"I thought," he said, "I could time your
intelligence over any fence. But to-night there's something wrong.
Either I'm out of practice or your brain has been going to the deuce.
What, man! You're shying at every bank! Is it drink, hey? Or hunger?"
"It might be a little of both," I answered. "But stay a moment and let
me get things straight. I stood between you and Elaine--no, give me
time--between you and your aims, whatever they were. Very well.
You trod over me; or, rather, you pulled me up by the roots and pitched
me into outer darkness to rot. And now it seems that, after all, you
are not content. In the devil's name, why?"
"Why? Oh, cannot you see? . . . Take a look at these mirrors again--
our world, I tell you. See--you and I--you and I--always you and I!
Man, I pitched you into darkness as you say, and then I woke and knew
the truth--that you were necessary to me."
"Hey?"
"_I can't do without you!_" It broke from him in a cry. "So help me
God, Reggie, it is the truth!"
I stared in his face for half a minute maybe, and broke out laughing.
"Jeshurun waxed fat and--turned sentimental! A nice copy-book job you
make of it, too!"
"_Oh, send my brother back to me--
I cannot play alone!_"
"Perhaps you'd like me to buy a broom and hire the crossing in Lennox
Gardens? Then you'd be able to contemplate me all day long, and nourish
your fine fat soul with delicate eating.
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