I think it was the confidence in her tone which
stung him. Well, he continued, looking blandly at Medina, that was anatural view for
you to take. Afterthat there will be no place for repentance. Adela, my dear, he
said, I think it is time for you to be goinghome.
I will swear a solemn oath to hold my tongue. I
have been kind to you, he said, and have treated you as afriend.
Sandy was crouched on a stool by the
hearth.
A man touched him on the arm and drewhim away, and
that was the last I saw of him.
Mecca and Medina are as stale as Bournemouth. I
could see creeping over Medinas sullennessthe shadow of terror.
I felt as feeble as ababe, and all the while the
thought of the little boy was drivingme mad.
He asked Palliser-Yeates to take his place. I got
to my feet with a blind notion of closing with him.
This man is wanted on a good
manygrounds.
When I got to Hill Street, I waited till the taxi
had driven offbefore I entered. A man with the brains of a godand living only to
glut his rotten vanity! His voice, acid and sneering, came out like drops of
chillywater. As he spoke someone entered the room, and to my amazement I sawthat it
was Sandy. You remember the hamelidari crowd who used toorganise the transport from
Mespot. He staredfor a second uncomprehendingly, till the passion in his face
turnedto alarm. Medina was standing by the fireplace, in which logs had been
laidready for a match.
Lavater will be able to tell the world a good deal
about you.
I felt as feeble as ababe, and all the while the
thought of the little boy was drivingme mad.
So far as I can see there will be veryfew soldiers
killed, but an enormous number of civilians.
I cant make out what is happening, he said in reply
to a remarkof Leithens.
If you refuse, I must try another way; her voice
was as gentle asa mothers. If youblackguard me I will prosecute you for slander and
get your mentalcondition examined.
Now listen to me, for I have a proposal
tomake.
Indeed he was very gracious to him, and asked in
his most genialtones what he had been after.
It must have been a signal, for I saw a handwave. I
fancy he had been attempting in vain to ring upPalmyra Square. Panting with fury, I
stopped short and stared.
She fumbled in her reticule, anddrew out a robust
pair of scissors.
The voice wasSandys, and so was the figure.