Except that he
stood drinks to people on suitable occasions, like any other man, this
observer of facts seemed to have no connection with earthly affairs and
passions. The very courtesy of his manner, the flavour of playfulness in
the voice set him apart. He was like a feather floating lightly in
the workaday atmosphere which was the breath of our nostrils. For this
reason whenever this looker-on took contact with things he attracted
attention. First, it was the Morrison partnership of mystery, then
came the great sensation of the Tropical Belt Coal where indeed varied
interests were involved: a real business matter. And then came this
elopement, this incongruous phenomenon of self-assertion, the greatest
wonder of all, astonishing and amusing.
Davidson admitted to me that, the hubbub was subsiding; and the affair
would have been already forgotten, perhaps, if that ass Schomberg
had not kept on gnashing his teeth publicly about it. It was really
provoking that Davidson should not be able to give one some idea of the
girl. Was she pretty? He didn't know. He had stayed the whole afternoon
in Schomberg's hotel, mainly for the purpose of finding out something
about her. But the story was growing stale. The parties at the tables on
the veranda had other, fresher, events to talk about and Davidson shrank
from making direct inquiries.
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