ThepackedhousesgavenoanswerDicklookeddownthelonglightlessstreetsandattheappallingrushoftraffic’Oh，yourabbit-hutches！’
　　saidhe，addressingarowofhighlyrespectablesemi-detachedresidences’Doyouknowwhatyou’vegottodolateron？Youhavetosupplymewithmen-servantsandmaid-servants，’——herehesmackedhislips，——’andthepeculiartreasureofkingsMeantimeI’llclothesandboots，andpresentlyIwillreturnandtrampleonyou。’Hesteppedforwardenergetically；hesawthatoneofhisshoeswasburstatthesideAshestoopedtomakeinvestigations，amanjostledhimintothegutter’Allright，’hesaid。
　　’That’sanothernickinthescoreI’lljostleyoulateron。’
　　Goodclothesandbootsarenotcheap，andDicklefthislastshopwiththecertaintythathewouldberespectablyarrayedforatime，butwithonlyfiftyshillingsinhispocketHereturnedtostreetsbytheDocks，andlodgedhimselfinoneroom，wherethesheetsonthebedwerealmostaudiblymarkedincaseoftheft，andwherenobodyseemedtogotobedatallWhenhisclothesarrivedhesoughttheCentralSouthernSyndicateforTorpenhow’saddress，andgotit，withtheintimationthattherewasstillsomemoneywaitingforhim。
　　’Howmuch？’saidDick，asonewhohabituallydealtinmillions。
　　’BetweenthirtyandfortypoundsIfitwouldbeanyconveniencetoyou，ofcoursewecouldletyouhaveitatonce；butweusuallysettleaccountsmonthly。’
　　’IfIshowthatIwantanythingnow，I’mlost，’hesaidtohimself。
　　’AllI
　　needI’lltakelateron。’Then，aloud，’It’shardlyworthwhile；andI’mgoingtothecountryforamonth，tooWaittillIcomeback，andI’llseeaboutit。’
　　’Butwetrust，MrHeldar，thatyoudonotintendtoseveryourconnectionwithus？’
　　Dick’sbusinessinlifewasthestudyoffaces，andhewatchedthespeakerkeenly’Thatmanmeanssomething，’hesaid’I’lldonobusinesstillI’veseenTorpenhowThere’sabigdealcoming。’Sohedeparted，makingnopromises，tohisonelittleroombytheDocksAndthatdaywastheseventhofthemonth，andthatmonth，hereckonedwithawfuldistinctness，hadthirty-onedaysinit！
　　Itisnoteasyforamanofcatholictastesandhealthyappetitestoexistfortwenty-fourdaysonfiftyshillingsNorisitcheeringtobegintheexperimentaloneinallthelonelinessofLondonDickpaidsevenshillingsaweekforhislodging，whichlefthimratherlessthanashillingadayforfoodanddrinkNaturally，hisfirstpurchasewasofthematerialsofhiscraft；hehadbeenwithoutthemtoolongHalfaday’sinvestigationsandcomparisonbroughthimtotheconclusionthatsausagesandmashedpotatoes，twopenceaplate，werethebestfoodNow，sausagesonceortwiceaweekforbreakfastarenotunpleasantAslunch，even，withmashedpotatoes，theybecomemonotonousAtdinnertheyareimpertinentAttheendofthreedaysDickloathedsausages，and，going，forth，pawnedhiswatchtorevelonsheep’shead，whichisnotascheapasitlooks，owingtothebonesandthegravyThenhereturnedtosausagesandmashedpotatoesThenheconfinedhimselfentirelytomashedpotatoesforaday，andwasunhappybecauseofpaininhisinsideThenhepawnedhiswaistcoatandhistie，andthoughtregretfullyofmoneythrownawayintimespastTherearefewthingsmoreedifyinguntoArtthantheactualbelly-pinchofhunger，andDickinhisfewwalksabroad，——hedidnotcareforexercise；itraiseddesiresthatcouldnotbesatisfied——foundhimselfdividingmankindintotwoclasses，——thosewholookedasiftheymightgivehimsomethingtoeat，andthosewholookedotherwise’IneverknewwhatIhadtolearnaboutthehumanfacebefore，’hethought；and，asarewardforhishumility，Providencecausedacab-driveratasausage-shopwhereDickfedthatnighttoleavehalfeatenagreatchunkofbreadDicktookit，——wouldhavefoughtalltheworldforitspossession，——anditcheeredhim。
　　Themonthdraggedthroughatlast，and，nearlyprancingwithimpatience，hewenttodrawhismoneyThenhehastenedtoTorpenhow’saddressandsmeltthesmellofcookingmeatsallalongthecorridorsofthechambersTorpenhowwasonthetopfloor，andDickburstintohisroom，tobereceivedwithahugwhichnearlycrackedhisribs，asTorpenhowdraggedhimtothelightandspokeoftwentydifferentthingsinthesamebreath。
　　’Butyou’relookingtuckedup，’heconcluded。
　　’Gotanythingtoeat？’saidDick，hiseyeroamingroundtheroom。
　　’IshallbehavingbreakfastinaminuteWhatdoyousaytosausages？’
　　’No，anythingbutsausages！Torp，I’vebeenstarvingonthataccursedhorse-fleshforthirtydaysandthirtynights。’
　　’Now，whatlunacyhasbeenyourlatest？’
　　DickspokeofthelastfewweekswithunbridledspeechThenheopenedhiscoat；therewasnowaistcoatbelow’Iranitfine，awfullyfine，butI’vejustscrapedthrough。’
　　’Youhaven’tmuchsense，butyou’vegotabackbone，anyhowEat，andtalkafterwards。’DickfelluponeggsandbaconandgorgedtillhecouldgorgenomoreTorpenhowhandedhimafilledpipe，andhesmokedasmensmokewhoforthreeweekshavebeendeprivedofgoodtobacco。
　　’Ouf！’saidhe’That’sheavenly！Well？’
　　’Whyintheworlddidn’tyoucometome？’
　　’Couldn’t；Ioweyoutoomuchalready，oldmanBesidesIhadasortofsuperstitionthatthistemporarystarvation——that’swhatitwas，andithurt——wouldbringmelucklaterIt’soveranddonewithnow，andnoneofthesyndicateknowhowhardupIwasFireawayWhat’stheexactstateofaffairsasregardsmyself？’
　　’Youhadmywire？You’vecaughtonherePeoplelikeyourworkimmenselyIdon’tknowwhy，buttheydoTheysayyouhaveafreshtouchandanewwayofdrawingthingsAnd，becausethey’rechieflyhome-bredEnglish，theysayyouhaveinsightYou’rewantedbyhalfadozenpapers；you’rewantedtoillustratebooks。’
　　Dickgruntedscornfully。
　　’You’rewantedtoworkupyoursmallersketchesandsellthemtothedealersTheyseemtothinkthemoneysunkinyouisagoodinvestment。
　　GoodLord！whocanaccountforthefathomlessfollyofthepublic？’
　　’They’rearemarkablysensiblepeople。’
　　’Theyaresubjecttofits，ifthat’swhatyoumean；andyouhappentobetheobjectofthelatestfitamongthosewhoareinterestedinwhattheycallArtJustnowyou’reafashion，aphenomenon，orwhateveryoupleaseIappearedtobetheonlypersonwhoknewanythingaboutyouhere，andIhavebeenshowingthemostusefulmenafewofthesketchesyougavemefromtimetotimeThosecomingafteryourworkontheCentralSouthernSyndicateappeartohavedoneyourbusiness。
　　You’reinluck。’
　　’Huh！callitluck！Docallitluck，whenamanhasbeenkickingabouttheworldlikeadog，waitingforittocome！I’llluck’emlateronI
　　wantaplacetoworkfirst。’
　　’Comehere，’saidTorpenhow，crossingthelanding’Thisplaceisabigboxroomreally，butitwilldoforyouThere’syourskylight，oryournorthlight，orwhateverwindowyoucallit，andplentyofroomtothrashaboutin，andabedroombeyondWhatmoredoyouneed？’
　　’Goodenough，’saidDick，lookingroundthelargeroomthattookupathirdofatopstoryinthericketychambersoverlookingtheThamesA
　　paleyellowsunshonethroughtheskylightandshowedthemuchdirtoftheplaceThreestepsledfromthedoortothelanding，andthreemoretoTorpenhow’sroomThewellofthestaircasedisappearedintodarkness，prickedbytinygas-jets，andthereweresoundsofmentalkinganddoorsslammingsevenflightsbelow，inthewarmgloom。
　　’Dotheygiveyouafreehandhere？’saidDick，cautiouslyHewasIshmaelenoughtoknowthevalueofliberty。
　　’Anythingyoulike；latch-keysandlicenseunlimitedWearepermanenttenantsforthemostparthere’Tisn’taplaceIwouldrecommendforaYoungMen’sChristianAssociation，butitwillserveItooktheseroomsforyouwhenIwired。’
　　’You’reagreatdealtookind，oldman。’
　　’Youdidn’tsupposeyouweregoingawayfromme，didyou？’
　　TorpenhowputhishandonDick’sshoulder，andthetwowalkedupanddowntheroom，henceforwardtobecalledthestudio，insweetandsilentcommunionTheyheardrappingatTorpenhow’sdoor’That’ssomeruffiancomeupforadrink，’saidTorpenhow；andheraisedhisvoicecheerilyThereenterednoonemoreruffianlythanaportlymiddle-agedgentlemaninasatin-facedfrockcoatHislipswerepartedandpale，andthereweredeeppouchesundertheeyes。
　　’Weakheart，’saidDicktohimself，and，asheshookhands，’veryweakheartHispulseisshakinghisfingers。’
　　ThemanintroducedhimselfastheheadoftheCentralSouthernSyndicateand’oneofthemostardentadmirersofyourwork，Mr。
　　HeldarIassureyou，inthenameofthesyndicate，thatweareimmenselyindebtedtoyou；andItrust，MrHeldar，youwon’tforgetthatwewerelargelyinstrumentalinbringingyoubeforethepublic。’Hepantedbecauseofthesevenflightsofstairs。
　　DickglancedatTorpenhow，whoselefteyelidlayforamomentdeadonhischeek。
　　’Ishan’tforget，’saidDick，everyinstinctofdefencerousedinhim。
　　’You’vepaidmesowellthatIcouldn’t，youknowBytheway，whenI
　　amsettledinthisplaceIshouldliketosendandgetmysketches。
　　Theremustbenearlyahundredandfiftyofthemwithyou。’
　　’Thatiser——iswhatIcametospeakaboutIfearwecan’tallowitexactly，MrHeldarIntheabsenceofanyspecifiedagreement，thesketchesareourproperty，ofcourse。’
　　’Doyoumeantosaythatyouaregoingtokeepthem？’
　　’Yes；andwehopetohaveyourhelp，onyourownterms，Mr。
　　Heldar，toassistusinarrangingalittleexhibition，which，backedbyournameandtheinfluencewenaturallycommandamongthepress，shouldbeofmaterialservicetoyouSketchessuchasyours——’
　　’BelongtomeYouengagedmebywire，youpaidmethelowestratesyoudaredYoucan’tmeantokeepthem！GoodGodalive，man，they’reallI’vegotintheworld！’
　　TorpenhowwatchedDick’sfaceandwhistled。
　　Dickwalkedupanddown，thinkingHesawthewholeofhislittlestockintrade，thefirstweaponofhisequipment，annexedattheoutsetofhiscampaignbyanelderlygentlemanwhosenameDickhadnotcaughtaright，whosaidthatherepresentedasyndicate，whichwasathingforwhichDickhadnottheleastreverenceTheinjusticeoftheproceedingsdidnotmuchmovehim；hehadseenthestronghandprevailtooofteninotherplacestobesqueamishoverthemoralaspectsofrightandwrong。
　　Butheardentlydesiredthebloodofthegentlemaninthefrockcoat，andwhenhespokeagain，andwhenhespokeagainitwaswithastrainedsweetnessthatTorpenhowknewwellforthebeginningofstrife。
　　’Forgiveme，sir，butyouhaveno——noyoungermanwhocanarrangethisbusinesswithme？’
　　’IspeakforthesyndicateIseenoreasonforathirdpartyto——’
　　’YouwillinaminuteBegoodenoughtogivebackmysketches。’
　　ThemanstaredblanklyatDick，andthenatTorpenhow，whowasleaningagainstthewallHewasnotusedtoex-employeeswhoorderedhimtobegoodenoughtodothings。
　　’Yes，itisratheracold-bloodedsteal，’saidTorpenhow，critically；
　　’butI’mafraid，Iamverymuchafraid，you’vestruckthewrongmanBecareful，Dick；remember，thisisn’ttheSoudan。’
　　’Consideringwhatservicesthesyndicatehavedoneyouinputtingyournamebeforetheworld——’
　　Thiswasnotafortunateremark；itremindedDickofcertainvagrantyearslivedoutinlonelinessandstrifeandunsatisfieddesiresThememorydidnotcontrastwellwiththeprosperousgentlemanwhoproposedtoenjoythefruitofthoseyears。
　　’Idon’tknowquitewhattodowithyou，’beganDick，meditatively。
　　’Ofcourseyou’reathief，andyououghttobehalfkilled，butinyourcaseyou’dprobablydieIdon’twantyoudeadonthisfloor，and，besides，it’sunluckyjustasone’smovinginDon’thit，sir；you’llonlyexciteyourself。’
　　Heputonehandontheman’sforearmandrantheotherdowntheplumpbodybeneaththecoat’Mygoodness！’saidhetoTorpenhow，’andthisgrayoafdarestobeathief！IhaveseenanEsnehcamel-driverhavetheblackhidetakenoffhisbodyinstripsforstealinghalfapoundofwetdates，andhewasastoughaswhipcordThisthings’softallover——likeawoman。’
　　TherearefewthingsmorepoignantlyhumiliatingthanbeinghandledbyamanwhodoesnotintendtostrikeTheheadofthesyndicatebegantobreatheheavilyDickwalkedroundhim，pawinghim，asacatpawsasofthearth-rugThenhetracedwithhisforefingertheleadenpouchesunderneaththeeyes，andshookhishead’Youweregoingtostealmythings，——mine，mine，mine！——you，whodon’tknowwhenyoumaydie。