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Mr。 Dexter of the night by the inveterate oddity of his dress。
His jacket； on this occasion； was of pink quilted silk。 The
coverlet which hid his deformity matched the jacket in pale
sea…green satin； and； to complete these strange vagaries of
costume； his wrists were actually adorned with massive bracelets
of gold； formed on the severely simple models which have
descended to us from ancient times。
〃How good of you to cheer and charm me by coming here！〃 he said；
in his most mournful and most mu sical tones。 〃I have dressed；
expressly to receive you； in the prettiest clothes I have。 Don't
be surprised。 Except in this ignoble and material nineteenth
century； men have always worn precious stuffs and beautiful
colors as well as women。 A hundred years ago a gentleman in pink
silk was a gentleman properly dressed。 Fifteen hundred years ago
the patricians of the classic times wore bracelets exactly like
mine。 I despise the brutish contempt for beauty and the mean
dread of expense which degrade a gentleman's costume to black
cloth； and limit a gentleman's ornaments to a finger…ring； in the
age I live in。 I like to be bright and I beautiful； especially
when brightness and beauty come to see me。 You don't know how
precious your society is to me。 This is one of my melancholy
days。 Tears rise unbidden to my eyes。 I sigh and sorrow over
myself； I languish for pity。 Just think of what I am！ A poor
solitary creature； cursed with a frightful deformity。 How
pitiable！ how dreadful！ My affectionate heartwasted。 My
extraordinary talentsuseless or misapplied。 Sad！ sad！ sad！
Please pity me。〃
His eyes were positively filled with tearstears of compassion
for himself！ He looked at me and spoke to me with the wailing；
querulous entreaty of a sick child wanting to be nursed。 I was
utterly at a loss what to do。 It was perfectly ridiculousbut I
was never more embarrassed in my life。
〃Please pity me！〃 he repeated。 〃Don't be cruel。 I only ask a
little thing。 Pretty Mrs。 Valeria； say you pity me！〃
I said I pitied himand I felt that I blushed as I did it。
〃Thank you；〃 said Miserrimus Dexter； humbly。 〃It does me good。 Go
a little further。 Pat my hand。〃
I tried to restrain myself； but the sense of the absurdity of
this last petition （quite gravely addressed to me； remember！） was
too strong to be controlled。 I burst out laughing。
Miserrimus Dexter looked at me with a blank astonishment which
only increased my merriment。 Had I offended him？ Apparently not。
Recovering from his astonishment； he laid his head luxuriously on
the back of his chair； with the expression of a man who was
listening critically to a performance of some sort。 When I had
quite exhausted myself； he raised his head and clapped his
shapely white hands； and honored me with an 〃encore。〃
〃Do it again；〃 he said； still in the same childish way。 〃Merry
Mrs。 Valeria； _you_ have a musical laugh_I_ have a musical ear。
Do it again。〃
I was serious enough by this time。 〃I am ashamed of myself； Mr。
Dexter；〃 I said。 〃Pray forgive me。〃
He made no answer to this； I doubt if he heard me。 His variable
temper appeared to be in course of undergoing some new change。 He
sat looking at my dress （as I supposed） with a steady and anxious
attention； gravely forming his own conclusions； steadfastly
pursuing his own train of thought。
〃Mrs。 Valeria；〃 he burst out suddenly； 〃you are not comfortable
in that chair。〃
〃Pardon me；〃 I replied； 〃I am quite comfortable。〃
〃Pardon _me；_〃 he rejoined。 〃There is a chair of Indian
basket…work at that end of the room which is much better suited
to you。 Will you accept my apologies if I am rude enough to allow
you to fetch it for yourself？ I have a reason。〃
He had a reason！ What new piece of eccentricity was he about to
exhibit？ I rose and fetched the chair。 It was light enough to be
quite easily carried。 As I returned to him； I noticed that his
eyes were strangely employed in what seemed to be the closest
scrutiny of my dress。 And； stranger still； the result of this
appeared to be partly to interest and partly to distress him。
I placed the chair near him； and was about to take my seat in it；
when he sent me back again； on another errand； to the end of the
room。
〃Oblige me indescribably；〃 he said。 〃There is a hand…screen
hanging on the wall； which matches the chair。 We are rather near
the fire here。 You may find the screen useful。 Once more forgive
me for letting you fetch it for yourself。 Once more let me assure
you that I have a reason。〃
Here was his 〃reason；〃 reiterated； emphatically reiterated； for
the second time！ Curiosity made me as completely the obedient
servant of his caprices as Ariel herself。 I fetched the
hand…screen。 Returning with it； I met his eyes still fixed with
the same incomprehensible attention on my perfectly plain and
unpretending dress； and still expressing the same curious mixture
of interest and regret。
〃Thank you a thousand times；〃 he said。 〃You have （quite
innocently） wrung my heart。 But you have not the less done me an
inestimable kindness。 Will you promise not to be offended with me
if I confess the truth？〃
He was approaching his explanation I never gave a promise more
readily in my life。
〃I have rudely allowed you to fetch your chair and your screen
for yourself；〃 he went on。 〃My motive will seem a very strange
one； I am afraid。 Did you observe that I noticed you very
attentivelytoo attentively； perhaps？〃
〃Yes；〃 I said。 〃I thought you were noticing my dress。〃
He shook his head； and sighed bitterly。
〃Not your dress；〃 he said； 〃and not your face。 Your dress is
dark。 Your face is still strange to me。 Dear Mrs。 Valeria； I
wanted to see you walk。〃
To see me walk！ What did he mean？ Where was that erratic mind of
his wandering to now？
〃You have a rare accomplishment for an Englishwoman；〃 he
resumed〃you walk well。 _She_ walked well。 I couldn't resist the
temptation of seeing her again； in seeing you。 It was _her_
movement； _her_ sweet； simple； unsought grace （not yours）； when
you walked to the end of the room and returned to me。 You raised
her from the dead when you fetched the chair and the screen。
Pardon me for making use of you： the idea was innocent； the
motive was sacred。 You have distressedand delighted me。 My
heart bleedsand thanks you。〃
He paused for a moment； he let his head droop on his breast； then
suddenly raised it again。
〃Surely we were talking about her last night？〃 he said。 〃What did
I say？ what did you say？ My memory is confused； I half remember；
half forget。 Please remind me。 You're not offended with meare
you？〃
I might have been offended with another man。 Not with him。 I was
far too anxious to find my way into his confidencenow that he
had touched of his own accord on the subject of Eustace's first
wifeto be offended with Miserrimus Dexter。
〃We were speaking；〃 I answered； 〃of Mrs。 Eustace Macallan's
death； and we were saying to one another〃
He interrupted me； leaning forward eagerly in his chair。
〃Yes！ yes！〃 he exclaimed。 〃And I was wondering what interest
_you_ could have in penetrating the mystery of her death。 Tell
me！ Confide in me！ I am dying to know！〃
〃Not even you have a stronger interest in that subject than the
interest that I feel；〃 I said。 〃The happiness of my whole life to
come depends on my clearing up the mystery。〃
〃Good Godwhy？〃 he cried。 〃Stop！ I am exciting myself。 I mustn't
do that。 I must have all my wits about me； I mustn't wander。 The
thing is too serious。 Wait a minute！〃
An elegant little basket was hooked on to one of the arms of his
chair。 He opened it； and drew out a strip of embroidery partially
finished； with the necessary materials for working； a complete。
We looked at each other across the embroidery。 He noticed my
surprise。
〃Women；〃 he said； 〃wisely compose their minds； and help
themselves to think quietly； by doing needle…work。 Why are men
such fools as to deny themselves the same admirable resourcethe
simple and soothing occupation which keeps the nerves steady and
leaves the mind calm and free？ As a man； I follow the woman's
wise example。 Mrs。 Valeria； permit me to compose myself。〃
Gravely arranging his embroidery； this extraordinary being began
to work with the patient and nimble dexterity of an accomplished
needle…woman。
〃Now；〃 said Miserrimus Dexter； 〃if you are ready； I am。 You
talkI work。 Please begin。〃
I obeyed him； and began。
CHAPTER XXVIII。
IN THE DARK。
WITH such a man as Miserrimus Dexter； and with such a purpose as
I had in view； no half…confidences were possible。 I must either
risk the most unreserved acknowledgment of the interests that I
really had at stake； or I must make the best excuse that occurred
to me for abandoning my
contemplated experiment at the last moment。 In my present
critical situation； no such refuge as a middle course lay before
meeven if I had been inclined to take it。 As things were； I ran
risks； and plunged headlong into my own affairs at starting。
〃Thus far； you know little or nothing about me； Mr。 Dexter；〃 I
said。 〃You are； as I believe； quite unaware that my husband and I
are not living together at the present time。〃
〃Is it necessary to men