"
"It must be difficult. A man whom you saw so recently, and I suppose
apparently quite well."
"Quite. Absolutely."
Julian sat silent again and allowed the waiter to take away his plate
with the untouched cutlet.
"I didn't like the man," he began at last. "But still I'm sorry,
damned sorry, about this. I wanted to see him again. He was an awfully
interesting fellow, Val; and, as I told you, might, I believe, in time
have gained a sort of influence over me,--not like yours, of course,
but he certainly had a power, a strength, about him, even a kind of
fascination. He was not like other people. Ah--" and he exclaimed
impatiently, "I wish you had met him."
"Why?"
"I scarcely know. But I should like you to have had the experience. And
then, you are so intuitive about people, you might have read him. I could
not. And he was a fellow worth reading, that I'm certain of. No, I won't
have any mutton. I seem to have lost my appetite over this."
Valentine calmly continued his dinner, while Julian talked on about Marr
rather excitedly. When they were having coffee Valentine said:
"What shall we do to-night? It is only a quarter past nine. Shall we go
anywhere?"
"Oh no, I think not--wait--yes, we will.
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