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〃Is this one of my dreams？〃 he asked； faintly。 〃Are you a Vision
of the night？〃
〃I am only a friendless woman；〃 I said； 〃who has lost all that
she loved and prized； and who is trying to win it back again。〃
He began to move his chair nearer to me once more。 I lifted my
hand。 He stopped the chair directly。 There was a moment of
silence。 We sat watching one another。 I saw his hands tremble as
he laid them on the coverlet； I saw his face grow paler and
paler； and his under lip drop。 What dead and buried remembrances
had I brought to life in him； in all their olden horror？
He was the first to speak again。
〃So this is your interest；〃 he said； 〃in clearing up the mystery
of Mrs。 Eustace Macallan's death？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃And you believe that I can help you？〃
〃I do。〃
He slowly lifted one of his hands； and pointed at me with his
long forefinger。
〃You suspect somebody；〃 he said。
The tone in which he spoke was low and threatening； it warned me
to be careful。 At the same time； if I now shut him out of my
confidence； I should lose the reward that might yet be to come；
for all that I had suffered and risked at that perilous
interview。
〃You suspect somebody；〃 he repeated。
〃Perhaps！〃 was all that I said in return。
〃Is the person within your reach？〃
〃Not yet。〃
〃Do you know where the person is？〃
〃No。〃
He laid his head languidly on the back of his chair； with a
trembling long…drawn sigh。 Was he disappointed？ Or was he
relieved？ Or was he simply exhausted in mind and body alike？ Who
could fathom him？ Who could say？
〃Will you give me five minutes？〃 he asked； feebly and wearily；
without raising his head。 〃You know already how any reference to
events at Gleninch excites and shakes me。 I shall be fit for it
again； if you will kindly give me a few minutes to myself。 There
are books in the next room。 Please excuse me。〃
I at once retired to the circular antechamber。 He followed me in
his chair； and closed the door between us。
CHAPTER XXIX。
IN THE LIGHT。
A LITTLE interval of solitude was a relief to me； as well as to
Miserrimus Dexter。
Startling doubts beset me as I walked restlessly backward and
forward； now in the anteroom； and now in the corridor outside。 It
was plain that I had （quite innocently） disturbed the repose of
some formidable secrets in Miserrimus Dexter's mind。 I confused
and wearied my poor brains in trying to guess what the secrets
might be。 All my ingenuityas after…events showed mewas wasted
on speculations not one of which even approached the truth。 I was
on surer ground when I arrived at the conclusion that Dexter had
really kept every mortal creature out of his confidence。 He could
never have betrayed such serious signs of disturbance as I had
noticed in him； if he had publicly acknowledged at the Trial； or
if he had privately communicated to any chosen friend； all that
he knew of the tragic and terrible drama acted in the bedchamber
at Gleninch。 What powerful influence had induced him to close his
lips？ Had he been silent in mercy to others？ or in dread of
consequences to himself？ Impossible to tell！ Could I hope that he
would confide to Me what he had kept secret from Justice and
Friendship alike？ When he knew what I really wanted of him； would
he arm me； out of his own stores of knowledge； with the weapon
that would win me victory in the struggle to come？ The chances
were against itthere was no denying that。 Still the end was
worth trying for。 The caprice of the moment might yet stand my
friend； with such a wayward being as Miserrimus Dexter。 My plans
and projects were sufficiently strange； sufficiently wide of the
ordinary limits of a woman's thoughts and actions； to attract his
sympathies。 〃Who knows；〃 I thought to myself； 〃if I may not take
his confidence by surprise； by simply telling him the truth？〃
The interval expired； the door was thrown open； the voice of my
host summoned me again to the inner room。
〃Welcome back！〃 said Miserrimus Dexter。
〃Dear Mrs。 Valeria； I am quite myself again。 How are you？〃
He looked and spoke with the easy cordiality of an old friend。
During the period of my absence； short as it was； another change
had passed over this most multiform of living beings。 His eyes
sparkled with good…humor； his cheeks were flushing under a new
excitement of some sort。 Even his dress had undergone alteration
since I had seen it last。 He now wore an extemporized cap of
white paper； his ruffles were tucked up； a clean apron was thrown
over the sea…green coverlet。 He hacked his chair before me；
bowing and smiling； and waved me to a seat with the grace of a
dancing master； chastened by the dignity of a lord in waiting。
〃I am going to cook；〃 he announced； with the most engaging
simplicity。 〃We both stand in need of refreshment before we
return to the serious business of our interview。 You see me in my
cook's dress； forgive it。 There is a form in these things。 I am a
great stickler for forms。 I have been taking some wine。 Please
sanction that proceeding by taking some wine too。〃
He filled a goblet of ancient Venetian glass with a purple…red
liquor； beautiful to see。
〃Burgundy！〃 he said〃the king of wine： And this is the king of
BurgundiesClos Vougeot。 I drink to your health and happiness！〃
He filled a second goblet for himself； and honored the toast by
draining it to the bottom。 I now understood the sparkle in his
eyes and the flush in his cheeks。 It was my interest not to
offend him。 I drank a little of his wine； and I quite agreed with
him。 I thought it delicious。
〃What shall we eat？〃 he asked。 〃It must be something worthy of
our Clos Vougeot。 Ariel is good at roasting and boiling joints；
poor wretch！ but I don't insult your taste by offering you
Ariel's cookery。 Plain joints！〃 he exclaimed； with an expression
of refined disgust。 〃Bah！ A man who eats a plain joint is only
one remove from a cannibal or a butcher。 Will you leave it to me
to discover something more worthy of us？ Let us go to the
kitchen。〃
He wheeled his chair around； and invited me to accompany him with
a courteous wave of his hand。
I followed the chair to some closed curtains at one end of the
room； which I had not hitherto noticed。 Drawing aside the
curtains； he revealed to view an alcove； in which stood a neat
little gas…stove for cooking。 Drawers and cupboards； plates；
dishes； and saucepans； were ranged around the alcoveall on a
miniature scale； all scrupulously bright and clean。 〃Welcome to
the kitchen！〃 said Miserrimus Dexter。 He drew out of a recess in
the wall a marble slab； which served as a table； and reflected
profoundly； with his hand to his head。 〃I have it！〃 he cried； and
opening one of the cupboards next； took from it a black bottle of
a form that was new to me。 Sounding this bottle with a spike； he
pierced and produced to view some little irregularly formed black
objects； which might have been familiar enough to a woman
accustomed to the luxurious tables of the rich； but which were a
new revelation to a person like myself； who
had led a simple country life in the house of a clergyman with
small means。 When I saw my host carefully lay out these occult
substances of uninviting appearance on a clean napkin； and then
plunge once more into profound reflection at the sight of them；
my curiosity could be no longer restrained。 I ventured to say；
〃What are those things； Mr。 Dexter； and are we really going to
eat them？〃
He started at the rash question； and looked at me with hands
outspread in irrepressible astonishment。
〃Where is our boasted progress？〃 he cried。 What is education but
a name？ Here is a cultivated person who doesn't know Truffles
when she sees them！〃
〃I have heard of truffles；〃 I answered； humbly； 〃but I never saw
them before。 We had no such foreign luxuries as those； Mr。
Dexter； at home in the North。〃
Miserrimus Dexter lifted one of the truffles tenderly on his
spike； and held it up to me in a favorable light。
〃Make the most of one of the few first sensations in this life
which has no ingredient of disappointment lurking under the
surface；〃 he said。 〃Look at it； meditate over it。 You shall eat
it； Mrs。 Valeria； stewed in Burgundy！〃
He lighted the gas for cooking with the air of a man who was
about to offer me an inestimable proof of his good…will。
〃Forgive me if I observe the most absolute silence；〃 he said；
〃dating from the moment when I take this in my hand。〃 He produced
a bright little stew…pan from his collection of culinary utensils
as he spoke。 〃Properly pursued； the Art of Cookery allows of no
divided attention；〃 he continued； gravely。 〃In that observation
you will find the reason why no woman ever has reached； or ever
will reach； the highest distinction as a cook。 As a rule； women
are incapable of absolutely concentrating their attention on any
one occupation for any given time。 Their minds will run on
something elsesay； typically； for the sake of illustration；
their sweetheart or their new bonnet。 The one obstacle； Mrs。
Valeria； to your rising equal to the men in the various
industrial processes of life is not raised； as the women vainly
suppose； by the defective institutions of the age they live in。
No