Bessiewithdrew，scrubbinghercheekwitharaggedpocket-handkerchiefThetwomenlookedateachother。
’You’reaman，’saidTorpenhow。
’I’mafraidI’vebeenafoolItisn’tourbusinesstorunabouttheearthreformingBessieBrokesAndawomanofanykindhasnorightonthislanding。’
’Perhapsshewon’tcomeback。’
’ShewillifshethinksshecangetfoodandwarmthhereIknowshewill，worseluckButremember，oldman，sheisn’tawoman；she’smymodel；
andbecareful。’
’Theidea！She’sadissolutelittlescarecrow，——agutter-snippetandnothingmore。’
’SoyouthinkWaittillshehasbeenfedalittleandfreedfromfearThatfairtyperecoversitselfveryquicklyYouwon’tknowherinaweekortwo，whenthatabjectfearhasdiedoutofhereyesShe’llbetoohappyandsmilingformypurposes。’
’Butsurelyyou’renottakingheroutofcharity？——topleaseme？’
’Iamnotinthehabitofplayingwithhotcoalstopleaseanybody。
Shehasbeensentfromheaven，asImayhaveremarkedbefore，tohelpmewithmyMelancolia。’
’Neverheardawordabouttheladybefore。’
’What’stheuseofhavingafriend，ifyoumustslingyournotionsathiminwords？YououghttoknowwhatI’mthinkingaboutYou’veheardmegruntlately？’
’Evenso；butgruntsmeananythinginyourlanguage，frombad’baccytowickeddealersAndIdon’tthinkI’vebeenmuchinyourconfidenceforsometime。’
’ItwasahighandsoulfulgruntYououghttohaveunderstoodthatitmeanttheMelancolia。’DickwalkedTorpenhowupanddowntheroom，keepingsilenceThenhesmotehimintheribs，’Nowdon’tyouseeit？
Bessie’sabjectfutility，andtheterrorinhereyes，weldedontooneortwodetailsinthewayofsorrowthathavecomeundermyexperiencelatelyLikewisesomeorangeandblack，——twokeysofeachButI
can’texplainonanemptystomach。’
’ItsoundsmadenoughYou’dbettersticktoyoursoldiers，Dick，insteadofmaunderingaboutheadsandeyesandexperiences。’
’Thinkso？’Dickbegantodanceonhisheels，singing——
’They’reasproudasaturkeywhentheyholdthereadycash，Yououghtto’earthewaytheylaughan’joke；
Theyaretrickyan’they’refunnywhenthey’vegotthereadymoney，——
Ow！butsee’emwhenthey’reallstone-broke。’
ThenhesatdowntopourouthishearttoMaisieinafour-sheetletterofcounselandencouragement，andregisteredanoaththathewouldgettoworkwithanundividedheartassoonasBessieshouldreappear。
Thegirlkeptherappointmentunpaintedandunadorned，afraidandoverboldbyturnsWhenshefoundthatshewasmerelyexpectedtositstill，shegrewcalmer，andcriticisedtheappointmentsofthestudiowithfreedomandsomepointShelikedthewarmthandthecomfortandthereleasefromfearofphysicalpainDickmadetwoorthreestudiesofherheadinmonochrome，buttheactualnotionoftheMelancoliawouldnotarrive。
’Whatamessyoukeepyourthingsin！’saidBessie，somedayslater，whenshefeltherselfthoroughlyathome’Is’poseyourclothesarejustasbad。
Gentlemenneverthinkwhatbuttonsandtapearemadefor。’
’Ibuythingstowear，andwear’emtilltheygotopiecesIdon’tknowwhatTorpenhowdoes。’
Bessiemadediligentinquiryinthelatter’sroom，andunearthedabaleofdisreputablesocks’SomeoftheseI’llmendnow，’shesaid，’andsomeI’lltakehomeD’youknow，Isitalldaylongathomedoingnothing，justlikealady，andnomorenoticingthemothergirlsinthehousethaniftheywassomanyfliesIdon’thaveanyunnecessarywords，butIput’emdownquick，Icantellyou，whentheytalktomeNo；it’squitenicethesedaysIlockmydoor，andtheycanonlycallmenamesthroughthekeyhole，andIsitinside，justlikealady，mendingsocksMr。
Torpenhowwearshissocksoutbothendsatonce。’
’Threequidaweekfromme，andthedelightsofmysocietyNosocksmendedNothingfromTorpexceptanodonthelandingnowandagain，andallhissocksmendedBessieisverymuchawoman，’thoughtDick；
andhelookedatherbetweenhalf-shuteyesFoodandresthadtransformedthegirl，asDickknewtheywould。
’Whatareyoulookingatmelikethatfor？’shesaidquickly’Don’t。
Youlookreg’larbadwhenyoulookthatwayYoudon’tthinkmucho’
me，doyou？’
’Thatdependsonhowyoubehave。’
BessiebehavedbeautifullyOnlyitwasdifficultattheendofasittingtobidhergooutintothegraystreetsSheverymuchpreferredthestudioandabigchairbythestove，withsomesocksinherlapasanexcusefordelayThenTorpenhowwouldcomein，andBessiewouldbemovedtotellstrangeandwonderfulstoriesofherpast，andstillstrangeronesofherpresentimprovedcircumstancesShewouldmakethemteaasthoughshehadarighttomakeit；andonceortwiceontheseoccasionsDickcaughtTorpenhow’seyesfixedonthetrimlittlefigure，andbecauseBessie’’flittingsabouttheroommadeDickardentlylongforMaisie，herealisedwhitherTorpenhow’sthoughtsweretendingAndBessiewasexceedinglycarefuloftheconditionofTorpenhow’slinenShespokeverylittletohim，butsometimestheytalkedtogetheronthelanding。
’Iwasagreatfool，’Dicksaidtohimself’Iknowwhatredfirelightlookslikewhenaman’strampingthroughastrangetown；andoursisalonely，selfishsortoflifeatthebestIwonderMaisiedoesn’tfeelthatsometimesButIcan’torderBessieawayThat’stheworstofbeginningthingsOneneverknowswheretheystop。’
Oneevening，afterasittingprolongedtothelastlimitofthelight，DickwasrousedfromanapbyabrokenvoiceinTorpenhow’sroomHejumpedtohisfeet’NowwhatoughtItodo？Itlooksfoolishtogoin——Oh，blessyou，Binkie！’ThelittleterrierthrustTorpenhow’sdooropenwithhisnoseandcameouttotakepossessionofDick’schairThedoorswungwideunheeded，andDickacrossthelandingcouldseeBessieinthehalf-lightmakingherlittlesupplicationtoTorpenhowShewaskneelingbyhisside，andherhandswereclaspedacrosshisknee。
’Iknow，——Iknow，’shesaidthickly’’Tisn’trighto’metodothis，butI
can’thelpit；andyouweresokind，——sokind；andyounevertookanynoticeo’meAndI’vemendedallyourthingssocarefully，——Idid。
Oh，please，’tisn’tasifIwasaskingyoutomarrymeIwouldn’tthinkofit。
Butyou——couldn’tyoutakeandlivewithmetillMissRightcomesalong？
I’monlyMissWrong，Iknow，butI’dworkmyhandstothebareboneforyouAndI’mnotuglytolookatSayyouwill！’
DickhardlyrecognisedTorpenhow’svoiceinreply——
’ButlookhereIt’snouseI’mliabletobeorderedoffanywhereataminute’snoticeifawarbreaksoutAtaminute’snotice——dear。’
’Whatdoesthatmatter？Untilyougo，thenUntilyougo’Tisn’tmuchI’masking，and——youdon’tknowhowgoodIcancook。’Shehadputanarmroundhisneckandwasdrawinghisheaddown。
’Until——I——go，then。’
’Torp，’saidDick，acrossthelandingHecouldhardlysteadyhisvoice。
’Comehereaminute，oldmanI’mintrouble’——’Heavensendhe’lllistentome！’TherewassomethingverylikeanoathfromBessie’slips。
ShewasafraidofDick，anddisappeareddownthestaircaseinpanic，butitseemedanagebeforeTorpenhowenteredthestudioHewenttothemantelpiece，buriedhisheadonhisarms，andgroanedlikeawoundedbull。
’Whatthedevilrighthaveyoutointerfere？’hesaid，atlast。
’Who’sinterferingwithwhich？Yourownsensetoldyoulongagoyoucouldn’tbesuchafoolItwasatoughrack，StAnthony，butyou’reallrightnow。’
’Ioughtn’ttohaveseenhermovingabouttheseroomsasiftheybelongedtoherThat’swhatupsetmeItgivesalonelymanasortofhankering，doesn’tit？’saidTorpenhow，piteously。
’NowyoutalksenseItdoesBut，sinceyouaren’tinaconditiontodiscussthedisadvantagesofdoublehousekeeping，doyouknowwhatyou’regoingtodo？’
’Idon’tIwishIdid。’
’You’regoingawayforaseasononabrillianttourtoregaintone。
You’regoingtoBrighton，orScarborough，orPrawlePoint，toseetheshipsgobyAndyou’regoingatonceIsn’titodd？I’lltakecareofBinkie，butoutyougoimmediatelyNeverresistthedevilHeholdsthebankFlyfromhimPackyourthingsandgo。’
’Ibelieveyou’rerightWhereshallIgo？’
’Andyoucallyourselfaspecialcorrespondent！Packfirstandinquireafterwards。’
AnhourlaterTorpenhowwasdespatchedintothenightforahansom。
’You’llprobablythinkofsomeplacetogotowhileyou’removing，’
saidDick’OntoEuston，tobeginwith，and——ohyes——getdrunkto-night。’
Hereturnedtothestudio，andlightedmorecandles，forhefoundtheroomverydark。
’Oh，youJezebel！youfutilelittleJezebel！Won’tyouhatemeto-morrow！——Binkie，comehere。’
Binkieturnedoveronhisbackonthehearth-rug，andDickstirredhimwithameditativefoot。
’IsaidshewasnotimmoralIwaswrongShesaidshecouldcook。
ThatshowedpremeditatedsinOh，Binkie，ifyouareamanyouwillgotoperdition；butifyouareawoman，andsaythatyoucancook，youwillgotoamuchworseplace。’
CHAPTERX
What’syouthatfollowsatmyside？——
Thefoethatyemustfight，mylord——
ThathirplesswiftasIcanride？——
Theshadowofthenight，mylord——
Thenwheelmyhorseagainstthefoe！——
He’sdownandoverpast，mylord。
Yewaragainstthesunsetglow；
Thedarknessgathersfast，mylord——
TheFightofHeriot’sFord-
’THISisacheerfullife，’saidDick，somedayslater’Torp’saway；
Bessiehatesme；Ican’tgetatthenotionoftheMelancolia；Maisie’slettersarescrappy；andIbelieveIhaveindigestionWhatgiveamanpainsacrosstheheadandspotsbeforehiseyes，Binkie？Shallustakesomeliverpills？’
DickhadjustgonethroughalivelyscenewithBessieShehadforthefiftiethtimereproachedhimforsendingTorpenhowawaySheexplainedherenduringhatredforDick，andmadeitcleartohimthatsheonlysatforthesakeofhismoney’AndMrTorpenhow’stentimesabettermanthanyou，’sheconcluded。
’HeisThat’swhyhewentawayIshouldhavestayedandmadelovetoyou。’
Thegirlsatwithherchinonherhand，scowling’Tome！I’dliketocatchyou！IfIwasn’tafraido’beinghungI’dkillyouThat’swhatI’ddo。
D’youbelieveme？’
DicksmiledwearilyItisnotpleasanttoliveinthecompanyofanotionthatwillnotworkout，afox-terrierthatcannottalk，andawomanwhotalkstoomuchHewouldhaveanswered，butatthatmomentthereunrolleditselffromonecornerofthestudioaveil，asitwere，oftheflimsiestgauzeHerubbedhiseyes，butthegrayhazewouldnotgo。
’ThisisdisgracefulindigestionBinkie，wewillgotoamedicine-manWecan’thaveoureyesinterferedwith，forbythesewegetourbread；
alsomutton-chopbonesforlittledogs。’
Thedoctorwasanaffablelocalpractitionerwithwhitehair，andhesaidnothingtillDickbegantodescribethegrayfilminthestudio。
’Weallwantalittlepatchingandrepairingfromtimetotime，’hechirped’Likeaship，mydearsir，——exactlylikeashipSometimesthehullisoutoforder，andweconsultthesurgeon；sometimestherigging，andthenIadvise；sometimestheengines，andwegotothebrain-specialist；
sometimesthelook-outonthebridgeistired，andthenweseeanoculistI
shouldrecommendyoutoseeanoculistAlittlepatchingandrepairingfromtimetotimeisallwewantAnoculist，byallmeans。’
Dicksoughtanoculist，——thebestinLondonHewascertainthatthelocalpractitionerdidnotknowanythingabouthistrade，andmorecertainthatMaisiewouldlaughathimifhewereforcedtowearspectacles。
’I’veneglectedthewarningsofmylordthestomachtoolong。
Hencethesespotsbeforetheeyes，BinkieIcanseeaswellasIevercould。’
Asheenteredthedarkhallthatledtotheconsulting-roomamancannonedagainsthimDicksawthefaceasithurriedoutintothestreet。
’That’sthewriter-typeHehasthesamemodellingoftheforeheadasTorpHelooksverysickProbablyheardsomethinghedidn’tlike。’
Evenashethought，agreatfearcameuponDick，afearthatmadehimholdhisbreathashewalkedintotheoculist’swaitingroom，withtheheavycarvedfurniture，thedark-greenpaper，andthesober-huedprintsonthewallHerecognisedareproductionofoneofhisownsketches。
ManypeoplewerewaitingtheirturnbeforehimHiseyewascaughtbyaflamingred-and-goldChristmas-carolbookLittlechildrencametothateye-doctor，andtheyneededlarge-typeamusement。
’That’sidolatrousbadArt，’hesaid，drawingthebooktowardshimself。
’Fromtheanatomyoftheangels，ithasbeenmadeinGermany。’Heopenedinmechanically，andthereleapedtohiseyesaverseprintedinredink——
ThenextgoodjoythatMaryhad，Itwasthejoyofthree，ToseehergoodSonJesusChristMakingtheblindtosee；
Makingtheblindtosee，goodLord，Andhappywemaybe。
PraiseFather，Son，andHolyGhostToalleternity！
Dickreadandre-readtheversetillhisturncame，andthedoctorwasbendingabovehimseatedinanarm-chairTheblazeofthegas-microscopeinhiseyesmadehimwinceThedoctor’shandtouchedthescarofthesword-cutonDick’shead，andDickexplainedbrieflyhowhehadcomebyitWhentheflamewasremoved，Dicksawthedoctor’sface，andthefearcameuponhimagainThedoctorwrappedhimselfinamistofwordsDickcaughtallusionsto’scar，’’frontalbone，’’opticnerve，’’extremecaution，’andthe’avoidanceofmentalanxiety。’
’Verdict？’hesaidfaintly’Mybusinessispainting，andIdaren’twastetimeWhatdoyoumakeofit？’
Againthewhirlofwords，butthistimetheyconveyedameaning。
’Canyougivemeanythingtodrink？’
Manysentenceswerepronouncedinthatdarkenedroom，andtheprisonersoftenneededcheeringDickfoundaglassofliqueurbrandyinhishand。
’AsfarasIcangather，’hesaid，coughingabovethespirit，’youcallitdecayoftheopticnerve，orsomething，andthereforehopeless。
Whatismytime-limit，avoidingallstrainandworry？’
’Perhapsoneyear。’
’MyGod！AndifIdon’ttakecareofmyself？’
’IreallycouldnotsayOnecannotascertaintheexactamountofinjuryinflictedbythesword-cutThescarisanoldone，and——exposuretothestronglightofthedesert，didyousay？——withexcessiveapplicationtofinework？Ireallycouldnotsay？’
’Ibegyourpardon，butithascomewithoutanywarningIfyouwillletme，I’llsithereforaminute，andthenI’llgoYouhavebeenverygoodintellingmethetruthWithoutanywarning；withoutanywarning。
Thanks。’
Dickwentintothestreet，andwasrapturouslyreceivedbyBinkie。
’We’vegotitverybadly，littledog！Justasbadlyaswecangetit。
We’llgototheParktothinkitout。’
TheyheadedforacertaintreethatDickknewwell，andtheysatdowntothin，becausehislegsweretremblingunderhimandtherewascoldfearatthepitofhisstomach。
’Howcouldithavecomewithoutanywarning？It’sassuddenasbeingshotIt’sthelivingdeath，BinkieWe’retobeshutupinthedarkinoneyearifwe’recareful，andweshan’tseeanybody，andweshallneverhaveanythingwewant，notthoughwelivetobeahundred！’Binkiewaggedhistailjoyously’Binkie，wemustthinkLet’sseehowitfeelstobeblind。’Dickshuthiseyes，andflamingcommasandCatherine-wheelsfloatedinsidethelidsYetwhenhelookedacrosstheParkthescopeofhisvisionwasnotcontractedHecouldseeperfectly，untilaprocessionofslow-wheelingfireworksdefiledacrosshiseyeballs。
’Littledorglums，wearen’tatallwellLet’sgohomeIfonlyTorpwereback，now！’