The Philanderers

d, opaque haloes about a pin's point of flame, and people passing in the light of them loomed and vanished like the figures of a galanty-show. From beneath rose the b

d with the foreign cables, tiny spider-threads spun to the four quarters and thickening to a soli

his voyage, and commencing on the task whilst he was still at breakfast, read through every article written concerning the Boruwimi expedition. He finished the last in the smokin

ent to Gorley's father, that he would suppress the troubl

charge without an attempt at mitigation. He asked frankly for a place in the troop, the lowest, as his chance of redemption, or rather demanded it as a grace due from man to man. Drake was taken by his manner, noticed his build, which was tough and wiry, and conceded the request. Nor had he reason to regret his decision on the march out. Gorley showed himself alert, and vigilant, a favourite with the blacks, and obedient to his officers. He was advanced from duty to duty; a week before the force began its homeward march from Boruwimi he was sent out with a body of men to forage for provisions. Three days later a

ir, despatching with his letter a copy of the evidence given at the court-martial. The reply came from the father, a heart-broken admission of the justice of Drake's action, and a prayer that, for the sak

Drake at the top of the flight of steps in the ves

ome?' he asked.

It's bar

ly and searched for t

than you did,'

ou know. You have

hich would otherwise have aroused no criticism, an appearance of irresolution. The one noticeable difference in Mallinson was the addition of an air of const

elegram,' he

or you would

nded only gauche, as Drake recognised, and th

in the cloak-room?'

o look upon the proposal as an inspiration, an

r by some years than either of his companions, so that, as the three men stood toge

' said Conway, and he shook Drake

Drake, lookin

. 'A quarter to, was the

with a show of surprise. 'I

ke and Mallinson laboured, gradually spread and enveloped Conway. A forced conversation of a curiously impersonal sort dragged from course to course. Absolute strangers would have exhibited less restraint; for the ghost of an old comrade

has been absorbed in the interest

e to revolving unsuccessfully through a cycle o

e set his wine glass deliberately upon t

an anecdote of African experiences. It sounded bald and monstrously long, but it served its purpose as peace-maker. Literary acquisitiveness drew Mallinson on to

' said Mallinson; 'I lo

to us to think we

hing, burrowing in, and feeding upon itself str

rth does it matt

you wouldn'

He spoke of their boyhood in the suburb on the heights six miles to the south of London, and in particular of a certain hill, Elm-tree Hill they called it,

back some flavour of those times. 'It seem

e with which a man recognises and pities

and consequent good-fellowship. Mallinson, however, never touched port; nothing but the l

ed Mallinson, 'have you

, w

take you to a

d up sharply

ake me!' exclaimed D

's dead,' he explained, noticing the look of surprise on Drake's face, 'so she keeps house for her father. There's an aunt t

does she k

ed your name,' he expla

ay s

has transformed you into a public ch

rier could have known that you had la

h Quay. You received the note, you say, thi

r and ordered him to br

and glanced at

here i

s to himself, and

how it

,' said

eign you

n on the table. Conwa

e, 'with a Latin quota

read, 'Drake, with the casual indifference of the hardened filibuster, readily accorded an

alchemy. They were printed, however, as they had been spoken, but interspersed with comments. The editor had contented himself with stamping his own

cked up t

' he asked. 'The omission of th

pose the title belongs to me by right. But, after all,

enly, as though some fresh i

u come?' he as

eel incline

stinct relief in the brisk tone of Mallinson's voice.

by intervals of ineffective sarcasm concerning women, ineffectively accentuated by short jerks of laughter. He roused himself in a while and

our sins,' said Fielding,

aughed

ding, 'may cite you as proof of

knife. I fancy the editor would prefe

mon friends, about whom Fielding supplied information with a flavour of acid in his ta

is autobiography

have read

a career before they write their autobiographies. He antici

b together in a hansom.

Street Field

aid, and took a st

g the latter part of the evening prompted him to a question

e Le Mesurie

ghed. 'Alrea

t under

not acquainted

asking. What is Mis

imagined. Otherwise she's difficult to describe; a

sity responde

gether with a little t

t,' replied Fielding, as he opened hi

ets; he looked up at the sky. The night was moonless but starlit, and very clear. He lifted the

El Dorado, and as desirable.' The sentence limned with precision the impression which London used to produce upon Drake. The sight of it touched up

rom which the town was regarded in the suburb, and the inhabitants chose this view according to their sex. To the men London was a counting-house, and certainly some miles of yellow brick mansions and flashing glasshouses testified that the view was a profitable one. To the women it was the alluringly wicked abode of society, and they held their hands before their faces when they mentioned it, to hide their yearning. Occasionally they imagined the

ngs, when it lay clearly defined like a finished model and the sun sparkled on the vanes, set the long lines of windows ablaze in the Houses of Parliament, and turned the river into a riband of polished steel; or, again, when the cupola of St. Paul's and the Clock Tower at Wes

f him as he marched on expeditions against hostile tribes, dwelling upon these recollections as upon the portrait of an inherited homestead. London, in fact, became to him a living motive, a determining factor in any choice of action. Whatsoever ambitions he nourished presumed London as their starting-point.

nvitation. The enigmatic interest which she took in him, gave to him in fact a very definite interest in her. He wondered again what she was like. Fielding's description helped to pique his curiosity. All that he kn