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Person； ma'am； and I hope to be excused if I venture to say that
the subject is （for good reasons） extremely disagreeable to me。〃
She made a formal courtesy； and quitted the room。
Left by myself； I felt more anxious and more uncertain than ever
when I thought of the experiment that was to be tried on the next
day。 Making due allowance for exaggeration； the description of
Miserrimus Dexter on his departure from Mrs。 Macallan's house
suggested that he had not endured my long absence very patiently；
and that he was still as far as ever from giving his shatt ered
nervous system its fair chance of repose。
The next morning brought me Mr。 Playmore's reply to the letter
which I had addressed to him from Paris。
He wrote very briefly； neither approving nor blaming my decision；
but strongly reiterating his opinion that I should do well to
choose a competent witness as my companion at my coming interview
with Dexter。 The most interesting part of the letter was at the
end。 〃You must be prepared；〃 Mr。 Playmore wrote； 〃to see a change
for the worse in Dexter。 A friend of mine was with him on a
matter of business a few days since； and was struck by the
alteration in him。 Your presence is sure to have its effect； one
way or another。 I can give you no instructions for managing
himyou must be guided by the circumstances。 Your own tact will
tell you whether it is wise or not to encourage him to speak of
the late Mrs。 Eustace。 The chances of his betraying himself all
revolve （as I think） round that one topic： keep him to it if you
can。〃 To this was added； in a postscript： 〃Ask Mr。 Benjamin if he
were near enough to the library door to hear Dexter tell you of
his entering the bedchamber on the night of Mrs。 Eustace
Macallan's death。〃
I put the question to Benjamin when we met at the luncheon…table
before setting forth for the distant suburb in which Miserrimus
Dexter lived。 My old friend disapproved of the contemplated
expedition as strongly as ever。 He was unusually grave and
unusually sparing of his words when he answered me。
〃I am no listener；〃 he said。 〃But some people have voices which
insist on being heard。 Mr。 Dexter is one of them。〃
〃Does that mean that you heard him？〃 I asked。
〃The door couldn't muffle him； and the wall couldn't muffle him；〃
Benjamin rejoined。 〃I heard himand I thought it infamous。
There！〃
〃I may want you to do more than hear him this time；〃 I ventured
to say。 〃I may want you to make notes of our conversation while
Mr。 Dexter is speaking to me。 You used to write down what my
father said； when he was dictating his letters to you。 Have you
got one of your little note…books to spare？〃
Benjamin looked up from his plate with an aspect of stern
surprise。
〃It's one thing；〃 he said； 〃to write under the dictation of a
great merchant； conducting a vast correspondence by which
thousands of pounds change hands in due course of post。 And it's
another thing to take down the gibberish of a maundering mad
monster who ought to be kept in a cage。 Your good father；
Valeria； would never have asked me to do that。〃
〃Forgive me； Benjamin； I must really ask you to do it。 You may be
of the greatest possible use to me。 Come； give way this once；
dear； for my sake。〃
Benjamin looked down again at his plate； with a rueful
resignation which told me that I had carried my point。
〃I have been tied to her apron…string all my life；〃 I heard him
grumble to himself； 〃and it's too late in the day to get loose
from her how。〃 He looked up again at me。 〃I thought I had retired
from business；〃 he said； 〃but it seems I must turn clerk again。
Well？ What is the new stroke of work that's expected from me this
time？〃
The cab was announced to be waiting for us at the gate as he
asked the question。 I rose and took his arm； and gave him a
grateful kiss on his rosy old cheek。
〃Only two things；〃 I said。 〃Sit down behind Mr。 Dexter's chair；
so that he can't see you。 But take care to place yourself； at the
same time； so that you can see me。〃
〃The less I see of Mr。 Dexter the better I shall be pleased；〃
growled Benjamin。 〃What am I to do after I have taken my place
behind him？〃
〃You are to wait until I make you a sign； and when you see it you
are to begin writing down in your note…book what Mr。 Dexter is
sayingand you are to go on until I make another sign； which
means； Leave off！〃
〃Well？〃 said Benjamin； 〃what's the sign for Begin？ and what's the
sign for Leave off？〃
I was not quite prepared with an answer to this。 I asked him to
help me with a hint。 No！ Benjamin would take no active part in
the matter。 He was resigned to be employed in the capacity of
passive instrumentand there all concession ended； so far as he
was concerned。
Left to my own resources； I found it no easy matter to invent a
telegraphic system which should sufficiently inform Benjamin；
without awakening Dexter's quick suspicion。 I looked into the
glass to see if I could find the necessary suggestion in anything
that I wore。 My earrings supplied me with the idea of which I was
in search。
〃I shall take care to sit in an arm…chair；〃 I said。 〃When you see
me rest my elbow on the chair； and lift my hand to my earring； as
if I were playing with itwrite down what he says； and go on
untilwell； suppose we say； until you hear me move my chair。 At
that sound； stop。 You understand me？〃
〃I understand you。〃
We started for Dexter's house。
CHAPTER XL。
NEMESIS AT LAST。
THE gardener opened the gate to us on this occasion。 He had
evidently received his orders in anticipation of my arrival。
〃Mrs。 Valeria？〃 he asked。
〃Yes。〃
〃And friend？〃
〃And friend。〃
〃Please to step upstairs。 You know the house。〃
Crossing the hall； I stopped for a moment； and looked at a
favorite walking…cane which Benjamin still kept in his hand。
〃Your cane will only be in your way；〃 I said。 〃Had you not better
leave it here？〃
〃My cane may be useful upstairs；〃 retorted Benjamin； gruffly。
〃_I_ haven't forgotten what happened in the library。〃
It was no time to contend with him。 I led the way up the stairs。
Arriving at the upper flight of steps； I was startled by hearing
a sudden cry from the room above。 It was like the cry of a person
in pain； and it was twice repeated before we entered the circular
antechamber。 I was the first to approach the inner room； and to
see the many…sided Miserrimus Dexter in another new aspect of his
character。
The unfortunate Ariel was standing before a table； with a dish of
little cakes placed in front of her。 Round each of her wrists was
tied a string； the free ends of which （at a distance of a few
yards） were held in Miserrimus Dexter's hands。 〃Try again； my
beauty！〃 I heard him say； as I stopped on the threshold of the
door。 〃Take a cake。〃 At the word of command； Ariel submissively
stretched out one arm toward the dish。 Just as she touched a cake
with the tips of her fingers her hand was jerked away by a pull
at the string； so savagely cruel in the nimble and devilish
violence of it that I felt inclined to snatch Benjamin's cane out
of his hand and break it over Miserrimus Dexter's back。 Ariel
suffered the pain this time in Spartan silence。 The position in
which she stood enabled her to be the first to see me at the
door。 She had discovered me。 Her teeth were set； her face was
flushed under the struggle to restrain herself。 Not even a sigh
escaped her in my presence。
〃Drop the string！〃 I called out； indignantly 〃Release her； Mr。
Dexter； or I shall leave the house。〃
At the sound of my voice he burst out with a shrill cry of
welcome。 His eyes fastened on me with a fierce； devouring
delight。
〃Come in！ come in！〃 he cried。 〃See what I am reduced to in the
maddening suspense of waiting for you。 See how I kill the time
when the time parts us。 Come in！ come in！ I am in one of my
malicious humors this morning； caused entirely； Mrs。 Valeria； by
my anxiety to see you。 When I am in my malicious humors I must
tease something。 I am teasing Ariel。 Look at her！ She has had
nothing to eat all day； and she hasn't been quick enough to
snatch a morsel of cake yet。 You needn't pity her。 Ariel has no
nervesI don't hurt her。〃
〃Ariel has no nerves；〃 echoed the poor creature； frowning at me
for interfering between her master and herself。 〃He doesn't hurt
me。〃
I heard Benjamin beginning to swing his cane behind him。
〃Drop the string！〃 I reiterated； more vehemently than ever。 〃Drop
it； or I shall instantly leave you。〃
Miserrimus Dexter's delicate nerves shuddered at my violence。
〃What a glorious voice！〃 he exclaimedand dropped the string。
〃Take the cakes；〃 he added； addressing Ariel in his most imperial
manner。
She passed me； with the strings hanging from her swollen wrists；
and the dish of cakes in her hand。 She nodded her head at me
defiantly。
〃Ariel has got no nerves；〃 she repeated； proudly。 〃He doesn't
hurt me。〃
〃You see；〃 said Miserrimus Dexter； 〃there is no harm doneand I
dropped the strings when you told me。 Don't _begin_ by being hard
on me； Mrs。 Valeria； after your long absence。〃 He paused。
Benjamin； standing silent in the doorway； attracted his attention
for the first time。 〃Who is this？〃 he asked；