Bessiewithdrew，scrubbinghercheekwitharaggedpocket-handkerchiefThetwomenlookedateachother。
　　’You’reaman，’saidTorpenhow。
　　’I’mafraidI’vebeenafoolItisn’tourbusinesstorunabouttheearthreformingBessieBrokesAndawomanofanykindhasnorightonthislanding。’
　　’Perhapsshewon’tcomeback。’
　　’ShewillifshethinksshecangetfoodandwarmthhereIknowshewill，worseluckButremember，oldman，sheisn’tawoman；she’smymodel；
　　andbecareful。’
　　’Theidea！She’sadissolutelittlescarecrow，——agutter-snippetandnothingmore。’
　　’SoyouthinkWaittillshehasbeenfedalittleandfreedfromfearThatfairtyperecoversitselfveryquicklyYouwon’tknowherinaweekortwo，whenthatabjectfearhasdiedoutofhereyesShe’llbetoohappyandsmilingformypurposes。’
　　’Butsurelyyou’renottakingheroutofcharity？——topleaseme？’
　　’Iamnotinthehabitofplayingwithhotcoalstopleaseanybody。
　　Shehasbeensentfromheaven，asImayhaveremarkedbefore，tohelpmewithmyMelancolia。’
　　’Neverheardawordabouttheladybefore。’
　　’What’stheuseofhavingafriend，ifyoumustslingyournotionsathiminwords？YououghttoknowwhatI’mthinkingaboutYou’veheardmegruntlately？’
　　’Evenso；butgruntsmeananythinginyourlanguage，frombad’baccytowickeddealersAndIdon’tthinkI’vebeenmuchinyourconfidenceforsometime。’
　　’ItwasahighandsoulfulgruntYououghttohaveunderstoodthatitmeanttheMelancolia。’DickwalkedTorpenhowupanddowntheroom，keepingsilenceThenhesmotehimintheribs，’Nowdon’tyouseeit？
　　Bessie’sabjectfutility，andtheterrorinhereyes，weldedontooneortwodetailsinthewayofsorrowthathavecomeundermyexperiencelatelyLikewisesomeorangeandblack，——twokeysofeachButI
　　can’texplainonanemptystomach。’
　　’ItsoundsmadenoughYou’dbettersticktoyoursoldiers，Dick，insteadofmaunderingaboutheadsandeyesandexperiences。’
　　’Thinkso？’Dickbegantodanceonhisheels，singing——
　　’They’reasproudasaturkeywhentheyholdthereadycash，Yououghtto’earthewaytheylaughan’joke；
　　Theyaretrickyan’they’refunnywhenthey’vegotthereadymoney，——
　　Ow！butsee’emwhenthey’reallstone-broke。’
　　ThenhesatdowntopourouthishearttoMaisieinafour-sheetletterofcounselandencouragement，andregisteredanoaththathewouldgettoworkwithanundividedheartassoonasBessieshouldreappear。
　　Thegirlkeptherappointmentunpaintedandunadorned，afraidandoverboldbyturnsWhenshefoundthatshewasmerelyexpectedtositstill，shegrewcalmer，andcriticisedtheappointmentsofthestudiowithfreedomandsomepointShelikedthewarmthandthecomfortandthereleasefromfearofphysicalpainDickmadetwoorthreestudiesofherheadinmonochrome，buttheactualnotionoftheMelancoliawouldnotarrive。
　　’Whatamessyoukeepyourthingsin！’saidBessie，somedayslater，whenshefeltherselfthoroughlyathome’Is’poseyourclothesarejustasbad。
　　Gentlemenneverthinkwhatbuttonsandtapearemadefor。’
　　’Ibuythingstowear，andwear’emtilltheygotopiecesIdon’tknowwhatTorpenhowdoes。’
　　Bessiemadediligentinquiryinthelatter’sroom，andunearthedabaleofdisreputablesocks’SomeoftheseI’llmendnow，’shesaid，’andsomeI’lltakehomeD’youknow，Isitalldaylongathomedoingnothing，justlikealady，andnomorenoticingthemothergirlsinthehousethaniftheywassomanyfliesIdon’thaveanyunnecessarywords，butIput’emdownquick，Icantellyou，whentheytalktomeNo；it’squitenicethesedaysIlockmydoor，andtheycanonlycallmenamesthroughthekeyhole，andIsitinside，justlikealady，mendingsocksMr。
　　Torpenhowwearshissocksoutbothendsatonce。’
　　’Threequidaweekfromme，andthedelightsofmysocietyNosocksmendedNothingfromTorpexceptanodonthelandingnowandagain，andallhissocksmendedBessieisverymuchawoman，’thoughtDick；
　　andhelookedatherbetweenhalf-shuteyesFoodandresthadtransformedthegirl，asDickknewtheywould。
　　’Whatareyoulookingatmelikethatfor？’shesaidquickly’Don’t。
　　Youlookreg’larbadwhenyoulookthatwayYoudon’tthinkmucho’
　　me，doyou？’
　　’Thatdependsonhowyoubehave。’
　　BessiebehavedbeautifullyOnlyitwasdifficultattheendofasittingtobidhergooutintothegraystreetsSheverymuchpreferredthestudioandabigchairbythestove，withsomesocksinherlapasanexcusefordelayThenTorpenhowwouldcomein，andBessiewouldbemovedtotellstrangeandwonderfulstoriesofherpast，andstillstrangeronesofherpresentimprovedcircumstancesShewouldmakethemteaasthoughshehadarighttomakeit；andonceortwiceontheseoccasionsDickcaughtTorpenhow’seyesfixedonthetrimlittlefigure，andbecauseBessie’’flittingsabouttheroommadeDickardentlylongforMaisie，herealisedwhitherTorpenhow’sthoughtsweretendingAndBessiewasexceedinglycarefuloftheconditionofTorpenhow’slinenShespokeverylittletohim，butsometimestheytalkedtogetheronthelanding。
　　’Iwasagreatfool，’Dicksaidtohimself’Iknowwhatredfirelightlookslikewhenaman’strampingthroughastrangetown；andoursisalonely，selfishsortoflifeatthebestIwonderMaisiedoesn’tfeelthatsometimesButIcan’torderBessieawayThat’stheworstofbeginningthingsOneneverknowswheretheystop。’
　　Oneevening，afterasittingprolongedtothelastlimitofthelight，DickwasrousedfromanapbyabrokenvoiceinTorpenhow’sroomHejumpedtohisfeet’NowwhatoughtItodo？Itlooksfoolishtogoin——Oh，blessyou，Binkie！’ThelittleterrierthrustTorpenhow’sdooropenwithhisnoseandcameouttotakepossessionofDick’schairThedoorswungwideunheeded，andDickacrossthelandingcouldseeBessieinthehalf-lightmakingherlittlesupplicationtoTorpenhowShewaskneelingbyhisside，andherhandswereclaspedacrosshisknee。
　　’Iknow，——Iknow，’shesaidthickly’’Tisn’trighto’metodothis，butI
　　can’thelpit；andyouweresokind，——sokind；andyounevertookanynoticeo’meAndI’vemendedallyourthingssocarefully，——Idid。
　　Oh，please，’tisn’tasifIwasaskingyoutomarrymeIwouldn’tthinkofit。
　　Butyou——couldn’tyoutakeandlivewithmetillMissRightcomesalong？
　　I’monlyMissWrong，Iknow，butI’dworkmyhandstothebareboneforyouAndI’mnotuglytolookatSayyouwill！’
　　DickhardlyrecognisedTorpenhow’svoiceinreply——
　　’ButlookhereIt’snouseI’mliabletobeorderedoffanywhereataminute’snoticeifawarbreaksoutAtaminute’snotice——dear。’
　　’Whatdoesthatmatter？Untilyougo，thenUntilyougo’Tisn’tmuchI’masking，and——youdon’tknowhowgoodIcancook。’Shehadputanarmroundhisneckandwasdrawinghisheaddown。
　　’Until——I——go，then。’
　　’Torp，’saidDick，acrossthelandingHecouldhardlysteadyhisvoice。
　　’Comehereaminute，oldmanI’mintrouble’——’Heavensendhe’lllistentome！’TherewassomethingverylikeanoathfromBessie’slips。
　　ShewasafraidofDick，anddisappeareddownthestaircaseinpanic，butitseemedanagebeforeTorpenhowenteredthestudioHewenttothemantelpiece，buriedhisheadonhisarms，andgroanedlikeawoundedbull。
　　’Whatthedevilrighthaveyoutointerfere？’hesaid，atlast。
　　’Who’sinterferingwithwhich？Yourownsensetoldyoulongagoyoucouldn’tbesuchafoolItwasatoughrack，StAnthony，butyou’reallrightnow。’
　　’Ioughtn’ttohaveseenhermovingabouttheseroomsasiftheybelongedtoherThat’swhatupsetmeItgivesalonelymanasortofhankering，doesn’tit？’saidTorpenhow，piteously。
　　’NowyoutalksenseItdoesBut，sinceyouaren’tinaconditiontodiscussthedisadvantagesofdoublehousekeeping，doyouknowwhatyou’regoingtodo？’
　　’Idon’tIwishIdid。’
　　’You’regoingawayforaseasononabrillianttourtoregaintone。
　　You’regoingtoBrighton，orScarborough，orPrawlePoint，toseetheshipsgobyAndyou’regoingatonceIsn’titodd？I’lltakecareofBinkie，butoutyougoimmediatelyNeverresistthedevilHeholdsthebankFlyfromhimPackyourthingsandgo。’
　　’Ibelieveyou’rerightWhereshallIgo？’
　　’Andyoucallyourselfaspecialcorrespondent！Packfirstandinquireafterwards。’
　　AnhourlaterTorpenhowwasdespatchedintothenightforahansom。
　　’You’llprobablythinkofsomeplacetogotowhileyou’removing，’
　　saidDick’OntoEuston，tobeginwith，and——ohyes——getdrunkto-night。’
　　Hereturnedtothestudio，andlightedmorecandles，forhefoundtheroomverydark。
　　’Oh，youJezebel！youfutilelittleJezebel！Won’tyouhatemeto-morrow！——Binkie，comehere。’
　　Binkieturnedoveronhisbackonthehearth-rug，andDickstirredhimwithameditativefoot。
　　’IsaidshewasnotimmoralIwaswrongShesaidshecouldcook。
　　ThatshowedpremeditatedsinOh，Binkie，ifyouareamanyouwillgotoperdition；butifyouareawoman，andsaythatyoucancook，youwillgotoamuchworseplace。’
　　CHAPTERX
　　What’syouthatfollowsatmyside？——
　　Thefoethatyemustfight，mylord——
　　ThathirplesswiftasIcanride？——
　　Theshadowofthenight，mylord——
　　Thenwheelmyhorseagainstthefoe！——
　　He’sdownandoverpast，mylord。
　　Yewaragainstthesunsetglow；
　　Thedarknessgathersfast，mylord——
　　TheFightofHeriot’sFord-
　　’THISisacheerfullife，’saidDick，somedayslater’Torp’saway；
　　Bessiehatesme；Ican’tgetatthenotionoftheMelancolia；Maisie’slettersarescrappy；andIbelieveIhaveindigestionWhatgiveamanpainsacrosstheheadandspotsbeforehiseyes，Binkie？Shallustakesomeliverpills？’
　　DickhadjustgonethroughalivelyscenewithBessieShehadforthefiftiethtimereproachedhimforsendingTorpenhowawaySheexplainedherenduringhatredforDick，andmadeitcleartohimthatsheonlysatforthesakeofhismoney’AndMrTorpenhow’stentimesabettermanthanyou，’sheconcluded。
　　’HeisThat’swhyhewentawayIshouldhavestayedandmadelovetoyou。’
　　Thegirlsatwithherchinonherhand，scowling’Tome！I’dliketocatchyou！IfIwasn’tafraido’beinghungI’dkillyouThat’swhatI’ddo。
　　D’youbelieveme？’
　　DicksmiledwearilyItisnotpleasanttoliveinthecompanyofanotionthatwillnotworkout，afox-terrierthatcannottalk，andawomanwhotalkstoomuchHewouldhaveanswered，butatthatmomentthereunrolleditselffromonecornerofthestudioaveil，asitwere，oftheflimsiestgauzeHerubbedhiseyes，butthegrayhazewouldnotgo。
　　’ThisisdisgracefulindigestionBinkie，wewillgotoamedicine-manWecan’thaveoureyesinterferedwith，forbythesewegetourbread；
　　alsomutton-chopbonesforlittledogs。’
　　Thedoctorwasanaffablelocalpractitionerwithwhitehair，andhesaidnothingtillDickbegantodescribethegrayfilminthestudio。
　　’Weallwantalittlepatchingandrepairingfromtimetotime，’hechirped’Likeaship，mydearsir，——exactlylikeashipSometimesthehullisoutoforder，andweconsultthesurgeon；sometimestherigging，andthenIadvise；sometimestheengines，andwegotothebrain-specialist；
　　sometimesthelook-outonthebridgeistired，andthenweseeanoculistI
　　shouldrecommendyoutoseeanoculistAlittlepatchingandrepairingfromtimetotimeisallwewantAnoculist，byallmeans。’
　　Dicksoughtanoculist，——thebestinLondonHewascertainthatthelocalpractitionerdidnotknowanythingabouthistrade，andmorecertainthatMaisiewouldlaughathimifhewereforcedtowearspectacles。
　　’I’veneglectedthewarningsofmylordthestomachtoolong。
　　Hencethesespotsbeforetheeyes，BinkieIcanseeaswellasIevercould。’
　　Asheenteredthedarkhallthatledtotheconsulting-roomamancannonedagainsthimDicksawthefaceasithurriedoutintothestreet。
　　’That’sthewriter-typeHehasthesamemodellingoftheforeheadasTorpHelooksverysickProbablyheardsomethinghedidn’tlike。’
　　Evenashethought，agreatfearcameuponDick，afearthatmadehimholdhisbreathashewalkedintotheoculist’swaitingroom，withtheheavycarvedfurniture，thedark-greenpaper，andthesober-huedprintsonthewallHerecognisedareproductionofoneofhisownsketches。
　　ManypeoplewerewaitingtheirturnbeforehimHiseyewascaughtbyaflamingred-and-goldChristmas-carolbookLittlechildrencametothateye-doctor，andtheyneededlarge-typeamusement。
　　’That’sidolatrousbadArt，’hesaid，drawingthebooktowardshimself。
　　’Fromtheanatomyoftheangels，ithasbeenmadeinGermany。’Heopenedinmechanically，andthereleapedtohiseyesaverseprintedinredink——
　　ThenextgoodjoythatMaryhad，Itwasthejoyofthree，ToseehergoodSonJesusChristMakingtheblindtosee；
　　Makingtheblindtosee，goodLord，Andhappywemaybe。
　　PraiseFather，Son，andHolyGhostToalleternity！
　　Dickreadandre-readtheversetillhisturncame，andthedoctorwasbendingabovehimseatedinanarm-chairTheblazeofthegas-microscopeinhiseyesmadehimwinceThedoctor’shandtouchedthescarofthesword-cutonDick’shead，andDickexplainedbrieflyhowhehadcomebyitWhentheflamewasremoved，Dicksawthedoctor’sface，andthefearcameuponhimagainThedoctorwrappedhimselfinamistofwordsDickcaughtallusionsto’scar，’’frontalbone，’’opticnerve，’’extremecaution，’andthe’avoidanceofmentalanxiety。’
　　’Verdict？’hesaidfaintly’Mybusinessispainting，andIdaren’twastetimeWhatdoyoumakeofit？’
　　Againthewhirlofwords，butthistimetheyconveyedameaning。
　　’Canyougivemeanythingtodrink？’
　　Manysentenceswerepronouncedinthatdarkenedroom，andtheprisonersoftenneededcheeringDickfoundaglassofliqueurbrandyinhishand。
　　’AsfarasIcangather，’hesaid，coughingabovethespirit，’youcallitdecayoftheopticnerve，orsomething，andthereforehopeless。
　　Whatismytime-limit，avoidingallstrainandworry？’
　　’Perhapsoneyear。’
　　’MyGod！AndifIdon’ttakecareofmyself？’
　　’IreallycouldnotsayOnecannotascertaintheexactamountofinjuryinflictedbythesword-cutThescarisanoldone，and——exposuretothestronglightofthedesert，didyousay？——withexcessiveapplicationtofinework？Ireallycouldnotsay？’
　　’Ibegyourpardon，butithascomewithoutanywarningIfyouwillletme，I’llsithereforaminute，andthenI’llgoYouhavebeenverygoodintellingmethetruthWithoutanywarning；withoutanywarning。
　　Thanks。’
　　Dickwentintothestreet，andwasrapturouslyreceivedbyBinkie。
　　’We’vegotitverybadly，littledog！Justasbadlyaswecangetit。
　　We’llgototheParktothinkitout。’
　　TheyheadedforacertaintreethatDickknewwell，andtheysatdowntothin，becausehislegsweretremblingunderhimandtherewascoldfearatthepitofhisstomach。
　　’Howcouldithavecomewithoutanywarning？It’sassuddenasbeingshotIt’sthelivingdeath，BinkieWe’retobeshutupinthedarkinoneyearifwe’recareful，andweshan’tseeanybody，andweshallneverhaveanythingwewant，notthoughwelivetobeahundred！’Binkiewaggedhistailjoyously’Binkie，wemustthinkLet’sseehowitfeelstobeblind。’Dickshuthiseyes，andflamingcommasandCatherine-wheelsfloatedinsidethelidsYetwhenhelookedacrosstheParkthescopeofhisvisionwasnotcontractedHecouldseeperfectly，untilaprocessionofslow-wheelingfireworksdefiledacrosshiseyeballs。
　　’Littledorglums，wearen’tatallwellLet’sgohomeIfonlyTorpwereback，now！’