The Transvaal from Within: A Private Record of Public Affairs

and there over the mirror, the shabby arm-chair on the hearth, and a modest collection of books on the wall, gave it an air of home. The

a man who, a physiognomist would have asserted, formed few friendships and was a stanch friend. Possibly it was the gauntness of the face that caused him to appear older than he was, possibly its gravity. He did not look as if he laughed readily, as if he saw much in life to laugh at. He did

into the room without awaiting a response. The occupant d

Dear ol

ipped the outs

e you?"

habby chair, and lounged against t

?" repeated

When did y

day aft

to stay

a day

ip

cigar;

ank

r for himself. "Well, w

ular; anything

's your

ell; she cam

! Where

I'm charged with a

u don't

f them: you're to

s, I s

you've nothing on. We have

are you going to

won't take very long, but I was ob

back in about an hour, and then I could stick a p

go about

ou'll

do you keep y

uxuries. Tear

my! Throw me T

tion, and stretched his long legs bef

and how's the hospita

couple of months-I go round to her as often as I can-but she complains as much as she did at the beginnin

I k

ul man by-and-by, Wally, and cheer h

lway

week and tells me what a 'charming young man' Mr. Corri is-'how cleve

ve what the novelis

d you ca

d the 'Baby'-an adoring daughter t

nd

r isn't infallible; that her brothers aren't the first living authorities on wines, the fine arts, horseflesh, and t

sdom of a reli

er dancing on to wet pavements in thin shoes and sandwiching imbecilities between colds on the chest. He swears you may move the Himalayas sooner than teach a girl of twenty to take care of herself. He told me so wi

r in the proper light for

ry woman advocates matrimony for

y her efforts on behal

from ex

sed myself; but I've seen enough to make you sick.

rid profession, in one way; it can't leave a scrap of illusion. What's a complexion to a man who knows all that's going

oman who hadn't a fatal disease," replied Kincaid; "how does tha

unders

say, first. Do

a stupid idea, but one feels that a doctor marries, as he goes to church on Sunday-because the performance is respectable and expected. Some pro

ctor can realise how a doctor feels; his friends don't k

're a t

s, he acquires the habit of keeping them to himself very soon; that is, if he isn't

ible for you to believe a man's pals may l

many

whenever th

redom, of course, but he ought to hide the worries. Let a man

ntion exactly what you do fin

hen all's said and done-just meant for the fuel. What does nine out of ten men's success do for anyone but the nine men? Leaving out the great truths, the discoveries that benefit the human race for all time, what more good does a man effect in his success than he did in his obscurity? Who wants to see him

Oh, I know it isn't a

ar fel

ough time of it yourself for

heir mark. Very nat

the right of every pain to shriek excepting mental pain. You'd sit up all night pitying the whimpers of a child w

of smoke, and watched it s

imes; it takes me back ten years to sit in your room and have you bully me. There's something in it, Corri; circumstances are responsible f

a fool," s

ursing his big knee. He seemed to b

eady had to hide what he felt; my people knew I wanted to make this my profession, and they couldn't afford it. If I had let the poor old governor see-well, he didn't see; I affected contentment, I said a clerkship was 'rather jolly'! Good Lord! I said it was 'jolly'! The abasement of it! The little hypocritical cur it makes of you, that life, where a gape is regarded as a sign of laziness and you're forced to hide t

t to come!" said

t help being conscious that to study was an extravagance. The knowledge was with me all the time, reminding me of my responsibility-although it wasn't till the governor died that I knew how great an extravagance it must have seeme

old be

smiled

ery acquaintance who has a bereavement." The passion that had crept into his strong voice while speaking of his earlier life to the one person in

ple who actually know something of the subject that these funny men are so constant to can tell you that there's more nobility and self-sacrifice in the medical profession than in any under the sun, not excepting the Church. Yes, and more hardships too! The chat on the weather and the fee for remarking it's a fine day isn't every medical man's life; the difficulty is to get the fees in return for loyal attendance. Nobody's reverenced like the family doctor in time of sickne

oo. They smoked their cigars to the stumps, talki

ll back for you," said Kin

ou can make yourself comfortable; ther

o write a couple

at's all. Well, I'll be as quick as I can, but

re," said Kincaid,

had been to living alone. It was manifest in his composure, in his deliberation, in the earnestness he devoted to th

he said a

itted to provide for the contingency of a client's calling.

d saw that the intruder was a wo

Cor

eplied, fingering the pen;

ples throbbed, and in her weakness

murmured; "perhaps h

id. "Oh, wait if

, madam, so long as you don't bother me! She watched the big hand hazily as it shifted to and fro across the paper. The man probably had money in his pocket that signified nothing to him, and to her it would have been salvation. He lived in comfort while she was starving; he did not know that she was starving, but how

an effort, and crossed t

e faltered, "about a new work they're publishing. I'

, and stood a pace or two be

himself. "So she's a book-agent! I thought she

busy just now, and I never buy my

in to you when it's co

rs on the title-page

s Mr. C

n't wait for him, on my advice. I'm

and he invited this movement by pushing the thing aside. He drew the blotting-pad forward to resume his le

madam, take a seat," h

n dismay. The book-agent's head was lolling on her bosom; and his arm-