Unsolicited Writings

Make itclear that you have broken for ever with me.
Ihad suspected this when I first saw him, and now I was certain. There was no gaiety
or devil in that dancing, only a kindof bored perfection.
Youre a wise man, butyou might be a better naturalist.
They spoke in low tones, andI was three yards off and darent for my life move an
inch nearer.
He cannot remember, for his mind is now in my keeping. I realised for the first time
that Medina might bedamnable, but was also great. Longbefore I got to the Club I was
feeling all right, but my mind wasin a fine turmoil. Then it spoke to me in English,
with that odd lilting accent I hadtried in vain to trace.
Its a prescription that every son of Adammight follow with advantage four times a year.
Otherwise hell find somethingmore interesting to do than politics.
And I felt the light fingers straying over my brow. He knew no more about racing
than I knew ofChinese. I cudgelled my brains to thinkof my next step.
Glad to see youve got busy, Dick, he said. I bought a new reel, a quantity of
sea-trout flies, anda little book about Norwegian fishing.
I realised that it was the most wonderful face of a woman I hadever looked on. That
night I had another of Sandys communications, a typed half-sheet with a Paris
postmark. It was apositive relief when at the end of the week Medina rang me up
andasked me to luncheon. I letmy head recline more and more upon the cushioned back
of my chair,and I let my eyelids droop. For the reasons I gave you it must be before
midsummer. Youre not thinking of leaving England just now?
A clear and well-founded suspicion ofMedina.
He receivedme casually, and appeared to have forgotten about my case till helooked
up his diary. Then I caught nothing for several minutes, tillhe laughed and repeated
the word secundus.