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nothing too fine； RIEN DE VOYANT； RIEN QUI DELONNE； so that I may
leave everywhere the inconspicuous image of a handsome young man of
a good fortune travelling in proper style； whom the landlord will
forget in twelve hours … and the chambermaid perhaps remember； God
bless her！ with a sigh。 This is the very fine art of dress。'
'I have practised it with success for fifty years；' said Romaine；
with a chuckle。 'A black suit and a clean shirt is my infallible
recipe。'
'You surprise me； I did not think you would be shallow！' said I；
lingering between two coats。 'Pray； Mr。 Romaine； have I your head？
or did you travel post and with a smartish servant？'
'Neither； I admit；' said he。
'Which change the whole problem；' I continued。 'I have to dress
for a smartish servant and a Russia leather despatch…box。' That
brought me to a stand。 I came over and looked at the box with a
moment's hesitation。 'Yes；' I resumed。 'Yes； and for the
despatch…box！ It looks moneyed and landed； it means I have a
lawyer。 It is an invaluable property。 But I could have wished it
to hold less money。 The responsibility is crushing。 Should I not
do more wisely to take five hundred pounds； and intrust the
remainder with you； Mr。 Romaine？'
'If you are sure you will not want it；' answered Romaine。
'I am far from sure of that；' cried I。 'In the first place； as a
philosopher。 This is the first time I have been at the head of a
large sum； and it is conceivable … who knows himself？ … that I may
make it fly。 In the second place； as a fugitive。 Who knows what I
may need？ The whole of it may be inadequate。 But I can always
write for more。'
'You do not understand；' he replied。 'I break off all
communication with you here and now。 You must give me a power of
attorney ere you start to…night； and then be done with me
trenchantly until better days。'
I believe I offered some objection。
'Think a little for once of me！' said Romaine。 'I must not have
seen you before to…night。 To…night we are to have had our only
interview； and you are to have given me the power； and to…night I
am to have lost sight of you again … I know not whither； you were
upon business； it was none of my affairs to question you！ And
this； you are to remark； in the interests of your own safety much
more than mine。'
'I am not even to write to you？' I said； a little bewildered。
'I believe I am cutting the last strand that connects you with
common sense；' he replied。 'But that is the plain English of it。
You are not even to write； and if you did； I would not answer。'
'A letter； however … ' I began。
'Listen to me；' interrupted Romaine。 'So soon as your cousin reads
the paragraph； what will he do？ Put the police upon looking into
my correspondence！ So soon as you write to me； in short； you write
to Bow Street； and if you will take my advice； you will date that
letter from France。'
'The devil！' said I； for I began suddenly to see that this might
put me out of the way of my business。
'What is it now？' says he。
'There will be more to be done； then； before we can part；' I
answered。
'I give you the whole night；' said he。 'So long as you are off ere
daybreak； I am content。'
'In short； Mr。 Romaine；' said I； 'I have had so much benefit of
your advice and services that I am loth to sever the connection；
and would even ask a substitute。 I would be obliged for a letter
of introduction to one of your own cloth in Edinburgh … an old man
for choice； very experienced； very respectable； and very secret。
Could you favour me with such a letter？'
'Why； no；' said he。 'Certainly not。 I will do no such thing；
indeed。'
'It would be a great favour； sir；' I pleaded。
'It would be an unpardonable blunder；' he replied。 'What？ Give
you a letter of introduction？ and when the police come； I suppose；
I must forget the circumstance？ No； indeed。 Talk of it no more。'
'You seem to be always in the right；' said I。 'The letter would be
out of the question； I quite see that。 But the lawyer's name might
very well have dropped from you in the way of conversation； having
heard him mentioned； I might profit by the circumstance to
introduce myself； and in this way my business would be the better
done； and you not in the least compromised。'
'What is this business？' said Romaine。
'I have not said that I had any；' I replied。 'It might arise。
This is only a possibility that I must keep in view。'
'Well；' said he； with a gesture of the hands； 'I mention Mr。
Robbie； and let that be an end of it！ … Or wait！' he added； 'I have
it。 Here is something that will serve you for an introduction； and
cannot compromise me。' And he wrote his name and the Edinburgh
lawyer's address on a piece of card and tossed it to me。
CHAPTER XXI … I BECOME THE OWNER OF A CLARET…COLOURED CHAISE
WHAT with packing； signing papers； and partaking of an excellent
cold supper in the lawyer's room； it was past two in the morning
before we were ready for the road。 Romaine himself let us out of a
window in a part of the house known to Rowley： it appears it served
as a kind of postern to the servants' hall； by which （when they
were in the mind for a clandestine evening） they would come
regularly in and out； and I remember very well the vinegar aspect
of the lawyer on the receipt of this piece of information … how he
pursed his lips； jutted his eyebrows； and kept repeating； 'This
must be seen to； indeed！ this shall be barred to…morrow in the
morning！' In this preoccupation； I believe he took leave of me
without observing it； our things were handed out； we heard the
window shut behind us； and became instantly lost in a horrid
intricacy of blackness and the shadow of woods。
A little wet snow kept sleepily falling； pausing； and falling
again； it seemed perpetually beginning to snow and perpetually
leaving off； and the darkness was intense。 Time and again we
walked into trees； time and again found ourselves adrift among
garden borders or stuck like a ram in the thicket。 Rowley had
possessed himself of the matches； and he was neither to be
terrified nor softened。 'No； I will not； Mr。 Anne； sir；' he would
reply。 'You know he tell me to wait till we were over the 'ill。
It's only a little way now。 Why； and I thought you was a soldier；
too！' I was at least a very glad soldier when my valet consented
at last to kindle a thieves' match。 From this； we easily lit the
lantern； and thenceforward； through a labyrinth of woodland paths；
were conducted by its uneasy glimmer。 Both booted and great…
coated； with tall hats much of a shape； and laden with booty in the
form of a despatch…box； a case of pistols； and two plump valises； I
thought we had very much the look of a pair of brothers returning
from the sack of Amersham Place。
We issued at last upon a country by…road where we might walk
abreast and without precaution。 It was nine miles to Aylesbury；
our immediate destination； by a watch； which formed part of my new
outfit； it should be about half…past three in the morning； and as
we did not choose to arrive before daylight； time could not be said
to press。 I gave the order to march at ease。
'Now； Rowley；' said I； 'so far so good。 You have come； in the most
obliging manner in the world； to carry these valises。 The question
is； what next？ What are we to do at Aylesbury？ or； more
particularly； what are you？ Thence； I go on a journey。 Are you to
accompany me？'
He gave a little chuckle。 'That's all settled already； Mr。 Anne；
sir；' he replied。 'Why； I've got my things here in the valise … a
half a dozen shirts and what not； I'm all ready； sir： just you lead
on： YOU'LL see。'
'The devil you have！' said I。 'You made pretty sure of your
welcome。'
'If you please； sir；' said Rowley。
He looked up at me； in the light of the lantern； with a boyish
shyness and triumph that awoke my conscience。 I could never let
this innocent involve himself in the perils and difficulties that
beset my course； without some hint of warning； which it was a
matter of extreme delicacy to make plain enough and not too plain。
'No； no；' said I； 'you may think you have made a choice； but it was
blindfold； and you must make it over again。 The Count's service is
a good one； what are you leaving it for？ Are you not throwing away
the substance for the shadow？ No； do not answer me yet。 You
imagine that I am a prosperous nobleman； just declared my uncle's
heir； on the threshold of the best of good fortune； and； from the
point of view of a judicious servant； a jewel of a master to serve
and stick to？ Well； my boy； I am nothing of the kind； nothing of
the kind。'
As I said the words； I came to a full stop and held up t