went outside and considered
that his age was only thirty-three after all, but he couldn't get in
again, not by any means, so he just came back here and I gave him a
good tea, and he needed it, sir."

"But he saw me last night, and he never said anything!"

"Yes, sir," Mrs. Braiding admitted with pain. "I asked him if he had
told you, and he said he hadn't and that I must."

"Where is he now?"

"He went off early, sir, so as to get a good place. I shouldn't be a
bit surprised if he's in the army by this time. I know it's not the
right way of going about things, and Braiding's only excuse is it's
for the Empire. When it's a question of the Empire, sir...." At that
instant the white man's burden was Mrs. Braiding's, and the glance of
her serious face showed what the crushing strain of it was.

"I think he might have told me."

"Well, sir. I'm very sorry. Very sorry.... But you know what Braiding
is."

G.J. felt that that was just what he did not know, or at any rate had
not hitherto known. He was hurt by Braiding's conduct. He had always
treated Braiding as a friend. They had daily discussed the progress
of the war. On the previous night Braiding, in all the customary
sedateness of black coat and faintly striped trousers, had behaved
just as usual! It was astounding. G.J. began to incline towards the
views of certain of his friends about the utter incomprehensibility
of the servile classes--views which he had often annoyed them by
traversing. Yes; it was astounding. All this martial imperialism
seething in the depths of Braiding, and G.J. never suspecting the
ferment! Exceedingly difficult to conceive Braiding as a soldier! He
was the Albany valet, and Albany valets were Albany valets and naught
else.

Mrs. Braiding continued:

"It's very inconsiderate to you, sir. That's a point that is
appreciated by both Braiding and I. But let us fervently hope it won't
be for long, sir. The consensus of opinion seems to be we shall be
in Berlin in the spring. And in the meantime, I think"--she smiled an
appeal--"I can manage for you by myself, if you'll be so good as to
let me."

"Oh! It's not that," said G.J. carelessly. "I expect you can manage
all right."

"Oh!" cried she. "I know how you feel about it, sir, and I'm very
sorry. And at best it's bound to be highly inconvenient for a
gentleman like yourself, sir. I said to Braiding, 'You're taking
advantage of Mr. Hoape's good nature,' that's what I said to Braiding,