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wager； here he is himself！' he exclaimed。
As when a tailor takes a piece of goods upon his counter； and rends
it across； there came to our ears from the avenue the long tearing
sound of a chaise and four approaching at the top speed of the
horses。 And； looking out between the curtains； we beheld the lamps
skimming on the smooth ascent。
'Ay；' said Romaine； wiping the window…pane that he might see more
clearly。 'Ay； that is he by the driving！ So he squanders money
along the king's highway； the triple idiot！ gorging every man he
meets with gold for the pleasure of arriving … where？ Ah； yes；
where but a debtor's jail； if not a criminal prison！'
'Is he that kind of a man？' I said； staring on these lamps as
though I could decipher in them the secret of my cousin's
character。
'You will find him a dangerous kind；' answered the lawyer。 'For
you； these are the lights on a lee shore！ I find I fall in a muse
when I consider of him； what a formidable being he once was； and
what a personable！ and how near he draws to the moment that must
break him utterly！ we none of us like him here； we hate him；
rather； and yet I have a sense … I don't think at my time of life
it can be pity … but a reluctance rather； to break anything so big
and figurative； as though he were a big porcelain pot or a big
picture of high price。 Ay； there is what I was waiting for！' he
cried； as the lights of a second chaise swam in sight。 'It is he
beyond a doubt。 The first was the signature and the next the
flourish。 Two chaises； the second following with the baggage；
which is always copious and ponderous； and one of his valets： he
cannot go a step without a valet。'
'I hear you repeat the word big；' said I。 'But it cannot be that
he is anything out of the way in stature。'
'No；' said the attorney。 'About your height； as I guessed for the
tailors； and I see nothing wrong with the result。 But； somehow； he
commands an atmosphere； he has a spacious manner； and he has kept
up； all through life； such a volume of racket about his
personality； with his chaises and his racers and his dicings； and I
know not what … that somehow he imposes！ It seems； when the farce
is done； and he locked in Fleet prison … and nobody left but
Buonaparte and Lord Wellington and the Hetman Platoff to make a
work about … the world will be in a comparison quite tranquil。 But
this is beside the mark；' he added； with an effort； turning again
from the window。 'We are now under fire； Mr。 Anne； as you soldiers
would say； and it is high time we should prepare to go into action。
He must not see you； that would be fatal。 All that he knows at
present is that you resemble him； and that is much more than
enough。 If it were possible； it would be well he should not know
you were in the house。'
'Quite impossible； depend upon it；' said I。 'Some of the servants
are directly in his interests； perhaps in his pay： Dawson； for an
example。'
'My own idea！' cried Romaine。 'And at least；' he added； as the
first of the chaises drew up with a dash in front of the portico；
'it is now too late。 Here he is。'
We stood listening； with a strange anxiety； to the various noises
that awoke in the silent house： the sound of doors opening and
closing； the sound of feet near at hand and farther off。 It was
plain the arrival of my cousin was a matter of moment； almost of
parade； to the household。 And suddenly； out of this confused and
distant bustle； a rapid and light tread became distinguishable。 We
heard it come upstairs； draw near along the corridor； pause at the
door； and a stealthy and hasty rapping succeeded。
'Mr。 Anne … Mr。 Anne； sir！ Let me in！' said the voice of Rowley。
We admitted the lad； and locked the door again behind him。
'It's HIM； sir；' he panted。 'He've come。'
'You mean the Viscount？' said I。 'So we supposed。 But come；
Rowley … out with the rest of it！ You have more to tell us； or
your face belies you ！'
'Mr。 Anne； I do；' he said。 'Mr。 Romaine； sir； you're a friend of
his； ain't you？'
'Yes； George； I am a friend of his；' said Romaine； and； to my great
surprise； laid his hand upon my shoulder。
'Well； it's this way；' said Rowley … 'Mr。 Powl have been at me！
It's to play the spy！ I thought he was at it from the first！ From
the first I see what he was after … coming round and round； and
hinting things！ But to…night he outs with it plump！ I'm to let
him hear all what you're to do beforehand； he says； and he gave me
this for an arnest' … holding up half a guinea； 'and I took it； so
I did！ Strike me sky…blue scarlet？' says he； adducing the words of
the mock oath； and he looked askance at me as he did so。
I saw that he had forgotten himself； and that he knew it。 The
expression of his eye changed almost in the passing of the glance
from the significant to the appealing … from the look of an
accomplice to that of a culprit； and from that moment he became the
model of a well…drilled valet。
'Sky…blue scarlet？' repeated the lawyer。 'Is the fool delirious？'
'No；' said I； 'he is only reminding me of something。'
'Well … and I believe the fellow will be faithful；' said Romaine。
'So you are a friend of Mr。 Anne's' too？' he added to Rowley。
'If you please； sir；' said Rowley。
''Tis something sudden；' observed Romaine； 'but it may be genuine
enough。 I believe him to be honest。 He comes of honest people。
Well； George Rowley； you might embrace some early opportunity to
earn that half…guinea； by telling Mr。 Powl that your master will
not leave here till noon to…morrow； if he go even then。 Tell him
there are a hundred things to be done here； and a hundred more that
can only be done properly at my office in Holborn。 Come to think
of it … we had better see to that first of all；' he went on；
unlocking the door。 'Get hold of Powl； and see。 And be quick
back； and clear me up this mess。'
Mr。 Rowley was no sooner gone than the lawyer took a pinch of
snuff； and regarded me with somewhat of a more genial expression。
'Sir；' said he； 'it is very fortunate for you that your face is so
strong a letter of recommendation。 Here am I； a tough old
practitioner； mixing myself up with your very distressing business；
and here is this farmer's lad； who has the wit to take a bribe and
the loyalty to come and tell you of it … all； I take it； on the
strength of your appearance。 I wish I could imagine how it would
impress a jury！' says he。
'And how it would affect the hangman； sir？' I asked
'ABSIT OMEN！' said Mr。 Romaine devoutly。
We were just so far in our talk； when I heard a sound that brought
my heart into my mouth： the sound of some one slyly trying the
handle of the door。 It had been preceded by no audible footstep。
Since the departure of Rowley our wing of the house had been
entirely silent。 And we had every right to suppose ourselves
alone； and to conclude that the new…comer； whoever he might be； was
come on a clandestine； if not a hostile； errand。
'Who is there？' asked Romaine。
'It's only me； sir；' said the soft voice of Dawson。 'It's the
Viscount； sir。 He is very desirous to speak with you on business。'
'Tell him I shall come shortly； Dawson；' said the lawyer。 'I am at
present engaged。'
'Thank you； sir！' said Dawson。
And we heard his feet draw off slowly along the corridor。
'Yes；' said Mr。 Romaine； speaking low； and maintaining the attitude
of one intently listening； 'there is another foot。 I cannot be
deceived！'
'I think there was indeed！' said I。 'And what troubles me … I am
not sure that the other has gone entirely away。 By the time it got
the length of the head of the stair the tread was plainly single。'
'Ahem … blockaded？' asked the lawyer。
'A siege EN REGLE！' I exclaimed。
'Let us come farther from the door；' said Romaine； 'and reconsider
this damnable position。 Without doubt； Alain was this moment at
the door。 He hoped to enter and get a view of you； as if by
accident。 Baffled in this； has he stayed himself； or has he
planted Dawson here by way of sentinel？'
'Himself； beyond a doubt；' said I。 'And yet to what end？ He
cannot think to pass the night there！'
'If it were only possible to pay no heed！' said Mr。 Romaine。 'But
this is the accursed drawback of your position。 We can do nothing
openly。 I must smuggle you out of this room and out of this house
like seizable goods； and how am I to set about it with a sentinel
planted at your very door？'
'There is no good in being agitated；' said I。
'None at all；' he acquiesced。 'And； come to think of it； it is
droll enough that I should have been that very moment commenting on
your personal appearance； when your cousin came upon this mission。
I was saying； if you reme