按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Do you think I am in any danger； then？〃
〃Not in the ordinary sense of the word。 I only think that a
friend may be useful in keeping Dexter's audacity （he is one of
the most impudent men living） within proper limits。 Then； again；
in case anything worth remembering and acting on _should_ fall
from him in his talk； a friend may be valuable as witness。 In
your place； I should have a witness with me who could take
notesbut then I am a lawyer； and my business is to make a fuss
about trifles。 Let me only saygo with a companion when you next
visit Dexter； and be on your guard against yourself when your
talk turns on Mrs。 Beauly。〃
〃On my guard against myself？ What do you mean？〃
〃Practice； my dear Mrs。 Eustace； has given me an eye for the
little weaknesses of human nature。 You are （quite naturally）
disposed to be jealous of Mrs。 Beauly； and you are； in
consequence； not in full possession of your excellent
common…sense when Dexter uses that lady as a means of
blindfolding you。 Am I speaking too freely？〃
〃Certainly not。 It is very degrading to me to be jealous of Mrs。
Beauly。 My vanity suffers dreadfully when I think of it。 But my
common…sense yields to conviction。 I dare say you are right。〃
〃I am delighted to find that we agree on one point；〃 he rejoined；
dryly。 〃I don't despair yet of convincing you in that far more
serious matter which is still in dispute between us。 And； what is
more； if you will throw no obstacles in the way； I look to Dexter
himself to help me。〃
This aroused my curiosity。 How Miserrimus Dexter could help him；
in that or in any other way； was a riddle beyond my reading。
〃You propose to repeat to Dexter all that Lady Clarinda told you
about Mrs。 Beauly；〃 he went on。 〃And you think it is likely that
Dexter will be overwhelmed； as you were overwhelmed； when he
hears the story。 I am going to venture on a prophecy。 I say that
Dexter will disappoint you。 Far from showing any astonishment； he
will boldly tell you that you have been duped by a deliberately
false statement of facts； invented and set afloat； in her own
guilty interests； by Mrs。 Beauly。 Now tell meif he really try；
in that way； to renew your unfounded suspicion of an innocent
woman； will _that_ shake your confidence in your own opinion？〃
〃It will entirely destroy my confidence in my own opinion； Mr。
Playmore。〃
〃Very good。 I shall expect you to write to me； in any case； and I
believe we shall be of one mind before the week is out。 Keep
strictly secret all that I said to you yesterday about Dexter。
Don't even mention my name when you see him。 Thinking of him as I
think now； I would as soon touch the hand of the hangman as the
hand of that monster！ God bless you！ Good…by。〃
So he said his farewell words； at the door of the hotel。 Kind；
genial； cleverbut oh； how easily prejudiced； how shockingly
obstinate in holding to his own opinion！ And _what_ an opinion！ I
shuddered as I thought of it。
CHAPTER XXXV。
MR。 PLAYMORE'S PROPHECY。
WE reached London between eight and nine in the evening。
Strictly methodical in all his habits； Benjamin had telegraphed
to his housekeeper； from Edinburgh； to have supper ready or us by
ten o'clock； and to send the cabman whom he always employed to
meet us at the station。
Arriving at the villa； we were obliged to wait for a moment to
let a pony…chaise get by us before we could draw up at Benjamin's
door。 The chaise passed very slowly； driven by a rough…looking
man； with a pipe in his mouth。 But for the man； I might have
doubted whether the pony was quite a stranger to me。 As things
were； I thought no more of the matter。
Benjamin's respectable old housekeeper opened the garden gate；
and startled me by bursting into a devout ejaculation of
gratitude at the sight of her master。 〃The Lord be praised； sir！〃
she cried； 〃I thought you would never come back！〃
〃Anything wrong？〃 asked Benjamin； in his own impenetrably quiet
way。
The housekeeper trembled at the question； and answered in these
enigmatical words：
〃My mind's upset； sir； and whether things are wrong or whether
things are right is more than I can say。 Hours ago； a strange man
came in and asked〃she stopped； as if she were completely
bewilderedlooked for a moment vacantly at her masterand
suddenly addressed herself to me。 〃And asked；〃 she proceeded；
〃when _you_ was expected back； ma'am。 I told him what my master
had telegraphed； and the man says upon that； 'Wait a bit；' he
says； 'I'm coming back。' He came back in a minute or less； and he
carried a Thing in his arms which curdled my bloodit did！and
set me shaking from the crown of my head to the sole of my foot。
I know I ought to have stopped it； but I couldn't stand upon my
legs； much less put the man out of the house。 In he went； without
'_with_ your leave；' or '_by_ your leave；' Mr。 Benjamin； sirin
he went； with the Thing in his arms； straight through to your
library。 And there It has been all these hours。 And there It is
now。 I've spoken to the police； but they wouldn't interfere； and
what to do next is more than my poor head can tell。 Don't you go
in by yourself； ma'am！ You'll be frightened out of your witsyou
will！〃
I persisted in entering the house； for all that。 Aided by the
pony； I easily solved the mystery of the housekeeper's otherwise
unintelligible narrative。 Passing through the dining…room （where
the supper…table was already laid for us）； I looked through the
half…opened library door。
Yes； there was Miserrimus Dexter； arrayed in his pink jacket；
fast asleep in Benjamin's favorite arm…chair！ No coverlet hid his
horrible deformity。 Nothing was sacrificed to conventional ideas
of propriety in his extraordinary dress。 I could hardly wonder
that the poor old housekeeper trembled from head to foot when she
spoke of him。
〃Valeria；〃 said Benjamin； pointing to the Portent in the chair。
〃Which is itan Indian idol； or a man？〃
I have already described Miserrimus Dexter as possessing the
sensitive ear of a dog： he now allowed that he also slept the
light sleep of a dog。 Quietly as Benjamin had spoken； the strange
voice aroused him on the instant。 He rubbed his eyes； and smiled
as innocently as a waking child。
〃How do you do； Mrs。 Valeria？〃 he said。 〃I have had a nice little
sleep。 You don't know how happy I am to see you again。 Who is
this？〃）
He rubbed his eyes once more！ and looked at Benjamin。 Not knowing
what else to do in this extraordinary emergency； I presented my
visitor to the master of the house。
〃Excuse my getting up； sir；〃 said Miserrimus Dexter。 〃I can't get
upI have no legs。 You look as if you thought I was occupying
your chair？ If I am committing an intrusion； be so good as to put
your umbrella under me； and give me a jerk。 I shall fall on my
hands； and I shan't be offended with you。 I will submit to a
tumble and a scoldingbut please don't break my heart by sending
me away。 That beautiful woman there can be very cruel sometimes；
sir； when the fit takes her。 She went away when I stood in the
sorest need of a little talk with hershe went away； and left me
to my loneliness and my suspense。 I am a poor deformed wretch；
with a warm heart； and； perhaps； an insatiable curiosity as well。
Insatiable curiosity （have you ever felt it？） is a curse。 I bore
it until my brains began to boil in my head； and then I sent for
my gardener； and made him drive me here。 I like being here。 The
air of your library soothes me； the sight of Mrs。 Valeria is balm
to my wounded heart。 She has something to tell mesomething that
I am dying to hear。 If she is not too tired after her journey；
and if you will let her tell it； I promise to have myself taken
away when she has done。 Dear Mr。 Benjamin； you look like the
refuge of the afflicted。 I am afflicted。 Shake hands like a good
Christian； and take me in。〃
He held out his hand。 His soft blue eyes melted into an
expression of piteous entreaty。 Completely stupefied by the
amazing harangue of which he had been made the object； Benjamin
took the offered hand； with the air of a man in a dream。 〃I hope
I see you well； sir；〃 he said； mechanicallyand then looked
around at me； to know what he was to do next。
〃I understand Mr。 Dexter；〃 I whispered。 〃Leave him to me。〃
Benjamin stole a last bewildered look at the object in the chair；
bowed to it； with the instinct of politeness which never failed
him； and （still with the air of a man in a dream） withdrew into
the next room。
Left together； we looked at each other； for the first moment； in
silence。
Whether I unconsciously drew on that inexhaustible store of
indulgence which a woman always keeps in reserve for a man who
owns that he has need of her； or whether； resenting as I did Mr。
Playmore's horrible suspicion of him； my heart was especially
accessible to feelings of compassion in his unhappy case； I
cannot tell。 I only know that I pitied Miserrimus Dexter at that
moment as I had never pitied him yet； and that I spared him the
reproof which I should certainly have administered to any other
man who had taken the liberty of establishing himself； uninvited；
in Benjamin's house。
He was the first to speak。
〃Lady Clarinda has destroyed your confidence in me！〃 he bega