’I——Iain’talittlepieceofdirt，andifyousaythatI’llnevercometoyouagain。’
　　’Youdon’tknowwhatyou’vedonetomeI’mnotangry——indeed，I’mnot。
　　Bequietforaminute。’
　　BessieremainedinhisarmsshrinkingDick’sfirstthoughtwasconnectedwithMaisie，andithurthimaswhite-hotironhurtsanopensore。
　　Notfornothingisamanpermittedtoallyhimselftothewrongwoman。
　　Thefirstpang——thefirstsenseofthingslostisbutthepreludetotheplay，fortheveryjustProvidencewhodelightsincausingpainhasdecreedthattheagonyshallreturn，andthatinthemidstofkeenestpleasure。
　　Theyknowthispainequallywhohaveforsakenorbeenforsakenbytheloveoftheirlife，andintheirnewwives’armsarecompelledtorealiseit。
　　Itisbettertoremainaloneandsufferonlythemiseryofbeingalone，solongasitispossibletofinddistractionindailyworkWhenthatresourcegoesthemanistobepitiedandleftalone。
　　ThesethingsandsomeothersDickconsideredwhilehewasholdingBessietohisheart。
　　’Thoughyoumayn’tknowit，’hesaid，raisinghishead，’theLordisajustandaterribleGod，Bess；withaverystrongsenseofhumourItservesmeright——howitservesmeright！Torpcouldunderstanditifhewerehere；hemusthavesufferedsomethingatyourhands，child，butonlyforaminuteorsoIsavedhimSetthattomycredit，someone。’
　　’Letmego，’saidBess，herfacedarkening’Letmego。’
　　’AllingoodtimeDidyoueverattendSundayschool？’
　　’NeverLetmego，Itellyou；you’remakingfunofme。’
　　’Indeed，I’mnotI’mmakingfunofmyselfThus“Hesavedothers，himselfhecannotsave。”Itisn’texactlyaschool-boardtext。’Hereleasedherwrist，butsincehewasbetweenherandthedoor，shecouldnotescape’Whatanenormousamountofmischiefonelittlewomancando！’
　　’I’msorry；I’mawfulsorryaboutthepicture。’
　　’I’mnotI’mgratefultoyouforspoilingitWhatwerewetalkingaboutbeforeyoumentionedthething？’
　　’Aboutgettingaway——andmoneyMeandyougoingaway。’
　　’OfcourseWewillgetaway——thatistosay，Iwill。’
　　’Andme？’
　　’Youshallhavefiftywholepoundsforspoilingapicture。’
　　’Thenyouwon’t——？’
　　’I’mafraidnot，dearThinkoffiftypoundsforprettythingsalltoyourself。’
　　’Yousaidyoucouldn’tdoanythingwithoutme。’
　　’ThatwastruealittlewhileagoI’mbetternow，thankyouGetmemyhat。’
　　’S’poseIdon’t？’
　　’Beetonwill，andyou’lllosefiftypoundsThat’sallGetit。’
　　BessiecursedunderherbreathShehadpitiedthemansincerely，hadkissedhimwithalmostequalsincerity，forhewasnotunhandsome；itpleasedhertobeinawayandforatimehisprotector，andabovealltherewerefourthousandpoundstobehandledbysomeoneNowthroughaslipofthetongueandalittlefemininedesiretogivealittle，nottoomuch，painshehadlostthemoney，theblessedidlenessandtheprettythings，thecompanionship，andthechanceoflookingoutwardlyasrespectableasareallady。
　　’NowfillmeapipeTobaccodoesn’ttaste，butitdoesn’tmatter，andI’llthinkthingsoutWhat’sthedayoftheweek，Bess？’
　　’Tuesday。’
　　’ThenThursday’smail-dayWhatafool——whatablindfoolIhavebeen！
　　Twenty-twopoundscoversmypassagehomeagainAllowtenforadditionalexpensesWemustputupatMadamBinat’sforoldtime’ssakeThirty-twopoundsaltogetherAddahundredforthecostofthelasttrip——Gad，won’tTorpstaretoseeme！——ahundredandthirty-twoleavesseventy-eightforbaksheesh——Ishallneedit——andtoplaywith。
　　Whatareyoucryingfor，Bess？Itwasn’tyourfault，child；itwasminealtogetherOh，youfunnylittleopossum，mopyoureyesandtakemeout！
　　Iwantthepass-bookandthecheck-bookStopaminuteFourthousandpoundsatfourpercent——that’ssafeinterest——meansahundredandsixtypoundsayear；onehundredandtwentypoundsahear——alsosafe——istwoeighty，andtwohundredandeightypoundsaddedtothreehundredayearmeansgildedluxuryforasinglewomanBess，we’llgotothebank。’
　　Richerbytwohundredandtenpoundsstoredinhismoney-belt，DickcausedBessie，nowthoroughlybewildered，tohurryfromthebanktothePandOoffices，whereheexplainedthingstersely。
　　’PortSaid，singlefirst；cabinasclosetothebaggage-hatchaspossible。
　　Whatship’sgoing？’
　　’TheColgong，’saidtheclerk。
　　’She’sawetlittlehookerIsitTilburyandatender，orGalleonsandthedocks？’
　　’GalleonsTwelve-forty，Thursday。’
　　’ThanksChange，pleaseIcan’tseeverywell——willyoucountitintomyhand？’
　　’Iftheyalltooktheirpassageslikethatinsteadoftalkingabouttheirtrunks，lifewouldbeworthsomething，’saidtheclerktohisneighbour，whowastryingtoexplaintoaharassedmotherofmanythatcondensedmilkisjustasgoodforbabesatseaasdailydairyBeingnineteenandunmarried，hespokewithconviction。
　　’Wearenow，’quothDick，astheyreturnedtothestudio，pattingtheplacewherehismoney-beltcoveredticketandmoney，’beyondthereachofman，ordevil，orwoman——whichismuchmoreimportantI’vehadthreelittleaffairstocarrythroughbeforeThursday，butIneedn’taskyoutohelp，BessComehereonThursdaymorningatnineWe’llbreakfast，andyoushalltakemedowntoGalleonsStation。’
　　’Whatareyougoingtodo？’
　　’Goingaway，ofcourseWhatshouldIstayfor？’
　　’Butyoucan’tlookafteryourself？’
　　’IcandoanythingIdidn’trealiseitbefore，butIcanI’vedoneagreatdealalreadyResolutionshallbetreatedtoonekissifBessiedoesn’tobject。’Strangelyenough，BessieobjectedandDicklaughed’I
　　supposeyou’rerightWell，comeatninethedayafterto-morrowandyou’llgetyourmoney。’
　　’ShallIsure？’
　　’Idon’tbilk，andyouwon’tknowwhetherIdoornotunlessyoucome。
　　Oh，butit’slongandlongtowait！Good-bye，Bessie，——sendBeetonhereasyougoout。’
　　Thehousekeepercame。
　　’Whatareallthefittingsofmyroomsworth？’saidDick，imperiously。
　　’’Tisn’tformetosay，sirSomethingsisveryprettyandsomeisworeoutdreadful。’
　　’I’minsuredfortwohundredandseventy。’
　　’Insurancepoliciesisnocriterion，thoughIdon’tsay——’
　　’Oh，damnyourlongwindedness！You’vemadeyourpickingsoutofmeandtheothertenantsWhy，youtalkedofretiringandbuyingapublic-housetheotherdayGiveastraightanswertoastraightquestion。’
　　’Fifty，’saidMrBeeton，withoutamoment’shesitation。
　　’Doubleit；orI’llbreakuphalfmysticksandburntherest。’
　　Hefelthiswaytoabookstandthatsupportedapileofsketch-books，andwrenchedoutoneofthemahoganypillars。
　　’That’ssinful，sir，’saidthehousekeeper，alarmed。
　　’It’smyownOnehundredor——’
　　’OnehundreditisIt’llcostmethreeandsixtogetthattherepilastermended。’
　　’IthoughtsoWhatanoutandoutswindleryoumusthavebeentospringthatpriceatonce！’
　　’IhopeI’vedonenothingtodissatisfyanyofthetenants，leastofallyou，sir。’
　　’NevermindthatGetmethemoneyto-morrow，andseethatallmyclothesarepackedinthelittlebrownbullock-trunkI’mgoing。’
　　’Butthequarter’snotice？’
　　’I’llpayforfeitLookafterthepackingandleavemealone。’
　　MrBeetondiscussedthisnewdeparturewithhiswife，whodecidedthatBessiewasatthebottomofitallHerhusbandtookamorecharitableview。
　　’It’sverysudden——butthenhewasalwayssuddeninhisways。
　　Listentohimnow！’
　　TherewasasoundofchantingfromDick’sroom。
　　’We’llnevercomebackanymore，boys，We’llnevercomebacknomore；
　　We’llgotothedeuceonanyexcuse，Andnevercomebacknomore！
　　Ohsaywe’reafloatorashore，boys，Ohsaywe’reafloatorashore；
　　Butwe’llnevercomebackanymore，boys，We’llnevercomebacknomore！’
　　’MrBeeton！MrBeeton！Wherethedeuceismypistol？’
　　’Quick，he’sgoingtoshoothimself——’avin’gonemad！’saidMrs。
　　Beeton。
　　MrBeetonaddressedDicksoothingly，butitwassometimebeforethelatter，threshingupanddownhisbedroom，couldrealisetheintentionofthepromisesto’findeverythingto-morrow，sir。’
　　’Oh，youcopper-nosedoldfool——youimpotentAcademician！’heshoutedatlast’DoyousupposeIwanttoshootmyself？TakethepistolinyoursillyshakinghandthenIfyoutouchit，itwillgooff，becauseit’sloaded。
　　It’samongmycampaign-kitsomewhere——intheparcelatthebottomofthetrunk。’
　　LongagoDickhadcarefullypossessedhimselfofaforty-poundweightfield-equipmentconstructedbytheknowledgeofhisownexperienceItwasthisput-awaytreasurethathewastryingtofindandrehandle。
　　Mr。
　　Beetonwhippedtherevolveroutofitsplaceonthetopofthepackage，andDickdrovehishandamongthekhakicoatandbreeches，theblueclothleg-bands，andtheheavyflannelshirtsdoubledoverapairofswan-neckspursUndertheseandthewater-bottlelayasketch-bookandapigskincaseofstationery。
　　’Thesewedon’twant；youcanhavethem，MrBeetonEverythingelseI’llkeepPack’emonthetopright-handsideofmytrunkWhenyou’vedonethatcomeintothestudiowithyourwifeIwantyouboth。
　　Waitaminute；getmeapenandasheetofnotepaper。’
　　Itisnotaneasythingtowritewhenyoucannotsee，andDickhadparticularreasonsforwishingthathisworkshouldbeclearSohebegan，followinghisrighthandwithhisleft：’“ThebadnessofthiswritingisbecauseIamblindandcannotseemypen。”
　　H’mph！——evenalawyercan’tmistakethatItmustbesigned，Isuppose，butitneedn’tbewitnessedNowaninchlower——whydidIneverlearntouseatype-writer？——“Thisisthelastwillandtestamentofme，RichardHeldar。
　　Iaminsoundbodilyandmentalhealth，andthereisnopreviouswilltorevoke。”——That’sallrightDamnthepen！WhereaboutsonthepaperwasI？——“IleaveeverythingthatIpossessintheworld，includingfourthousandpounds，andtwothousandsevenhundredandtwentyeightpoundsheldforme“——oh，Ican’tgetthisstraight。’Hetoreoffhalfthesheetandbeganagainwiththecautionaboutthehandwriting。
　　Then：’I
　　leaveallthemoneyIpossessintheworldto’——herefollowedMaisie’sname，andthenamesofthetwobanksthatheldthemoney。
　　’Itmayn’tbequiteregular，butnoonehasashadowofarighttodisputeit，andI’vegivenMaisie’saddressComein，MrBeetonThisismysignature；IwantyouandyourwifetowitnessitThanks。
　　To-morrowyoumusttakemetothelandlordandI’llpayforfeitforleavingwithoutnotice，andI’lllodgethispaperwithhimincaseanythinghappenswhileI’mawayNowwe’regoingtolightupthestudiostoveStaywithme，andgivememypapersasIwant’em。’
　　Nooneknowsuntilhehastriedhowfineablazeayear’saccumulationofbills，letters，anddocketscanmakeDickstuffedintothestoveeverydocumentinthestudio——savingonlythreeunopenedletters；
　　destroyedsketch-books，roughnote-books，newandhalf-finishedcanvasesalike。
　　’Whatalotofrubbishatenantgetsabouthimifhestayslongenoughinoneplace，tobesure，’saidMrBeeton，atlast。
　　’HedoesIsthereanythingmoreleft？’Dickfeltroundthewalls。
　　’Notathing，andthestove’snighred-hot。’
　　’Excellent，andyou’velostaboutathousandpounds’worthofsketches。
　　Ho！ho！Quiteathousandpounds’worth，ifIcanrememberwhatI
　　usedtobe。’
　　’Yes，sir，’politelyMrBeetonwasquitesurethatDickhadgonemad，otherwisehewouldhaveneverpartedwithhisexcellentfurnitureforasongThecanvasthingstookupstorageroomandweremuchbetteroutoftheway。
　　Thereremainedonlytoleavethelittlewillinsafehands：thatcouldnotbeaccomplishedtoto-morrowDickgropedaboutthefloorpickingupthelastpiecesofpaper，assuredhimselfagainandagainthatthereremainednowrittenwordorsignofhispastlifeindrawerordesk，andsatdownbeforethestovetillthefirediedoutandthecontractingironcrackedinthesilenceofthenight。