Dick had been sent to bed,--blind
men are ever under the orders of those who can see,--and since he had
returned from the Park had fluently sworn at Torpenhow because he was
alive, and all the world because it was alive and could see, while he,
Dick, was dead in the death of the blind, who, at the best, are only
burdens upon their associates.
men are ever under the orders of those who can see,--and since he had
returned from the Park had fluently sworn at Torpenhow because he was
alive, and all the world because it was alive and could see, while he,
Dick, was dead in the death of the blind, who, at the best, are only
burdens upon their associates.
Kipling - Poems
"
The drum-sticks fell with a boom, and the men swung forward to the crash
of the band. Dick felt the wind of the massed movement in his face,
heard the maddening tramp of feet and the friction of the pouches on the
belts. The big drum pounded out the tune. It was a music-hall refrain
that made a perfect quickstep--
"He must be a man of decent height,
He must be a man of weight,
He must come home on a Saturday night
In a thoroughly sober state;
He must know how to love me,
And he must know how to kiss;
And if he's enough to keep us both
I can't refuse him bliss. "
"What's the matter? " said Torpenhow, as he saw Dick's head fall when the
last of the regiment had departed.
"Nothing. I feel a little bit out of the running,--that's all. Torp,
take me back. Why did you bring me out? "
CHAPTER XII
There were three friends that buried the fourth,
The mould in his mouth and the dust in his eyes
And they went south and east, and north,--
The strong man fights, but the sick man dies.
There were three friends that spoke of the dead,--
The strong man fights, but the sick man dies. --
"And would he were with us now," they said,
"The sun in our face and the wind in our eyes. "
--Ballad.
The Nilghai was angry with Torpenhow.
Dick had been sent to bed,--blind
men are ever under the orders of those who can see,--and since he had
returned from the Park had fluently sworn at Torpenhow because he was
alive, and all the world because it was alive and could see, while he,
Dick, was dead in the death of the blind, who, at the best, are only
burdens upon their associates. Torpenhow had said something about a Mrs.
Gummidge, and Dick had retired in a black fury to handle and re-handle
three unopened letters from Maisie.
The Nilghai, fat, burly, and aggressive, was in Torpenhow's rooms.
Behind him sat the Keneu, the Great War Eagle, and between them lay a
large map embellished with black-and-white-headed pins.
"I was wrong about the Balkans," said the Nilghai. "But I'm not wrong
about this business. The whole of our work in the Southern Soudan
must be done over again. The public doesn't care, of course, but the
government does, and they are making their arrangements quietly. You
know that as well as I do. "
"I remember how the people cursed us when our troops withdrew from
Omdurman. It was bound to crop up sooner or later. But I can't go," said
Torpenhow. He pointed through the open door; it was a hot night. "Can
you blame me? "
The Keneu purred above his pipe like a large and very happy cat--"Don't
blame you in the least.
The drum-sticks fell with a boom, and the men swung forward to the crash
of the band. Dick felt the wind of the massed movement in his face,
heard the maddening tramp of feet and the friction of the pouches on the
belts. The big drum pounded out the tune. It was a music-hall refrain
that made a perfect quickstep--
"He must be a man of decent height,
He must be a man of weight,
He must come home on a Saturday night
In a thoroughly sober state;
He must know how to love me,
And he must know how to kiss;
And if he's enough to keep us both
I can't refuse him bliss. "
"What's the matter? " said Torpenhow, as he saw Dick's head fall when the
last of the regiment had departed.
"Nothing. I feel a little bit out of the running,--that's all. Torp,
take me back. Why did you bring me out? "
CHAPTER XII
There were three friends that buried the fourth,
The mould in his mouth and the dust in his eyes
And they went south and east, and north,--
The strong man fights, but the sick man dies.
There were three friends that spoke of the dead,--
The strong man fights, but the sick man dies. --
"And would he were with us now," they said,
"The sun in our face and the wind in our eyes. "
--Ballad.
The Nilghai was angry with Torpenhow.
Dick had been sent to bed,--blind
men are ever under the orders of those who can see,--and since he had
returned from the Park had fluently sworn at Torpenhow because he was
alive, and all the world because it was alive and could see, while he,
Dick, was dead in the death of the blind, who, at the best, are only
burdens upon their associates. Torpenhow had said something about a Mrs.
Gummidge, and Dick had retired in a black fury to handle and re-handle
three unopened letters from Maisie.
The Nilghai, fat, burly, and aggressive, was in Torpenhow's rooms.
Behind him sat the Keneu, the Great War Eagle, and between them lay a
large map embellished with black-and-white-headed pins.
"I was wrong about the Balkans," said the Nilghai. "But I'm not wrong
about this business. The whole of our work in the Southern Soudan
must be done over again. The public doesn't care, of course, but the
government does, and they are making their arrangements quietly. You
know that as well as I do. "
"I remember how the people cursed us when our troops withdrew from
Omdurman. It was bound to crop up sooner or later. But I can't go," said
Torpenhow. He pointed through the open door; it was a hot night. "Can
you blame me? "
The Keneu purred above his pipe like a large and very happy cat--"Don't
blame you in the least.
