Page:The Inheritors, An Extravagant Story.djvu/89

 of view that I had felt my heart go out to him. And he had taught me at last how it is that the godly grow fat at the expense of the unrighteous. Mr. Polehampton, however, was not fat. He was even rather thin, and his peaked grey hair, though it was actually well brushed, looked as if it ought not to have been. He had even an anxious expression. People said he speculated in some stock or other, and I should say they were right.

"I . . . eh . . . believe I published your first book . . . I lost money by it, but I can assure you that I bear no grudge—almost a hundred pounds. I bear no grudge . . ."

The man was an original. He had no idea that I might feel insulted; indeed, he really wanted to be pleasant, and condescending, and forgiving. I didn't feel insulted. He was too big for his clothes, gave that impression at least, and he wore black kid gloves. Moreover, his eyes never left the cornice of the room. I saw him rather often after that night, but never without his gloves and never with his eyes lowered.

"And . . . eh . . ." he asked, "what are you doing now, Mr. Granger?"

Lea told him Fox had taken me up; that I