st. ives-第43章
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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 remember; that your face was as good or better
than a letter of recommendation。 I wonder if M。 Alain would be
like the rest of us … I wonder what he would think of it?'
Mr。 Romaine was sitting in a chair by the fire with his back to the
windows; and I was myself kneeling on the hearthrug and beginning
mechanically to pick up the scattered bills; when a honeyed voice
joined suddenly in our conversation。
'He thinks well of it; Mr。 Romaine。 He begs to join himself to
that circle of admirers which you indicate to exist already。'
CHAPTER XIX … THE DEVIL AND ALL AT AMERSHAM PLACE
NEVER did two human creatures get to their feet with more alacrity
than the lawyer and myself。 We had locked and barred the main
gates of the citadel; but unhappily we had left open the bath…room
sally…port; and here we found the voice of the hostile trumpets
sounding from within; and all our defences taken in reverse。 I
took but the time to whisper Mr。 Romaine in the ear: 'Here is
another tableau for you!' at which he looked at me a moment with a
kind of pathos; as who should say; 'Don't hit a man when he's
down。' Then I transferred my eyes to my enemy。
He had his hat on; a little on one side: it was a very tall hat;
raked extremely; and had a narrow curling brim。 His hair was all
curled out in masses like an Italian mountebank … a most
unpardonable fashion。 He sported a huge tippeted overcoat of
frieze; such as watchmen wear; only the inside was lined with
costly furs; and he kept it half open to display the exquisite
linen; the many…coloured waistcoat; and the profuse jewellery of
watch…chains and brooches underneath。 The leg and the ankle were
turned to a miracle。 It is out of the question that I should deny
the resemblance altogether; since it has been remarked by so many
different persons whom I cannot reasonably accuse of a conspiracy。
As a matter of fact; I