ssy
silk hat, astrachan cuffs and collar, gold-rimmed eyeglass, and all The
_cocker's_ whip cracked stormily, and the fat Flemish horse started off
at a pace of four miles an hour.

'Mark my vorts,' said Darco, as they rolled along the country road
towards the station at which they were to intercept the northward
travelling Malle des Indes, 'you are dravelling to vame ant vorchune.'

'Well,'said Paul, 'that's pleasant to know, isn't it, old Darco?'

'It is very bleasant,' returned Darco. 'You ant I are an iteal gouple.
We fit each other like the two halves of a pear. I am a boet. Do you
hear me, younk Armstronk? I am a boet I am a berson of imachination.
I can invent. I can gontrive. There is nopoty in the vorlt who can
gonstruct a blot like me. But I gannot egspress myself. Now, you gan
egspress me; that is your desdiny. You will egspress Cheorge Dargo. You
will descend to future aitches as the dranslader of Cheorge Dargo.'

'It is a happy lot, old chap,' said Paul, 'and I am so proud of it that
I am going to sleep.'

'Lacy tewle!' said Darco, 'give me the script. I haf been thinking of
somethings.'

How Darco worked, stormed, domineered in the ensuing month, nobody
outside the limits of the Congreve knew. He appalled the timid and
maddened the courageous. He was up all night for half a week together,
seeming to live with a teaspoon in one hand and a tin of some nutritive
meat essence in the other, and always administering doses to himself as
if he were a patient in danger of imminent exhaustion.

Mr. Warr was here, under solemn articles not once to varnish the work of
art until the run of the piece was over.

'A dreadful circumstance, truly, Mr. Armstrong,' he complained. 'I am
deprived of the consolation of one device which has hitherto upheld me
at such times of trial. The piece might run, sir, for a year; it might
even run for two. There is no looking forward to a definite date of
relief, sir. It is like being imprisoned at Her Majesty's pleasure. A
painful prospect, Mr. Armstrong---a period of unassuaged incertitude,
sir.' Daroo burst down upon him like a stormy wind.

'Don't stand jattering there. Co ant do somethings.'

'I have nothing at this moment which calls for my attention, I do assure
you, Mr. Darco.'

'Then find somethings. There is always blenty for efery-boty to do about
a theadre.'

Mr. Warr drifted before the storm, and found a harbour in the
painting-room, whence he was blasted five m