The Argosy — page 32: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

In the Dead of Night. 19 Tom shook his head and laughed. ‘Do you know, Dering,” he said, “that you are one of the greatest nddles, one of the most incom- prehensible fellows, it was ever my fortune to meet with! But, pardon me,” he added hastily. “Of all men in the world, you are the one to whom I ought least to say such words.” ‘Nothing of the kind,” said Lionel, with a smile. “T like your frankness. 1am aware that many people look upon me as a sort of harmless lunatic, though what there is so incomprehensible about me I am at a loss to imagine.” “You will forgive me for saying so,” said Tom, ‘“‘but to me it seems such an utter pity to see a man of your education and abilities wasting the best years of his life in a place like this, with no society but that of fishermen and boors: to see a man, young and strong in health, so utterly indifferent to all the ordinary claims of civilized life—to all the aims and ambitions by which the generality of his fellow men are actuated, to the bright career which he might carve out for himself, if he would but take the trouble to do so.” “ Ah, that is just it, mon ami: if I would but take the trouble to do so! But is the game really worth the candle? ‘To me, I confess that it is not.” Tom shrugged his shoulders. ‘‘T know that you can afford to pity me—that you look upon me ag a sort of good natured imbecile.” ‘* No—no !” in energetic protest from Tom. ‘‘ But what have you to pity me for?” asked Lionel, without heeding the interruption. ‘I have enough to eat and drink, I have a roof to cover me, and a bed tosleep on. In these important matters I should be no better off if I had ten thousand a year. As for the society of boors and fishermen, believe me, there is more strength of character, more humour, more pathos, more patient endurance of the ills of this life, and a firmer trust in Providence, among these simple folk than I ever found among those whom you would term my equals in the social scale. Then your ambitions and aims, dignify them with what fine names you will, what are they, nine times out of ten, but the mere vulgar desire to grow rich as quickly as possible! So long asI can earn my bread by the sweat of my brow, and owe no mana penny, I am perfectly satisfied.” “ Argue as you will, Dering, this is neither the place nor the position for a man like you.” ‘So long as the place and position suit me, and I them, we shall remain in perfect accord, and no longer,” said Lionel. “I never said it was my intention to live a hermit all my life; but at present I am perfectly satisfied.” Again and again, before Tom Bristow’s enforced stay at Gatehouse Farm came to an end, was the same subject broached between him and COMICSOO|KS.EO im =)