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Romaine。 'But there are worse things than even bankruptcy； and
worse places than a debtors' jail。'
The words were so significantly said that there went a visible
thrill through Alain； sudden as a sword…stroke； he fell pale again。
'I do not understand you；' said he。
'O yes； you do；' returned Romaine。 'I believe you understand me
very well。 You must not suppose that all this time； while you were
so very busy； others were entirely idle。 You must not fancy；
because I am an Englishman； that I have not the intelligence to
pursue an inquiry。 Great as is my regard for the honour of your
house； M。 Alain de St。…Yves； if I hear of you moving directly or
indirectly in this matter； I shall do my duty； let it cost what it
will： that is； I shall communicate the real name of the
Buonapartist spy who signs his letters RUE GREGOIRE DE TOURS。'
I confess my heart was already almost altogether on the side of my
insulted and unhappy cousin； and if it had not been before； it must
have been so now； so horrid was the shock with which he heard his
infamy exposed。 Speech was denied him； he carried his hand to his
neckcloth； he staggered； I thought he must have fallen。 I ran to
help him； and at that he revived； recoiled before me； and stood
there with arms stretched forth as if to preserve himself from the
outrage of my touch。
'Hands off！' he somehow managed to articulate。
'You will now； I hope；' pursued the lawyer； without any change of
voice； 'understand the position in which you are placed； and how
delicately it behoves you to conduct yourself。 Your arrest hangs；
if I may so express myself； by a hair； and as you will be under the
perpetual vigilance of myself and my agents； you must look to it
narrowly that you walk straight。 Upon the least dubiety； I will
take action。' He snuffed； looking critically at the tortured man。
'And now let me remind you that your chaise is at the door。 This
interview is agitating to his lordship … it cannot be agreeable for
you … and I suggest that it need not be further drawn out。 It does
not enter into the views of your uncle； the Count； that you should
again sleep under this roof。'
As Alain turned and passed without a word or a sign from the
apartment； I instantly followed。 I suppose I must be at bottom
possessed of some humanity； at least； this accumulated torture；
this slow butchery of a man as by quarters of rock； had wholly
changed my sympathies。 At that moment I loathed both my uncle and
the lawyer for their coldblooded cruelty。
Leaning over the banisters； I was but in time to hear his hasty
footsteps in that hall that had been crowded with servants to
honour his coming； and was now left empty against his friendless
departure。 A moment later； and the echoes rang； and the air
whistled in my ears； as he slammed the door on his departing
footsteps。 The fury of the concussion gave me （had one been still
wanted） a measure of the turmoil of his passions。 In a sense； I
felt with him； I felt how he would have gloried to slam that door
on my uncle； the lawyer； myself； and the whole crowd of those who
had been witnesses to his humiliation。
CHAPTER XX … AFTER THE STORM
NO sooner was the house clear of my cousin than I began to reckon
up； ruefully enough； the probable results of what had passed。 Here
were a number of pots broken； and it looked to me as if I should
have to pay for all！ Here had been this proud； mad beast goaded
and baited both publicly and privately； till he could neither hear
nor see nor reason； whereupon the gate had been set open； and he
had been left free to go and contrive whatever vengeance he might
find possible。 I could not help thinking it was a pity that；
whenever I myself was inclined to be upon my good behaviour； some
friends of mine should always determine to play a piece of heroics
and cast me for the hero … or the victim … which is very much the
same。 The first duty of heroics is to be of your own choosing。
When they are not that； they are nothing。 And I assure you； as I
walked back to my own room； I was in no very complaisant humour：
thought my uncle and Mr。 Romaine to have played knuckle…bones with
my life and prospects； cursed them for it roundly； had no wish more
urgent than to avoid the pair of them； and was quite knocked out of
time； as they say in the ring； to find myself confronted with the
lawyer。
He stood on my hearthrug； leaning on the chimney…piece； with a
gloomy； thoughtful brow； as I was pleased to see； and not in the
least as though he were vain of the late proceedings。
'Well？' said I。 'You have done it now！'
'Is he gone？' he asked。
'He is gone；' said I。 'We shall have the devil to pay with him
when he comes back。'
'You are right；' said the lawyer； 'and very little to pay him with
but flams and fabrications； like to…night's。'
'To…night's？' I repeated。
'Ay； to…night's！' said he。
'To…night's WHAT？' I cried。
'To…night's flams and fabrications。'
'God be good to me； sir；' said I； 'have I something more to admire
in your conduct than ever I had suspected？ You cannot think how
you interest me！ That it was severe； I knew； I had already
chuckled over that。 But that it should be false also！ In what
sense； dear sir？'
I believe I was extremely offensive as I put the question； but the
lawyer paid no heed。
'False in all senses of the word；' he replied seriously。 'False in
the sense that they were not true； and false in the sense that they
were not real； false in the sense that I boasted； and in the sense
that I lied。 How can I arrest him？ Your uncle burned the papers！
I told you so … but doubtless you have forgotten … the day I first
saw you in Edinburgh Castle。 It was an act of generosity； I have
seen many of these acts； and always regretted … always regretted！
〃That shall be his inheritance；〃 he said； as the papers burned； he
did not mean that it should have proved so rich a one。 How rich；
time will tell。'
'I beg your pardon a hundred thousand times； my dear sir； but it
strikes me you have the impudence … in the circumstances； I may
call it the indecency … to appear cast down？'
'It is true；' said he： 'I am。 I am cast down。 I am literally cast
down。 I feel myself quite helpless against your cousin。'
'Now； really！' I asked。 'Is this serious？ And is it perhaps the
reason why you have gorged the poor devil with every species of
insult？ and why you took such surprising pains to supply me with
what I had so little need of … another enemy？ That you were
helpless against them？ 〃Here is my last missile；〃 say you； 〃my
ammunition is quite exhausted： just wait till I get the last in …
it will irritate； it cannot hurt him。 There … you see！ … he is
furious now； and I am quite helpless。 One more prod； another kick：
now he is a mere lunatic！ Stand behind me； I am quite helpless！〃
Mr。 Romaine； I am asking myself as to the background or motive of
this singular jest； and whether the name of it should not be called
treachery？'
'I can scarce wonder；' said he。 'In truth it has been a singular
business； and we are very fortunate to be out of it so well。 Yet
it was not treachery： no； no； Mr。 Anne； it was not treachery； and
if you will do me the favour to listen to me for the inside of a
minute； I shall demonstrate the same to you beyond cavil。' He
seemed to wake up to his ordinary briskness。 'You see the point？'
he began。 'He had not yet read the newspaper； but who could tell
when he might？ He might have had that damned journal in his
pocket； and how should we know？ We were … I may say； we are … at
the mercy of the merest twopenny accident。'
'Why； true；' said I： 'I had not thought of that。'
'I warrant you；' cried Romaine； 'you had supposed it was nothing to
be the hero of an interesting notice in the journals！ You had
supposed； as like as not； it was a form of secrecy！ But not so in
the least。 A part of England is already buzzing with the name of
Champdivers； a day or two more and the mail will have carried it
everywhere： so wonderful a machine is this of ours for
disseminating intelligence！ Think of it！ When my father was born
… but that is another story。 To return： we had here the elements
of such a combustion as I dread to think of … your cousin and the
journal。 Let him but glance an eye upon that column of print； and
where were we？ It is easy to ask； not so easy to answer； my young
friend。 And let me tell you； this sheet is the Viscount's usual
reading。 It is my conviction he had it in his pocket。'
'I beg your pardon； sir；' said I。 'I have been unjust。 I did not
appreciate my danger。'
'I think you never do；' said he。
'But yet surely that public scene … ' I began。
'It was madn