MULTUM IN PARVO.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VII, Issue 2, 10 January 1891, Page 5

MULTUM IN PARVO.

AXD IT UOES NOT REQUIRE MUCH THOUGHT TO FILL IN THE DASHES. A MiDDLE-aged man is sitting on the rear deck smoking a cigar. A young man and a young woman are near the rail. 11 is dark, and one of his hands and one of her’s are lost in the obscurity of night. The older man seems troubled, but the young people apparently do not notice him. Perhaps the man with the cigar is impressed with the limited vocabulary of some young people, but if he is he does not say so, fpr he has no one with whom to talk. In truth the conversation which does take place is a wonderful example of how much can be said in English with a few words. It runs something like this : — <9 9 9 9’ ‘ You know I do.’ ‘ ? ?’ Indistinct murmur. Questions all in a man’s voice ; responses in a woman’s. * 9 9 9 ?’ * How can you ask me ?’ Questions in the same voice ; answers in the same voice. The end of the cigar glows brightly. There is a short pause. ‘ How white the waves are.’ (Answer lost.) * 9 9 9 9’ ‘ You know I do.’ (See aliove for voices.) A new cigar is lighted. The match snaps loudly, and there is silence for full sixty seconds. ‘ See the lights ’way back there.’ (Something said about * not so bright.’) The new cigar seems to give satisfaction, for it is smoked vigorously. « 9 9 9‘ ‘ Yes,’ in low tones. The voice of the questioned has become that of the questioner and rice versa. The smoker stirs uneasily. •? ? ?’ (Woman’s voice.) * You know I do.’ ‘ How much ?’ (Answer lost.) ‘ Better than ?’ (The rest also lost.) ‘ How can you ?’ ‘ How much ?’ (coaxingly). ‘ Better ’ and ‘ life ’ are the only words audible. The cigar is now in a continual glow. * ? ? ’ (Voice again a man’s.) ‘ Y-e-s.’ (A camp chair grates on the deck.) » 9 9 9 9’ A red spark descrilies an arc on the blackness from the smoker’s chair over the rail. The glow suddenly disappears as the cigar strikes the whirling water. One of the three gets up and goes into the cabin quietly. It is the elderly man.