He had
expressed a fine contempt for those men then, but now he had forgotten
all that, and thought only of the relief it would bring, and not how
others might suffer by it. If he did consider this, it was only to
conclude that they would quite understand, and be glad that his pain
and fear were over.
Then he planned a grand _coup_ which was to pay off all his debts and
give him a second chance to present himself a supplicant at his
father's house. If it failed, he would have to stop this queer feeling
in his head at once. The Grand Prix and the English horse was the
final _coup_. On this depended everything--the return of his fortunes,
the reconciliation with his father, and the possibility of meeting her
again. It was a very hot day he remembered, and very bright; but the
tall poplars on the road to the races seemed to stop growing just at a
level with his eyes. Below that it was clear enough, but all above
seemed black--as though a cloud had fallen and was hanging just over
the people's heads. He thought of speaking of this to his man Walters,
who had followed his fortunes from the first, but decided not to do
so, for, as it was, he had noticed that Walters had observed him
closely of late, and had seemed to spy upon him.
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