The
excitement
of the talk had died away.
Kipling - Poems
We shall come there to stay,
this time.
"But I forgot. I wish I were going with you. "
"So do we all, Dickie," said the Keneu.
"And I most of all," said the new artist of the Central Southern
Syndicate.
"Could you tell me----"
"I'll give you one piece of advice," Dick answered, moving towards
the door. "If you happen to be cut over the head in a scrimmage, don't
guard. Tell the man to go on cutting. You'll find it cheapest in the
end. Thanks for letting me look in. "
"There's grit in Dick," said the Nilghai, an hour later, when the room
was emptied of all save the Keneu.
"It was the sacred call of the war-trumpet. Did you notice how he
answered to it? Poor fellow! Let's look at him," said the Keneu.
The excitement of the talk had died away. Dick was sitting by the studio
table, with his head on his arms, when the men came in. He did not
change his position.
"It hurts," he moaned. "God forgive me, but it hurts cruelly; and yet,
y'know, the world has a knack of spinning round all by itself. Shall I
see Torp before he goes? "
"Oh, yes. You'll see him," said the Nilghai.
CHAPTER XIII
The sun went down an hour ago,
I wonder if I face towards home;
If I lost my way in the light of day
How shall I find it now night is come?
--Old Song
"Maisie, come to bed. "
"It's so hot I can't sleep. Don't worry. "
Maisie put her elbows on the window-sill and looked at the moonlight on
the straight, poplar-flanked road. Summer had come upon Vitry-sur-Marne
and parched it to the bone. The grass was dry-burnt in the meadows, the
clay by the bank of the river was caked to brick, the roadside flowers
were long since dead, and the roses in the garden hung withered on their
stalks. The heat in the little low bedroom under the eaves was almost
intolerable.
this time.
"But I forgot. I wish I were going with you. "
"So do we all, Dickie," said the Keneu.
"And I most of all," said the new artist of the Central Southern
Syndicate.
"Could you tell me----"
"I'll give you one piece of advice," Dick answered, moving towards
the door. "If you happen to be cut over the head in a scrimmage, don't
guard. Tell the man to go on cutting. You'll find it cheapest in the
end. Thanks for letting me look in. "
"There's grit in Dick," said the Nilghai, an hour later, when the room
was emptied of all save the Keneu.
"It was the sacred call of the war-trumpet. Did you notice how he
answered to it? Poor fellow! Let's look at him," said the Keneu.
The excitement of the talk had died away. Dick was sitting by the studio
table, with his head on his arms, when the men came in. He did not
change his position.
"It hurts," he moaned. "God forgive me, but it hurts cruelly; and yet,
y'know, the world has a knack of spinning round all by itself. Shall I
see Torp before he goes? "
"Oh, yes. You'll see him," said the Nilghai.
CHAPTER XIII
The sun went down an hour ago,
I wonder if I face towards home;
If I lost my way in the light of day
How shall I find it now night is come?
--Old Song
"Maisie, come to bed. "
"It's so hot I can't sleep. Don't worry. "
Maisie put her elbows on the window-sill and looked at the moonlight on
the straight, poplar-flanked road. Summer had come upon Vitry-sur-Marne
and parched it to the bone. The grass was dry-burnt in the meadows, the
clay by the bank of the river was caked to brick, the roadside flowers
were long since dead, and the roses in the garden hung withered on their
stalks. The heat in the little low bedroom under the eaves was almost
intolerable.
