Part 26 (2/2)

”Yes, I'm of one mind with you there. That's the thing for me. I want no other doctor. If I don't get to sea to-morrow I'll have an illness.

There are no two ways about it.” He drank off the tumbler of lime-juice, and clapped his two hands with his knuckles doubled up into the small of his back.

”That seems to ease me,” said he, looking at me with a filmy eye. ”Now I want your help, Atkinson, for I am rather awkwardly placed.”

”As how?”

”This way. My wife's mother got ill and wired for her. I couldn't go--you know best yourself how tied I have been--so she had to go alone.

Now I've had another wire to say that she can't come to-morrow, but that she will pick up the s.h.i.+p at Falmouth on Wednesday. We put in there, you know, though I count it hard, Atkinson, that a man should be asked to believe in a mystery, and cursed if he can't do it. Cursed, mind you, no less.” He leaned forward and began to draw a catchy breath like a man who is poised on the very edge of a sob.

Then first it came into my mind that I had heard much of the hard-drinking life of the island, and that from brandy came these wild words and fevered hands. The flushed cheek and the glazing eye were those of one whose drink is strong upon him. Sad it was to see so n.o.ble a young man in the grip of that most b.e.s.t.i.a.l of all the devils.

”You should lie down,” I said, with some severity.

He screwed up his eyes like a man who is striving to wake himself, and looked up with an air of surprise.

”So I shall presently,” said he, quite rationally. ”I felt quite swimmy just now, but I am my own man again now. Let me see, what was I talking about? Oh, ah, of course, about the wife. She joins the s.h.i.+p at Falmouth. Now I want to go round by water. I believe my health depends upon it. I just want a little clean first-lung air to set me on my feet again. I ask you, like a good fellow, to go to Falmouth by rail, so that in case we should be late you may be there to look after the wife. Put up at the Royal Hotel, and I will wire her that you are there. Her sister will bring her down, so that it will be all plain sailing.”

”I'll do it with pleasure,” said I. ”In fact, I would rather go by rail, for we shall have enough and to spare of the sea before we reach Colombo. I believe too that you badly need a change. Now, I should go and turn in, if I were you.”

”Yes, I will. I sleep aboard to-night. You know,” he continued, as the film settled down again over his eyes, ”I've not slept well the last few nights. I've been troubled with theolololog--that is to say, theolological--hang it,” with a desperate effort, ”with the doubts of theolologicians. Wondering why the Almighty made us, you know, and why He made our heads swimmy, and fixed little pains into the small of our backs. Maybe I'll do better to-night.” He rose and steadied himself with an effort against the corner of the chair back.

”Look here, Vansittart,” said I gravely, stepping up to him, and laying my hand upon his sleeve, ”I can give you a shakedown here. You are not fit to go out. You are all over the place. You've been mixing your drinks.”

”Drinks!” He stared at me stupidly.

”You used to carry your liquor better than this.”

”I give you my word, Atkinson, that I have not had a drain for two days.

It's not drink. I don't know what it is. I suppose you think this is drink.” He took up my hand in his burning grasp, and pa.s.sed it over his own forehead.

”Great Lord!” said I.

His skin felt like a thin sheet of velvet beneath which lies a close-packed layer of small shot. It was smooth to the touch at any one place, but to a finger pa.s.sed along it, rough as a nutmeg-grater.

”It's all right,” said he, smiling at my startled face. ”I've had the p.r.i.c.kly heat nearly as bad.”

”But this is never p.r.i.c.kly heat.”

”No, it's London. It's breathing bad air. But to-morrow it'll be all right. There's a surgeon aboard, so I shall be in safe hands. I must be off now.”

”Not you,” said I, pus.h.i.+ng him back into a chair. ”This is past a joke.

You don't move from here until a doctor sees you. Just stay where you are.”

I caught up my hat and rus.h.i.+ng round to the house of a neighbouring physician, I brought him back with me. The room was empty and Vansittart gone. I rang the bell. The servant said that the gentleman had ordered a cab the instant that I had left, and had gone off in it. He had told the cabman to drive to the docks.

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