shewent
to
fetch
her
father
quietly
from
the
house
.
The
ironmaster
amplified
the
excuses
already
made
for
him
;
he
had
rushed
for
the
first
train
after
getting
his
daughter
's
telegram
,
leaving
but
a
line
for
Thrush
with
his
telephone
number
,
in
the
hopes
that
he
would
use
it
whether
he
had
anything
to
report
or
not
.
“
As
you
did
n't
,
”
added
Mr.
Upton
,
in
a
still
aggrieved
voice
,
“
I
've
been
trying
again
and
again
to
ring
you
up
instead
;
but
of
course
you
were
never
there
,
nor
your
man
Mullins
either
.
I
was
coming
back
by
the
last
train
,
however
,
and
should
have
been
with
you
late
to-night
.
”
“
Did
you
leave
the
motor
behind
?
”
“
Yes
;
it
'll
be
there
to
meet
me
at
St.
Pancras
.
”
“
It
may
have
to
do
more
than
that
,
”
said
Thrush
,
spreading
his
full
breadth
on
the
pitch-pine
seat
.
“
I
've
found
out
something
;
how
much
or
how
little
it
's
too
soon
to
tell
;
but
I
was
n't
going
to
discuss
it
through
a
dozen
country
exchanges
as
long
as
you
wanted
the
thing
a
dead
secret
,
Mr.
Upton
,
and
that
's
why
I
did
n't
ring
you
up
.
As
for
your
last
train
,
I
'd
have
waited
to
meet
it
in
town
,
only
that
would
n't
have
given
me
time
to
say
what
I
've
got
to
say
before
one
or
other
of
us
may
have
to
rush
off
somewhere
else
by
another
last
train
.
”
“
Do
for
God
's
sake
say
what
you
've
got
to
say
!
”
cried
Mr.
Upton
.
“
Well
,
I
've
seen
a
man
who
thinks
he
may
have
seen
the
boy
!
”
“
Alive
?
”
“
And
perfectly
well
—
but
for
his
asthma
—
on
Thursday
.
”
The
ironmaster
thanked
God
in
a
dreadful
voice
;
it
was
Lettice
who
calmed
him
,
not
he
her
.
Her
eyes
only
shone
a
little
,
but
his
were
blinded
by
the
first
ray
of
light
.
“
Where
was
it
?
”
he
asked
,
when
he
could
ask
anything
.
“
I
'll
tell
you
in
a
minute
.
I
want
first
to
be
convinced
that
it
really
was
your
son
.
Did
the
boy
take
any
special
interest
in
Australia
?
”
“
Rather
!
”
cried
Lettice
,
the
sister
of
three
boys
.
“
What
kind
of
interest
?
”
“
He
wanted
to
go
out
there
.
It
had
just
been
talked
about
.
”
She
looked
at
her
father
.
“
I
would
n't
let
him
go
,
”
he
said
.
“
Why
?
”
“
I
want
to
know
just
how
it
came
to
be
talked
about
.
”
“
A
fool
of
a
doctor
in
town
recommended
it
.
”
Lettice
winced
,
but
Thrush
nodded
as
though
that
tallied
.
“
Did
he
recommend
any
particular
vessel
?
”
“
Yes
,
a
sailing
ship
—
the
Seringapatam
—
an
old
East
Indiaman
they
've
turned
into
a
kind
of
floating
hospital
.
I
would
n't
hear
of
the
beastly
tub
.
”
“
Do
you
know
when
she
was
to
sail
?
”
“
I
did
know
,
”
said
Lettice
.
“
I
believe
it
was
just
about
now
.
”
“
She
sailed
yesterday
,
”
said
Thrush
,
impressively
;
“
and
your
brother
,
if
it
was
your
brother
,
talked
a
good
deal
about
her
to
this
man
.
He
told
him
all
about
your
having
always
been
in
favour
of
it
,
Miss
Upton
,
and
his
father
not
.
I
'm
bound
to
say
it
sounds
as
though
it
may
have
been
the
boy
.
”
Thrush
seemed
to
be
keeping
something
back
;
but
the
prime
and
absorbing
question
of
identity
prevented
the
others
from
noticing
this
.
“
It
must
have
been
!
”
cried
Mr.
Upton
.
“
Who
was
the
man
,
and
where
exactly
did
he
see
him
?
”
“
First
on
Thursday
morning
,
and
last
on
Thursday
night
.
But
perhaps
I
'd
better
tell
you
about
my
informant
,
since
we
've
only
his
word
for
Thursday
,
and
only
his
suspicions
as
to
what
has
happened
since
.
In
the
first
place
he
's
a
semi-public
man
,
though
I
do
n't
suppose
you
know
his
name
.
It
's
Baumgartner
—
Dr.
Otto
Baumgartner
—
a
German
scientist
of
some
distinction
.
”
The
ironmaster
made
a
remark
which
did
him
little
credit
,
and
Thrush
continued
with
some
pride
:
“
There
was
some
luck
in
it
,
of
course
,
for
he
was
the
very
first
man
I
struck
who
'd
bought
d'Auvergne
Cigarettes
since
Wednesday
;
but
I
was
on
his
doorstep
well
within
twenty-four
hours
of
hearing
that
your
son
was
missing
;
and
you
may
chalk
that
up
to
A
.
V.
M
.
!
I
might
have
been
with
him
some
hours
sooner
still
,
but
I
preferred
to
spend
them
getting
to
know
something
about
my
man
.
I
tried
his
nearest
shops
;
perfect
mines
!
One
was
a
chemist
,
who
did
n't
know
him
by
sight
,
and
had
never
heard
of
the
cigarettes
,
but
remembered
being
asked
for
them
by
an
elderly
gentleman
last
Thursday
morning
!
That
absolutely
confirmed
my
first
suspicion
that
Baumgartner
himself
was
not
the
asthmatic
;
if
he
had
been
,
the
nearest
chemist
would
have
known
all
about
him
.
Yet
he
had
gone
to
the
nearest
chemist
first
!
”
“
The
nearest
butcher
was
next
door
;
but
he
was
so
short
about
Baumgartner
that
I
scented
a
true-green
vegetarian
.
It
was
a
false
scent
,
Mr.
Upton
;
not
to
mention
the
baker
and
the
candlestick-maker
,
there
's
a
little
restaurant
in
the
same
row
,
which
was
about
the
fifth
place
where
I
began
by
asking
if
they
knew
where
a
Dr.
Baumgartner
lived
in
that
neighbourhood
.
The
little
Italian
boss
was
all
over
me
on
the
spot
!
The
worthy
doctor
proved
to
be
his
most
regular
customer
,
having
all
his
meals
sent
in
hot
from
the
restaurant
in
quite
the
Italian
manner
.
I
do
n't
suppose
you
see
how
very
valuable
this
was
to
me
.
Germans
love
Italy
,
the
little
man
explained
;
but
I
said
that
was
the
one
point
on
which
I
should
never
yield
to
Germany
—
and
I
thought
I
was
going
to
be
kissed
across
the
counter
!
It
seems
the
good
doctor
lives
alone
with
his
niece
(
not
always
even
her
)
,
and
keeps
no
servants
and
never
entertains
.
Yet
on
Friday
,
for
the
first
time
since
the
arrangement
was
made
,
the
old
chap
went
to
the
restaurant
himself
to
complain
of
short
commons
;
there
had
not
been
enough
for
them
to
eat
on
the
Thursday
night
!
”
“
Had
they
been
alone
?
”
asked
Mr.
Upton
,
with
a
puzzled
face
.
“
That
's
the
whole
point
!
My
little
Florentine
understood
they
were
,
but
I
deduced
one
extra
,
and
then
conceived
a
course
that
may
astonish
you
.
It
was
the
bold
course
;
but
it
nearly
always
pays
.
I
lunched
at
my
leisure
(
an
excellent
Chianti
my
little
friend
keeps
)
and
afterwards
went
round
and
saw
the
doctor
himself
.
The
niece
opened
the
door
—
I
wish
I
'd
seen
more
of
her
—
but
she
fetched
her
uncle
at
once
and
I
begged
for
an
interview
on
an
urgent
matter
.
He
consented
in
a
way
that
,
I
must
say
,
impressed
me
very
favourably
;
and
the
moment
we
were
alone
I
said
,
“
I
want
to
know
,
Doctor
,
who
you
bought
those
asthma
cigarettes
for
last
Thursday
!
”
”
“
That
took
him
aback
,
but
not
unduly
;
so
then
I
added
,
“
I
'm
an
inquiry
agent
with
a
very
delicate
case
in
hand
,
and
if
you
'll
tell
me
it
may
solve
at
heart-breaking
a
mystery
as
I
've
ever
handled
.
”
Is
was
treating
him
like
a
gentleman
,
but
I
believe
in
that
;
there
's
no
shorter
cut
to
whether
a
man
is
one
or
not
.
”
“
Well
,
his
face
had
lit
up
,
and
a
very
fine
face
it
is
;
it
had
n't
blackened
for
the
fifth
of
a
second
;
but
I
had
a
disappointment
in
store
.
“
I
'd
tell
you
his
name
with
all
my
heart
,
”
he
said
,
“
only
I
do
n't
really
know
it
myself
.
He
said
it
was
John
Green
—
but
his
handkerchiefs
were
marked
“
A
.
A
.
U
.
”
”
”
“
Tony
's
initials
!
”
cried
Tony
's
father
.
“
But
it
never
was
Tony
under
a
false
name
,
”
his
sister
vowed
.
“
That
settles
it
for
me
,
Mr.
Thrush
.
”
“
Not
even
if
he
'd
got
into
some
scrape
or
adventure
,
Miss
Upton
?
”
“
He
would
never
give
a
name
that
was
n't
his
.
”
“
Suppose
he
felt
he
had
disgraced
his
name
?
”
“
My
brother
Tony
would
n't
do
it
!
”
“
He
might
feel
he
had
?
”
“
He
might
,
”
the
father
agreed
,
“
even
if
he
'd
done
no
such
thing
;
in
fact
,
he
's
just
the
kind
of
boy
who
would
take
an
exaggerated
view
of
some
things
.
”
His
mind
went
back
to
his
last
talk
with
Horace
on
the
subject
.
“
Or
he
might
feel
he
was
about
to
do
something
,
shall
we
say
,
unworthy
of
you
all
?
”
Thrush
made
the
suggestion
with
much
delicacy
.
“
Then
I
do
n't
think
he
'd
do
it
,
”
declared
loyal
Lettice
.
“
Let
us
hear
what
you
think
he
did
,
”
said
Mr.
Upton
.
“
It
's
not
what
I
think
;
it
's
what
this
man
Baumgartner
thinks
,
and
his
story
that
you
ought
to
hear
.
”
And
that
which
they
now
heard
at
second-hand
was
in
fact
a
wonderfully
true
version
—
up
to
a
point
—
of
poor
Pocket
's
condition
and
adventures
—
with
the
sleep-walking
and
the
shooting
left
out
—
from
the
early
morning
of
his
meeting
with
Baumgartner
until
the
late
afternoon
of
that
day
.
Baumgartner
had
actually
described
the
boy
's
long
sleep
in
his
chair
;
it
was
with
the
conversation
when
he
awoke
that
the
creative
work
began
in
earnest
.
“
That
's
a
good
man
!
”
said
Mr.
Upton
,
with
unimaginable
irony
.
“
I
'd
like
to
take
him
by
the
hand
—
and
those
infernal
Knaggses
by
the
scruff
of
their
dirty
necks
—
and
that
old
hag
Harbottle
by
the
hair
!
”
“
I
think
of
dear
darling
Tony
,
”
said
Lettice
,
in
acute
distress
;
“
lying
out
all
night
with
asthma
—
it
was
enough
to
kill
him
—
or
to
send
him
out
of
his
mind
.
”
“
I
wonder
if
it
could
have
done
that
,
”
remarked
Thrush
,
in
a
tone
of
serious
speculation
which
he
was
instantly
called
upon
to
explain
.
“
What
are
you
keeping
back
?
”
cried
Lettice
,
the
first
to
see
that
he
had
been
keeping
something
all
this
time
.
“
Only
something
he
'd
kept
back
from
them
,
”
replied
Thrush
,
with
just
a
little
less
than
his
usual
aplomb
.
“
It
was
a
surprise
he
sprang
on
them
after
waking
;
it
will
probably
surprise
you
still
more
,
Mr.
Upton
.
You
may
not
believe
it
.
I
'm
not
certain
that
I
do
myself
.
In
the
morning
he
had
spoken
of
the
Australian
voyage
as
though
you
'd
opposed
it
,
but
withdrawn
your
opposition
—
one
moment
,
if
you
do
n't
mind
!
In
the
evening
he
suddenly
explained
that
he
was
actually
sailing
in
the
Seringapatam
,
that
his
baggage
was
already
on
board
,
and
he
must
get
aboard
himself
that
night
!
”
“
I
do
n't
believe
it
,
Thrush
.
”
“
No
more
do
I
,
father
,
for
a
single
instant
.
Tony
,
of
all
people
!
”
Thrush
looked
from
one
to
the
other
with
a
somewhat
disingenuous
eye
.
“
I
do
n't
say
I
altogether
accept
it
myself
;
that
's
why
I
kept
it
to
the
end
,
”
he
explained
.
“
But
we
must
balance
the
possibilities
against
the
improbabilities
,
never
losing
sight
of
the
one
incontestable
fact
that
the
boy
has
undoubtedly
disappeared
.
And
here
's
a
man
,
a
well-known
man
,
who
makes
no
secret
of
the
fact
that
he
found
him
wandering
in
the
Park
,
in
the
early
morning
,
breathless
and
dazed
,
and
drove
him
home
to
his
own
house
,
where
the
boy
spent
the
day
;
they
took
a
hansom
,
the
doctor
tells
me
,
than
which
no
statement
is
more
quickly
and
easily
checked
.
Are
we
to
believe
this
apparently
unimpeachable
and
disinterested
witness
,
or
are
we
not
?
He
was
most
explicit
about
everything
,
offering
to
show
me
exactly
where
he
found
the
boy
,
and
never
the
least
bit
vague
or
unsatisfactory
in
any
way
.
If
you
are
prepared
to
believe
him
,
if
only
for
the
sake
of
argument
,
you
may
care
to
hear
Dr.
Baumgartner
's
theory
as
to
what
has
happened
.
”
Lettice
shook
her
head
in
scorn
,
but
Mr.
Upton
observed
,
“
Well
,
we
may
as
well
hear
what
the
fellow
had
to
say
to
you
;
we
must
be
grateful
to
him
for
taking
pity
on
our
boy
,
and
he
was
the
last
who
saw
him
;
he
may
have
seen
something
that
we
should
n't
guess
.
”
“
Exactly
!
”
exclaimed
Eugene
Thrush
;
“
he
saw
,
or
at
any
rate
he
now
thinks
he
saw
,
enough
to
build
up
a
pretty
definite
theory
on
the
foundation
of
fact
supplied
by
me
.
He
did
n't
know
the
boy
had
come
up
to
see
a
doctor
and
been
refused
a
lodging
for
the
night
;
he
understood
he
had
come
up
to
join
his
ship
,
and
suspected
he
had
been
on
a
sort
of
mild
spree
—
if
Miss
Upton
will
forgive
me
!
”
And
he
turned
deferential
lenses
on
the
indignant
girl
.
“
I
do
n't
forgive
the
suggestion
,
”
said
she
;
“
but
it
is
n't
yours
,
Mr.
Thrush
,
so
please
go
on
.
”
“
It
's
an
idea
that
Dr.
Baumgartner
continues
to
hold
in
spite
of
all
I
was
able
to
tell
him
,
and
we
must
n't
forget
,
as
Mr.
Upton
says
,
that
he
was
the
last
to
see
your
brother
.
Briefly
,
he
believes
the
boy
did
meet
with
some
misadventure
that
night
in
town
;
that
he
had
been
ill-treated
or
intimidated
by
some
unscrupulous
person
or
persons
;
perhaps
threatened
with
blackmail
;
at
any
rate
imbued
with
the
conviction
that
he
is
not
more
sinned
against
than
sinning
.
That
,
I
think
,
is
only
what
one
expects
of
these
very
conscientious
characters
,
particularly
in
youth
;
he
was
taking
something
or
somebody
a
thousandfold
more
seriously
than
a
grown
man
would
have
done
.
Afraid
to
go
back
to
school
for
fear
of
expulsion
,
ashamed
to
show
his
face
at
home
!
What
's
to
be
done
?
He
thinks
of
the
ship
about
to
sail
,
the
ship
he
hoped
to
sail
in
,
and
in
his
desperation
he
determines
to
sail
in
her
still
—
even
if
he
has
to
stow
away
!
”
“
My
God
!
”
cried
Mr.
Upton
,
“
he
's
just
the
one
to
think
of
it
.
His
head
was
full
of
those
trashy
adventure
stories
!
”
But
Lettice
shook
hers
quietly
.
“
To
think
of
it
,
but
not
to
do
it
,
”
said
she
,
with
a
quiet
conviction
that
rather
nettled
Mr.
Thrush
.
“
But
really
,
Miss
Upton
,
he
must
have
done
something
,
you
know
!
And
he
actually
talked
to
Dr.
Baumgartner
about
this
;
not
of
doing
it
himself
,
but
of
stowaways
in
general
,
à
propos
of
his
voyage
;
and
how
many
pounds
of
biscuit
and
how
many
ounces
of
water
would
carry
one
alive
into
blue
water
.
There
's
another
thing
,
by
the
way
!
He
told
Baumgartner
the
ship
touched
nowhere
between
the
East
India
Docks
and
Melbourne
;
he
would
be
out
of
the
world
for
three
whole
months
.
”
“
And
she
only
sailed
yesterday
?
”
cried
Mr.
Upton
,
coming
furiously
to
his
feet
.
“
And
you
let
her
get
through
the
Straits
of
Dover
and
out
to
sea
while
you
came
down
here
to
tell
me
this
by
inches
?
”
Thrush
blinked
blandly
through
his
port-hole
glasses
.
“
I
'm
letting
her
go
as
far
as
Plymouth
,
”
said
he
,
“
where
one
or
both
of
us
will
board
her
tomorrow
if
she
's
up
to
time
!
”
“
You
said
she
did
n't
touch
anywhere
between
the
docks
and
Melbourne
?
”
“
No
;
your
son
said
that
,
Mr.
Upton
,
and
it
was
his
one
mistake
.
They
do
n't
usually
touch
,
but
a
son
of
one
of
the
owners
happens
to
have
gone
round
in
the
ship
to
Plymouth
for
the
trip
.
I
got
it
first
from
an
old
boatswain
of
the
line
who
's
caretaker
at
the
office
,
and
the
only
man
there
,
of
course
,
yesterday
afternoon
;
but
I
've
since
bearded
one
of
the
partners
at
his
place
down
the
river
,
and
had
the
statement
confirmed
and
amplified
.
One
or
two
pasengers
are
only
going
aboard
at
Plymouth
,
so
she
certainly
wo
n't
sail
again
before
to-morrow
noon
,
even
if
she
's
there
by
then
.
You
will
be
in
ample
time
to
board
her
—
and
I
've
got
a
sort
of
search-warrant
from
the
partner
I
saw
—
if
you
go
down
by
the
12.15
from
Paddington
to-night
.
”
The
ironmaster
asked
no
more
questions
;
that
was
good
enough
for
him
,
he
said
,
and
went
off
to
tell
a
last
lie
to
his
wife
,
with
the
increasing
confidence
of
one
gradually
mastering
the
difficulties
of
an
uncongenial
game
.
He
felt
also
that
a
happy
issue
was
in
sight
,
and
after
that
he
could
tell
the
truth
and
liberate
his
soul
.
He
was
pathetically
sanguine
of
the
solution
vicariously
propounded
by
Eugene
Thrush
,
and
prepared
to
rejoice
in
a
discovery
which
would
have
filled
him
with
dismay
and
chagrin
if
he
had
not
been
subconsciously
prepared
for
something
worse
.
It
never
occurred
to
Mr.
Upton
to
question
the
man
's
own
belief
in
the
theory
he
had
advanced
;
but
Lettice
did
so
the
moment
she
had
the
visitor
to
herself
in
the
smoking-room
,
where
it
fell
to
her
to
do
certain
honours
vice
Horace
,
luckily
engaged
at
the
works
.
“
And
do
you
believe
this
astounding
theory
,
Mr.
Thrush
?
”
Thrush
eyed
her
over
his
tumbler
's
rim
,
but
completed
his
draught
before
replying
.
“
It
's
not
my
province
to
believe
or
to
disbelieve
,
Miss
Upton
;
my
job
is
to
prove
things
one
way
or
the
other
.
”
“
Then
I
'll
tell
you
just
one
thing
for
your
guidance
:
my
brother
is
absolutely
incapable
of
the
conduct
you
ascribe
to
him
between
you
.
”
Thrush
did
not
look
as
though
he
were
being
guided
by
anybody
or
anything
,
beyond
the
dictates
of
his
own
appetites
,
as
he
sat
by
the
window
of
the
restaurant
car
,
guzzling
new
potatoes
and
such
Burgundy
as
could
be
had
in
a
train
.
But
he
was
noticeably
less
garrulous
than
usual
,
and
his
companion
also
had
very
little
to
say
until
the
train
was
held
up
inexplicably
outside
Willesden
,
when
he
began
to
fume
.
“
I
never
knew
such
a
thing
on
this
line
before
,
”
he
complained
;
“
it
's
all
the
harder
luck
,
for
I
never
was
on
such
an
errand
before
,
and
it
'll
just
make
the
difference
to
me
.
”
“
You
'll
have
time
,
”
said
Thrush
,
consulting
his
watch
as
the
train
showed
signs
of
life
at
last
.
“
Not
for
what
I
want
to
do
,
”
said
Mr.
Upton
firmly
.
“
I
want
to
shake
that
man
's
hand
,
and
to
hear
from
his
own
lips
about
my
boy
!
”
“
I
'm
not
sure
that
you
'll
find
him
at
home
,
”
Thrush
said
,
after
a
contemplative
pause
.
“
I
'll
take
my
chance
of
that
.
”
“
He
said
something
about
their
both
going
out
of
town
to-day
—
meaning
niece
and
self
.
I
heard
her
playing
just
before
I
left
,
and
that
seemed
to
remind
him
of
it
.
”
“
Well
,
Thrush
,
I
mean
to
risk
it
.
”
“
And
losing
the
train
?
”
“
I
can
motor
down
to
Plymouth
;
there
's
plenty
of
time
.
I
might
take
him
with
me
,
as
well
as
you
?
”
“
Better
,
”
said
Thrush
,
after
another
slight
pause
.
“
I
'd
rather
you
did
n't
count
on
me
for
that
trip
,
Mr.
Upton
.
”
“
Not
count
on
you
”
?
“
One
of
us
will
be
quite
enough
.
”
“
Have
you
some
other
case
to
shove
in
front
of
mine
,
then
?
”
cried
the
ironmaster
,
touched
on
the
old
raw
spot
.
“
I
should
n't
put
it
like
that
,
Mr.
Upton
.
”
“
All
right
!
I
'll
take
your
man
Mullins
instead
;
but
I
'll
try
my
luck
at
that
German
doctor
's
first
,
”
he
growled
,
determined
to
have
his
own
way
in
something
.
“
I
'm
afraid
you
ca
n't
have
Mullins
,
”
said
Thrush
,
gently
.
“
Want
him
yourself
do
you
?
”
“
I
do
;
but
I
'm
afraid
neither
of
us
can
have
him
just
now
,
Mr.
Upton
.
”
“
Why
not
?
Where
is
he
.
”
Thrush
leant
across
as
they
swam
into
the
lighted
terminus
.
“
In
prison
.
”
“
In
prison
!
Your
man
Mullins
?
”
“
Yes
,
Mr.
Upton
,
he
's
the
man
they
arrested
yesterday
on
suspicion
of
complicity
in
this
Hyde
Park
affair
!
”
MALINGERING
Pocket
had
put
the
fragments
of
his
poor
letter
together
again
,
and
was
still
poring
over
those
few
detached
and
mutilated
words
,
which
were
the
very
ones
his
tears
had
blotted
,
when
there
came
a
warning
chink
of
tea-things
on
the
stairs
.
He
was
just
able
to
thrust
the
pieces
back
into
his
pocket
,
and
to
fling
himself
at
full
length
on
the
bed
,
before
Dr.
Baumgartner
entered
with
a
tray
.
“
There
,
my
young
fellow
!
This
will
make
a
man
of
you
!
Then
we
shall
see
you
yourself
again
by
supper-time
.
”
“
I
'm
not
coming
down
again
,
”
said
Pocket
.
“
Do
n't
force
me
,
please
”
“
Force
you
?
”
Baumgartner
cocked
a
keen
eye
at
the
open
window
.
“
What
a
tyrant
you
would
make
me
out
!
On
the
contrary
,
I
think
you
show
your
wisdom
in
remaining
quiet
.
Perhaps
you
would
be
quieter
still
with
the
window
shut
—
so
—
and
fastened
to
prevent
it
rattling
.
I
will
open
it
when
I
come
up
again
.
There
shall
not
be
a
sound
in
the
house
to
disturb
you
.
”
And
he
took
to
tiptoes
there
and
then
,
gliding
about
with
a
smiling
stealth
that
set
Pocket
shivering
on
the
bed
;
he
shivered
the
more
when
an
admirable
doctor
's
hand
,
cool
and
smooth
as
steel
,
was
laid
upon
his
forehead
.
“
A
little
fever
,
I
'm
afraid
!
I
should
get
right
into
bed
,
if
I
were
you
.
It
's
nothing
to
be
alarmed
about
,
much
less
astonished
;
you
have
been
through
so
much
,
my
poor
young
fellow
.
”
“
I
have
indeed
!
”
cried
Pocket
,
with
unguarded
bitterness
.
And
Baumgartner
paused
between
the
foot
of
the
bed
and
the
door
.
“
But
there
's
one
consolation
for
you
,
”
he
said
at
length
,
in
a
sibilant
whisper
.
“
They
've
had
that
letter
of
yours
at
home
quite
a
long
time
now
—
ever
since
yesterday
morning
,
have
n't
they
?
”
The
bed
shook
under
Pocket
when
the
door
was
shut
—
he
only
hoped
it
was
not
before
.
Up
to
the
last
minute
,
he
felt
quite
sure
that
Dr.
Baumgartner
,
suspicious
as
he
was
,
had
suspected
nothing
of
the
discovery
downstairs
behind
his
back
.
If
he
himself
had
betrayed
anything
it
was
in
the
last
few
seconds
,
when
it
had
been
all
that
he
could
do
to
keep
from
screaming
out
his
knowledge
of
the
other
's
trickery
.
To
play
such
a
trick
upon
a
broken-hearted
boy
!
To
have
the
heart
to
play
it
!
No
wonder
he
felt
feverish
to
that
wicked
hand
;
the
wonder
was
that
he
had
actually
lain
there
listening
to
the
smooth
impostor
gratuitously
revelling
in
his
imposition
!
Rage
and
disappointment
seized
him
by
turns
,
and
both
together
;
at
first
they
bit
deeper
even
than
the
fear
of
Baumgartner
—
a
fear
felt
from
the
beginning
,
and
naturally
redoubled
now
.
Disappointment
had
the
sharper
tooth
:
his
letter
had
ever
gone
,
not
one
of
his
people
knew
a
thing
about
him
yet
,
his
tears
had
not
drawn
theirs
,
they
had
not
hung
in
anxious
conclave
on
his
words
!
Not
that
he
had
recognised
any
such
subtle
consolations
as
factors
in
his
temporary
and
comparative
peace
of
mind
;
now
that
they
were
gone
,
he
could
not
have
said
what
it
was
he
missed
;
he
only
knew
that
he
could
least
forgive
Baumgartner
for
this
sudden
sense
of
cruel
and
crushing
disappointment
.
The
phase
passed
,
for
the
boy
had
the
temperament
that
sees
the
other
side
eventually
,
and
of
course
there
was
something
to
be
said
for
the
doctor
's
stratagem
.
He
could
understand
it
,
after
all
;
the
motive
was
not
malevolent
;
it
was
to
relieve
his
mind
and
keep
him
quiet
.
The
plan
had
succeeded
perfectly
,
and
nobody
was
really
any
the
worse
off
.
His
people
would
have
known
he
was
alive
and
well
on
the
Friday
;
but
that
was
all
,
and
they
had
no
reason
yet
to
assume
his
death
.
No
;
even
Pocket
came
to
see
that
his
letter
had
been
more
of
a
relief
to
write
than
it
could
have
been
to
read
;
that
,
indeed
,
it
could
only
have
aggravated
the
anxiety
and
suspense
at
home
.
Yet
there
was
in
him
some
fibre
which
the
deliberate
deception
had
fretted
and
frayed
beyond
reason
or
forgiveness
.
He
saw
all
there
was
to
be
said
about
it
;
he
could
imagine
Baumgartner
himself
putting
the
case
with
irresistible
logic
,
with
characteristic
plausibility
,
and
all
the
mesmeric
wisdom
of
a
benevolent
serpent
;
but
for
once
,
the
boy
felt
,
he
would
not
be
taken
in
.
It
was
not
coming
to
that
,
however
,
for
he
had
quite
decided
not
to
betray
his
knowledge
of
the
fraud
—
if
only
he
had
not
already
done
so
!
His
fears
on
that
score
were
largely
allayed
by
Baumgartner
's
manner
when
at
length
he
returned
with
another
tray
;
for
nothing
could
have
been
more
considerate
and
sympathetic
,
and
even
fatherly
,
than
the
doctor
's
behaviour
then
.
Pocket
had
never
touched
his
tea
;
he
was
very
gently
chidden
for
that
.
Obstinately
he
declared
he
did
not
want
any
supper
either
:
it
was
true
he
did
not
want
to
want
any
,
or
another
bite
of
that
man
's
bread
,
but
he
was
sorry
as
soon
as
the
words
were
out
.
It
was
against
his
reasoned
policy
to
show
temper
,
and
he
was
beginning
to
feel
very
hungry
besides
.
The
doctor
said
,
“
You
'll
think
better
of
that
,
my
young
fellow
,
”
which
turned
a
mere
remark
into
more
than
half
an
absolute
resolution
.
The
second
tray
was
set
with
a
lighted
candle
on
a
chair
by
the
bedside
.
The
boy
eyed
it
wistfully
with
set
teeth
,
and
Baumgartner
eyed
the
boy
.
“
Is
there
anything
you
could
fancy
,
my
young
fellow
?
”
“
Nothing
to
eat
.
”
“
Is
there
any
book
?
”
“
Yes
,
”
said
Pocket
,
without
a
moment
's
premeditation
.
“
There
's
the
book
I
was
reading
yesterday
.
”
“
What
was
that
?
”
“
Some
Frenchman
on
hallucinations
.
”
“
So
you
were
reading
that
book
!
”
remarked
the
doctor
,
with
detestable
aplomb
.
“
I
wondered
who
had
taken
it
down
.
It
is
a
poor
book
.
I
have
destroyed
it
.
”
“
I
'm
sorry
,
”
said
Pocket
,
and
tried
to
look
it
rather
than
revolted
.
“
I
am
not
,
”
rejoined
Baumgartner
.
“
Even
if
it
were
a
good
book
,
it
is
no
book
for
you
at
the
present
time
.
It
is
morbid
to
dwell
on
what
is
done
and
over
.
”
“
If
it
is
over
,
”
murmured
the
boy
.
“
It
is
over
!
”
said
Baumgartner
,
fiercely
.
“
Well
,
”
said
Pocket
,
“
I
'm
glad
I
read
what
he
'd
got
to
say
about
somnambulism
.
”
“
Why
?
”
Pocket
did
not
say
it
was
a
satisfaction
to
have
done
anything
in
spite
of
such
a
despot
as
his
questioner
.
But
he
did
say
it
was
a
comfort
to
know
that
others
besides
himself
had
committed
terrible
deeds
in
their
sleep
.
“
But
,
”
he
added
,
“
they
always
seem
to
have
dreamt
the
dreadful
thing
as
well
.
Now
,
the
funny
thing
is
that
I
remember
nothing
until
the
shot
woke
me
and
I
found
myself
where
you
saw
me
.
”
“
I
'm
glad
you
find
it
funny
!
”
The
sneer
seemed
strangely
unworthy
of
a
keen
intelligence
;
the
increased
asperity
of
Baumgartner
's
manner
,
and
his
whole
conduct
about
a
harmless
book
,
altogether
inexplicable
.
“
You
know
what
I
mean
,
”
replied
the
boy
,
with
spirit
.
“
Yes
,
I
know
what
you
mean
!
You
mean
to
go
out
of
your
mind
,
and
to
do
your
best
to
drive
me
out
of
mine
,
for
the
sake
of
a
technically
human
life
less
precious
than
the
average
dog
's
!
”
And
,
much
as
it
puzzled
him
,
there
was
certainly
something
more
human
about
this
sudden
outburst
than
in
anything
Dr.
Baumgartner
had
said
since
the
scene
between
them
in
the
bedroom
below
.
He
even
slammed
the
door
behind
him
when
he
went
.
But
Pocket
preferred
that
novel
exhibition
,
for
its
very
heat
and
violence
,
to
the
sleek
and
calculated
solicitude
of
the
doctor
's
final
visit
,
with
pipe
and
candle
,
when
the
one
by
the
bedside
had
burnt
down
almost
to
the
socket
.
“
My
young
fellow
!
”
he
exclaimed
in
unctuous
distress
.
“
Not
a
bite
eaten
in
all
these
hours
!
Do
you
know
that
it
's
nearly
midnight
?
”
“
I
'm
not
hungry
,
”
replied
Pocket
,
lying
gloriously
for
once
.
“
I
told
you
I
was
n't
well
.
”
“
You
'll
be
worse
if
you
do
n't
force
yourself
to
eat
.
”
“
I
ca
n't
help
that
.
”
“
Well
,
well
!
”
said
the
doctor
,
instead
of
the
objurgation
that
seemed
to
tremble
for
an
instant
on
his
lips
.
He
replaced
between
them
the
oval
hook
of
clear
amber
enclosing
the
thin
round
one
of
black
nicotine
,
and
he
puffed
until
the
cruel
carved
face
was
hotter
and
more
infuriate
than
ever
,
under
the
swirling
smoke
of
mimic
battle
.
To
the
boy
it
was
all
but
a
living
face
,
and
a
vile
one
,
capable
of
nameless
atrocities
;
and
the
hard-frozen
face
of
Baumgartner
was
capable
of
looking
on
.
“
Well
,
well
!
If
I
am
to
have
you
ill
on
my
hands
it
's
my
own
fault
.
I
take
the
responsibility
for
everything
that
has
happened
since
the
very
first
moment
we
met
.
Remember
that
,
my
young
fellow
!
I
took
the
law
into
my
own
hands
,
and
you
I
took
into
my
own
house
for
better
or
worse
.
You
were
worse
then
,
remember
,
and
yet
I
took
you
in
!
Is
it
not
strange
that
your
asthma
has
entirely
left
you
under
my
roof
?
Does
it
not
lead
you
to
believe
in
me
,
my
young
fellow
—
to
trust
me
perhaps
more
than
you
have
done
?
”
It
did
not
.
Pocket
was
not
going
to
lie
about
that
;
he
held
his
tongue
stubbornly
instead
.
He
still
believed
in
his
own
explanation
,
derived
from
one
of
his
many
doctors
,
and
moreover
already
mentioned
to
this
one
,
of
the
sudden
cessation
of
his
chronic
complaint
.
He
hated
Baumgartner
for
forgetting
that
,
and
pretending
for
a
moment
to
take
any
credit
to
himself
.
That
again
was
not
worthy
of
so
cool
and
keen
a
brain
,
much
less
of
the
candid
character
with
which
Pocket
had
supposed
himself
to
be
dealing
.
The
very
young
are
pathetically
apt
to
see
their
own
virtues
in
those
whom
they
trust
at
all
;
but
the
schoolboy
's
faith
in
Dr.
Baumgartner
had
been
shattered
to
its
base
;
and
now
(
as
sure
a
symptom
of
his
youth
)
he
could
see
no
virtue
at
all
.
“
You
must
trust
me
again
,
”
said
Baumgartner
,
as
though
he
knew
what
he
had
forfeited
.
“
I
know
what
will
do
you
good
.
”
“
What
?
”
asked
Pocket
,
out
of
mere
incredulous
curiosity
.
“
Fresh
air
;
some
exercise
;
a
glimpse
of
the
beautiful
town
we
live
in
,
before
another
soul
is
about
,
before
the
sun
itself
is
up
!
”
Pocket
hardly
knew
what
made
him
shudder
at
the
proposition
.
It
might
have
been
the
poignant
picture
of
that
other
early
morning
,
which
came
before
him
in
a
scorching
flash
.
But
there
was
something
also
in
the
way
the
doctor
was
bending
over
him
in
bed
,
holding
his
pipe
nearer
still
,
so
that
the
two
dreadful
faces
seemed
of
equal
size
.
And
Baumgartner
's
had
become
a
dreadful
face
in
the
boy
's
eyes
now
;
there
was
none
among
those
cruel
waxworks
to
match
it
in
cold
intellectual
cruelty
;
and
its
smile
—
its
new
and
strange
smile
it
must
have
been
that
made
him
shudder
and
shake
his
head
.
“
But
,
my
young
fellow
,
”
urged
the
doctor
,
“
it
will
do
you
so
much
good
.
And
not
a
soul
will
see
us
so
early
,
early
in
the
morning
!
”
Again
that
insinuating
smile
inspired
a
horror
of
which
the
boy
himself
could
have
offered
no
satisfactory
explanation
,
especially
as
there
was
much
to
commend
the
proposal
to
his
mind
.
But
his
face
was
white
enough
as
he
moved
it
from
side
to
side
on
the
pillow
.
“
I
tell
you
I
'm
ill
,
”
he
whimpered
.
“
How
can
I
go
out
with
you
,
when
you
see
I
ca
n't
eat
a
bite
?
”
Baumgartner
gave
it
up
for
the
night
.
He
was
coming
back
in
the
early
,
early
lovely
summer
's
morning
;
then
they
would
see
,
would
they
not
?
Pocket
had
a
last
wave
from
the
hideous
meerschaum
head
,
and
a
nod
from
the
other
.
He
was
alone
for
the
night
.
And
he
meant
to
be
alone
next
morning
when
the
doctor
took
his
early
walk
;
let
him
prowl
by
himself
.
Pocket
was
not
going
with
him
.
He
had
never
been
more
determined
about
anything
than
that
.
It
was
an
animal
instinct
of
fear
and
deep
revulsion
,
an
impulse
quite
distinct
from
a
further
determination
to
slip
away
in
his
turn
as
soon
as
the
coast
was
clear
.
On
this
course
he
was
equally
decided
,
but
on
other
and
more
palpable
grounds
.
Baumgartner
had
broken
his
side
of
their
treaty
,
so
the
treaty
was
torn
up
with
the
letter
which
had
never
gone
.
And
Pocket
was
going
instead
of
his
letter
—
going
straight
to
his
people
to
tell
them
all
,
and
have
that
poor
innocent
man
set
free
before
the
day
was
out
.
The
night
's
immunity
was
meanwhile
doubly
precious
;
but
it
had
been
secured
,
or
rather
its
continuance
could
only
be
assured
,
at
a
price
which
he
wondered
even
now
if
he
could
pay
.
He
was
a
growing
,
hungry
boy
,
no
longer
ailing
in
wind
or
limb
.
Distress
of
mind
was
his
one
remaining
ill
;
the
rest
was
sham
;
and
distress
of
mind
did
not
prevent
him
from
feeling
ravenous
after
fasting
ten
or
eleven
hours
.
Here
was
food
still
within
his
reach
,
even
at
his
side
;
but
he
felt
committed
to
his
declaration
that
he
could
not
eat
.
If
the
tray
were
still
untouched
in
the
morning
,
surely
there
could
be
no
further
question
of
his
going
out
with
Baumgartner
;
but
there
was
an
“
if
.
”
The
boy
was
not
used
to
being
very
stern
with
himself
;
his
strongest
point
was
not
self-denial
.
Much
of
his
moral
stamina
had
been
expended
in
nightly
tussles
for
mere
breath
;
he
had
grit
enough
there
.
But
his
temperament
was
self-indulgent
,
and
that
he
triumphed
over
positive
pangs
only
shows
the
power
of
that
rival
instinct
not
to
accompany
the
doctor
a
yard
from
his
door
.
Yet
it
meant
more
hours
with
the
food
beside
him
than
he
could
endure
lying
still
.
He
got
up
,
inch
by
inch
,
for
he
knew
who
lay
underneath
;
and
he
opened
the
window
,
which
Baumgartner
had
broken
his
promise
to
open
,
by
even
slower
and
more
laborious
degrees
.
He
leant
out
as
he
had
done
that
first
morning
,
it
might
have
been
a
month
ago
;
and
this
scene
must
have
challenged
comparison
with
that
,
had
his
mind
been
even
as
free
from
dread
and
terror
as
it
had
been
then
.
But
all
he
saw
was
the
few
remaining
lighted
windows
in
the
backs
of
those
other
houses
;
he
could
not
have
sworn
there
was
a
moon
.
The
moon
poured
no
beam
of
comfort
on
his
aching
head
;
but
the
lighted
windows
were
as
the
open
eyes
of
honest
men
,
who
would
not
see
him
come
to
harm
;
and
the
last
rumble
in
the
streets
was
a
faint
but
cheering
chorus
for
lonely
ears
.
Once
a
motor-horn
blew
a
solo
near
at
hand
,
and
Pocket
half
recognised
its
note
;
but
he
did
not
connect
it
with
quite
another
set
of
sounds
,
which
grew
but
gradually
on
his
ear
out
of
the
bowels
of
the
house
.
Somebody
was
knocking
and
ringing
at
the
doctor
's
door
,
not
furiously
,
but
with
considerable
pertinacity
.
Pocket
was
thrilled
to
the
marrow
just
at
first
,
and
flew
from
the
open
window
to
the
landing
outside
his
door
.
The
house
was
in
perfect
darkness
,
and
still
as
death
in
the
patient
intervals
between
each
measured
attempt
to
rouse
the
inmates
without
disturbing
the
street
.
It
came
to
Pocket
that
it
must
be
Baumgartner
himself
,
gone
out
for
something
without
his
key
;
and
the
boy
was
about
to
run
down
and
let
him
in
,
when
he
distinctly
heard
the
retreat
of
feet
down
the
front
steps
,
and
then
a
chuckle
on
the
next
landing
as
the
doctor
closed
his
bedroom
door
.
Who
could
it
have
been
?
Baumgartner
's
chuckle
suggested
the
police
;
but
in
that
case
it
was
the
boy
upstairs
who
was
going
to
have
the
last
laugh
,
though
a
grim
one
,
and
very
terribly
at
his
own
expense
.
He
could
not
close
an
eye
for
thinking
of
it
,
and
listening
for
another
knocking
and
ringing
down
below
.
But
nothing
happened
until
the
doctor
returned
between
five
and
six
,
still
with
his
meerschaum
pipe
,
still
in
his
alpaca
jacket
,
but
wearing
also
the
goblin
hat
and
cloak
of
their
first
meeting
,
to
renew
and
intensify
the
animal
fear
that
glued
the
boy
to
his
bed
.
“
It
is
a
pity
,
”
said
Baumgartner
,
standing
at
the
window
which
Pocket
had
left
open
.
“
The
air
is
like
champagne
at
this
hour
,
and
not
a
cloud
in
the
sky
!
It
would
do
you
more
good
than
lying
there
.
It
is
you
who
are
making
yourself
ill.
If
I
thought
you
were
doing
it
on
purpose
”
—
and
his
eyes
blazed
—
“
I
'd
feed
you
like
a
fowl
!
”
“
It
's
so
likely
that
I
should
do
it
on
purpose
,
”
muttered
Pocket
,
with
schoolboy
sarcasm
.
His
eyes
,
however
,
were
purposely
closed
,
and
they
had
missed
the
old
daggers
in
Baumgartner
's
.
“
You
know
best
,
”
said
the
doctor
.
“
But
you
are
missing
the
morning
of
your
life
!
Not
a
cloud
in
the
sky
,
only
the
golden
rain
in
my
little
garden
.
I
suppose
you
have
not
learnt
what
the
golden
rain
is
at
your
public
school
?
You
English
call
it
laburnum
;
but
we
Germans
have
more
imagination
,
thank
God
!
”
Pocket
did
not
open
his
eyes
again
till
he
had
gone
;
next
instant
he
had
the
door
open
too
,
as
the
doctor
's
step
was
creaking
down
the
lower
flight
of
stairs
.
Once
more
Pocket
ventured
out
upon
the
landing
,
not
quite
to
the
banisters
;
he
trusted
to
his
ears
as
before
.
They
told
him
the
doctor
had
gone
into
his
dark-room
.
His
heart
sank
.
It
was
only
for
a
moment
.
The
dark-room
door
shut
sharply
.
The
steps
came
creaking
back
along
the
hall
,
went
grating
out
upon
the
doorstep
.
There
was
another
sharp
shutting
.
Food
at
last
!
It
was
neither
very
nice
nor
half
enough
for
a
famishing
lad
,
that
plate
of
cold
mixed
meats
from
the
restaurant
,
with
a
hard
stale
roll
to
eke
them
out
.
But
Pocket
felt
he
had
a
fresh
start
in
life
when
he
had
eaten
every
crumb
and
emptied
his
water-bottle
.
Nor
was
he
without
plan
or
purpose
any
longer
;
he
was
only
doubtful
whether
to
knock
at
Phillida
's
door
and
shout
goodbye
,
or
to
leave
her
a
note
explaining
all
.
Baumgartner
would
be
out
for
hours
;
he
always
was
,
on
these
early
jaunts
of
his
;
there
would
almost
be
time
to
wait
and
say
goodbye
properly
when
the
girl
came
down
.
She
would
hardly
hinder
him
a
second
time
,
and
he
longed
to
see
her
and
speak
to
her
again
,
especially
if
that
was
to
be
the
end
between
them
.
He
did
not
mean
it
to
be
the
end
,
by
any
means
;
but
any
nonsense
that
might
have
been
gathering
in
the
schoolboy
's
head
was
,
at
this
point
,
more
than
rudely
dispelled
by
the
discovery
that
Dr.
Baumgartner
had
removed
his
clothes
!
Pocket
swore
an
oath
that
would
have
shocked
him
in
a
schoolfellow
;
it
was
a
practice
he
indeed
abhorred
,
but
decent
words
would
not
meet
such
a
case
.
It
was
to
be
met
by
action
,
however
,
just
as
that
locked
door
had
been
met
,
and
the
policeman
's
prohibition
in
the
Park
.
He
knew
where
his
clothes
must
be
.
He
slipped
his
overcoat
,
which
he
was
using
as
a
dressing-gown
,
over
his
pyjamas
,
and
ran
right
downstairs
as
Dr.
Baumgartner
had
done
not
many
minutes
before
him
.
His
clothes
were
in
the
dark-room
.
But
the
dark-room
door
had
a
Yale
lock
;
there
was
no
forcing
it
by
foot
or
shoulder
,
though
Pocket
in
his
passion
tried
both
.
So
round
he
went
without
a
moment
's
hesitation
to
the
dark-room
window
by
way
of
the
little
conservatory
.
The
blind
was
drawn
.
That
mattered
nothing
.
He
went
back
for
a
plant-pot
,
and
smashed
both
it
and
a
sheet
of
ruby
glass
with
one
vicious
blow
.
Entry
was
simple
after
that
;
he
had
only
to
be
careful
not
to
cut
his
hands
or
feet
.
Inside
,
he
removed
the
broken
glass
,
closed
the
window
,
and
let
the
blind
down
as
he
had
found
it
,
without
looking
twice
at
his
clothes
.
There
they
were
for
him
to
carry
upstairs
at
his
leisure
.
They
were
not
his
only
property
in
that
room
either
.
His
revolver
was
there
somewhere
under
lock
and
key
.
He
might
want
it
,
waking
,
if
Dr.
Baumgartner
came
back
before
his
time
.
It
was
easily
located
;
of
the
lockers
,
built
in
with
the
shelves
on
the
folding
doors
,
only
one
was
actually
locked
,
and
the
revolver
was
not
in
the
others
.
Pocket
went
to
his
waistcoat
for
one
of
those
knives
beloved
of
schoolboys
,
with
the
hook
for
extracting
stones
from
hoofs
,
among
other
superfluous
implements
.
Pocket
had
never
used
this
one
,
had
often
felt
inclined
to
wrench
it
off
because
it
was
hard
to
open
and
in
the
way
of
the
other
tools
.
But
he
used
it
now
with
as
little
hesitation
as
he
had
done
the
other
damage
,
with
almost
a
lust
for
breakage
;
and
there
was
his
revolver
,
safe
and
sound
as
his
clothes
.
It
had
been
honoured
with
a
place
beside
a
rack
of
special
negatives
;
at
least
,
there
were
other
racks
,
in
the
other
lockers
,
not
locked
up
like
that
;
and
there
was
no
other
treasure
that
Pocket
could
see
.
He
had
his
hand
on
his
own
treasure
,
was
in
the
act
of
taking
it
,
trembling
a
little
,
but
more
elated
,
as
he
stood
in
a
ruby
flood
only
partially
diluted
by
the
broken
window
behind
the
blind
.
At
that
moment
there
came
such
a
thunder
of
knuckles
on
the
door
beside
him
that
the
revolver
caught
in
the
rack
of
negatives
,
and
brought
the
whole
lot
crashing
about
his
toes
.
ON
THE
TRACK
OF
THE
TRUTH
The
unseen
knuckles
renewed
their
assault
upon
the
dark-room
door
;
and
Pocket
wavered
between
its
Yale
lock
,
which
opened
on
this
side
with
a
mere
twist
of
the
handle
,
and
the
broken
red
window
behind
the
drawn
red
blind
.
Escape
that
way
was
easy
enough
;
and
if
ever
one
could
take
the
streets
in
pyjamas
and
overcoat
,
with
the
rest
of
one
's
clothes
in
a
bundle
under
one
's
arm
,
it
was
before
six
o'clock
in
the
morning
.
But
it
was
not
a
course
that
vanity
encouraged
in
an
excited
schoolboy
with
romantic
instincts
and
a
revolver
which
he
perceived
at
a
glance
to
be
still
loaded
in
most
of
its
chambers
.
Pocket
was
not
one
of
nature
's
heroes
,
but
he
had
an
overwhelming
desire
to
behave
like
one
,
and
time
to
feel
how
he
should
despise
himself
all
his
life
if
he
bolted
by
the
window
instead
of
opening
the
door
.
So
he
did
open
it
,
trembling
but
determined
.
And
there
stood
Phillida
in
her
dressing-gown
,
her
dark
hair
tumbling
over
her
shoulders
.
“
It
's
you
!
”
she
cried
,
taking
the
exclamation
out
of
his
mouth
.
“
Yes
,
”
he
said
,
with
a
gust
of
relief
;
“
did
you
think
it
was
thieves
?
”
“
Is
n't
it
?
”
she
demanded
,
pointing
to
the
broken
window
visible
through
the
blind
.
Then
she
saw
his
revolver
,
and
drew
back
an
inch
.
“
He
took
this
from
me
,
”
said
Pocket
.
“
I
had
a
right
to
it
.
Take
it
if
you
will
!
”
And
he
offered
it
,
in
the
best
romantic
manner
,
by
the
barrel
.
But
Phillida
was
too
angry
to
look
at
revolvers
.
“
You
had
no
business
to
break
in
to
get
it
,
”
she
told
him
,
with
considerable
severity
.
“
I
did
n't
!
I
broke
in
for
my
clothes
;
he
took
them
,
too
,
this
morning
before
he
went
out
.
They
're
what
I
broke
in
for
,
and
I
'd
a
perfect
right
;
you
know
I
had
!
And
while
I
'm
about
it
I
thought
I
might
as
well
have
this
thing
too
.
I
knew
it
was
in
here
somewhere
.
It
was
in
there
.
And
I
'm
glad
I
got
it
,
and
so
should
you
be
,
because
you
and
I
are
in
the
house
of
one
of
the
greatest
villains
alive
!
”
The
words
tumbled
over
each
other
with
quite
hereditary
heat
.
They
were
all
out
in
a
few
seconds
,
and
the
boy
left
panting
with
his
indignation
,
the
girl
's
eyes
flashing
hers
.
“
I
begin
to
think
my
uncle
was
right
,
”
said
she
.
“
This
is
the
act
of
what
he
said
you
were
,
if
anything
could
be
.
”
“
He
lied
to
you
,
and
he
's
been
lying
to
me
!
”
“
He
may
have
been
justified
.
”
“
You
wait
till
you
hear
all
he
's
done
!
I
do
n't
mean
taking
my
revolver
from
me
;
he
was
justified
in
that
,
if
you
like
,
after
what
I
'd
done
with
it
.
He
may
even
have
been
justified
in
taking
away
my
clothes
,
if
he
could
n't
trust
me
to
keep
my
word
and
stay
in
this
awful
house
.
But
that
is
n't
the
worst
.
He
encouraged
me
to
write
a
letter
home
,
to
my
own
poor
people
who
may
think
me
dead
—
—
”
“
Well
?
”
There
was
more
sympathy
in
her
voice
,
more
anxiety
;
but
his
was
breaking
with
his
great
grief
and
grievance
.
“
He
took
it
out
himself
,
to
send
it
to
the
General
Post
Office
to
catch
the
country
post
.
So
he
said
;
and
I
was
so
grateful
to
him
!
On
Saturday
morning
he
said
they
must
have
got
it
;
he
kept
on
saying
so
,
and
you
do
n't
know
how
thankful
I
was
every
time
!
But
yesterday
afternoon
I
found
scraps
of
my
letter
in
the
waste-paper
basket
in
his
room
;
he
'd
never
posted
it
at
all
!
”
Phillida
looked
shocked
and
distressed
enough
at
this
;
her
liquid
eyes
filled
with
sympathy
as
they
gazed
upon
the
wretched
youth
.
“
I
'm
a
fool
to
blub
about
it
—
but
—
but
that
was
the
Limit
!
”
he
croaked
,
and
worked
the
poor
word
till
it
came
distinctly
.
“
It
was
cruel
,
”
she
allowed
.
“
It
must
seem
so
,
at
any
rate
;
it
does
to
me
;
but
then
I
understand
so
little
.
I
ca
n't
think
why
he
's
hiding
you
,
or
why
you
let
yourself
be
hidden
.
”
“
But
you
must
know
what
I
've
done
;
you
must
guess
?
”
The
revolver
was
still
in
his
hand
;
he
gave
it
a
guilty
glance
,
and
she
looked
from
it
to
him
without
recoiling
.
“
Of
course
I
guessed
on
Saturday
.
”
There
was
a
studious
absence
of
horror
in
her
tone
.
“
Yet
I
could
n't
believe
it
,
unless
it
was
an
accident
.
And
if
it
was
an
accident
—
—
”
“
It
was
one
!
”
he
choked
.
“
It
was
the
most
absolute
accident
that
ever
happened
;
he
saw
it
;
he
can
tell
you
;
but
he
never
told
me
till
hours
afterwards
.
I
was
nearly
dead
with
asthma
;
he
brought
me
here
,
he
was
frightfully
good
to
me
,
I
'm
grateful
enough
for
all
that
.
But
he
should
have
told
me
before
the
accident
became
a
crime
!
When
he
did
tell
me
I
lost
my
head
,
and
begged
him
to
keep
me
here
,
and
afterwards
when
I
came
to
my
senses
he
would
n't
let
me
go
.
I
need
n't
remind
you
of
that
morning
!
After
that
I
promised
to
stay
on
,
and
I
'd
have
kept
all
my
promises
if
only
my
letter
had
gone
to
my
poor
people
!
”
He
told
her
what
a
guarded
letter
it
had
been
,
only
written
to
let
them
know
he
was
alive
,
and
that
with
the
doctor
's
expressed
approval
.
But
now
he
had
learnt
his
lesson
,
and
he
was
going
to
play
the
game
.
It
was
more
than
ever
the
game
with
that
poor
fellow
lying
in
prison
for
what
he
had
never
done
.
And
so
the
whole
story
would
be
in
to-morrow
's
papers
,
with
the
single
exception
of
Dr.
Baumgartner
's
name
.
“
Nothing
shall
make
me
give
that
,
”
said
Pocket
valiantly
;
“
on
your
account
,
if
not
on
his
!
”
Phillida
encouraged
his
new
resolution
without
comment
on
this
last
assurance
.
She
had
stooped
,
and
was
picking
up
the
unbroken
negatives
and
putting
them
back
in
the
rack
;
he
followed
her
example
,
and
collected
the
broken
bits
,
while
she
put
the
rack
back
in
its
place
,
and
certain
splinters
in
theirs
,
until
the
locker
shut
without
showing
much
damage
.
Pocket
was
left
with
the
fragmentary
negatives
on
his
hands
.
“
I
should
throw
those
away
,
”
said
Phillida
.
“
And
now
,
by
the
time
you
're
ready
to
go
,
I
'll
have
a
cup
of
tea
ready
for
you
.
”
They
faced
each
other
in
the
rosy
light
,
now
doubly
diluted
by
the
open
door
,
and
Pocket
did
not
move
.
He
wanted
to
say
something
first
,
and
he
was
too
shy
to
say
it
.
Shyness
had
come
upon
him
all
at
once
;
hitherto
they
had
both
been
like
young
castaways
,
finely
regardless
of
appearances
,
he
of
his
bare
feet
and
throat
,
she
of
her
dressing-gown
and
her
bedroom
slippers
.
She
was
unconscious
or
careless
still
,
as
with
a
brother
;
but
he
had
become
the
very
embodiment
of
mauvaise
honte
,
an
awful
example
of
the
awkward
age
;
and
it
was
all
the
fault
of
what
he
suddenly
felt
he
simply
must
say
.
“
But
—
but
I
do
n't
want
to
leave
you
!
”
he
blurted
out
at
last
.
“
But
I
want
you
to
,
”
she
returned
promptly
and
firmly
,
though
not
without
a
faint
smile
.
It
was
leaving
her
with
a
villain
that
he
minded
;
but
he
could
not
get
that
out
,
except
thus
bluntly
,
nor
could
he
denounce
the
doctor
now
as
he
had
done
when
his
blood
was
up
.
Besides
,
the
man
was
a
different
man
to
his
niece
;
all
that
redeemed
him
went
out
to
her
.
Pocket
did
not
think
he
was
peculiar
there
;
in
fact
,
he
thought
romantically
enough
about
the
girl
,
with
her
dark
hair
all
over
her
pink
dressing-gown
,
and
ivory
insteps
peeping
out
of
those
soft
slippers
especially
when
the
vision
was
lost
for
ever
,
and
he
upstairs
making
himself
as
presentable
as
he
could
in
a
few
minutes
.
But
it
seemed
she
was
busy
in
the
same
way
,
and
she
took
longer
over
it
.
He
found
the
breakfast
things
on
the
table
,
the
kettle
on
the
gas-stove
,
but
no
Phillida
to
make
the
tea
.
He
could
not
help
wishing
she
would
be
quick
;
if
he
was
going
,
the
sooner
he
went
the
better
,
but
he
was
terribly
divided
in
his
desires
.
He
hated
the
thought
of
deserting
a
comrade
,
who
was
also
a
girl
,
and
such
a
girl
!
He
could
only
face
it
with
the
fixed
intention
of
coming
back
to
the
rescue
of
his
heroine
,
he
the
hero
of
their
joint
romance
.
But
for
his
own
immediate
freedom
he
was
already
unheroically
eager
.
And
yet
he
could
deliberately
fit
the
broken
negatives
together
,
on
the
white
tablecloth
,
partly
to
pass
the
time
,
partly
out
of
a
boyish
bravado
which
involved
little
real
risk
;
for
the
doctor
had
