If Dewes was not brilliant, he was at all events all that there was.
"I wish I was going to live," he cried in a low voice of exasperation.

"I wish I could last just long enough to travel down to Calcutta and _make_ them listen to me.

But there's no hope of it.

You must do what you can, Dewes, but very likely they won't pay any attention to you.

Very likely you'll believe me wrong yourself, eh?
Poor old Luffe, a man with a bee in his bonnet, eh ?" he whispered savagely.
"No, sir," replied Dewes.