The Travelling Companions Part 30

PODB. So shall I. No end of a s.h.i.+rty letter from the Governor. Wants to know how much longer I expect him to be tied to the office. Old humbug, when he only turns up twice a week for a couple of hours!

THE PORTER. Beg your bardons, Schendlemen, but if you haf qvide done vid ze schtamps on your ledders, I gollect bostage-schtamps, yes.

CULCH. (_irritably flings him the envelope_). Oh, confound it all, take them. _I_ don't want them! (_He looks at his letter once more._) I say, Podbury, it--it's worse than I thought. This thing's a week old! Must have been lying in my rooms all this time--or else in that infernal Italian post!

PODB. Whew, old chap! I say, I wouldn't be _you_ for something! Won't you catch it when you _do_ turn up? But look here--as things are, we may as well travel _home_ together, eh?

CULCH. (_with a flicker of resentment_). In spite of my tendency to "jaw" and "jabber"?

PODB. Oh, never mind all that now. We're companions in misfortune, you know, and we'd better stick together, and keep each other's spirits up.

After all, you're in a much worse hat than _I_ am!

CULCH. If _that's_ the way you propose to keep my spirits up!----But let us keep together, by all means, if you wish it, and just go and find out when the next train starts, will you? (_To himself, as_ PODBURY _departs_.) I must put up with him a little longer, I suppose. Ah me!

_How_ differently I should be feeling now, if Hypatia had only been true to herself. But that's all over, and I dare say it's better so.... I dare say!

[_He strolls into the hotel garden, and begins to read his Chief's missives once more, in the hope of deciphering some faint encouragement between the lines._

FINISH.