"
"You had much better do some work."
"Maybe; but I'm in no hurry. I've made a discovery. Torp, there's too much Ego
in my Cosmos."
"Not really! Is this revelation due to my lectures, or the Nilghai's?"
"It came to me suddenly, all on my own account. Much too much Ego; and now I'm
going to work."
He turned over a few half-finished sketches, drummed on a new canvas, cleaned
three brushes, set Binkie to bite the toes of the lay figure, rattled through
his collection of arms and accoutrements, and then went out abruptly, declaring
that he had done enough for the day.
"This is positively indecent," said Torpenhow, "and the first time that Dick
has ever broken up a light morning. Perhaps he has found out that he has a
soul, or an artistic temperament, or something equally valuable. That comes of
leaving him alone for a month. Perhaps he has been going out of evenings. I
must look to this." He rang for the bald-headed old housekeeper, whom nothing
could astonish or annoy.
"Beeton, did Mr. Heldar dine out at all while I was out of town?"
"Never laid 'is dress-clothes out once, sir, all the time. Mostly 'e dined in;
but 'e brought some most remarkable young gentlemen up 'ere after theatres once
or twice.
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