The truth was that after launching himself as a disguised detective, he

found himself barred from going any further than merely watching his

enemy, simply because he was incapable of stooping to a detective's

methods of work. He would as soon have lost his hand as have written an

anonymous letter or deliberately inveigled Logotheti into a trap, and

while he was so carefully concealing himself he longed in reality for

open fight, and felt that he had made himself ridiculous in his own

eyes. Yet he hesitated to put on his own English clothes and go about

as usual, for he had to pass the porter's window on the stairs every

time he went out or came in, and such a sudden change in his appearance

would certainly make the porter suspect that he was engaged in some

nefarious business. Porters are powerful personages in Parisian

lodging-houses, and this one would probably inform the police that he

had a suspicious lodger; after which Lushington would be watched in his

turn and would very probably have trouble. These reflections made him

feel more ridiculous than ever.

Now it very often happens that when a man, even of considerable

intelligence, has made up his mind to do something which at first

seemed very clever, but which, by degrees, turns out to be quite

useless, if not altogether foolish, he perseveres in his course with

mule-like obstinacy. He has taken endless trouble to prepare the means,

he has thought it all out so nicely, only omitting to reach the

conclusion! It would be a pity to go back, it would be useless to

desist, since everything has been so well prepared. Something is sure

to come of it, if he only sticks to his original plan, and any result

must be better than allowing events to go their way.

Therefore, when the clouds that curled up from Lushington's pipe failed

to shape themselves into a vision both wise and prophetic, and left

absolutely no new idea behind when they vanished, he came to the

conclusion that his first scheme was a very good one after all, and

that he had better abide by the square-toed, spring-side boots and the

rest of his admirable disguise, until something happened. Then he would

seize the opportunity and act decisively; he was not at all sure how he

should act, but he secretly hoped that the action in question might be

of the nature of a fight with something or somebody. There are many

quiet and shy men who would really rather fight than do anything else,

though they will rarely admit it, even to themselves.




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