“If you do come out again, excellencies, and I am living, nothing shall stay me from being your faithful guide,” he said, as he stood at the gangway of the steamer; “and as for you, Lawrence effendi, may the blessings spoken of by the patriarchs be with you in your goings out and comings in, and may the God of your fathers give you that greatest of his blessings, health.”
Lawrence did not speak, but clung to the faithful hand till the Turk descended into the boat; and he then stood gazing over the gangway till the grave, thickly-bearded countenance grew less and less and at last died from his sight.
The little party landed at Trieste, where they parted from the Chumleys, who were going home; but Lawrence and his friends, after repairing the damages to their wardrobes, went by rail to Rome, and made that their home till the rigour of the English spring had passed away.
It was one fine morning at the beginning of June, that a cab laden with luggage stopped at the old home in Guilford Street, where the door was opened by Mrs Dunn, who stared with astonishment at the sturdy youth who bounded up the steps into the hall, and then clasped her in his arms.
“Why, my dear, dear boy!” she cried, “I had brought blankets down to wrap you in, and a warm bath ready, and asked cook’s husband to be in waiting to carry you upstairs.”
“Why, nurse, I could carry you up,” cried Lawrence merrily. “How well you look! Ah, Doctor Shorter.”
“Why, you wicked young impostor,” cried the doctor; “here have I neglected two patients this afternoon on purpose to come and attend on you. I came as soon as nurse Dunn told me she had received the telegram from Folkestone. Bless my heart, how you have changed!”
“Changed, sir?” cried Mr Burne, “I should think he has changed. He has been giving up physic, and trusting to the law, sir. See what we have done!”
“Yes, doctor,” said the professor, shaking hands warmly. “I think you may give him up as cured.”
“Cured? That he is!” cried the doctor. “Well, live and learn. I shall know what to do with my next patient, now.”