THE ORDEAL OF IDA PENDRAGON
“And if you should succeed, and equalise the count?”
“ Ι have no idea.”
“ But—"
“ Ungenerous, unsympathetic youth!
I wager you have
not divined my difficulty?"
" It al! seems very difficult."
" But my supreme, my crushing doubt?”
“ Ι cannot guess, sir."
" This!
In your ear, my young friend.
This!
I cannot
remember which way always to twiddle.”
Rolles drew back dazed.
" Read Nietzsche
! ” snapped the Brother.
" But—but—”
he stammered.
" Oh
I this is it.
Miss
Pendragon comes out in four days‘ time
.
. ."
“I wish you’d learnt twiddling,” said the Brother sadly.
" But what am I to do, sir?”
“Twiddle, you damned fool
! "
“I know you always mean something
.
.
.
" Never.
There is Nothing to mean
l "
" Oh I "
" Be off, I can’t be bothered with you—be off!
I send
you packing.
Is l'ha! clear ? "
" You have nothing to say to me?”
“What have I been saying this priceless past fourteen
minutes twenty-seven seconds?
Ape!
Goat!
Imbecile!
Dullardl
Poopstiekl
Do you think one can recover lost
time?
One must talk English to you—English, you hotel
blotting-paper, you unabsorbent wad of pulp!
English, you
Englishman
l "
Rolles nearly lost his temper at the final insult.
VI
K
145
װ