CHAPTER II
FIRST AID
WHEN I woke, the winter sun was already high. It
streamed upon my face through the glass skylight of
the studio. The sensation of waking was itself a
revelation. For months past I had been neither awake
nor asleep ; simply passing from the state of greater to
one of less unconsciousness. But this was a definite
act.
King Lamus had gone out, and Lala had only just
returned, for she was taking off her furs as I woke.
I had been covered with blankets. She came and
took them off, and told me it was time to go and get
my things from Greek Street and take them to the
new rooms which she had engaged for us that morning.
Lou, it seemed, was already there; and had fallen
asleep again, said Lala, only a few minutes before she
left.
I could not help feeling a dislike for the way in
which everything was being managed for me. I must
have shown something of this in my manner. Lala,
after bundling me into the automobile which I had
driven to Barley Grange on that first tremendous night,
began to turn the conversation so as to answer my
unspoken resentment.
She made a pleasant little excuse for not offering me
the steering-wheel. I knew too well that I couldn't
have driven that car a hundred yards through traffic.
I had abdicated my manhood. I must resign myself
to be driven where any one was willing to take me. I
might count myself lucky if I had fallen into reasonably
good hands.
At Greek Street we met with a surprise. It appeared
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