第127章

"And here's 'T.T.,' hand-made and hand-painted for the part of the kind of sucker he wants." T.Tembarom's manner was almost sympathetic in its appreciation."I can tell you I'm having a real good time with Palliser.It looked like I'd just dropped from heaven when he first saw me.If he'd been the praying kind, I'd have been just the sort he'd have prayed for when he said his `Now-I-lay-me's' before he went to bed.There wasn't a chance in a hundred that I wasn't a fool that had his head swelled so that he'd swallow any darned thing if you handed it to him smooth enough.First time he called he asked me a lot of questions about New York business.That was pretty smart of him.He wanted to find out, sort of careless, how much I knew--or how little."The duke was leaning back luxuriously in his chair and gazing at him as he might have gazed at the work of an old master of which each line and shade was of absorbing interest.

"I can see him," he said."I can see him."

"He found out I knew nothing," Tembarom continued."And what was to hinder him trying to teach me something, by gee! Nothing on top of the green earth.I was there, waiting with my mouth open, it seemed like.""And he has tried--in his best manner?" said his grace.

"What he hasn't tried wouldn't be worthy trying," Tembarom answered cheerfully."Sometimes it seems like a shame to waste it.I've got so I know how to start him when he doesn't know I'm doing it.I tell you, he's fine.Gentlemanly --that's his way, you know.High-toned friend that just happens to know of a good thing and thinks enough of you in a sort of reserved way to feel like it's a pity not to give you a chance to come in on the ground floor, if you've got the sense to see the favor he's friendly enough to do you.It's such a favor that it'd just disgust a man if you could possibly turn it down.But of course you're to take it or leave it.It's not to his interest to push it.

Lord, no! Whatever you did his way is that he'd not condescend to say a darned word.High-toned silence, that's all."The Duke of Stone was chuckling very softly.His chuckles rather broke his words when he spoke.

"By--by--Jove!" he said."You--you do see it, don't you? You do see it."Tembarom nursed his knee comfortably.

"Why," he said, "it's what keeps me up.You know a lot more about me than any one else does, but there's a whole raft of things I think about that I couldn't hang round any man's neck.If I tried to hang them round yours, you'd know that I would be having a hell of a time here, if I'd let myself think too much.If I didn't see it, as you call it, if I didn't see so many things, I might begin to get sorry for myself.There was a pause of a second."Gee!" he said, "Gee! this not hearing a thing about Ann!--""Good Lord! my dear fellow," the duke said hastily, "I know.I know."Tembarom turned and looked at him.

"You've been there," he remarked."You've been there, I bet.""Yes, I've been there," answered the duke."I've been there--and come back.But while it's going on--you have just described it.A man can have a hell of a time.""He can," Tembarom admitted unreservedly."He's got to keep going to stand it.Well, Strangeways gives me some work to do.And I've got Palliser.He's a little sunbeam."A man-servant approaching to suggest a possible need of hot tea started at hearing his grace break into a sudden and plainly involuntary crow of glee.He had not heard that one before either.

Palliser as a little sunbeam brightening the pathway of T.Tembarom, was, in the particular existing circumstances, all that could be desired of fine humor.It somewhat recalled the situation of the "Ladies" of the noble houses of Pevensy, Talchester, and Stone unconsciously passing in review for the satisfaction of little Miss Hutchinson.Tembarom laughed a little himself, but he went on with a sort of seriousness "There's one thing sure enough.I've got on to it by listening and working out what he would do by what he doesn't know he says.If he could put the screws on me in any way, he wouldn't hold back.It'd be all quite polite and gentlemanly, but he'd do it all the same.And he's dead-sure that everybody's got something they'd like to hide--or get.That's what he works things out from.""Does he think you have something to hide--or get?" the duke inquired rather quickly.

"He's sure of it.But he doesn't know yet whether it's get or hide.He noses about.Pearson's seen him.He asks questions and plays he ain't doing it and ain't interested, anyhow.""He doesn't like you, he doesn't like you," the duke said rather thoughtfully."He has a way of conveying that you are far more subtle than you choose to look.He is given to enlarging on the fact that an air of entire frankness is one of the chief assets of certain promoters of huge American schemes."Tembarom smiled the smile of recognition.

"Yes," he said, "it looks like that's a long way round, doesn't it?

But it's not far to T.T.when you want to hitch on the connection.