For weeks he worked hard under the tuition of a
very differentMacandrew.
That sign came in the first days of August with the
outbreak ofwar. He had a dreamyeye, and a voice hoarse with age and endless
cigarettes.
Adam obeyed, for he thought heunderstood the
reason.
Adamgenerally found him on the second lowest step,
and used to applaudhis grave ascent.
Frank is prettynearly all out, and he is harder
than most people.
For days Adam lived in blank, unrelieved misery.
Presently a mansvoice was heard uplifted, and the two became fugitives.
He gave them drinks, and plunged into military
talk, mostof it directed to Adam. But now he was tragically out of thefighting-line
for ever. Ill find some way of making myselfuseful, never fear. At dinner the talk
was very little of the war, and therewas no hint of any knowledge of Adams
past.
Adam replied inthe same patois, and was corrected
on a point or two. He had let his dreams run away with him, and hadsuddenly awoke to
their baselessness.
To Adams surprise, instead of avoiding the house
they made for it.
Also he must acquire a courage like tempered
steel.
Good, said Frank Warriner, as they left
thehouse.
A few days later he found himself a guest in a
country house whichlay under the Hampshire Downs.
But in a battalionyoull be no better than a hundred
thousand others.
To Adams surprise, instead of avoiding the house
they made for it. Even Eilean Bàn dropped out ofhis picture.
Shakespeare especially, it wasShakespeares songs
that had haunted him then. What part could it have in the storm which wasscourging
the world? Well have somefun getting through this place. She ultimately married a
hunting baronet in Yorkshire, and passedout of his life. But now Nigel wasas firm
and sweet as a nut, and nearly as brown.
Thereafter Adam entered upon a varied life.