Take a middle course."
"Where would that lead me?"
Valentine threw a glance round the dim, hot, scented little room, then
once more his eyes rested on Julian and Cuckoo.
"What if I said--To this little room, to Julian and that girl, to
myself?" he answered in a low voice.
"And the miracle?" said the doctor.
The door opened. Wade appeared with coffee.
CHAPTER III
THE HEALTH OF THE NEW YEAR
Valentine turned quickly, with an air of mingled irritation and relief at
the interruption.
"We must all take coffee," he cried. "It will give us impetus, vitality,
so that as the old year dies we may live more swiftly, more strongly. I
like to feel that my life is increasing while that of another--the old
year for instance--is decreasing."
But the doctor noticed that his eyes had rested with a curiously
significant expression upon Julian as he spoke the last sentence.
"Leave the coffee-pot on that little table," he added to Wade, when the
man had filled all four cups. "We may want it."
Wade obeyed him and disappeared.
"Your man makes wonderful coffee," the doctor said, sipping.
"Yes. Julian, have you reached that _caf? noir_ I spoke of the other
day?" Valentine asked laughingly, returning to his simile of the greedy
man and happiness.
Pages:
622
623
624
625
626
627
628
629
630
631
632
633
634
635
636
637
638
639
640
641
642
643
644
645
646