She followed his gaze. Not five yards from them, planted on the
pavement as if he grew there, was Mr. Tarbuck. His large back was
turned to them with an expression at once ostentatious and discreet.
Thesiger had the idea that it had been there for some considerable
time, probably ever since his own appearance. Mr. Tarbuck's back
said plainly that, though Mr. Tarbuck neither looked nor listened,
that he would scorn the action, yet he was there, at his friend's
service if she wanted him.
"I'm afraid," said Roma Lennox, "he hasn't found him."
"He doesn't seem to be looking."
(He didn't.)
"Oh, I fancy," said she, "he's just squinting round."
"Can I do anything?"
"Why, yes, you could sit here and watch the Casino while I go and
speak to Mr. Tarbuck."
She went and spoke to him. Thesiger saw how affectionately the large
man bent his head to her.
She returned to Thesiger, and Mr. Tarbuck (whom she had evidently
released from sentry-go) stalked across the Place toward the
American Bar.
"He is not in the Casino," she said.
"Have you tried the American Bar?"
"Of course; we've tried all of them."
"I say, I want to help you. Can't I?"
She shook her head.
"If I stayed on in the hotel, could I be of any use?"
"You're not going to stay."
"Why shouldn't I? I've nothing else to do."
"Oh, haven't you? What _you_ have to do is to take that
one-forty-four train to Nice, to-morrow afternoon."
"It's no good," he muttered gloomily. "I'm done for. You've made me
see that plain enough."
"All I made you see was why she turned you down. And now that you do
see----"
"What difference does it make, my seeing it?"
"Why, all the difference. Do you think I'd have taken all this
trouble if it wasn't for that--to have you go right away and make it
up with her?"
"And with you--can I ever make it up?"
"Don't you worry."