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'I've seen a native die of pure fright when a tiger chivied him. I know what killed Hummil. 'The deuce you do! I'm going to try to see. And the doctor retreated into the bath-room with a Kodak camera. After a few minutes there was the sound of something being hammered to pieces, and he emerged, very white indeed. 'Have you got a picture? said Mottram. 'What does the thing look like?
He has books, pictures, -they were torn from the Graphic, 'and the society of the excellent sub-contractor Jevins, besides the pleasure of receiving us weekly. Hummil smiled grimly. 'Yes, I'm the lucky man, I suppose. Jevins is luckier. 'How? Not 'Yes. Went out. Last Monday. 'By his own hand? said Spurstow quickly, hinting the suspicion that was in everybody's mind.
'Call this a dinner? 'I can't help it. You don't expect a banquet, do you? Throughout that meal Hummil contrived laboriously to insult directly and pointedly all his guests in succession, and at each insult Spurstow kicked the aggrieved persons under the table; but he dared not exchange a glance of intelligence with either of them.
At the last moment Lowndes was seized with scruples of conscience. 'Ought you to read the service, from beginning to end? said he to Spurstow. 'I intend to. You're my senior as a civilian. You can take it if you like. 'I didn't mean that for a moment. I only thought if we could get a chaplain from somewhere, I'm willing to ride anywhere, and give poor Hummil a better chance. That's all.
I can just recollect my mother singing me to sleep with that when I was a little chap, said Spurstow. The darkness had fallen on the room. They could hear Hummil squirming in his chair. 'Consequently, said he testily, 'you sing it when you are seven fathom deep in Hell! It's an insult to the intelligence of the Deity to pretend we're anything but tortured rebels.
Let me sleep! 'All right, old man, all right. Go slow; you aren't half as bad as you think. The flood-gates of reserve once broken, Hummil was clinging to him like a frightened child. 'You're pinching my arm to pieces. 'I'll break your neck if you don't do something for me. No, I didn't mean that. Don't be angry, old fellow. He wiped the sweat off himself as he fought to regain composure.
They take good care to maintain their lavish scale of incomes, to avoid or stifle any inquiries into the nature and conduct of their administration, while they themselves force the unhappy peasant to pay with the sweat of his brow for all the luxuries in which they are lapped." Hummil waved the cutting above his head. ''Ear! 'ear! said his audience.
As they were settling into their places about the miserable goat-chops, and the smoked tapioca pudding, Spurstow took occasion to whisper to Mottram, 'Well done, David! 'Look after Saul, then, was the reply. 'What are you two whispering about? said Hummil suspiciously. 'Only saying that you are a damned poor host. This fowl can't be cut, returned Spurstow with a sweet smile.
'Sit down, said Hummil. 'I didn't know that you had any music in your composition. Go on playing until you can't think of anything more. I'll have that piano tuned up before you come again. Play something festive.
In the assistant engineer's bungalow Spurstow and Hummil smoked the pipe of silence together, each narrowly watching the other. The capacity of a bachelor's establishment is as elastic as its arrangements are simple.
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