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recall him （if such a thing might still be possible） to himself。
At the first step that I took； I felt hands on meI was
violently drawn back。 〃Are you blind？〃 cried Benjamin； dragging
me nearer and nearer to the door。 〃Look there！〃
He pointed； and I looked。
Ariel had been beforehand with me。 She had raised her master in
the chair； she had got one arm around him。 In her free hand she
brandished an Indian club； torn from a 〃trophy〃 of Oriental
weapons that ornamented the wall over the fire…place。 The
creature was transfigured！ Her dull eyes glared like the eyes of
a wild animal。 She gnashed her teeth in the frenzy that possessed
her。 〃You have done this！〃 she shouted to me； waving the club
furiously around and around over her head。 〃Come near him； and
I'll dash your brains out！ I'll mash you till there's not a whole
bone left in your skin！〃 Benjamin； still holding me with one hand
opened the door with the other。 I let him do with me as he would；
Ariel fascinated me； I could look at nothing but Ariel。 Her
frenzy vanished as she saw us retreating。 She dropped the club；
she threw both arms around him； and nestled her head on his
bosom； and sobbed and wept over him。 〃Master！ master！ They shan't
vex you any more。 Look up again。 Laugh at me as you used to do。
Say； 'Ariel； you're a fool。' Be like yourself again！〃 I was
forced into the next room。 I heard a long； low； wailing cry of
misery from the poor creature who loved him with a dog's fidelity
and a woman's devotion。 The heavy door was closed between us。 I
was in the quiet antechamber； crying over that piteous sight；
clinging to my kind old friend as helpless and as useless as a
child。
Benjamin turned the key in the lock。
〃There's no use in crying about it；〃 he said； quietly。 〃It would
be more to the purpose； Valeria； if you thanked God that you have
got out of that room safe and sound。 Come with me。〃
He took the key out of the lock； and led me downstairs into the
hall。 After a little consideration； he opened the front door of
the house。 The gardener was still quietly at work in the grounds。
〃Your master is taken ill；〃 Benjamin said； 〃and the woman who
attends upon him has lost her headif she ever had a head to
lose。 Where does the nearest doctor live？〃
The man's devotion to Dexter showed itself as the woman's
devotion had shown itselfin the man's rough way。 He threw down
his spade with an oath。
〃The Master taken bad？〃 he said。 〃I'll fetch the doctor。 I shall
find him sooner than you will。〃
〃Tell the doctor to bring a man with him；〃 Benjamin added。 〃He
may want help。〃
The gardener turned around sternly。
〃_I'm_ the man；〃 he said。 〃Nobody shall help but me。〃
He left us。 I sat down on one of the chairs in the hall； and did
my best to compose myself。 Benjamin walked to and fro； deep in
thought。 〃Both of them fond of him；〃 I heard my old friend say to
himself。 〃Half monkey； half manand both of them fond of him。
_That_ beats me。〃
The gardener returned with the doctora quiet； dark； resolute
man。 Benjamin advanced to meet them。 〃I have got the key；〃 he
said。 〃Shall I go upstairs with you？〃
Without answering； the doctor drew Benjamin aside into a corner
of the hall。 The two talked together in low voices。 At the end of
it the doctor said； 〃Give me the key。 You can be of no use； you
will only irritate her。〃
With those words he beckoned to the gardener。 He was about to
lead the way up the stairs when I ventured to stop him。
〃May I stay in the hall； sir？〃 I said。 〃I am very anxious to hear
how it ends。〃
He looked at me for a moment before he replied。
〃You had better go home； madam；〃 he said。 〃Is the gardener
acquainted with your address？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Very well。 I will let you know how it ends by means of the
gardener。 Take my advice。 Go home。〃
Benjamin placed my arm in his。 I looked back； and saw the doctor
and the gardener ascending the stairs together on their way to
the locked…up room。
〃Never mind the doctor；〃 I whispered。 〃Let's wait in the garden。〃
Benjamin would not hear of deceiving the doctor。 〃I mean to take
you home；〃 he said。 I looked at him in amazement。 My old friend；
who was all meekness and submission so long as there was no
emergency to try him； now showed the dormant reserve of manly
spirit and decision in his nature as he had never （in my
experience） shown it yet。 He led me into the garden。 We had kept
our cab： it was waiting for us at the gate。
On our way home Benjamin produced his note…book。
〃What's to be done； my dear； with the gib berish that I have
written here？〃 he said。
〃Have you written it all down？〃 I asked； in surprise。
〃When I undertake a duty； I do it；〃 he answered。 〃You never gave
me the signal to leave offyou never moved your chair。 I have
written every word of it。 What shall I do？ Throw it out of the
cab window？〃
〃Give it to me。〃
〃What are you going to do with it？〃
〃I don't know yet。 I will ask Mr。 Playmore。〃
CHAPTER XLI。
MR。 PLAYMORE IN A NEW CHARACTER。
BY that night's postalthough I was far from being fit to make
the exertionI wrote to Mr。 Playmore； to tell him what had taken
place； and to beg for his earliest assistance and advice。
The notes in Benjamin's book were partly written in shorthand；
and were； on that account； of no use to me in their existing
condition。 At my request； he made two fair copies。 One of the
copies I inclosed in my letter to Mr。 Playmore。 The other I laid
by me； on my bedside table； when I went to rest。
Over and over again； through the long hours of the wakeful night；
I read and re…read the last words which had dropped from
Miserrimus Dexter's lips。 Was it possible to interpret them to
any useful purpose？ At the very outset they seemed to set
interpretation at defiance。 After trying vainly to solve the
hopeless problem； I did at last what I might as well have done at
firstI threw down the paper in despair。 Where were my bright
visions of discovery and success now？ Scattered to the winds！ Was
there the faintest chance of the stricken man's return to reason？
I remembered too well what I had seen to hope for it。 The closing
lines of the medical report which I had read in Mr。 Playmore's
office recurred to my memory in the stillness of the night〃When
the catastrophe has happened； his friends can entertain no hope
of his cure： the balance once lost； will be lost for life。〃
The confirmation of that terrible sentence was not long in
reaching me。 On the next morning the gardener brought a note
containing the information which the doctor had promised to give
me on the previous day。
Miserrimus Dexter and Ariel were still where Benjamin and I had
left them togetherin the long room。 They were watched by
skilled attendants； waiting the decision of Dexter's nearest
relative （a younger brother； who lived in the country； and who
had been communicated with by telegraph。 It had been found
impossible to part the faithful Ariel from her master without
using the bodily restraints adopted in cases of raging insanity。
The doctor and the gardener （both unusually strong men） had
failed to hold the poor creature when they first attempted to
remove her on entering the room。 Directly they permitted her to
return to her master the frenzy vanished： she was perfectly quiet
and contented so long as they let her sit at his feet and look at
him。
Sad as this was； the report of Miserrimus Dexter's condition was
more melancholy still。
〃My patient is in a state of absolute imbecility〃those were the
words in the doctor's letter； and the gardener's simple narrative
confirmed them as the truest words that could have been used。 He
was utterly unconscious of poor Ariel's devotion to himhe did
not even appear to know that she was present in the room。 For
hours together he remained in a state of utter lethargy in his
chair。 He showed an animal interest in his meals； and a greedy
animal enjoyment of eating and drinking as much as he could
getand that was all。 〃This morning；〃 the honest gardener said
to me at parting； 〃we thought he seemed to wake up a bit。 Looked
about him； you know； and made queer signs with his hands。 I
couldn't make out what he meant； no more could the doctor。 _She_
knew； poor thingShe did。 Went and got him his harp； and put his
hand up to it。 Lord bless you！ no use。 He couldn't play no more
than I can。 Twanged at it anyhow； and grinned and gabbled to
himself。 No： he'll never come right again。 Any person can see
that； without the doctor to help 'em。 Enjoys his meals； as I told
you； and that's all。 It would be the best thing that could happen
if it would please God to take him。 There's no more to be said。 I
wish you good…morning； ma'am。〃
He went away with the tears in his eyes； and he left me； I own
it； with the tears in mine。
An hour later there came some news which revived me。 I received a
telegram from Mr。 Playmore； expressed in these welcome words：
〃Obliged to go to London by to…night's mail train。 Expect me to
breakfast to…morrow morning。〃
The appearance of the lawyer at our breakfast…table duly
followed the appearance of his telegram。 His first words cheered
me。 To my infinite surprise and relief； he was far from sharing