The Mayor of Troy

ng it likely to clash with the Millennium, an event so incalculable and conceivably so disconcerting to the best-laid plans: and, i

roper dignity. Here was an obligation in which honour met and competed with politeness: and he must fulfil it though the heavens fell. Moreover, he could not but be aware, during the month of April, that the town had its eye on him, hoping for a sign. He and the Vicar and Mr. Hansombody had bound each other to se

the last month-alas!-fate granted us to possess him. Men eyed him on his daily walk, but he

his dessert, after dinner, out of doors on the terrace overlooking the harbour; and would sit a

bottle of the green-sealed Madeira," he c

Miss Marty. "You know, of course, t

th his fingers on the mahogany-"a bottle a night and one over. That last one I res

lom

dared to address him by his Christian name. "One must risk something; or rather, I shou

bout your daily business, calm and col

has certain responsibi

g or likely to happen, and me all the while half dead in my bed, and hearing the clock strike and expecting it every moment. As if the French weren't bad enough! And the Vicar may say what he likes, but when I hear you ordering up the green-sealed Madeira I know you're like me, and i

loons. For the moment he seemed about to answer her, but thought bett

clined to be re-elected (for the fifth successive year), and had stood aside in favour of some worthy but less eminent citizen? Hansombody, for instance? Hansombody admired him, idolised him, with a devotion almost canine. Yet Hansombody might be expected to cherish hopes of the mayoral succession sooner or later, for one brief year at any rate; and for a few moments after acceding for the sixth time to

the terrace, spread his napkin over his knees and m

the farther shore touched with the sunset glory. Evensong, the close of day, the end of deeds, the twilit passing of man-all these

ve yards from the Mayor's. On the street side one window of the Custom House raked the Mayor's porch; in the rear another and smaller window overlooked his garden, and this might have been a nuisance had the Collector of Customs, Mr. Pennefather, been a less considerate neighbour. But no one minded Mr. Pennefather, a little, round, self-dep

s Madeira and catching sight of Mr. Pe

vening, Mr.

ness in overlooking you. To tell the truth, I had j

r-eh?" The Major took

bulbs deteriorate; for, of course, there's no renewing them

Mr. Collector, I have heard that forbidden good

r? That is where it hits us, even in the ma

Major, crossing his legs with an air of careless great

fant is born in the remote island of Corsica. Years roll on, and we find our gardens denuded of a bulb, the favourite habitat of which must lie at least eight hun

over a glass of wine, if you will do me that pleasure." The Major had a high opinio

, sir, it will n

mbody will join us presently. Sci

ected him is no less certain than that, while he spoke, Dr. H

knack of turning up when wanted. But what attracted him? Was it perchance that magnetic force of will which our Major, and all truly great

Hansombody were m

ould her swain destroy the confidence, could they together forfeit the esteem, of their common hero? In converse they would hymn antiphonally his virtues, h

ir love, and yet, a

er so close

est that

, if so ye

find out

had found

ce, Dr. Hansombody resided over his dispensary, or, as he preferred to call it, his "Medical Hall." The house stood aligned with its neighbours but overtopped them by

he had a famous collection; and somehow-I cannot tell you when or how, except that it began in merest innocence-Miss Marty had learnt to signal with her window-

s you to call and

y raised it again. This said, "I come at once," and

left-hand corner of her blind

ll be bro

having no signal for the green-sealed Madeira, postponed explanation, and drew her blind midway down the window. The Doctor did the same with his. This signal and its answer invariably closed their correspondence; but what it meant, what ten

ne. He knew the Major's brown sherry; it had twice made a voya

erry. He closed his ledgers, locked his desk, caught up his hat, and was closing the Custom House door beh

rsue in imagination the pleasures of hope, attend to the sto

morning for a verbal fib, until the poor child dropped her head upon the kitchen table and with sobs confessed herself the chief of sinners?) But even as she w

rn-jawed man, raised his hat and addressed her with a

en-that is to say th

ter." He drew out a card. "Will it please

eld up the card. Miss Marty too

ven chin while he stole a long look at the Doctor. "I

uernsey merchant," he whispered.... "You will convey my exc

the Custom House porch, himself unseen, unlocked his door again without noise, re-entered his

e. "This gentleman may not detain the Major long." She turned

uld pr

o! Ah, there you are! Take this gentleman's card out to the

sound of a blind being drawn above, in the Custom Ho

house, bearing in one hand a decanter of br

, holding the card almost at arm's l

uernsey

nnefather!" The Major rose half-way

House window. He, too, had cau

, he see a hole t'ro' a ladder, but not t'ro'

seat in the parlour, "I greatly fear that Scipio

d as a lover but sig

to a panelled cupboard on the right of the chimney

glass before him. He knew the Fra Angelico of old. It was a specifi

bottle. "And, after all, when one knows what it is mad

think-" beg

know, profess a preference for foreign wines; and so, humorously, I hit on the name of Fra Angelico, fro

d his glass and

asked, pointing to the

e but occasionally:

the M

Spain. 'What?' I rally him, 'when those two nations are at war with

man in a

no man l

de a certain

Regent? But I was thinkin

may say so without dislo

erfi

is preferable, and I ask yo

nsman, is the n

e and a sip of the Fra Angelico together, and gulping the latter down

fall two happy tears, but a feeble gesture of the hand besought his mercy.

?" the Doctor suggested.

h a flutter of the breath, whi

serve to p

She must be capable of rising to his

forefinger-a favourite trick of his when diagnosing a case-"in my observation, rather, some disparity of temper, taste, character, may almost b

st, in return for that happy privilege, surrender her whole fate into his hands. Ben

hat about him, now you ment

e will never marry, I am convinced. I cannot imagine him in the light of a parent-with offspring, for instance. Rathe

ed, with a faint

d'you call it, which the poets tell us is r

g aloe?" sugge

plant-it's a kind of bird. It begins

elim? No, I ha

o die it lights a fire and sits down upon

how that applie

"Well, not in every particular; but the

licately, "of other individual members of the

a foreboding-that if ever we lose

ctor stood up, with

can't help it. And you've spilled the Fra Ang

the Doctor inconsequently,

filling his glass. "But what the town would do wit

y the thought of a world without the Major, he hid his face. For a mo

en she recalled her forebodings and the events that followed and so signally fulfilled them, to regret that when the Guernsey merchant took his leave, an hour later, she omitte

it, as we say in Troy; the one with his Madeira, the other with the brown sherr

nkers, you say?"

he anker, and six

large v

t a firm in Guernsey at this moment doing trade at less than s

ying that. Only, you see, on our side these large operations rather heigh

n crossed his legs and

an informer. One hundred carriers, say, I can lay hands on, knowing them all for tried men. Beyond that number I re

thought it less

sequences must be more severe. I will own that you

er, with ropes, stones and six anchors for sinking in case

my face against these operations. It has seemed to me more consonant.... And an operati

rced run," ass

ction-" the M

ril; that is why we offer it at the price. Three gross, with six ankers of the colouring stuff gratis-and t

refilled his glass and mused, holding i

th. The moon serves then. Say that

night, of all others, my hands are full. To be

echoed M. Dupin in his t

ot altogether sure what it may turn out to be. But, setting this aside,

ith interest. "A counter-stroke

n fact (and I mention it in confidence, of course) our Artillery here is planning

ut I am in luck to-night!" said

me, I do

oe-they, too, have a corps of Artillery, I suppose?" M. Dupin felt in

ommands them: Cap

you have arranged to surprise him on the night of April 30th-

do not see," the

n a little while." M. Dupin leaned forward and tapped t

he de

w m

reckoning uniforms

cher-b

uring the operation you propose- w

of your surprise that they, too, will return from Guernsey a

em down at seve

deepest man in Looe! It is you-it is he-it is I-it is all of us together that are in luck's way!" M. Dupin leapt up, snapped his bony fingers triumphantly;

Gaul, or of the island contiguous, wait a

founded. Then he too rose, his lips working, his hand shaking for one instant

r plan is clever enough; but I

ry man lifted the decanter and refilled his

Wait again, and you shall s