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finding him there。 It was a very modest position that he occupied； and
there was about him an air of straitened circumstance。 Then he told me
his story。 When he set out on his holiday in the Mediterranean he had
every intention of returning to London and his appointment at St。
Thomas's。 One morning the tramp docked at Alexandria； and from the
deck he looked at the city； white in the sunlight； and the crowd on the
wharf； he saw the natives in their shabby gabardines； the blacks from the
Soudan； the noisy throng of Greeks and Italians； the grave Turks in
tarbooshes； the sunshine and the blue sky； and something happened to him。
He could not describe it。 It was like a thunder…clap； he said； and then；
dissatisfied with this； he said it was like a revelation。 Something seemed
to twist his heart； and suddenly he felt an exultation； a sense of wonderful
freedom。 He felt himself at home； and he made up his mind there and
then； in a minute； that he would live the rest of his life in Alexandria。 He
had no great difficulty in leaving the ship； and in twenty…four hours； with
all his belongings； he was on shore。
〃The Captain must have thought you as mad as a hatter；〃 I smiled。
〃I didn't care what anybody thought。 It wasn't I that acted； but
something stronger within me。 I thought I would go to a little Greek
hotel； while I looked about； and I felt I knew where to find one。 And do
you know； I walked straight there； and when I saw it； I recognised it at
once。〃
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〃Had you been to Alexandria before？〃
〃No； I'd never been out of England in my life。〃
Presently he entered the Government service； and there he had been
ever since。
〃Have you never regretted it？〃
〃Never； not for a minute。 I earn just enough to live upon； and I'm
satisfied。 I ask nothing more than to remain as I am till I die。 I've had a
wonderful life。〃
I left Alexandria next day； and I forgot about Abraham till a little while
ago； when I was dining with another old friend in the profession； Alec
Carmichael； who was in England on short leave。 I ran across him in the
street and congratulated him on the knighthood with which his eminent
services during the war had been rewarded。 We arranged to spend an
evening together for old time's sake； and when I agreed to dine with him；
he proposed that he should ask nobody else； so that we could chat without
interruption。 He had a beautiful old house in Queen Anne Street； and
being a man of taste he had furnished it admirably。 On the walls of the
diningroom I saw a charming Bellotto； and there was a pair of Zoffanys
that I envied。 When his wife； a tall； lovely creature in cloth of gold； had
left us； I remarked laughingly on the change in his present circumstances
from those when we had both been medical students。 We had looked
upon it then as an extravagance to dine in a shabby Italian restaurant in the
Westminster Bridge Road。 Now Alec Carmichael was on the staff of half a
dozen hospitals。 I should think he earned ten thousand a year； and his
knighthood was but the first of the honours which must inevitably fall to
his lot。
〃I've done pretty well；〃 he said； 〃but the strange thing is that I owe it
all to one piece of luck。〃
〃What do you mean by that？〃
〃Well； do you remember Abraham？ He was the man who had the
future。 When we were students he beat me all along the line。 He got the
prizes and the scholarships that I went in for。 I always played second
fiddle to him。 If he'd kept on he'd be in the position I'm in now。 That
man had a genius for surgery。 No one had a look in with him。 When he
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was appointed Registrar at Thomas's I hadn't a chance of getting on the
staff。 I should have had to become a G。P。； and you know what likelihood
there is for a G。P。 ever to get out of the common rut。 But Abraham fell
out； and I got the job。 That gave me my opportunity。〃
〃I dare say that's true。〃
〃It was just luck。 I suppose there was some kink in Abraham。 Poor
devil； he's gone to the dogs altogether。 He's got some twopenny…
halfpenny job in the medical at Alexandria sanitary officer or something
like that。 I'm told he lives with an ugly old Greek woman and has half a
dozen scrofulous kids。 The fact is； I suppose； that it's not enough to have
brains。 The thing that counts is character。 Abraham hadn't got character。〃
Character？ I should have thought it needed a good deal of character
to throw up a career after half an hour's meditation； because you saw in
another way of living a more intense significance。 And it required still
more character never to regret the sudden step。 But I said nothing； and
Alec Carmichael proceeded reflectively：
〃Of course it would be hypocritical for me to pretend that I regret what
Abraham did。 After all； I've scored by it。〃 He puffed luxuriously at the
long Corona he was smoking。 〃But if I weren't personally concerned I
should be sorry at the waste。 It seems a rotten thing that a man should
make such a hash of life。〃
I wondered if Abraham really had made a hash of life。 Is to do what
you most want； to live under the conditions that please you； in peace with
yourself； to make a hash of life； and is it success to be an eminent surgeon
with ten thousand a year and a beautiful wife？ I suppose it depends on
what meaning you attach to life； the claim which you acknowledge to
society； and the claim of the individual。 But again I held my tongue； for
who am I to argue with a knight？
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Chapter LI
Tiare； when I told her this story； praised my prudence； and for a few
minutes we worked in silence； for we were shelling peas。 Then he