And the grey
ashes dropped away of their own accord, and Julian's mind shed its grey
ashes too and glowed serenely. The dogs expanded their warm bodies on the
hearth, and his nature expanded in a vague, wide-stretching generosity
of mute evening emotion.
"How comfortable this is, doctor," he murmured at last.
"Yes. It's a good hour," the doctor replied, letting the words go slowly
from his lips. "I wish I could give to all the poor creatures in this
city just one good hour."
They smoked their cigars out.
"I ought to go," Julian said lazily.
"No. Have one more. I know it is dangerous to prolong a pleasure. It
loses its savour. But I think, Addison, to-night, you and I can get no
harm from the experiment."
He handed Julian the cigar-box.
"We won't stir up the dogs for another half-hour," he added, looking at
their happiness with a shining satisfaction. "Here are the matches. Light
up."
Julian obeyed, and they began the delightful era of the second cigar,
and sank a little deeper down, surely, into serenity and peace.
Occasional coals dropping into the fender with a hot tick, tick,
chirrupped a lullaby to the four happy companions. And the men learnt
a fine silence from the fine silence of the dogs.
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