He hemmed and hawed and said something about his mother, which was wholly lost upon the barren waste that temporarily stood for a heart in Lord Deppingham's torso.
"Tell him we'll wait here for him," pursued his lordship.

"But remind him, damn him, that it's inexpressibly hot down here in the sun." They stood and watched the miserable Saunders tread gingerly up the filthy street, his knees crooking outwardly from time to time, his toes always touching the ground first, very much as if he were contemplating an instantaneous sprint in any direction but the one he was taking.

Even the placid Deppingham was somewhat disturbed by the significant glances that followed their emissary as he passed by each separate knot of natives.

He was distinctly dismayed when a dozen or more of the dark-faced watchers wandered slowly off after Mr.Saunders.It was clearly observed that Mr.Saunders stepped more nimbly after he became aware of this fact.
"I do hope Mr.Saunders will come back alive," murmured Bromley, her ladyship's maid.

The others started, for she had voiced the general thought.
"He won't come back at all, Bromley, unless he comes back alive," said his lordship with a smile.