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Tarnowsy was sitting up, looking about him in a dazed, bewildered manner. At that moment, Poopendyke came running down the stairs, attracted by the loud voices. He was followed closely by three or four wide-eyed glaziers who were working on the second floor. "In the name of heaven, sir!" "I've bruised my knuckles horribly," was all that I said. I seemed to be in a sort of a daze myself.
Poopendyke and I were hard at work on my synopsis we were startled by a dull, mysterious pounding on the wall hard by. We paused to listen. It was quite impossible to locate the sound, which ceased almost immediately. Our first thought was that the telephone men were drilling a hole through the wall into my study. Then came the sharp rat-a-ta-tat once more.
I demanded so sternly that even Poopendyke was startled. Conrad almost resorted to the expediency of grovelling. "Forgive! forgive!" he groaned. "I have done only what was best." "Produce the keys, sir!" "But not to-night, not to-night," he pleaded. "She will be very angry. She will not like it, mein herr. Ach, Gott! She will drive us out, she will shame us all!
Poopendyke," said I, "is the cheapest thing I know of. Now if you had said pepper I might pause to reflect. But I am absolutely, inexorably opposed to rating anything on a salt basis. If you " "You know what I mean," he said stiffly. "I am of no use to you." "Ah," said I triumphantly, "but you forget!
They would have to go. "Mr. Poopendyke," said I, after Blatchford had left the breakfast room, "I want you to give notice to Hawkes and Blatchford to-day." "Notice?" he exclaimed incredulously. "Notice," said I, very distinctly. He looked distressed. "I thought they were most; satisfactory to you." "I've changed my opinion." "By Jove, Mr.
"Oh," said I. I had the feeling that at least fifty eyes were upon me, although I am bound to admit that both Poopendyke and the footman were actively engaged in looking in another direction. I tore open the envelope. "Have you deserted me entirely? Won't you please come and see me? Thanks 'for the violets, but I can't talk to violets, you know. Please come up for luncheon."
Poopendyke, will you at once prepare a complete and emphatic denial of every da of every word they have printed about me, and I'll send it to all the American correspondents in Europe. We'll cable it ourselves to the United States. I sha'n't rest until I am set straight in the eyes of my fellow-countrymen. The whole world shall know, Countess, that I am for you first, last and all the time.
She came to visit me at twelve o'clock the next day. I was alone in the study. Poopendyke was showing Mr. Bangs over the castle. She was dressed in a gown of some soft grey material, and there was a bunch of violets at her girdle. "I came to dress your hand for you," she said as I helped her down from Red Ludwig's frame.
Over in his corner by the window Poopendyke was at work, his lanky figure hunched over the key-board, his head enveloped in clouds from a busy pipe, for all the world like a tugboat smothering in its own low-lying smoke. Sheets of paper were strewn about the floor.
It was soon apparent to me that retrenchment, stern and relentless, would have to follow upon my wild though brief season of profligacy. I decided to dismiss the scullery-maid. I was indescribably lonely. Poopendyke was worried about my pallor, my lassitude.
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