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Pippin came down to the capital to escort them； provided for their
comforts as if they had been royalty； and had a special train to take
them to the mines。
He was a little stouter； brighter of colour； greyer of beard； more
nervous perhaps in voice and breathing。 His manner to Hemmings was
full of flattering courtesy； but his sly； ironical glances played on
the secretary's armour like a fountain on a hippopotamus。 To
Scorrier； however； he could not show enough affection：
The first evening； when Hemmings had gone to his room； he jumped up
like a boy out of school。 〃So I'm going to get a wigging；〃 he said；
〃I suppose I deserve it； but if you knewif you only knew。。。！ Out
here they've nicknamed me 'the King'they say I rule the colony。
It's myself that I can't rule〃； and with a sudden burst of passion
such as Scorrier had never seen in him： 〃Why did they send this man
here？ What can he know about the things that I've been through？〃 In
a moment he calmed down again。 〃There！ this is very stupid； worrying
you like this！〃 and with a long； kind look into Scorrier's face； he
hustled him off to bed。
Pippin did not break out again； though fire seemed to smoulder behind
the bars of his courteous irony。 Intuition of danger had evidently
smitten Hemmings； for he made no allusion to the object of his visit。
There were moments when Scorrier's common…sense sided with Hemmings
these were moments when the secretary was not present。
'After all；' he told himself； 'it's a little thing to askone letter
a month。 I never heard of such a case。' It was wonderful indeed how
they stood it！ It showed how much they valued Pippin！ What was the
matter with him？ What was the nature of his trouble？ One glimpse
Scorrier had when even Hemmings； as he phrased it； received 〃quite a
turn。〃 It was during a drive back from the most outlying of the
company's trial mines； eight miles through the forest。 The track led
through a belt of trees blackened by a forest fire。 Pippin was
driving。 The secretary seated beside him wore an expression of faint
alarm； such as Pippin's driving was warranted to evoke from almost
any face。 The sky had darkened strangely； but pale streaks of light；
coming from one knew not where； filtered through the trees。 No
breath was stirring； the wheels and horses' hoofs made no sound on
the deep fern mould。 All around； the burnt tree…trunks； leafless and
jagged； rose like withered giants； the passages between them were
black； the sky black； and black the silence。 No one spoke； and
literally the only sound was Pippin's breathing。 What was it that
was so terrifying？ Scorrier had a feeling of entombment； that nobody
could help him； the feeling of being face to face with Nature； a
sensation as if all the comfort and security of words and rules had
dropped away from him。 And…nothing happened。 They reached home and
dined。
During dinner he had again that old remembrance of a little man
chopping at a castle with his sword。 It came at a moment when Pippin
had raised his hand with the carving…knife grasped in it to answer
some remark of Hemmings' about the future of the company。 The
optimism in his uplifted chin； the strenuous energy in his whispering
voice； gave Scorrier a more vivid glimpse of Pippin's nature than he
had perhaps ever had before。 This new country； where nothing but
himself could help a manthat was the castle！ No wonder Pippin was
impatient of control； no wonder he was out of hand； no wonder he was
silentchopping away at that！ And suddenly he thought： 'Yes； and
all the time one knows； Nature must beat him in the end！'
That very evening Hemmings delivered himself of his reproof。 He had
sat unusually silent； Scorrier； indeed； had thought him a little
drunk； so portentous was his gravity； suddenly； however he rose。 It
was hard on a man； he said； in his position； with a Board （he spoke
as of a family of small children）； to be kept so short of
information。 He was actually compelled to use his imagination to
answer the shareholders' questions。 This was painful and
humiliating； he had never heard of any secretary having to use his
imagination！ He went furtherit was insulting！ He had grown grey
in the service of the company。 Mr。 Scorrier would bear him out when
he said he had a position to maintainhis name in the City was a
high one； and； by George！ he was going to keep it a high one； he
would allow nobody to drag it in the dustthat ought clearly to be
understood。 His directors felt they were being treated like
children； however that might be； it was absurd to suppose that he
（Hemmings） could be treated like a child。。。！ The secretary paused；
his eyes seemed to bully the room。
〃If there were no London office；〃 murmured Pippin； 〃the shareholders
would get the same dividends。〃
Hemmings gasped。 〃Come！〃 he said； 〃this is monstrous！〃
〃What help did I get from London when I first came here？ What help
have I ever had？〃
Hemmings swayed； recovered； and with a forced smile replied that； if
this were true； he had been standing on his head for years； he did
not believe the attitude possible for such a length of time；
personally he would have thought that he too had had a little
something to say to the company's position； but no matter。。。！ His
irony was crushing。。。。 It was possible that Mr。 Pippin hoped to
reverse the existing laws of the universe with regard to limited
companies； he would merely say that he must not begin with a company
of which he （Hemmings） happened to be secretary。 Mr。 Scorrier had
hinted at excuses； for his part； with the best intentions in the
world； he had great difficulty in seeing them。 He would go further
he did not see them！ The explosion。。。！ Pippin shrank so visibly
that Hemmings seemed troubled by a suspicion that he had gone too
far。
〃We know；〃 he said； 〃that it was trying for you。。。。〃
〃Trying！〃 〃burst out Pippin。
〃No one can say；〃 Hemmings resumed soothingly； 〃that we have not
dealt liberally。〃 Pippin made a motion of the head。 〃We think we
have a good superintendent； I go further； an excellent
superintendent。 What I say is： Let's be pleasant！ I am not making
an unreasonable request！〃 He ended on a fitting note of jocularity；
and； as if by consent； all three withdrew； each to his own room；
without another word。
In the course of the next day Pippin said to Scorrier： 〃It seems I
have been very wicked。 I must try to do better〃； and with a touch of
bitter humour； 〃They are kind enough to think me a good
superintendent； you see！ After that I must try hard。〃
Scorrier broke in： 〃No man could have done so much for them；〃 and；
carried away by an impulse to put things absolutely straight； went on
〃But； after all； a letter now and thenwhat does it amount to？〃
Pippin besieged him with a subtle glance。 〃You too？〃 he said
〃I must indeed have been a wicked man！〃 and turned away。
Scorrier felt as if he had been guilty of brutality； sorry for
Pippin； angry with himself； angry with Pippin； sorry for himself。 He
earnestly desired to see the back of Hemmings。 The secretary
gratified the wish a few days later； departing by steamer with
ponderous expressions of regard and the assurance of his goodwill。
Pippin gave vent to no outburst of relief； maintaining a courteous
silence； making only one allusion to his late guest； in answer to a
remark of Scorrier：
〃Ah！ don't tempt me！ mustn't speak behind his back。〃
A month passed； and Scorrier stillremained Pippin's guest。 As each
mail…day approached he experienced a queer suppressed excitement。 On
one of these occasions Pippin had withdrawn to his room； and when
Scorrier went to fetch him to dinner he found him with his head
leaning on his hands； amid a perfect fitter of torn paper。 He looked
up at Scorrier。
〃I can't do it；〃 he said； 〃I feel such a hypocrite； I can't put
myself into leading…strings again。 Why should I ask these people；
when I've settled everything already？ If it were a vital matter they
wouldn't want to hearthey'd simply wire； 'Manage this somehow！'〃
Scorrier said nothing； but thought privately 'This is a mad
business！' What was a letter？ Why make a fuss about a letter？ The
approach of mail…day seemed like a nightmare to the superintendent；
he became feverishly nervous like a man under a spell； and； when the
mail had gone； behaved like a respited criminal。 And this had been
going on two years！ Ever since that explosion。 Why； it was
monomania！
One day； a month after Hemmings' departure； Pippin rose early from
dinner； his face was flushed； he had been drinking wine。 〃I won't be
beaten this time；〃 he said； as he passed Scorrier。 The latter could
hear him writing in the next room； and looked in presently to say
that he was going for a walk。 Pippin gave him a kindly nod。
It was a cool； still evening： innumerable stars swarmed in c