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〃You have been too rash to…day；〃 she laughed； 〃giving away your pipe
and pouch； your palette and brushes； in this reckless manner！ I must
get you a new pipe to…morrow。 I wonder you did not part with your
venerable Lucretius。〃
〃That reminds me；〃 he said； fumbling in his pocket； 〃I think I have
dropped my Lucretius。 I fancy I left it somewhere in the Poets'
Corner。 It would grieve me to lose that book。〃
〃Let me go and look for it；〃 she said； and she advanced a few steps；
and then came back to him。
〃You have been saying many kind words to me；〃 she said； as she put her
hand on his arm； 〃and I have not told you that I value your
friendship； and am grateful to you for letting me be more than a mere
stranger to you。 I have been very lonely in my life； for I am not one
to make friends easily； and it has been a great privilege to me to
talk with you。 I want you to know this： for if I have been anything to
you； you have been a great deal to me。 I have never met with much
sympathy from those of my own age： I have found them narrow and
unyielding； and they found me dull and uninteresting。 They had passed
through few experiences and knew nothing about failure or success； and
some of them did not even understand the earnestness of endeavour； and
laughed at me when I spoke of a high ideal。 So I withdrew into myself；
and should probably have grown still more isolated than I was before；
but that I met you； and； as time went on； we became friends。 I shall
always remember your teaching； and I will try to keep to a high ideal
of life and art and endeavour； and I will not let despair creep into
my heart； and I will not lose my faith in humanity。〃
As she spoke a lingering ray of sunshine lit up her face and gently
caressed her soft brown hair； slight though her form； sombre her
clothes； and unlovely her features； she seemed a gracious presence
because of her earnestness。
〃Now；〃 she said； cheerily； 〃you rest here until I come back with your
Lucretius； and then I think I must be getting on my way home。 But you
must fix a time for our first Greek lesson； for we must begin
to…morrow。〃
When she had gone he walked in the cloisters； holding his hat in his
hand and his stick under his arm。 There was a quiet smile on his face；
which was called forth by pleasant thoughts in his mind； and he did
not look quite so shrunken and shrivelled as usual。 His eyes were
fixed on the ground； but he raised them； and observed a white cat
creeping toward him。 It came and rubbed itself against his foot； and；
purring with all its might； seemed determined to win some kind of
notice from him。 The old man stooped down to stroke it； and was just
touching its sleek coat when he suddenly withdrew his hand and groaned
deeply。 He struggled to the recess； and sank back。 The stick fell on
the stone with a clatter； and the battered hat rolled down beside it；
and the white cat fled away in terror； but realising that there was no
cause for alarm； it came back and crouched near the silent figure of
the old man； watching him intently。 Then it stretched out its paw and
played with his hand； doing its utmost to coax him into a little fun；
but he would not be coaxed； and the cat lost all patience with him；
and left him to himself。
Meanwhile Helen Stanley was looking for the lost Lucretius in the
Poets' Corner。 She found it laying near Chaucer's tomb； and was just
going to take it to her friend when she saw the workman to whom they
had spoken in Trafalgar Square。 He recognised her at once； and came
toward her。
〃I've been having a quiet half…hour here；〃 he said。 〃It does me a
sight of good to sit in the abbey。〃
〃You should go into the cloisters；〃 she said； kindly。 〃I have been
sitting there with my friend。 He will be interested to hear that you
love this beautiful abbey。〃
〃I should like to see him again；〃 said the workman。 〃He had a kind way
about him； and that pipe he gave me is an uncommon good one。 Still； I
am sorry I smashed the little clay pipe。 I'd grown used to it。 I'd
smoked it ever since my little girl died and left me alone in the
world。 I used to bring my little girl here； and now I come alone。 But
it isn't the same thing。〃
〃No； it could not be the same thing；〃 said Helen； gently。 〃But you
find some comfort here？〃
〃Some little comfort；〃 he answered。 〃One can't expect much。〃
They went together into the cloisters； and as they came near the
recess where the old man rested Helen said：
〃Why； he has fallen asleep！ He must have been very tired。 And he has
dropped his hat and stick。 Thank you。 If you will put them down there；
I will watch by his side until he wakes up。 I don't suppose he will
sleep for long。〃
The workman stooped down to pick up the hat and stick； and glanced at
the sleeper。 Something in the sleeper's countenance arrested his
attention。 He turned to the girl； and saw that she was watching him。
〃What is it？〃 she asked anxiously。 〃What is the matter with you？〃
He tried to speak； but his voice failed him； and all he could do was
to point with trembling hand to the old man。
Helen looked； and a loud cry broke from her lips。 The old man was
dead。
THE OMNIBUS
BY
QUILLER…COUCH
All that follows was spoken in a small tavern； a stone's throw from
Cheapside； the day before I left London。 It was spoken in a dull
voice； across a greasy table…cloth； and amid an atmosphere so thick
with the reek of cooking that one longed to change it for the torrid
street again； to broil in an ampler furnace。 Old Tom Pickford spoke
it； who has been a clerk for fifty…two years in Tweedy's East India
warehouse； and in all that time has never been out of London； but when
he takes a holiday spends it in hanging about Tweedy's； and observing
that unlovely place of business from the outside。 The dust； if not the
iron； of Tweedy's has entered into his soul； and Tweedy's young men
know him as 〃the Mastodon。〃 He is a thin； bald septuagenarian； with
sloping shoulders； and a habit of regarding the pavement when he
walks； so that he seems to steer his way by instinct rather than
sight。 In general he keeps silence while eating his chop； and on this
occasion there was something unnatural in his utterance； a divorce of
manner between the speaker and his words； such as one would expect in
a sibyl disclaiming under stress of the god。 I fancied it had
something to do with a black necktie that he wore instead of the blue
bird's…eye cravat familiar to Tweedy's； and with his extraordinary
conduct in refusing to…day the chop that the waiter brought； and
limiting his lunch to cheese and lettuce。
Having pulled the lettuce to pieces； he pushed himself back a little
from the table； looked over his spectacles at me； then at the table…
cloth； and began in a dreamy voice：
〃Old Gabriel is dead。 I heard the news at the office this morning； and
went out and bought a black tie。 I am the old