Dickfelthiswaybacktothebigchair，andwonderedwhatthesethingsmightmeanHedidnotwishtobetendedbythehousekeeper，andyetTorpenhow’sconstanttendernessjarredonhimHedidnotexactlyknowwhathewantedThedarknesswouldnotlift，andMaisie’sunopenedlettersfeltwornandoldfrommuchhandlingHecouldneverreadthemforhimselfaslongaslifeendured；butMaisiemighthavesenthimsomefreshonestoplaywithTheNilghaienteredwithagift，——apieceofredmodelling-waxHefanciedthatDickmightfindinterestinusinghishandsDickpokedandpattedthestuffforafewminutes，and，’Isitlikeanythingintheworld？’hesaiddrearily’TakeitawayImaygetthetouchoftheblindinfiftyyearsDoyouknowwhereTorpenhowhasgone？’
TheNilghaiknewnothing’We’restayinginhisroomstillhecomesbackCanwedoanythingforyou？’
’I’dliketobeleftalone，pleaseDon’tthinkI’mungrateful；butI’mbestalone。’
TheNilghaichuckled，andDickresumedhisdrowsybroodingandsullenrebellionagainstfateHehadlongsinceceasedtothinkabouttheworkhehaddoneintheolddays，andthedesiretodomoreworkhaddepartedfromhimHewasexceedinglysorryforhimself，andthecompletenessofhistendergriefsoothedhimButhissoulandhisbodycriedforMaisie——MaisiewhowouldunderstandHismindpointedoutthatMaisie，havingherownworktodo，wouldnotcareHisexperiencehadtaughthimthatwhenmoneywasexhaustedwomenwentaway，andthatwhenamanwasknockedoutoftheracetheotherstrampledonhim。
’Thenattheleast，’saidDick，inreply，’shecouldusemeasIusedBinat，——forsomesortofastudyIwouldn’taskmorethantobenearheragain，eventhoughIknewthatanothermanwasmakinglovetoherUgh！