The Romantic Adventures of Mr. Darby and of Sarah His Wife by Martin Armstrong Page B

transformed by a sudden unofficial radiance, appeared round the door.
    â€˜I could eat
anything
!’ he said and disappeared once more.

Chapter VI

False Dawn
    Mr. Darby occupied the remaining days of his leave of absence from the office in a variety of solemn and important acts. The first thing to do was to have the affidavit drawn up. He had no solicitor, so what was he to do? Obviously, to appoint one. Mr. Marston’s solicitors were Messrs. Chepstow & Bradfield and that fact was for Mr. Darby a sufficient recommendation. His visit to his bank, the invitation into the Manager’s sanctum and the deference with which he was received there; the visit to Messrs. Chepstow & Bradfield—who, to Mr. Darby’s surprise, turned out very conveniently to be also the Notary Public—were both conducted with a becoming gravity. Mr. Darby was in his element. It was not only the solemn official acts that delighted him: the moment when they were completed and the officials concerned descended from their officialdom and offered Mr. Darby their very hearty congratulations, was equally satisfying. The visit to Messrs. Chepstow & Bradfield and the putting of his affairs into their hands relieved him greatly, for his ignorance of all matters pertaining to the law had already begun to weigh on him. The idea, for instance, of having to write to Somerset House for his birth certificate had troubled him deeply. Messrs. Chepstow & Bradfield proved to him that it was the simplest thing in the world. He arrived home, after his first morning at large, a few minutes late for midday dinner, pleading in excuse the excessive importance of his errands, and finding his excuse, with Sarah, in the royal justice he did to the nice little bit of pork. His radiant happiness had its effect on her. She could not find it in her heart to chill the glowing little man by betraying her own lack of enthusiasm. She was in the position of a fond parent whose child has been given the kind of toy that entrances thechild but wrecks the serenity of the home. And, after all, what could she do? What could she have done even if the fortune had been left to her? Nothing, but grin and bear it.
    When he had dined, Mr. Darby produced from his breast pocket a large brand new crocodile-skin cigar case, opened it with a careless deliberation and slightly raised eyebrows, and selected a cigar. Having done so, he examined the cigar critically and then glanced a little doubtfully at Sarah. Sarah was watching him with an amused smile. Mr. Darby at once averted his eyes with a slight frown and turned his attention to lighting and trying the cigar. He blew out a long deliberative jet of smoke, frowned again, as if not altogether pleased with the aroma, tried another puff and appeared to decide that the cigar was good.
    â€˜Tell me, Jim,’ said Sarah, ‘what are you going to do?’
    â€˜To do? Now?’ Mr. Darby looked at her alertly.
    â€˜No, not now,’ said Sarah. ‘When you’ve got your money, I mean. The office, for instance!’
    â€˜Oh, I shall leave the office, of course,’ said Mr. Darby. ‘When I go back on Wednesday I shall explain the state of affairs to Mr. Marston. There’s no great hurry, of course. My … ah … papers will take six weeks to reach Australia, and the … ah … documents relative to our fortune will take another six weeks to arrive, though the solicitors will no doubt wire us a thousand or two to keep us going.’
    â€˜Very kind of them, I’m sure,’ said Sarah grimly.
    Mr. Darby ignored the remark. ‘I shall not leave Mr. Marston,’ he said, ‘until he can find a suitable substitute. Meanwhile I shall of course give him my services free. It would be ridiculous for me to accept a salary from a man in such … ah … modest circumstances.’
    Sarah rose from her chair and began to clear the table, while Mr. Darby pursued his appreciation of the cigar.