towards the subacid fruits and
claret-cup. Dash your pineapple with a little rum,--it's very old, and
quite a liqueur."

"This must be a very jolly life of yours," said Conway, as he lighted
his cigarette and placed his feet on the fender.

"You 'd prefer it to the trenches or the rifle-pits, I suspect," said
Clowes, laughing, "and small blame to you. It was out there you lost
your arm, I suppose?"

Conway nodded, and puffed on in silence.

[Illustration: 270]

"A bad business,--a bad business we 're making of it all! The Crimea
was a mistake; we should have marched direct to Moscow,--Moscow or St
Petersburg,--I don't care which."

"Nor should I, if we could get there," said Conway, quietly.

"Get there,--and why not? Fifty thousand British bayonets are a match
for the world in arms. It is a head we want, sir,--capacity to deal with
the great questions of strategy. Even you yourself must have remarked
that we have no generalship,--no guidance--"

"I won't say that," said Conway, quietly. "We're knocking hard at
Sebastopol, and all we can say is we have n't found the weak spot yet."

"The weak spot! Why, it 's all weak,--earthworks, nothing but
earthworks! Now, don't tell me that Wellington would have minded
earthworks! Ah, we have fallen upon sad times!" sighed he, piteously.
"Our land commanders say earthworks are impregnable; our admirals say
stone walls can't be attacked."

Conway laughed again, and lighted a fresh cigarette.

"And what pension have you for that?" asked Clowes, glancing at the
empty sleeve.

"A mere trifle; I can't exactly tell you, for I have not applied for it"

"I would, though; I 'd have it out of them, and I 'd have whatever I
could, besides. They 'd not give _you_ the Bath; that they keep for
gentlemen--"

Conway took his cigar from his lips, and while his cheek burned, he
seemed about to reply; then, resuming his smoking, he lay back and said
nothing.

"After all," said Clowes, "there must be distinctions of rank. One
regrets, one deplores, but can't help it Look at all the attempts at
equality, and see their failures. No, sir, you have _your_ place in the
social scale, and I have _mine_."

Now, when Mr. Clowes had enunciated this sentiment, he seemed suddenly
to be struck by its severity; for he added, "Not but that every man is
respectable in his own rank; don't imagine that I look down upon you."

Conway's eyes opened widely as he stared at him, and he puffed his cigar