Page:The Painted Veil - Maugham - 1925.djvu/111

 chuckle had suggested to her when he came in that he was not quite sober.

“Here’s luck,” he said. Then, turning to Walter: “You’ve got your work cut out for you here. They’re dying like flies. The magistrate’s lost his head and Colonel Yü, the officer commanding the troops, is having a devil of a job to prevent them from looting. If something doesn’t happen soon we shall all be murdered in our beds. I tried to get the nuns to go, but of course they wouldn’t. They all want to be martyrs, damn them.”

He spoke lightly and there was in his voice a sort of ghostly laughter so that you could not listen to him without smiling.

“Why haven’t you gone?” asked Walter.

“Well, I’ve lost half my staff and the others are ready to lie down and die at any minute. Somebody’s got to stay and keep things together.”

“Have you been inoculated?”

“Yes. Watson did me. But he did himself too, and it didn’t do him much good, poor blighter.” He turned to Kitty and his funny little face was gaily puckered. “I don’t think there’s any great risk if you take proper precautions. Have your milk and water boiled and don’t eat fresh fruit or uncooked vegetables. Have you brought any gramophone records with you?”

“No, I don’t think so,” said Kitty.

“I’m sorry for that. I was hoping you would. I haven’t had any for a long time and I’m sick of my old ones.”