ThepackedhousesgavenoanswerDicklookeddownthelonglightlessstreetsandattheappallingrushoftraffic’Oh，yourabbit-hutches！’
saidhe，addressingarowofhighlyrespectablesemi-detachedresidences’Doyouknowwhatyou’vegottodolateron？Youhavetosupplymewithmen-servantsandmaid-servants，’——herehesmackedhislips，——’andthepeculiartreasureofkingsMeantimeI’llclothesandboots，andpresentlyIwillreturnandtrampleonyou。’Hesteppedforwardenergetically；hesawthatoneofhisshoeswasburstatthesideAshestoopedtomakeinvestigations，amanjostledhimintothegutter’Allright，’hesaid。
’That’sanothernickinthescoreI’lljostleyoulateron。’
Goodclothesandbootsarenotcheap，andDicklefthislastshopwiththecertaintythathewouldberespectablyarrayedforatime，butwithonlyfiftyshillingsinhispocketHereturnedtostreetsbytheDocks，andlodgedhimselfinoneroom，wherethesheetsonthebedwerealmostaudiblymarkedincaseoftheft，andwherenobodyseemedtogotobedatallWhenhisclothesarrivedhesoughttheCentralSouthernSyndicateforTorpenhow’saddress，andgotit，withtheintimationthattherewasstillsomemoneywaitingforhim。
’Howmuch？’saidDick，asonewhohabituallydealtinmillions。
’BetweenthirtyandfortypoundsIfitwouldbeanyconveniencetoyou，ofcoursewecouldletyouhaveitatonce；butweusuallysettleaccountsmonthly。’
’IfIshowthatIwantanythingnow，I’mlost，’hesaidtohimself。
’AllI
needI’lltakelateron。’Then，aloud，’It’shardlyworthwhile；andI’mgoingtothecountryforamonth，tooWaittillIcomeback，andI’llseeaboutit。’
’Butwetrust，MrHeldar，thatyoudonotintendtoseveryourconnectionwithus？’
Dick’sbusinessinlifewasthestudyoffaces，andhewatchedthespeakerkeenly’Thatmanmeanssomething，’hesaid’I’lldonobusinesstillI’veseenTorpenhowThere’sabigdealcoming。’Sohedeparted，makingnopromises，tohisonelittleroombytheDocksAndthatdaywastheseventhofthemonth，andthatmonth，hereckonedwithawfuldistinctness，hadthirty-onedaysinit！
Itisnoteasyforamanofcatholictastesandhealthyappetitestoexistfortwenty-fourdaysonfiftyshillingsNorisitcheeringtobegintheexperimentaloneinallthelonelinessofLondonDickpaidsevenshillingsaweekforhislodging，whichlefthimratherlessthanashillingadayforfoodanddrinkNaturally，hisfirstpurchasewasofthematerialsofhiscraft；hehadbeenwithoutthemtoolongHalfaday’sinvestigationsandcomparisonbroughthimtotheconclusionthatsausagesandmashedpotatoes，twopenceaplate，werethebestfoodNow，sausagesonceortwiceaweekforbreakfastarenotunpleasantAslunch，even，withmashedpotatoes，theybecomemonotonousAtdinnertheyareimpertinentAttheendofthreedaysDickloathedsausages，and，going，forth，pawnedhiswatchtorevelonsheep’shead，whichisnotascheapasitlooks，owingtothebonesandthegravyThenhereturnedtosausagesandmashedpotatoesThenheconfinedhimselfentirelytomashedpotatoesforaday，andwasunhappybecauseofpaininhisinsideThenhepawnedhiswaistcoatandhistie，andthoughtregretfullyofmoneythrownawayintimespastTherearefewthingsmoreedifyinguntoArtthantheactualbelly-pinchofhunger，andDickinhisfewwalksabroad，——hedidnotcareforexercise；itraiseddesiresthatcouldnotbesatisfied——foundhimselfdividingmankindintotwoclasses，——thosewholookedasiftheymightgivehimsomethingtoeat，andthosewholookedotherwise’IneverknewwhatIhadtolearnaboutthehumanfacebefore，’hethought；and，asarewardforhishumility，Providencecausedacab-driveratasausage-shopwhereDickfedthatnighttoleavehalfeatenagreatchunkofbreadDicktookit，——wouldhavefoughtalltheworldforitspossession，——anditcheeredhim。
Themonthdraggedthroughatlast，and，nearlyprancingwithimpatience，hewenttodrawhismoneyThenhehastenedtoTorpenhow’saddressandsmeltthesmellofcookingmeatsallalongthecorridorsofthechambersTorpenhowwasonthetopfloor，andDickburstintohisroom，tobereceivedwithahugwhichnearlycrackedhisribs，asTorpenhowdraggedhimtothelightandspokeoftwentydifferentthingsinthesamebreath。
’Butyou’relookingtuckedup，’heconcluded。
’Gotanythingtoeat？’saidDick，hiseyeroamingroundtheroom。
’IshallbehavingbreakfastinaminuteWhatdoyousaytosausages？’
’No，anythingbutsausages！Torp，I’vebeenstarvingonthataccursedhorse-fleshforthirtydaysandthirtynights。’
’Now，whatlunacyhasbeenyourlatest？’
DickspokeofthelastfewweekswithunbridledspeechThenheopenedhiscoat；therewasnowaistcoatbelow’Iranitfine，awfullyfine，butI’vejustscrapedthrough。’
’Youhaven’tmuchsense，butyou’vegotabackbone，anyhowEat，andtalkafterwards。’DickfelluponeggsandbaconandgorgedtillhecouldgorgenomoreTorpenhowhandedhimafilledpipe，andhesmokedasmensmokewhoforthreeweekshavebeendeprivedofgoodtobacco。
’Ouf！’saidhe’That’sheavenly！Well？’
’Whyintheworlddidn’tyoucometome？’
’Couldn’t；Ioweyoutoomuchalready，oldmanBesidesIhadasortofsuperstitionthatthistemporarystarvation——that’swhatitwas，andithurt——wouldbringmelucklaterIt’soveranddonewithnow，andnoneofthesyndicateknowhowhardupIwasFireawayWhat’stheexactstateofaffairsasregardsmyself？’
’Youhadmywire？You’vecaughtonherePeoplelikeyourworkimmenselyIdon’tknowwhy，buttheydoTheysayyouhaveafreshtouchandanewwayofdrawingthingsAnd，becausethey’rechieflyhome-bredEnglish，theysayyouhaveinsightYou’rewantedbyhalfadozenpapers；you’rewantedtoillustratebooks。’
Dickgruntedscornfully。
’You’rewantedtoworkupyoursmallersketchesandsellthemtothedealersTheyseemtothinkthemoneysunkinyouisagoodinvestment。
GoodLord！whocanaccountforthefathomlessfollyofthepublic？’
’They’rearemarkablysensiblepeople。’
’Theyaresubjecttofits，ifthat’swhatyoumean；andyouhappentobetheobjectofthelatestfitamongthosewhoareinterestedinwhattheycallArtJustnowyou’reafashion，aphenomenon，orwhateveryoupleaseIappearedtobetheonlypersonwhoknewanythingaboutyouhere，andIhavebeenshowingthemostusefulmenafewofthesketchesyougavemefromtimetotimeThosecomingafteryourworkontheCentralSouthernSyndicateappeartohavedoneyourbusiness。
You’reinluck。’
’Huh！callitluck！Docallitluck，whenamanhasbeenkickingabouttheworldlikeadog，waitingforittocome！I’llluck’emlateronI
wantaplacetoworkfirst。’
’Comehere，’saidTorpenhow，crossingthelanding’Thisplaceisabigboxroomreally，butitwilldoforyouThere’syourskylight，oryournorthlight，orwhateverwindowyoucallit，andplentyofroomtothrashaboutin，andabedroombeyondWhatmoredoyouneed？’
’Goodenough，’saidDick，lookingroundthelargeroomthattookupathirdofatopstoryinthericketychambersoverlookingtheThamesA
paleyellowsunshonethroughtheskylightandshowedthemuchdirtoftheplaceThreestepsledfromthedoortothelanding，andthreemoretoTorpenhow’sroomThewellofthestaircasedisappearedintodarkness，prickedbytinygas-jets，andthereweresoundsofmentalkinganddoorsslammingsevenflightsbelow，inthewarmgloom。
’Dotheygiveyouafreehandhere？’saidDick，cautiouslyHewasIshmaelenoughtoknowthevalueofliberty。
’Anythingyoulike；latch-keysandlicenseunlimitedWearepermanenttenantsforthemostparthere’Tisn’taplaceIwouldrecommendforaYoungMen’sChristianAssociation，butitwillserveItooktheseroomsforyouwhenIwired。’
’You’reagreatdealtookind，oldman。’
’Youdidn’tsupposeyouweregoingawayfromme，didyou？’
TorpenhowputhishandonDick’sshoulder，andthetwowalkedupanddowntheroom，henceforwardtobecalledthestudio，insweetandsilentcommunionTheyheardrappingatTorpenhow’sdoor’That’ssomeruffiancomeupforadrink，’saidTorpenhow；andheraisedhisvoicecheerilyThereenterednoonemoreruffianlythanaportlymiddle-agedgentlemaninasatin-facedfrockcoatHislipswerepartedandpale，andthereweredeeppouchesundertheeyes。
’Weakheart，’saidDicktohimself，and，asheshookhands，’veryweakheartHispulseisshakinghisfingers。’
ThemanintroducedhimselfastheheadoftheCentralSouthernSyndicateand’oneofthemostardentadmirersofyourwork，Mr。
HeldarIassureyou，inthenameofthesyndicate，thatweareimmenselyindebtedtoyou；andItrust，MrHeldar，youwon’tforgetthatwewerelargelyinstrumentalinbringingyoubeforethepublic。’Hepantedbecauseofthesevenflightsofstairs。
DickglancedatTorpenhow，whoselefteyelidlayforamomentdeadonhischeek。
’Ishan’tforget，’saidDick，everyinstinctofdefencerousedinhim。
’You’vepaidmesowellthatIcouldn’t，youknowBytheway，whenI
amsettledinthisplaceIshouldliketosendandgetmysketches。
Theremustbenearlyahundredandfiftyofthemwithyou。’
’Thatiser——iswhatIcametospeakaboutIfearwecan’tallowitexactly，MrHeldarIntheabsenceofanyspecifiedagreement，thesketchesareourproperty，ofcourse。’
’Doyoumeantosaythatyouaregoingtokeepthem？’
’Yes；andwehopetohaveyourhelp，onyourownterms，Mr。
Heldar，toassistusinarrangingalittleexhibition，which，backedbyournameandtheinfluencewenaturallycommandamongthepress，shouldbeofmaterialservicetoyouSketchessuchasyours——’
’BelongtomeYouengagedmebywire，youpaidmethelowestratesyoudaredYoucan’tmeantokeepthem！GoodGodalive，man，they’reallI’vegotintheworld！’
TorpenhowwatchedDick’sfaceandwhistled。
Dickwalkedupanddown，thinkingHesawthewholeofhislittlestockintrade，thefirstweaponofhisequipment，annexedattheoutsetofhiscampaignbyanelderlygentlemanwhosenameDickhadnotcaughtaright，whosaidthatherepresentedasyndicate，whichwasathingforwhichDickhadnottheleastreverenceTheinjusticeoftheproceedingsdidnotmuchmovehim；hehadseenthestronghandprevailtooofteninotherplacestobesqueamishoverthemoralaspectsofrightandwrong。
Butheardentlydesiredthebloodofthegentlemaninthefrockcoat，andwhenhespokeagain，andwhenhespokeagainitwaswithastrainedsweetnessthatTorpenhowknewwellforthebeginningofstrife。
’Forgiveme，sir，butyouhaveno——noyoungermanwhocanarrangethisbusinesswithme？’
’IspeakforthesyndicateIseenoreasonforathirdpartyto——’
’YouwillinaminuteBegoodenoughtogivebackmysketches。’
ThemanstaredblanklyatDick，andthenatTorpenhow，whowasleaningagainstthewallHewasnotusedtoex-employeeswhoorderedhimtobegoodenoughtodothings。
’Yes，itisratheracold-bloodedsteal，’saidTorpenhow，critically；
’butI’mafraid，Iamverymuchafraid，you’vestruckthewrongmanBecareful，Dick；remember，thisisn’ttheSoudan。’
’Consideringwhatservicesthesyndicatehavedoneyouinputtingyournamebeforetheworld——’
Thiswasnotafortunateremark；itremindedDickofcertainvagrantyearslivedoutinlonelinessandstrifeandunsatisfieddesiresThememorydidnotcontrastwellwiththeprosperousgentlemanwhoproposedtoenjoythefruitofthoseyears。
’Idon’tknowquitewhattodowithyou，’beganDick，meditatively。
’Ofcourseyou’reathief，andyououghttobehalfkilled，butinyourcaseyou’dprobablydieIdon’twantyoudeadonthisfloor，and，besides，it’sunluckyjustasone’smovinginDon’thit，sir；you’llonlyexciteyourself。’
Heputonehandontheman’sforearmandrantheotherdowntheplumpbodybeneaththecoat’Mygoodness！’saidhetoTorpenhow，’andthisgrayoafdarestobeathief！IhaveseenanEsnehcamel-driverhavetheblackhidetakenoffhisbodyinstripsforstealinghalfapoundofwetdates，andhewasastoughaswhipcordThisthings’softallover——likeawoman。’
TherearefewthingsmorepoignantlyhumiliatingthanbeinghandledbyamanwhodoesnotintendtostrikeTheheadofthesyndicatebegantobreatheheavilyDickwalkedroundhim，pawinghim，asacatpawsasofthearth-rugThenhetracedwithhisforefingertheleadenpouchesunderneaththeeyes，andshookhishead’Youweregoingtostealmythings，——mine，mine，mine！——you，whodon’tknowwhenyoumaydie。