul
of
one
load
that
morning
.
Dr.
Baumgartner
had
left
the
schoolboy
to
his
soap
and
water
,
taking
the
newspaper
with
him
;
but
apparently
Pocket
had
followed
him
down
in
quicker
time
than
the
other
anticipated
.
At
any
rate
the
little
lady
of
the
house
was
all
alone
in
the
dining-room
,
where
Pocket
found
her
boiling
eggs
on
the
gas-fire
,
and
had
her
to
himself
for
several
seconds
of
which
he
wasted
none
.
There
was
neither
grace
nor
tact
in
what
he
said
,
and
his
manner
was
naturally
at
its
worst
,
but
the
penitential
torrent
came
from
his
heart
,
and
was
only
stemmed
by
the
doctor
's
hasty
arrival
on
the
scene
.
Miss
Platts
had
not
been
given
time
to
say
a
word
,
but
now
she
asked
Mr.
Upton
how
many
minutes
he
liked
his
egg
boiled
,
and
would
not
let
him
do
it
himself
,
but
smiled
when
he
told
her
it
was
“
done
to
a
shake
.
”
Dr.
Baumgartner
,
on
the
other
hand
,
scowled
upon
them
both
until
observation
or
reflection
had
convinced
him
that
no
promises
had
been
broken
and
no
confidences
exchanged
.
The
callow
pair
saw
something
more
of
each
other
during
the
morning
;
for
Pocket
hotly
resented
being
distrusted
,
and
showed
it
by
making
up
to
the
young
girl
under
the
doctor
's
nose
.
He
talked
to
her
about
books
in
the
other
room
.
He
had
the
impertinence
to
invite
her
into
the
dining-room
for
a
game
of
billiards
,
but
the
sense
next
moment
to
include
her
uncle
in
an
amended
form
of
more
becoming
suggestion
.
Baumgartner
eventually
countenanced
a
game
,
but
spent
most
of
the
time
with
his
back
to
the
players
and
his
eye
on
the
street
.
The
boy
and
girl
got
on
very
well
now
;
they
seemed
frankly
glad
of
each
other
,
though
he
caught
her
more
than
once
with
a
large
and
furtive
eye
on
him
.
But
she
seemed
to
enjoy
her
baptism
of
schoolboy
slang
.
And
it
was
only
when
she
began
to
question
him
about
his
special
vocabulary
,
that
Baumgartner
looked
on
for
a
little
,
and
put
in
his
word
.
“
You
see
he
still
believes
in
his
public
school
,
”
said
he
to
Phillida
,
in
a
tone
which
reminded
their
visitor
of
his
first
breakfast
in
the
house
.
“
I
should
think
I
did
!
”
cried
Pocket
,
and
did
a
little
loyal
boasting
about
the
best
of
schools
,
and
the
best
house
in
that
school
,
until
memory
took
him
by
the
throat
and
filled
his
eyes
.
It
was
twelve
o'clock
,
and
a
summer
's
Saturday
.
School
was
over
for
the
week
.
Only
your
verses
to
do
in
your
own
time
,
and
get
signed
by
Spearman
before
you
went
up
to
dormitory
on
Saturday
night
;
but
meanwhile
,
Saturday
afternoon
!
A
match
on
the
Upper
,
where
you
could
lie
on
your
rug
and
watch
the
game
you
could
n't
play
;
call-over
at
the
match
;
ices
and
lemon-drinks
in
a
tent
on
the
field
;
and
for
Saturday
supper
anything
you
liked
to
buy
,
cooked
for
you
in
the
kitchen
and
put
piping
hot
at
your
place
in
hall
,
not
even
for
the
asking
,
but
merely
by
writing
your
name
plainly
on
the
eggs
and
leaving
them
on
the
slab
outside
!
It
was
not
these
simple
luxuries
that
Pocket
missed
so
sorely
;
it
was
the
whole
full
life
of
ups
and
downs
,
and
no
yesterdays
and
no
to-morrows
,
that
he
had
lost
for
ever
since
last
Saturday
.
The
heavy
midday
meal
came
in
smoking
from
the
Italian
restaurant
,
and
Pocket
was
himself
again
,
as
a
boy
will
be
;
after
all
,
they
knew
about
him
at
home
by
this
time
,
their
worst
fears
were
allayed
,
and
in
the
end
it
would
all
come
right
.
In
the
end
he
would
be
sitting
in
his
own
old
place
at
home
,
instead
of
with
strangers
in
an
unknown
street
;
telling
them
everything
,
instead
of
holding
his
peace
;
and
watching
even
Fred
and
Horace
listening
to
every
word
—
much
as
Dr.
Baumgartner
was
listening
to
something
now
.
What
was
it
?
Phillida
was
listening
,
too
,
and
watching
her
uncle
as
she
listened
.
Pocket
did
both
in
his
turn
.
It
was
the
voice
of
newspaper
hawkers
,
shouting
in
couples
,
coming
nearer
with
their
shouts
.
Dr.
Baumgartner
jumped
up
from
the
table
,
and
ran
outside
without
his
hat
.
His
promise
alone
prevented
Pocket
from
following
and
outstripping
the
doctor
.
He
knew
what
the
shouting
was
about
before
he
could
have
sworn
to
a
single
raucous
word
.
But
Phillida
could
not
know
,
and
she
resumed
at
once
where
they
had
left
off
before
breakfast
.
“
Of
course
I
forgive
you
,
”
she
whispered
.
“
It
was
I
began
it
!
”
“
Began
what
?
”
“
Our
row
yesterday
.
”
Phillida
had
a
demure
twinkle
,
after
all
;
but
it
was
lost
on
Pocket
now
.
“
I
'd
forgotten
all
about
it
,
”
he
said
with
superfluous
candour
,
his
ear
still
on
the
street
.
“
I
have
n't
.
”
Her
voice
made
him
remember
better
.
“
I
hope
to
goodness
I
did
n't
hurt
you
?
”
“
Of
course
you
did
n't
.
”
“
But
you
must
have
thought
me
mad
!
”
There
was
a
slight
but
most
significant
pause
.
“
Well
,
I
never
shall
again
.
”
“
Then
you
did
!
”
he
gasped
.
Their
eyes
had
met
sharply
;
both
young
faces
were
flooded
with
light
,
and
it
was
much
the
same
light
.
There
was
no
nonsense
about
it
,
but
there
was
indignant
horror
on
his
side
,
and
indignant
shame
on
hers
.
“
You
really
are
at
school
?
”
she
whispered
,
not
increduously
,
but
as
one
seeking
assurance
in
so
many
words
;
and
in
a
flash
he
saw
what
she
had
thought
,
what
she
had
been
deliberately
made
to
think
,
that
his
beloved
school
was
not
a
school
at
all
,
but
an
Ayslum
!
But
at
that
moment
Dr.
Baumgartner
was
heard
bargaining
at
the
gate
with
one
raucous
voice
,
while
the
other
went
on
roaring
huskily
,
“
Park
murder
—
arrest
!
'
Rest
o
'
de
Park
murderer
!
Park
murder
—
Park
murder
—
arrest
!
”
And
Pocket
sprang
up
from
the
table
in
a
state
that
swept
his
last
thoughts
clean
from
his
mind
.
The
girl
said
something
;
he
did
not
hear
what
.
He
was
white
and
trembling
,
in
pitiable
case
even
to
eyes
that
could
only
see
skin-deep
;
but
the
doctor
's
step
came
beating
like
a
drum
to
him
,
and
he
was
solidly
seated
when
the
doctor
entered
—
without
any
paper
at
all
.
“
It
's
that
murder
the
papers
are
all
exploiting
,
”
he
explained
benignly
.
“
They
were
shouting
out
something
about
an
arrest
;
you
would
hear
them
,
I
daresay
.
But
it
's
the
usual
swindle
;
the
police
are
merely
hoping
to
effect
an
arrest
.
I
threatened
to
send
for
them
unless
the
scoundrel
took
his
paper
back
!
”
He
was
in
his
lightest
mood
of
sardonic
gaiety
.
The
sins
of
the
vendors
recalled
those
of
“
your
vermin
press
itself
”
;
the
association
was
wilfully
unfair
,
the
favourite
phrase
a
studied
insult
;
but
the
English
boy
was
either
dense
or
indifferent
,
and
Phillida
's
great
eyes
were
in
some
other
world
.
Baumgartner
subjected
them
both
to
a
jealous
scrutiny
,
and
suddenly
cried
out
upon
his
own
bad
memory
.
It
appeared
there
was
a
concert
at
the
Albert
Hall
,
where
“
the
most
popular
and
handsome
pair
in
England
”
(
the
inverted
commas
were
in
the
doctor
's
sneer
)
were
being
welcomed
on
their
return
from
the
ends
of
the
earth
.
He
had
intended
going
to
hear
what
they
could
do
;
but
Phillida
should
go
instead
;
she
was
not
past
the
ballad
stage
.
And
Phillida
rose
submissively
,
with
unreal
thanks
which
could
not
conceal
her
recognition
of
the
impromptu
pretext
for
getting
rid
of
her
;
her
uncle
called
a
taxicab
,
and
with
harsh
hilarity
turned
her
off
the
premises
in
the
frock
she
had
been
wearing
all
day
.
“
And
now
,
”
said
he
,
returning
with
a
scowl
,
“
what
the
devil
were
you
two
talking
about
while
my
back
was
turned
?
”
“
Yesterday
,
”
replied
Pocket
,
more
than
ready
for
him
,
though
his
heart
beat
fast
.
“
What
about
yesterday
?
”
“
Our
scuffle
in
the
other
room
.
”
“
Is
that
all
?
”
“
No
—
I
found
out
something
;
she
did
n't
tell
me
.
”
“
What
did
you
find
out
?
”
“
That
you
let
her
think
me
mad
!
”
cried
Pocket
,
in
monstrous
earnest
.
He
might
have
laughed
at
himself
,
could
he
have
seen
his
own
reproachful
face
.
But
he
could
have
killed
Baumgartner
for
laughing
at
him
;
it
did
not
occur
to
him
that
the
laugh
was
partly
one
of
pure
relief
.
“
Why
,
my
young
fellow
,
how
else
can
I
account
for
you
?
”
“
You
said
she
would
think
I
was
a
patient
.
”
“
Exactly
!
A
mental
case
.
”
“
You
had
no
business
to
make
me
out
mad
,
”
persisted
Pocket
,
with
dogged
valour
.
“
Pardon
me
!
I
had
all
the
business
in
the
world
;
and
I
beg
that
you
'll
continue
to
foster
the
illusion
as
thoroughly
as
you
did
yesterday
when
I
was
out
.
It
's
no
good
shaking
your
head
at
me
;
listen
to
reason
,
”
continued
Baumgartner
,
with
an
adroit
change
of
tone
.
“
And
try
,
my
good
young
fellow
,
do
try
to
think
of
somebody
besides
yourself
;
have
some
consideration
for
my
niece
,
if
you
have
none
for
me
.
”
Pocket
was
mystified
,
but
still
more
incensed
;
for
he
felt
himself
being
again
put
gently
but
clearly
in
the
wrong
.
“
And
I
should
like
to
know
,
”
he
cried
,
“
what
good
it
does
her
to
think
she
's
associating
with
a
lunatic
?
”
“
She
would
probably
prefer
the
idea
to
that
of
a
murderer
,
”
was
the
suave
reply
.
“
I
speak
only
of
ideas
;
otherwise
I
should
not
make
use
of
such
an
expression
,
even
in
jest
.
It
's
as
ugly
as
it
's
ridiculous
in
your
case
.
Yet
you
heard
for
yourself
that
others
are
applying
the
horrid
term
in
all
sobriety
.
”
“
I
heard
more
than
that
,
”
returned
Pocket
.
“
They
've
arrested
somebody
!
”
“
I
thought
I
told
you
there
was
no
truth
in
that
?
”
But
Baumgartner
had
winced
for
once
,
and
the
boy
had
seen
it
,
and
his
retort
was
a
precocious
inspiration
.
“
That
was
only
to
avoid
a
scene
at
table
,
Dr.
Baumgartner
!
”
“
Well
,
my
young
fellow
,
”
said
the
doctor
,
after
one
of
his
wise
pauses
,
“
and
what
if
it
was
?
”
“
I
ca
n't
sit
here
and
let
an
innocent
man
lie
in
prison
.
”
“
He
wo
n't
lie
long
.
”
“
It
's
absolutely
wicked
to
let
them
keep
him
at
all
.
”
“
Nor
will
they
,
longer
than
another
hour
or
two
.
”
“
Well
,
if
they
do
,
you
know
what
I
shall
do
!
”
Pocket
had
never
displayed
such
determination
,
nor
incurred
quite
the
same
measure
or
quality
of
wrath
that
Baumgartner
poured
upon
him
without
a
word
for
the
next
few
moments
.
It
was
a
devouring
gaze
of
sudden
and
implacable
animosity
.
The
ruthless
lips
were
shut
out
of
sight
,
yet
working
as
though
the
teeth
were
being
ground
behind
them
;
the
crow
's
footed
face
flushed
up
,
and
the
crow
's
feet
were
no
more
;
it
was
as
though
age
was
swallowed
in
that
flood
of
speechless
passion
till
the
whole
man
was
no
older
than
the
fiery
eyes
that
blazed
upon
the
boy
.
And
yet
the
most
menacing
thing
of
all
was
the
complete
control
with
which
the
doctor
broke
this
pregnant
silence
.
“
You
say
that
.
I
say
otherwise
.
You
had
better
find
a
book
in
the
other
room
till
you
know
your
own
mind
again
.
”
“
I
know
it
now
,
unless
they
release
that
man
,
”
said
Pocket
,
through
his
teeth
,
although
they
chattered
.
“
Give
them
a
chance
,
and
give
yourself
one
!
It
will
be
time
to
think
of
clearing
other
people
when
they
fail
to
clear
themselves
.
Have
more
patience
!
Think
of
your
own
friends
,
and
give
them
time
too
.
”
If
the
last
allusion
was
to
the
lad
's
letter
,
due
in
Leicestershire
that
morning
,
it
was
as
happy
as
all
Baumgartner
's
last
words
.
If
he
meant
himself
to
be
included
among
Pocket
's
friends
,
there
was
food
for
thought
in
the
suggestion
that
a
man
of
the
doctor
's
obvious
capacity
was
not
idle
in
the
boy
's
best
interests
.
Pocket
was
made
to
feel
rather
ashamed
of
himself
,
as
usual
;
but
he
could
not
forget
the
concentrated
fury
of
the
look
which
had
not
been
weakened
by
infuriate
words
;
and
the
recollection
remained
as
an
excuse
,
as
well
as
a
menace
,
in
his
mind
.
He
had
time
enough
to
think
it
over
.
Dr.
Baumgartner
smoked
his
meerschaum
in
the
gathering
shade
at
the
back
of
the
house
.
The
schoolboy
sulked
for
some
time
in
the
big
chair
,
but
eventually
took
the
doctor
at
his
word
about
a
book
.
If
it
be
ever
true
that
a
man
may
be
known
by
his
books
,
it
was
certainly
so
to
some
extent
in
the
case
of
Dr.
Otto
Baumgartner
.
His
library
was
singularly
small
for
an
intellectual
man
who
wrote
himself
,
and
a
majority
of
the
volumes
were
in
languages
which
no
public
schoolboy
could
be
expected
to
read
;
but
of
the
English
books
many
were
on
military
subjects
,
some
few
anthropological
;
there
were
photographic
year-books
and
Psychical
Research
Reports
by
the
foot
or
yard
,
and
there
was
an
odd
assortment
of
second-hand
books
which
had
probably
been
labelled
“
occult
”
in
their
last
bookseller
's
list
.
Boismont
on
“
Hallucinations
”
was
one
of
these
;
it
was
the
book
for
Pocket
.
He
took
the
little
red
volume
down
,
and
read
a
long
chapter
on
somnambulism
in
the
big
chair
.
In
a
way
it
comforted
him
.
It
was
something
to
find
that
he
was
far
from
being
the
only
harmless
creature
who
had
committed
a
diabolical
deed
in
his
sleep
;
here
among
several
cases
was
one
of
another
boy
who
had
made
an
equally
innocent
and
yet
determined
attempt
on
his
own
father
.
But
there
was
something
peculiar
in
poor
Pocket
's
case
,
something
that
distinguished
it
from
any
of
those
cited
in
the
book
,
and
he
was
still
ferreting
for
its
absolute
fellow
when
Phillida
came
in
long
before
he
expected
her
.
Boismont
had
made
the
time
fly
wonderfully
,
in
spite
of
everything
;
the
girl
,
too
,
appeared
to
have
been
taken
out
of
herself
,
and
talked
about
her
concert
as
any
other
young
girl
might
have
done
,
both
to
Pocket
and
her
uncle
,
who
glided
in
at
once
from
the
garden
.
The
doctor
,
however
,
was
himself
in
mellower
mood
;
and
they
were
having
tea
,
for
all
the
world
like
any
ordinary
trio
,
the
girl
still
making
talk
about
sundry
songs
,
the
man
quizzing
them
and
her
,
and
the
boy
standing
up
for
one
that
his
sister
sang
at
home
,
when
a
metallic
tattoo
put
a
dramatic
stop
to
the
conversation
.
The
two
young
people
,
but
not
their
elder
,
were
startled
quite
out
of
their
almost
inadvertent
tranquillity
;
and
the
knocker
was
not
still
before
Pocket
realised
that
it
was
the
first
time
he
had
heard
it
.
No
letters
were
delivered
at
that
house
;
not
a
soul
had
he
seen
or
heard
at
the
door
before
.
Even
in
his
excitement
,
however
,
with
its
stunning
recrudescence
of
every
reality
,
its
instantaneous
visions
of
his
people
or
the
police
,
there
was
room
for
a
measure
of
disgust
when
the
girl
got
up
,
at
an
ungallant
nod
from
the
German
,
to
go
to
the
door
.
“
It
's
a
huge
fat
man
,
”
whispered
Phillida
,
on
her
return
to
the
big
room
at
the
back
of
the
house
.
“
Here
's
his
card
.
”
“
Thrush
!
”
muttered
Baumgartner
as
though
he
knew
the
name
,
and
he
glowered
at
the
two
young
faces
on
which
it
made
no
impression
whatever
.
It
was
plain
how
he
hated
leaving
them
together
;
but
for
once
it
must
be
done
,
and
done
quickly
—
with
both
doors
open
and
the
visitor
's
very
movements
audible
on
the
steps
.
To
the
door
the
doctor
must
go
,
and
went
,
shutting
that
one
pointedly
behind
him
.
The
young
creatures
,
looking
in
each
other
's
eyes
,
listened
for
raised
voices
and
the
slam
of
prompt
expulsion
;
but
the
voices
were
pitched
too
low
to
reach
their
ears
in
words
,
and
were
only
interrupted
by
the
sound
of
footsteps
in
the
hall
,
and
the
perfectly
passive
closing
of
an
outer
and
an
inner
door
in
quick
succession
.
“
He
's
taken
him
into
the
dining-room
,
”
murmured
Phillida
.
“
Who
can
it
be
?
”
“
Has
n't
he
any
friends
?
”
“
None
who
ever
come
here
;
none
of
that
name
anywhere
,
I
feel
sure
.
”
Her
great
eyes
,
without
leaving
his
for
an
instant
,
filled
with
thought
as
a
blank
screen
takes
a
shadow
.
“
I
wonder
if
it
's
about
that
!
”
she
whispered
.
“
What
?
”
“
What
they
were
calling
out
with
the
newspapers
while
we
were
at
table
.
”
There
was
a
pause
.
The
look
in
her
eyes
had
changed
.
It
was
purely
penetrating
now
.
“
Why
should
it
be
?
”
asked
Pocket
,
his
own
eyes
falling
.
“
It
's
no
use
asking
me
,
Mr.
Upton
.
”
“
But
I
do
n't
understand
the
question
.
”
“
Is
that
true
?
”
“
No
,
”
he
muttered
;
“
it
is
n't
.
”
She
was
leaning
over
to
him
;
he
felt
it
,
without
looking
up
.
“
Mr.
Upton
,
”
she
said
,
speaking
quickly
in
the
undertone
they
were
both
instinctively
adopting
,
“
you
know
now
what
I
thought
about
you
at
first
.
I
wo
n't
say
what
made
me
;
but
that
was
what
I
thought
,
but
could
hardly
believe
,
and
never
will
again
.
It
makes
it
all
the
more
a
mystery
,
your
being
here
.
I
ca
n't
ask
my
uncle
—
he
tells
me
nothing
—
but
there
's
something
I
can
and
must
ask
you
.
”
Pocket
hung
his
head
.
He
knew
what
was
coming
.
It
came
.
“
My
uncle
brought
you
here
,
Mr.
Upton
,
on
the
very
morning
that
thing
happened
they
were
calling
out
about
to-day
.
In
the
Park
.
It
is
to
the
Park
he
goes
so
often
in
the
early
morning
with
his
camera
!
How
can
I
say
what
I
want
to
say
?
But
,
if
you
think
,
you
will
see
that
everything
points
to
it
;
especially
the
way
he
ran
out
for
that
paper
—
and
hid
the
truth
when
he
came
in
!
”
Pocket
looked
up
at
last
.
“
I
know
the
truth
.
”
“
About
the
arrest
?
”
“
Yes
;
it
was
quite
obvious
,
and
he
admitted
it
when
you
'd
gone
.
”
“
Why
not
before
?
”
“
I
could
n't
tax
him
about
it
in
front
of
you
,
”
he
muttered
,
looking
up
and
down
quickly
,
unable
to
face
her
fierce
excitement
.
“
Do
tell
me
what
it
is
you
both
know
about
this
dreadful
case
!
”
“
I
ca
n't
,
”
the
boy
said
hoarsely
;
“
do
n't
ask
me
.
”
“
Then
you
know
who
did
it
.
I
can
see
you
do
.
”
There
was
a
new
anguish
even
in
her
whisper
;
he
could
hear
what
she
thought
.
“
It
was
nobody
you
care
about
,
”
he
mumbled
,
hoarser
than
before
,
and
his
head
lower
.
“
You
do
n't
mean
—
—
”
She
stopped
aghast
.
“
I
ca
n't
say
another
word
—
and
you
wo
n't
say
another
to
me
!
”
he
added
,
a
bitter
break
in
his
muffled
voice
.
He
longed
to
tell
her
it
had
been
an
accident
,
to
tell
her
all
;
but
he
had
given
his
word
to
Baumgartner
not
to
confide
in
her
,
and
he
did
not
think
that
he
had
broken
it
yet
.
“
You
do
n't
know
me
,
”
she
whispered
,
and
for
a
moment
her
hand
lay
warm
in
his
;
“
trust
me
!
I
'm
your
friend
in
spite
of
all
you
've
said
—
or
done
!
”
Dr.
Baumgartner
might
have
been
ten
minutes
getting
rid
of
the
intruder
;
before
that
he
had
been
first
amazed
and
then
relieved
to
hear
the
piano
in
the
drawing-room
;
and
that
was
all
his
anxious
ear
had
heard
of
either
boy
or
girl
during
his
absence
.
Yet
the
boy
was
not
standing
over
the
piano
,
as
he
might
have
been
,
for
Phillida
was
trying
to
recall
one
of
the
concert
songs
he
said
his
sister
sang
.
Pocket
,
however
,
was
staring
out
into
the
garden
with
a
troubled
face
,
which
he
turned
abruptly
,
aggressively
,
and
yet
apprehensively
to
meet
the
doctor
's
.
But
the
doctor
no
longer
looked
suspiciously
from
him
to
Phillida
,
but
stood
beaming
on
them
both
,
and
rubbing
his
hands
as
though
he
had
done
something
very
clever
indeed
.
BEFORE
THE
STORM
Sunday
in
London
has
got
itself
a
bad
name
among
those
who
occasionally
spend
one
at
their
hotel
,
and
miss
the
band
,
their
letters
,
and
the
theatre
at
night
;
but
at
Dr.
Baumgartner
's
there
was
little
to
distinguish
the
seventh
day
from
the
other
six
.
The
passover
of
the
postman
,
that
boon
to
residents
and
grievance
of
the
traveller
,
was
a
normal
condition
in
the
dingy
house
of
no
address
.
More
motor-horns
were
heard
in
the
distance
,
and
less
heavy
traffic
;
the
sound
of
church
bells
came
as
well
through
the
open
windows
;
then
the
street-door
shut
,
and
there
was
a
long
period
without
Phillida
,
until
it
opened
and
shut
again
,
and
in
she
peeped
with
her
parasol
and
Prayer-book
,
as
though
they
were
all
quite
ordinary
people
without
a
guilty
secret
among
them
!
Such
was
the
Sunday
morning
.
It
was
fine
and
warm
.
Dr.
Baumgartner
pottered
about
his
untidy
little
garden
,
a
sun-trap
again
as
Pocket
had
seen
it
first
;
the
Turk
's
head
perspired
from
internal
and
external
heat
,
but
its
rich
yellow
,
shading
into
richer
auburn
,
clashed
rather
with
a
red
geranium
which
the
doctor
wore
jauntily
in
the
button-hole
of
his
black
alpaca
jacket
.
It
was
Phillida
who
had
given
him
the
flower
at
breakfast
.
She
grew
what
she
could
in
the
neglected
garden
;
the
plants
in
the
miniature
conservatory
were
also
hers
,
though
the
doctor
took
a
perfunctory
interest
in
them
,
obviously
on
her
account
.
It
was
obvious
at
least
to
Pocket
Upton
.
He
saw
all
these
things
,
and
what
they
meant
.
He
was
not
without
his
little
gifts
of
observation
and
deduction
.
He
noticed
the
difference
in
Baumgartner
's
voice
when
he
addressed
his
niece
,
the
humane
kindling
of
the
inexorable
eyes
,
and
to-day
he
thought
he
saw
a
reciprocal
softening
on
the
part
of
Phillida
.
There
had
been
none
to
see
yesterday
or
the
day
before
.
It
was
her
uncle
whom
the
girl
had
seemed
unable
to
forgive
for
the
unseemly
scuffle
of
Friday
morning
.
But
now
it
was
as
though
memory
and
common
fairness
had
set
years
of
kindness
against
these
days
of
unendurable
mystery
,
and
bidden
her
endure
them
with
a
better
grace
.
If
she
felt
she
had
been
disloyal
to
him
,
she
could
not
have
made
sweeter
amends
than
she
did
by
many
an
unobtrusive
little
office
.
And
she
exchanged
no
more
confidences
with
poor
Pocket
.
Yet
these
two
were
together
most
of
the
day
;
all
three
were
;
and
it
was
a
strangely
peaceful
day
,
a
day
of
natural
hush
,
and
the
cessation
of
life
's
hostilities
,
such
as
is
sometimes
almost
pointedly
bestowed
before
or
after
a
time
of
strain
.
It
was
a
day
on
which
Pocket
certainly
drew
his
spiritual
breath
more
freely
than
on
any
other
since
the
dire
catastrophe
.
There
were
few
fresh
clouds
;
perhaps
the
only
one
before
evening
was
the
removal
of
the
book
on
hallucinations
in
which
Pocket
had
become
interested
on
the
Saturday
afternoon
.
It
was
no
longer
lying
about
the
room
as
he
had
left
it
.
There
was
a
gap
in
its
place
in
the
shelf
.
The
book
had
been
taken
away
from
him
;
it
made
him
feel
as
though
he
were
back
again
at
his
very
first
dame
's
school
.
And
the
church
bells
sent
him
back
to
the
school
he
was
at
now
!
They
were
more
mellow
and
sedate
then
the
chapel
bells
there
,
that
rang
you
down
the
hill
at
the
double
if
you
were
late
and
not
too
asthmatical
;
and
Pocket
saw
and
heard
himself
puffing
up
the
opposite
hill
to
take
his
place
for
chapel
call-over
in
the
school
quad
.
The
fellows
would
be
forming
in
squads
there
now
,
all
in
their
Sunday
tails
or
Eton
jackets
as
the
case
might
be
;
of
course
Pocket
was
in
tails
,
though
still
rather
proud
of
them
.
The
masters
,
in
their
silk
hoods
or
their
rabbit-skins
were
prominent
in
his
mind
's
eye
.
Then
came
the
cool
and
spacious
chapel
,
with
its
marble
pulpit
and
its
brazen
candelabra
,
and
rows
of
chastened
chapel
faces
,
that
he
knew
better
than
his
own
,
giving
a
swing
to
chants
which
ran
in
his
head
at
the
very
thought
.
How
real
it
all
was
to
him
,
and
how
unreal
this
Sunday
morning
,
in
the
sunny
room
with
the
battle
engravings
over
the
book-cases
,
and
the
walnut
chairs
in
front
of
them
,
and
Dr.
Baumgartner
in
and
out
in
his
alpaca
coat
!
After
chapel
he
would
have
gone
for
a
walk
with
Blundell
minor
,
most
probably
,
or
else
written
his
letter
home
and
got
it
over
.
And
that
chapter
would
have
ended
with
cold
boiled
beef
and
apple-pie
with
cloves
in
it
at
Spearman
's
.
The
Italian
restaurant
which
sent
in
Dr.
Baumgartner
's
meals
certainly
provided
richer
fare
than
that
.
There
was
a
top-floor
of
soup
in
the
portable
contrivance
,
and
before
the
meat
a
risotto
,
which
the
doctor
praised
without
a
single
patriotic
reservation
.
“
Italy
is
a
country
where
one
can
live
,
”
said
he
.
“
Not
that
you
must
understand
me
to
be
altogether
down
on
your
own
fatherland
,
my
young
fellow
;
there
is
something
to
be
said
for
London
,
especially
on
a
Sunday
.
No
organs
from
my
dear
Italy
,
none
of
those
so-called
German
bands
which
we
in
Germany
would
not
tolerate
for
a
moment
;
no
postman
every
hour
of
the
day
,
and
no
gaolbirds
crying
false
news
down
the
streets
.
”
Pocket
looked
for
a
grim
twinkle
in
the
speaker
's
eye
,
but
found
it
fixed
on
Phillida
,
who
had
not
looked
up
.
Instinct
prompted
Pocket
to
say
something
quickly
;
that
he
had
not
seen
a
postman
there
,
was
the
actual
remark
.
“
That
is
because
I
conduct
my
correspondence
at
my
club
,
”
explained
the
doctor
.
“
I
give
out
no
other
address
;
then
you
only
get
your
letters
when
you
want
them
.
”
“
Do
you
often
go
there
?
”
the
boy
ventured
to
inquire
,
devoutly
wishing
he
would
go
that
afternoon
.
“
Not
when
I
have
visitors
,
”
replied
Baumgartner
,
with
a
smiling
bow
.
“
And
I
look
upon
my
patients
in
that
light
,
”
he
added
,
with
benevolent
but
futile
hypocrisy
,
embarrassing
enough
to
Phillida
,
but
not
more
so
than
if
she
had
still
believed
it
to
be
the
truth
.
Silence
ensued
until
they
were
all
in
the
other
room
;
then
the
niece
took
refuge
at
her
piano
,
and
this
time
Pocket
hung
over
her
for
an
hour
or
more
.
He
went
through
her
music
,
and
asked
for
everything
that
Lettice
played
or
sang
.
Phillida
would
not
sing
to
him
,
but
she
had
the
makings
of
a
pianist
.
The
boy
's
enthusiasm
for
the
things
he
knew
made
her
play
then
as
well
as
ever
he
had
heard
them
played
.
Even
the
doctor
,
dozing
in
the
big
chair
with
eyes
that
were
never
quite
shut
,
murmured
his
approval
more
than
once
;
he
loved
his
Mendelssohn
and
Schubert
,
and
had
nothing
to
say
against
the
Sousas
and
others
that
the
boy
picked
out
as
well
,
and
mentioned
with
ingenuous
fervour
in
the
same
breath
.
Pocket
would
have
sung
himself
if
the
doctor
had
not
been
there
,
for
he
had
a
bit
of
a
voice
when
he
was
free
from
asthma
;
and
once
or
twice
he
stopped
listening
to
wonder
at
himself
.
Could
he
be
the
boy
who
had
killed
a
man
,
however
innocently
,
three
days
before
!
Could
it
be
he
whom
the
police
might
come
and
carry
off
to
prison
at
any
moment
?
Was
it
true
that
he
might
never
see
his
own
people
any
more
?
Such
questions
appalled
and
stunned
him
;
he
could
neither
answer
them
nor
realise
their
full
import
.
They
turned
the
old
man
in
the
chair
,
who
alone
could
answer
them
,
back
into
the
goblin
he
had
seemed
at
first
.
Yet
they
did
give
a
certain
shameful
zest
and
excitement
even
to
this
quiet
hour
of
motley
music
in
his
presence
.
Besides
,
there
was
always
one
comfort
to
remember
now
:
his
letter
home
.
Of
course
Lettice
would
show
it
to
their
father
;
of
course
something
would
be
done
at
once
.
Shame
and
sorrow
for
the
accident
would
be
his
for
ever
;
but
as
for
his
present
situation
,
there
were
moments
when
Pocket
felt
rather
like
a
story-book
cabin-boy
luxuriously
marooned
,
and
already
in
communication
with
the
mainland
.
He
wondered
what
steps
had
been
taken
so
far
.
No
doubt
his
father
had
come
straight
up
to
town
;
it
was
a
moving
thought
that
he
might
be
within
a
mile
of
that
very
room
at
that
very
moment
.
Would
all
the
known
circumstances
of
his
disappearance
be
published
broadcast
in
the
papers
?
Pocket
felt
he
would
have
red
ears
all
his
life
if
that
were
done
;
and
yet
it
had
hurt
him
a
little
to
gather
from
Baumgartner
that
so
far
there
was
nothing
in
the
papers
to
say
he
had
so
much
as
disappeared
.
That
fact
must
have
been
known
since
Thursday
or
Friday
.
Once
it
did
cross
his
mind
that
to
keep
it
from
his
mother
they
would
have
to
keep
it
out
of
the
papers
.
Well
,
as
long
as
she
did
not
know
!
He
pictured
the
blinds
down
in
her
room
;
it
was
the
hour
of
her
afternoon
rest
.
If
he
were
at
home
,
he
would
be
going
about
quietly
.
Lettice
would
be
reading
or
writing
in
the
morning-room
,
most
probably
.
Father
would
be
gloating
over
his
rhododendrons
with
a
strong
cigar
;
in
his
last
letter
the
boy
had
heard
how
beautiful
they
were
.
Horace
might
be
with
him
,
smoking
a
cigarette
,
if
he
and
Fred
were
not
playing
tennis
.
Their
pocket
edition
had
not
to
look
very
far
ahead
to
see
himself
smoking
proper
cigarettes
with
the
others
,
to
hear
his
own
voice
telling
them
of
his
own
experience
—
of
this
very
hour
at
Dr.
Baumgartner
's
.
Even
Fred
and
Horace
would
have
to
listen
to
that
!
Pocket
looked
at
the
long
lean
figure
in
the
chair
,
at
the
eyelids
never
quite
closed
,
and
so
imparting
at
once
a
softening
and
a
sinister
effect
.
He
noted
the
drooping
geranium
in
his
buttonhole
,
and
grey
ash
from
the
Turk
's
head
sprinkling
the
black
alpaca
coat
.
It
brought
the
very
phrases
of
a
graphic
portrait
almost
to
his
lips
.
Yet
if
anybody
had
told
the
boy
he
was
beginning
to
gloat
over
the
silver
lining
to
the
cloud
that
he
was
under
,
and
that
it
was
not
silver
at
all
but
one
of
the
baser
metals
of
the
human
heart
,
how
indignantly
he
would
have
denied
it
at
first
,
how
humbly
seen
it
in
the
end
!
When
Phillida
went
off
to
make
the
tea
her
uncle
sought
his
room
and
sponge
,
but
did
not
neglect
to
take
Pocket
with
him
.
Pocket
was
for
going
higher
up
to
his
own
room
;
but
Baumgartner
said
that
would
only
make
more
work
,
in
a
tone
precluding
argument
.
It
struck
Pocket
that
the
doctor
really
needed
sleep
,
and
was
irritable
after
a
continuous
struggle
against
it
.
If
so
,
it
served
him
right
for
not
trusting
a
fellow
—
and
for
putting
Boismont
in
the
waste-paper
basket
,
by
Jove
!
There
was
no
mistaking
the
red
book
there
;
it
was
one
of
the
first
things
Pocket
noticed
,
while
the
doctor
was
stooping
over
his
basin
in
the
opposite
corner
;
and
the
schoolboy
's
strongest
point
,
be
it
remembered
,
was
a
stubborn
tenacity
of
his
own
devices
.
He
made
a
dive
at
the
waste-paper
basket
,
meaning
to
ask
afterwards
if
the
doctor
minded
his
reading
that
book
.
But
the
question
never
was
asked
;
the
book
was
still
in
the
basket
when
the
doctor
had
finished
drying
his
face
;
and
the
boy
was
staring
and
swaying
as
though
he
had
seen
the
dead
.
“
Why
,
what
's
the
matter
with
my
young
fellow
?
”
inquired
Baumgartner
,
solicitously
.
“
Nothing
!
I
'll
be
all
right
soon
,
”
muttered
Pocket
,
wiping
his
forehead
and
then
his
hand
.
“
You
look
faint
.
Here
's
my
sponge
.
No
,
lie
flat
down
there
first
!
”
But
Pocket
was
not
going
to
lie
down
on
that
bed
.
“
I
do
feel
seedy
,
”
he
said
,
in
a
stronger
voice
with
a
new
note
in
it
,
“
but
I
'm
not
going
to
faint
.
I
'm
quite
well
able
to
go
upstairs
.
I
'd
rather
lie
down
on
my
own
bed
,
if
you
do
n't
mind
.
”
His
own
bed
!
The
irony
struck
him
even
as
he
said
the
words
.
He
was
none
the
less
glad
to
sit
down
on
it
;
and
so
sitting
he
made
his
first
close
examination
of
two
or
three
tiny
squares
of
paper
which
he
had
picked
out
of
the
basket
in
the
doctor
's
room
instead
of
Boismont
's
book
on
hallucinations
.
There
had
been
no
hallucination
about
those
scraps
of
paper
;
they
were
fragments
of
the
boy
's
own
letter
to
his
sister
,
which
Dr.
Baumgartner
had
never
posted
at
all
.
A
LIKELY
STORY
At
that
moment
help
was
as
far
away
as
it
had
been
near
the
day
before
,
when
Eugene
Thrush
was
closeted
in
the
doctor
's
dining-room
;
for
not
only
had
Mr.
Upton
decamped
for
Leicestershire
,
without
a
word
of
warning
to
anybody
,
on
the
Saturday
afternoon
,
but
Thrush
himself
had
followed
by
the
only
Sunday
train
.
A
bell
was
ringing
for
evening
service
when
he
landed
in
a
market
town
which
reversed
the
natural
order
by
dozing
all
summer
and
waking
up
for
the
hunting
season
.
And
now
the
famous
grass
country
was
lying
in
its
beauty-sleep
,
under
a
gay
counterpane
of
buttercups
and
daisies
,
and
leafy
coverts
,
with
but
one
blot
in
the
sky-line
,
in
the
shape
of
a
permanent
plume
of
sluggish
smoke
.
But
the
works
lay
hidden
,
and
the
hall
came
first
;
and
Thrush
,
having
ascertained
that
this
was
it
,
abandoned
the
decrepit
vessel
he
had
boarded
at
the
station
,
and
entered
the
grounds
on
foot
.
A
tall
girl
,
pacing
the
walks
with
a
terribly
anxious
face
,
was
encountered
and
accosted
before
he
reached
the
house
.
“
I
believe
Mr.
Upton
lives
here
.
Can
you
tell
me
if
he
's
at
home
?
I
want
to
see
him
about
something
.
”
Lettice
flushed
and
shrank
.
“
I
know
who
you
are
!
Have
you
found
my
brother
?
”
“
No
;
not
yet
,
”
said
Thrush
,
after
a
pause
.
“
But
you
take
my
breath
away
,
my
dear
young
lady
!
How
could
you
be
so
sure
of
me
?
Is
it
no
longer
to
be
kept
a
secret
,
and
is
that
why
your
father
bolted
out
of
town
without
a
word
?
”
“
It
's
still
a
secret
,
”
whispered
Lettice
,
as
though
the
shrubs
had
ears
,
“
only
I
'm
in
it
.
Nobody
else
is
—
nobody
fresh
—
but
I
guessed
,
and
my
mother
was
beginning
to
suspect
.
My
father
never
stays
away
a
Sunday
unless
he
's
out
of
England
altogether
;
she
could
n't
understand
it
,
and
was
worrying
so
about
him
that
I
wired
begging
him
to
come
back
if
only
for
the
night
.
So
it
's
all
my
fault
,
Mr.
Thrush
;
and
I
know
everything
but
what
you
've
come
down
to
tell
us
!
”
“
That
's
next
to
nothing
,
”
he
shrugged
.
“
It
's
neither
good
nor
bad
.
But
if
you
can
find
your
father
I
'll
tell
you
both
exactly
what
I
have
found
out
.
”
In
common
with
all
his
sex
,
he
liked
and
trusted
Lettice
at
sight
,
without
bestowing
on
her
a
passing
thought
as
a
person
capable
of
provoking
any
warmer
feeling
.
She
was
the
perfect
sister
—
that
he
felt
as
instinctively
as
everybody
else
—
and
a
woman
to
trust
into
the
bargain
.
It
would
be
cruel
and
quite
unnecessary
to
hide
anything
from
that
fine
and
unselfish
face
.
So
he
let
her
lead
him
to
a
little
artificial
cave
,
lined
and
pungent
with
pitch-pine
,
over
against
the
rhododendrons
,
while
