With Edged Tools Part 48

The matter of the telegram summoning Oscard had not yet been explained.

She did not want to explain it at that moment; indeed, she hoped that the explanation would never be needed.

"However," she added, "you will see when you get home."

He laughed.

"The least pleasant part of it is," he said, "your evident desire to see the last of me. Could you not disguise that a little--just for the sake of my feelings?"

"Book your pa.s.sage by the next boat and I will promptly descend to the lowest depths of despair," she replied lightly.

He shrugged his shoulders with a short laugh.

"This is hospitality indeed," he said, moving towards the door.

Then suddenly he turned and looked at her gravely.

"I wonder," he said slowly, "if you are doing this for a purpose. You said that you met my father--"

"Your father is not the man to ask any one's a.s.sistance in his own domestic affairs, and anything I attempted to do could only be looked upon as the most unwarrantable interference."

"Yes," said Meredith seriously. "I beg your pardon. You are right."

He went to his own room and summoned Joseph.

"When is the next boat home?" he asked.

"Boat on Thursday, sir."

Meredith nodded. After a little pause he pointed to a chair.

"Just sit down," he said. "I want to talk over this Simiacine business with you."

Joseph squared his shoulders, and sat down with a face indicative of the gravest attention. Sitting thus he was no longer a servant, but a partner in the Simiacine. He even indulged in a sidelong jerk of the head, as if requesting the attention of some absent friend in a humble sphere of life to this glorious state of affairs.

"You know," said Meredith, "Mr. Durnovo is more or less a blackguard."

Joseph drew in his feet, having previously hitched his trousers up at the knees.

"Yes, sir," he said, glancing up. "A blackguard--a d.a.m.ned blackguard,"

he added unofficially under his breath.

"He wants continual watching and a special treatment. He requires someone constantly at his heels."

"Yes, sir," admitted Joseph, with some fervour.

"Now I am ordered home by the doctor," went on Meredith. "I must go by the next boat, but I don't like to go and leave Mr. Oscard in the lurch, with no one to fall back upon but Durnovo--you understand."

Joseph's face had a.s.sumed the habitual look of servitude--he was no longer a partner, but a mere retainer, with a half-comic resignation in his eyes.

"Yes, sir," scratching the back of his neck. "I am afraid I understand.

You want me to go back to that Platter--that G.o.d-forsaken Platter, as I may say."

"Yes," said Meredith. "That is about it. I would go myself--"

"G.o.d bless you! I know you would!" burst in Joseph. "You'd go like winkin'. There's no one knows that better nor me, sir; and what I says is--like master, like man. Game, sir--game it is! I'll go. I'm not the man to turn my back on a pal--a--a partner, sir, so to speak."

"You see," said Meredith, with the deep insight into men that made command so easy to him--"you see there is no one else. There is not another man in Africa who could do it."

"That's true, sir."

"And I think that Mr. Oscard will be looking for you."

"And he won't need to look long, sir. But I should like to see you safe on board the boat. Then I'm ready to go."

"Right. We can both leave by Thursday's boat, and we'll get the captain to drop you and your men at Lopez. We can get things ready by then, I think."

"Easy, sir."

The question thus settled, there seemed to be no necessity to prolong the interview. But Joseph did not move. Meredith waited patiently.

"I'll go up, sir, to the Platter," said the servant at length, "and I'll place myself under Mr. Oscard's orders; but before I go I want to give you notice of resignation. I resigns my partners.h.i.+p in this 'ere Simiacine at six months from to-day. It's a bit too hot, sir, that's the truth. It's all very well for gentlemen like yourself and Mr. Oscard, with fortunes and fine houses, and, as sayin' goes, a wife apiece waiting for you at home--it's all very well for you to go about in this blamed country, with yer life in yer hand, and not a tight grip at that.

But for a poor soldier-man like myself, what has smelt the regulation powder all 'is life and hasn't got nothing to love and no gal waiting for him at home--well, it isn't good enough. That's what I say, sir, with respects."

He added the last two words by way of apology for having banged a very solid fist on the table. Meredith smiled.

"So you've had enough of it?" he said.

"Enough ain't quite the word, sir. Why, I'm wore to a shadow with the trouble and anxiety of getting you down here."

"Fairly substantial shadow," commented Meredith.

"May be, sir. But I've had enough of moneymakin'. It's too dear at the price. And if you'll let an old servant speak his mind it ain't fit for you, this 'ere kind of work. It's good enough for black-sc.u.m and for chocolate-birds like Durnovo; but this country's not built for honest white men--least of all for born and bred gentlemen."

"Yes--that's all very well in theory, Joseph, and I'm much obliged to you for thinking of me. But you must remember that we live in an age where money sanctifies everything. Your hands can't get dirty if there is money inside them."

Joseph laughed aloud.

"Ah, that's your way of speaking, sir, that's all. And I'm glad to hear it. You have not spoken like that for two months and more."

"No--it is only my experience of the world."

"Well, sir, talkin' of experience, I've had about enough, as I tell you, and I beg to place my resignation in your hands. I shall do the same by Mr. Oscard if I reach that Platter, G.o.d willin', as the sayin' is."

"All right, Joseph."

Still there was something left to say. Joseph paused and scratched the back of his neck pensively with one finger.

"Will you be writin' to Mr. Oscard, sir, for me to take?"