’I——Iain’talittlepieceofdirt，andifyousaythatI’llnevercometoyouagain。’
’Youdon’tknowwhatyou’vedonetomeI’mnotangry——indeed，I’mnot。
Bequietforaminute。’
BessieremainedinhisarmsshrinkingDick’sfirstthoughtwasconnectedwithMaisie，andithurthimaswhite-hotironhurtsanopensore。
Notfornothingisamanpermittedtoallyhimselftothewrongwoman。
Thefirstpang——thefirstsenseofthingslostisbutthepreludetotheplay，fortheveryjustProvidencewhodelightsincausingpainhasdecreedthattheagonyshallreturn，andthatinthemidstofkeenestpleasure。
Theyknowthispainequallywhohaveforsakenorbeenforsakenbytheloveoftheirlife，andintheirnewwives’armsarecompelledtorealiseit。
Itisbettertoremainaloneandsufferonlythemiseryofbeingalone，solongasitispossibletofinddistractionindailyworkWhenthatresourcegoesthemanistobepitiedandleftalone。
ThesethingsandsomeothersDickconsideredwhilehewasholdingBessietohisheart。
’Thoughyoumayn’tknowit，’hesaid，raisinghishead，’theLordisajustandaterribleGod，Bess；withaverystrongsenseofhumourItservesmeright——howitservesmeright！Torpcouldunderstanditifhewerehere；hemusthavesufferedsomethingatyourhands，child，butonlyforaminuteorsoIsavedhimSetthattomycredit，someone。’
’Letmego，’saidBess，herfacedarkening’Letmego。’
’AllingoodtimeDidyoueverattendSundayschool？’
’NeverLetmego，Itellyou；you’remakingfunofme。’
’Indeed，I’mnotI’mmakingfunofmyselfThus“Hesavedothers，himselfhecannotsave。”Itisn’texactlyaschool-boardtext。’Hereleasedherwrist，butsincehewasbetweenherandthedoor，shecouldnotescape’Whatanenormousamountofmischiefonelittlewomancando！’
’I’msorry；I’mawfulsorryaboutthepicture。’
’I’mnotI’mgratefultoyouforspoilingitWhatwerewetalkingaboutbeforeyoumentionedthething？’
’Aboutgettingaway——andmoneyMeandyougoingaway。’
’OfcourseWewillgetaway——thatistosay，Iwill。’
’Andme？’
’Youshallhavefiftywholepoundsforspoilingapicture。’
’Thenyouwon’t——？’
’I’mafraidnot，dearThinkoffiftypoundsforprettythingsalltoyourself。’
’Yousaidyoucouldn’tdoanythingwithoutme。’
’ThatwastruealittlewhileagoI’mbetternow，thankyouGetmemyhat。’
’S’poseIdon’t？’
’Beetonwill，andyou’lllosefiftypoundsThat’sallGetit。’
BessiecursedunderherbreathShehadpitiedthemansincerely，hadkissedhimwithalmostequalsincerity，forhewasnotunhandsome；itpleasedhertobeinawayandforatimehisprotector，andabovealltherewerefourthousandpoundstobehandledbysomeoneNowthroughaslipofthetongueandalittlefemininedesiretogivealittle，nottoomuch，painshehadlostthemoney，theblessedidlenessandtheprettythings，thecompanionship，andthechanceoflookingoutwardlyasrespectableasareallady。
’NowfillmeapipeTobaccodoesn’ttaste，butitdoesn’tmatter，andI’llthinkthingsoutWhat’sthedayoftheweek，Bess？’
’Tuesday。’
’ThenThursday’smail-dayWhatafool——whatablindfoolIhavebeen！
Twenty-twopoundscoversmypassagehomeagainAllowtenforadditionalexpensesWemustputupatMadamBinat’sforoldtime’ssakeThirty-twopoundsaltogetherAddahundredforthecostofthelasttrip——Gad，won’tTorpstaretoseeme！——ahundredandthirty-twoleavesseventy-eightforbaksheesh——Ishallneedit——andtoplaywith。
Whatareyoucryingfor，Bess？Itwasn’tyourfault，child；itwasminealtogetherOh，youfunnylittleopossum，mopyoureyesandtakemeout！
Iwantthepass-bookandthecheck-bookStopaminuteFourthousandpoundsatfourpercent——that’ssafeinterest——meansahundredandsixtypoundsayear；onehundredandtwentypoundsahear——alsosafe——istwoeighty，andtwohundredandeightypoundsaddedtothreehundredayearmeansgildedluxuryforasinglewomanBess，we’llgotothebank。’
Richerbytwohundredandtenpoundsstoredinhismoney-belt，DickcausedBessie，nowthoroughlybewildered，tohurryfromthebanktothePandOoffices，whereheexplainedthingstersely。
’PortSaid，singlefirst；cabinasclosetothebaggage-hatchaspossible。
Whatship’sgoing？’
’TheColgong，’saidtheclerk。
’She’sawetlittlehookerIsitTilburyandatender，orGalleonsandthedocks？’
’GalleonsTwelve-forty，Thursday。’
’ThanksChange，pleaseIcan’tseeverywell——willyoucountitintomyhand？’
’Iftheyalltooktheirpassageslikethatinsteadoftalkingabouttheirtrunks，lifewouldbeworthsomething，’saidtheclerktohisneighbour，whowastryingtoexplaintoaharassedmotherofmanythatcondensedmilkisjustasgoodforbabesatseaasdailydairyBeingnineteenandunmarried，hespokewithconviction。
’Wearenow，’quothDick，astheyreturnedtothestudio，pattingtheplacewherehismoney-beltcoveredticketandmoney，’beyondthereachofman，ordevil，orwoman——whichismuchmoreimportantI’vehadthreelittleaffairstocarrythroughbeforeThursday，butIneedn’taskyoutohelp，BessComehereonThursdaymorningatnineWe’llbreakfast，andyoushalltakemedowntoGalleonsStation。’
’Whatareyougoingtodo？’
’Goingaway，ofcourseWhatshouldIstayfor？’
’Butyoucan’tlookafteryourself？’
’IcandoanythingIdidn’trealiseitbefore，butIcanI’vedoneagreatdealalreadyResolutionshallbetreatedtoonekissifBessiedoesn’tobject。’Strangelyenough，BessieobjectedandDicklaughed’I
supposeyou’rerightWell，comeatninethedayafterto-morrowandyou’llgetyourmoney。’
’ShallIsure？’
’Idon’tbilk，andyouwon’tknowwhetherIdoornotunlessyoucome。
Oh，butit’slongandlongtowait！Good-bye，Bessie，——sendBeetonhereasyougoout。’
Thehousekeepercame。
’Whatareallthefittingsofmyroomsworth？’saidDick，imperiously。
’’Tisn’tformetosay，sirSomethingsisveryprettyandsomeisworeoutdreadful。’
’I’minsuredfortwohundredandseventy。’
’Insurancepoliciesisnocriterion，thoughIdon’tsay——’
’Oh，damnyourlongwindedness！You’vemadeyourpickingsoutofmeandtheothertenantsWhy，youtalkedofretiringandbuyingapublic-housetheotherdayGiveastraightanswertoastraightquestion。’
’Fifty，’saidMrBeeton，withoutamoment’shesitation。
’Doubleit；orI’llbreakuphalfmysticksandburntherest。’
Hefelthiswaytoabookstandthatsupportedapileofsketch-books，andwrenchedoutoneofthemahoganypillars。
’That’ssinful，sir，’saidthehousekeeper，alarmed。
’It’smyownOnehundredor——’
’OnehundreditisIt’llcostmethreeandsixtogetthattherepilastermended。’
’IthoughtsoWhatanoutandoutswindleryoumusthavebeentospringthatpriceatonce！’
’IhopeI’vedonenothingtodissatisfyanyofthetenants，leastofallyou，sir。’
’NevermindthatGetmethemoneyto-morrow，andseethatallmyclothesarepackedinthelittlebrownbullock-trunkI’mgoing。’
’Butthequarter’snotice？’
’I’llpayforfeitLookafterthepackingandleavemealone。’
MrBeetondiscussedthisnewdeparturewithhiswife，whodecidedthatBessiewasatthebottomofitallHerhusbandtookamorecharitableview。
’It’sverysudden——butthenhewasalwayssuddeninhisways。
Listentohimnow！’
TherewasasoundofchantingfromDick’sroom。
’We’llnevercomebackanymore，boys，We’llnevercomebacknomore；
We’llgotothedeuceonanyexcuse，Andnevercomebacknomore！
Ohsaywe’reafloatorashore，boys，Ohsaywe’reafloatorashore；
Butwe’llnevercomebackanymore，boys，We’llnevercomebacknomore！’
’MrBeeton！MrBeeton！Wherethedeuceismypistol？’
’Quick，he’sgoingtoshoothimself——’avin’gonemad！’saidMrs。
Beeton。
MrBeetonaddressedDicksoothingly，butitwassometimebeforethelatter，threshingupanddownhisbedroom，couldrealisetheintentionofthepromisesto’findeverythingto-morrow，sir。’
’Oh，youcopper-nosedoldfool——youimpotentAcademician！’heshoutedatlast’DoyousupposeIwanttoshootmyself？TakethepistolinyoursillyshakinghandthenIfyoutouchit，itwillgooff，becauseit’sloaded。
It’samongmycampaign-kitsomewhere——intheparcelatthebottomofthetrunk。’
LongagoDickhadcarefullypossessedhimselfofaforty-poundweightfield-equipmentconstructedbytheknowledgeofhisownexperienceItwasthisput-awaytreasurethathewastryingtofindandrehandle。
Mr。
Beetonwhippedtherevolveroutofitsplaceonthetopofthepackage，andDickdrovehishandamongthekhakicoatandbreeches，theblueclothleg-bands，andtheheavyflannelshirtsdoubledoverapairofswan-neckspursUndertheseandthewater-bottlelayasketch-bookandapigskincaseofstationery。
’Thesewedon’twant；youcanhavethem，MrBeetonEverythingelseI’llkeepPack’emonthetopright-handsideofmytrunkWhenyou’vedonethatcomeintothestudiowithyourwifeIwantyouboth。
Waitaminute；getmeapenandasheetofnotepaper。’
Itisnotaneasythingtowritewhenyoucannotsee，andDickhadparticularreasonsforwishingthathisworkshouldbeclearSohebegan，followinghisrighthandwithhisleft：’“ThebadnessofthiswritingisbecauseIamblindandcannotseemypen。”
H’mph！——evenalawyercan’tmistakethatItmustbesigned，Isuppose，butitneedn’tbewitnessedNowaninchlower——whydidIneverlearntouseatype-writer？——“Thisisthelastwillandtestamentofme，RichardHeldar。
Iaminsoundbodilyandmentalhealth，andthereisnopreviouswilltorevoke。”——That’sallrightDamnthepen！WhereaboutsonthepaperwasI？——“IleaveeverythingthatIpossessintheworld，includingfourthousandpounds，andtwothousandsevenhundredandtwentyeightpoundsheldforme“——oh，Ican’tgetthisstraight。’Hetoreoffhalfthesheetandbeganagainwiththecautionaboutthehandwriting。
Then：’I
leaveallthemoneyIpossessintheworldto’——herefollowedMaisie’sname，andthenamesofthetwobanksthatheldthemoney。
’Itmayn’tbequiteregular，butnoonehasashadowofarighttodisputeit，andI’vegivenMaisie’saddressComein，MrBeetonThisismysignature；IwantyouandyourwifetowitnessitThanks。
To-morrowyoumusttakemetothelandlordandI’llpayforfeitforleavingwithoutnotice，andI’lllodgethispaperwithhimincaseanythinghappenswhileI’mawayNowwe’regoingtolightupthestudiostoveStaywithme，andgivememypapersasIwant’em。’
Nooneknowsuntilhehastriedhowfineablazeayear’saccumulationofbills，letters，anddocketscanmakeDickstuffedintothestoveeverydocumentinthestudio——savingonlythreeunopenedletters；
destroyedsketch-books，roughnote-books，newandhalf-finishedcanvasesalike。
’Whatalotofrubbishatenantgetsabouthimifhestayslongenoughinoneplace，tobesure，’saidMrBeeton，atlast。
’HedoesIsthereanythingmoreleft？’Dickfeltroundthewalls。
’Notathing，andthestove’snighred-hot。’
’Excellent，andyou’velostaboutathousandpounds’worthofsketches。
Ho！ho！Quiteathousandpounds’worth，ifIcanrememberwhatI
usedtobe。’
’Yes，sir，’politelyMrBeetonwasquitesurethatDickhadgonemad，otherwisehewouldhaveneverpartedwithhisexcellentfurnitureforasongThecanvasthingstookupstorageroomandweremuchbetteroutoftheway。
Thereremainedonlytoleavethelittlewillinsafehands：thatcouldnotbeaccomplishedtoto-morrowDickgropedaboutthefloorpickingupthelastpiecesofpaper，assuredhimselfagainandagainthatthereremainednowrittenwordorsignofhispastlifeindrawerordesk，andsatdownbeforethestovetillthefirediedoutandthecontractingironcrackedinthesilenceofthenight。