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months you'd see them land once more； and they'd tell you they couldn't
live anywhere else。〃
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Chapter L
I have an idea that some men are born out of their due place。
Accident has cast them amid certain surroundings； but they have always a
nostalgia for a home they know not。 They are strangers in their
birthplace； and the leafy lanes they have known from childhood or the
populous streets in which they have played； remain but a place of passage。
They may spend their whole lives aliens among their kindred and remain
aloof among the only scenes they have ever known。 Perhaps it is this
sense of strangeness that sends men far and wide in the search for
something permanent； to which they may attach themselves。 Perhaps
some deeprooted atavism urges the wanderer back to lands which his
ancestors left in the dim beginnings of history。 Sometimes a man hits
upon a place to which he mysteriously feels that he belongs。 Here is the
home he sought； and he will settle amid scenes that he has never seen
before； among men he has never known； as though they were familiar to
him from his birth。 Here at last he finds rest。
I told Tiare the story of a man I had known at St。 Thomas's Hospital。
He was a Jew named Abraham； a blond； rather stout young man； shy and
very unassuming； but he had remarkable gifts。 He entered the hospital
with a scholarship； and during the five years of the curriculum gained
every prize that was open to him。 He was made house…physician and
house…surgeon。 His brilliance was allowed by all。 Finally he was elected
to a position on the staff； and his career was assured。 So far as human
things can be predicted； it was certain that he would rise to the greatest
heights of his profession。 Honours and wealth awaited him。 Before he
entered upon his new duties he wished to take a holiday； and； having no
private means； he went as surgeon on a tramp steamer to the Levant。 It did
not generally carry a doctor； but one of the senior surgeons at the hospital
knew a director of the line； and Abraham was taken as a favour。
In a few weeks the authorities received his resignation of the coveted
position on the staff。 It created profound astonishment； and wild rumours
were current。 Whenever a man does anything unexpected； his fellows
ascribe it to the most discreditable motives。 But there was a man ready
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to step into Abraham's shoes； and Abraham was forgotten。 Nothing more
was heard of him。 He vanished。
It was perhaps ten years later that one morning on board ship； about to
land at Alexandria； I was bidden to line up with the other passengers for
the doctor's examination。 The doctor was a stout man in shabby clothes；
and when he took off his hat I noticed that he was very bald。 I had an
idea that I had seen him before。 Suddenly I remembered。
〃Abraham；〃 I said。
He turned to me with a puzzled look； and then； recognizing me； seized
my hand。 After expressions of surprise on either side； hearing that I
meant to spend the night in Alexandria； he asked me to dine with him at
the English Club。 When we met again I declared my astonishment at
finding him there。 It was a very modest position that he occupied； and
there was about him an air of straitened circumstance。 Then he told me
his story。 When he set out on his holiday in the Mediterranean he had
every intention of returning to London and his appointment at St。
Thomas's。 One morning the tramp docked at Alexandria； and from the
deck he looked at the city； white in the sunlight； and the crowd on the
wharf； he saw the natives in their shabby gabardines； the blacks from the
Soudan； the noisy throng of Greeks and Italians； the grave Turks in
tarbooshes； the sunshine and the blue sky； and something happened to him。
He could not describe it。 It was like a thunder…clap； he said； and then；
dissatisfied with this； he said it was like a revelation。 Something seemed
to twist his heart； and suddenly he felt an exultation； a sense of wonderful
freedom。 He felt himself at home； and he made up his mind there and
then； in a minute； that he would live the rest of his life in Alexandria。 He
had no great difficulty in leaving the ship； and in twenty…four hours； with
all his belongings； he was on shore。
〃The Captain must have thought you as mad as a hatter；〃 I smiled。
〃I didn't care what anybody thought。 It wasn't I that acted； but
something stronger within me。 I thought I would go to a little Greek
hotel； while I looked about； and I felt I knew where to find one。 And do
you know； I walked straight there； and when I saw it； I recognised it at
once。〃
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〃Had you been to Alexandria before？〃
〃No； I'd never been out of England in my life。〃
Presently he entered the Government service； and there he had been
ever since。
〃Have you never regretted it？〃
〃Never； not for a minute。 I earn just enough to live upon； and I'm
satisfied。 I ask nothing more than to remain as I am till I die。 I've had a
wonderful life。〃
I left Alexandria next day； and I forgot about Abraham till a little while
ago； when I was dining with another old friend in the profession； Alec
Carmichael； who was in England on short leave。 I ran across him in the
street and congratulated him on the knighthood with which his eminent
services during the war had been rewarded。 We arranged to spend an
evening together for old time's sake； and when I agreed to dine with him；
he proposed that he should ask nobody else； so that we could chat without
interruption。 He had a beautiful old house in Queen Anne Street； and
being a man of taste he had furnished it admirably。 On the walls of the
diningroom I saw a charming Bellotto； and there was a pair of Zoffanys
that I envied。 When his wife； a tall； lovely creature in cloth of gold； had
left us； I remarked laughingly on the change in his present circumstances
from those when we had both been medical students。 We had looked
upon it then as an extravagance to dine in a shabby Italian restaurant in the
Westminster Bridge Road。 Now Alec Carmichael was on the staff of half a
dozen hospitals。 I should think he earned ten thousand a year； and his
knighthood was but the first of the honours which must inevitably fall to
his lot。
〃I've done pretty well；〃 he said； 〃but the strange thing is that I owe it
all to one piece of luck。〃
〃What do you mean by that？〃
〃Well； do you remember Abraham？ He was the man who had the
future。 When we were students he beat me all along the line。 He got the
prizes and the scholarships that I went in for。 I always played second
fiddle to him。 If he'd kept on he'd be in the position I'm in now。 That
man had a genius for surgery。 No one had a look in with him。 When he
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was appointed Registrar at Thomas's I hadn't a chance of getting on the
staff。 I should have had to become a G。P。； and you know what likelihood
there is for a G。P。 ever to get out of the common rut。 But Abraham fell
out； and I got the job。 That gave me my opportunity。〃
〃I dare say that's true。〃
〃It was just luck。 I suppose there was some kink in Abraham。 Poor
d