Talking of war, there'll be trouble in
the Balkans in the spring."
"That trouble is long coming. I wonder if we could drag Dick out there when it
comes off?"
Dick entered the room soon afterwards, and the question was put to him.
"Not good enough," he said shortly. "I'm too comf'y where I am."
"Surely you aren't taking all the stuff in the papers seriously?" said the
Nilghai. "Your vogue will be ended in less than six months,--the public will
know your touch and go on to something new,--and where will you be then?"
"Here, in England."
"When you might be doing decent work among us out there? Nonsense! I shall go,
the Keneu will be there, Torp will be there, Cassavetti will be there, and the
whole lot of us will be there, and we shall have as much as ever we can do,
with unlimited fighting and the chance for you of seeing things that would make
the reputation of three Verestchagins."
"Um!" said Dick, pulling at his pipe.
"You prefer to stay here and imagine that all the world is gaping at your
pictures? Just think how full an average man's life is of his own pursuits and
pleasures. When twenty thousand of him find time to look up between mouthfuls
and grunt something about something they aren't the least interested in, the
net result is called fame, reputation, or notoriety, according to the taste and
fancy of the speller my lord.
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