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That elderly Bulgarian party, Kesanlyk Attar of Roses man, knew all about her. The fat Bloke aboard the boat. You know. 'He won't hurt her, said Barndale, thinking of the Greek lover, 'and you're well out of it. Why should you marry the girl? There's nothing worse than I know, is there? 'There's nothing at all in it but that confounded meeting at the Concordia.
Not a trace of burn or scratch defaced its surface, and no touch of its first beauty was destroyed by use. Apart from its memories, Barndale would not have sold that pipe except at some astounding figure, which nobody would ever have been likely to bid for it. The precious souvenir was in his pocket, snug in its case. In an evil hour he drew it out, tenderly filled it and lit it.
Leland Junior is carrying on a pronounced flirtation with a little Greek girl, and Lilian and Barndale are each enjoying their own charming spiritual discomforts. They say little, but, like the famous parrot, they think the more. Concerning one thing, however, Mr. Barndale thinks long and deeply, pulling his tawny beard meanwhile.
'I am disturbed in mind, says Barndale, blushing a httle behind his bronze, 'about an incident of yesterday. 'Conscience, says Lilian, calmly didactic, 'will assert herself occasionally. 'Conscience, says Barndale, blushing a httle more perceptibly, 'has httle to do with this disturbance.
The crowd had completed its circle some half score of times, and Barndale missed his Greek from it. Turning to address Leland, he missed him too. He rose and mingled with the circling procession, and listened to the music of the band, and speculated idly on the people who surrounded him, as lazy and unoccupied men will at times.
'No affair of mine, said Barndale, who was slow to meddle, even in thought, with other people's doings; 'but neither wise nor right on Jimmy's side, He walked round the little circle discontentedly, thinking this matter over with deepening displeasure.
She told her tale in verbal lightning. Every sentence flashed forth a fact; and in sixty seconds or thereabouts the doctor was a man convinced. But meantime where was Barndale? Poor Leland could tell them nothing. For many a day he would bear no questioning. Could her lover, Lilian asked herself, have started for the ball last night, and come to any damage by the way?
'Yes, said Barndale, looking down at him in a somewhat stately way, in resentment of the familiar hand upon his shoulder. 'We'll do our little bit of business inside, sir, if you please. Barndale looked at him again inquiringly, opened the door, walked in, and allowed the stranger to follow. The man entered the room and stood before Barndale on the hearthrug.
It was nearly midnight, and as black as a wolfs mouth, when Leland sculled up from the 'Swan' to spend his last night but one aboard the house-boat. 'Billy, old man, he cried, bursting in suddenly; 'look here! Ain't I in for it now? Read this! He handed to his friend a letter which Barndale read in silence. 'This is awkward, the latter said after a long, grave pause.
By-and-by the door opened, and the friends appeared. 'I shall not come back by the late train now, Jimmy, Barndale said, as he placed a small portmanteau in the dingy. 'You had better come down with me to the "Swan" and scull up again. 'No, said Leland, unconscious of the impending fate, 'I'll walk down for the boat tomorrow.
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