About eight o'clock he reached the journalist's chambers. Malkin had not yet arrived. Peak amused himself with examining certain tropical products which the traveller had recently cast pell-mell into his friend's sitting-room. Then sounded a knock at the door, but it was not such as would have heralded the expected man. 'A telegram,' observed Earwaker, and went to take it in. He returned with hoarse sounds of mirth. 'Our friend excuses himself. Read this characteristic despatch.' Peak saw with surprise that the telegram far exceeded familiar dimensions. 'Unspeakably grieved,' it began. 'Cannot possibly with you. At moment's notice undertaken escort two poor girls Rouen. Not even time look in apologise. Go via Dieppe and leave Victoria few minutes. Hope be back Thursday. Express sincerest regret Mr. Peak. Lament appearance discourtesy. Will apologise personally. Common humanity constrains go Rouen. Will explain Thursday. No time add another word. Rush tickets train.' 'There you have the man!' cried Earwaker. 'How do you class such a mind as that? Ten to one this is some Quixotic obligation he has laid upon himself, and probably he has gone without even a handbag.' 'Vocally delivered,' said Peak, 'this would represent a certain stage of drunkenness. I suppose it isn't open to such an explanation?' 'Malkin never was intoxicated, save with his own vivacity.' They discussed the singular being with good-natured mirth, then turned by degrees to other topics. 'I have just come across a passage that will delight you,' said Earwaker, taking up a book. 'Perhaps you know it.' He read from Sir Thomas Brown's _Pseudodoxia Epidemica_. '"Men's names should not only distinguish them. A man should be something that all men are not, and individual in somewhat beside his proper name. Thus, while it exceeds not the bound of reason and modesty, we cannot condemn singularity. _Nos numerus sumus_ is the motto of the multitude, and for that reason are they fools."' Peak laughed his approval. 'It astonishes me,' he said, lighting his pipe, 'that you can go on writing for this Sunday rag, when you have just as little sympathy with its aims as I have. Do get into some less offensive connection.' 'What paper would you recommend?' asked the other, with his significant smile. 'Why need you journalise at all?' 'On the whole, I like it. And remember, to admit that the multitude are fools is not the same thing as to deny the possibility of progress.' 'Do you really believe yourself a democrat, Earwaker?' 'M--m--m! Well, yes, I believe the democratic spirit is stronger in me than any other.' Peak mused for a minute, then suddenly looked up. 'And what am I?' 'I am glad nothing much depends on my successfully defining you.' They laughed together.