New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-03
By OUR OwN ARNOLD BENNETT.

With his right hand Edwin Clayhanger turned the glass
tnb the front doogass knobs had just been introduced
in Bursley-opened the door, took step the slightly
worn threshold closed the door-not without effort Tor
had warped little and had habit OF sticking the top
and walked down the three white steps the gate The
ope gate-hnge minus 1t had been so for six
months and Edwin wondered whether he would speak again
to Ida about it He specuated with himself offered him
self odds Of nine five that the hinge would be repaired be-
fore he returned from London. Grmy he thought OF the
advantages the LAYER OF such wager would have the train
might be wrecked and he might be killed then he would not
return, and technically he would win the bet
Well suppose he were killed What then? What had he
that his eanes abourer had not? And his meanes abouer
had the supreme advantage of latent OF potential
adventure Anything that might happen to Edwin Clay
hangers meanes abourer would be ameoraon, splash
Of crimson on a drab fescheme But to Edwin Cayhanger
figure in the Five Towns nothing could happen.
But things happened in other places 1t was conceivable
for instance that Liverpool might be going that morn
ing to London consult ocus Edwin was but it was
nconceivab that the Liverpool trip would not be crowded
with zesu and romantic incident For nothing really hap
pened in the Five Towns Five Towns people lake the
of his He had been married SIX years. ana
he did understand his wife He never knew precisely
what she would do or say Why women like that:
Were they like that? His sister Clara was not You could
tell what Clara going to do that morning ana you Kne"
what she would say next quaer-day at ten CLOCK lne
were no misgvings about like Clara But would ne
like that? He thought with some diStase too ne admitted
NJ the nreouent times when da had done exactly what he
thought she would door what anybody else would nave
done And he was glad she not as anybody else
That was the trouble with him. He was irresoute lie
convinced ne passed through the gate INTO me se1
his marriage mistake; and as he turned into te
road leading the station he certain that 1t was an eXc
ing delightful and interesting adventure Tie was sorry ne
had left without waking Hda but she had known that ne
was going to London-and she should have awakened She
had bee awake early enough he thought with growing ir
taon the morning and her George had gone to the
London ocuist Could she have been awake this morning.
he wondered 1t possible For she had not wanted him
70 90 70 London he knew and he going more to prove
his right go-because she and George had gone-han be-
cause he had desire visit London, negatively TO
leave the shop for whole day. o-.
He was ten minutes too soon He bought copy OF The
Pilot" TO read on the train Passengers increasing num-
bers gathered the platform Were they all gong 10 Lon
don on some momentous quest? Not one of them but looked
more important than Edwin felt that he appeared what
contempt thew would have for me- he thought If they knew
was going merely ask oculst about my sight! And
what important missions they must havel - .
He boarded the train and sat down He took The Pilot
from his pocket and tried to read The page seemed blur
They onghtnt to print so much stuff in solid 6pont
It's too hard read They ought to lead It, can reao II II
all And if I can't ,
But did that follow? 1t struck him. with sudden horror,
that he was going to London consult ocuis Perhaps
tv was clear and legble Undoubtedly his eyes were tall
mo He was forty-two Men had gone blind at thirty he
s1nosed II was possible At any rate he would have 10
ear classes and what would Hda think OF that! She had
said he remembered that she loved the look IN his eyes, and
while he recalled having looked at himself in the mirror the
night she odd him. and having found nothing unusual about
his ewes he distinctly depressed at the prosPC
ssennp av OF good physical points He thought OF ms
diminished efficiency at the shop in case OF blindness but
that idea disturbed bin nearly so much as that OF inc
effect uDon Hlda BY this time she would be up ne 1ahceo
Would she worry that he had gone he had SAID last night
- d do Well she might as we'll learn that Edwin Clay
HANGER was man whose word, apparently lightly gwen was
as bndn s anv contract Fearns himself could have drawn
Still he would telegraph in the evening
lie walked slowly from the London station into the
crowd Not one OF them but seemed younger than he