vera, the medium-第3章
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chose them than 〃
Gaylor raised his clenched hands and took a sudden step forward。
The Doctor backed hastily against the library table。 〃Don't you
come near me！〃 he stammered。 〃Don't you touch me。〃
〃And you've lied to me！〃 cried Gaylor。 〃You've deceived me。 You
you jailbirds you idiots。〃 His voice rose hysterically。
〃And do you think；〃 he demanded fiercely； 〃I'll help you now？〃
〃No！〃 said the butler。
The word caught the Judge in the full rush of his anger。 He
turned stupidly as though he had not heard aright。 〃What？〃 he
asked。 From the easy chair the butler regarded him with sullen；
hostile eyes。
〃No！〃 he repeated。 〃We don't think you'll help us。 You never
meant to help us。 You've never thought of any one but yourself。〃
The face of the older man was filled with reproach。
〃Jim！〃 he protested。
〃Don't do that！〃 commanded the butler sharply。 〃I've told you
not to do that。〃
The Judge moved his head slowly in amazement。 The tone of
reproach was still in his voice。
〃I thought you could understand；〃 he said。 〃It doesn't matter
about him。 But you！ You should have seen what I was doing！〃
〃I saw what you were doing；〃 the butler replied。 〃Buying stocks；
buying a country place。 You didn't wait for him to die。 What
were we getting？〃
With returning courage； Rainey nodded vigorously。
〃That's right； all right；〃 he protested。 〃What were we getting？〃
〃What were you getting？〃 demanded Gaylor； eagerly。 〃If you'd
only left him to me； till he signed the new will； you'd have had
everything。 It only needs his signature。〃
〃Yes；〃 interrupted Garrett contemptuously； that's all it needs。〃
〃Oh； he'd have signed it！〃 cried Gaylor。 〃But what's it worth
now！ Nothing！ Thanks to you two nothing！ They'll claim undue
influence； they'll claim he signed it under the influence of
mediums of ghosts。〃 His voice shook with anger and distress。
〃You've ruined me！〃 he cried。 〃You've ruined me。〃
He turned and paced from them； his fingers interlacing； his
teeth biting upon his lower lip。 The two other men glanced at
each other uncomfortably； their silence seemed to assure Gaylor
that already they regretted what they had done。 He stood over
Garrett； and for an instant laid his hand upon his shoulder。 His
voice now was sane and cold。
〃I've worked three years for this；〃 he said。 〃And for you； too；
Jim。 You know that。 I've worked on his vanity； on his fear of
death； on his damn superstition。 When he talked of restitution；
of giving the money to his niece； I asked Why？' I said； Leave it
for a great monument to your memory。 Isn't it better that ten
million dollars should be spent in good works in your name than
that it should go to a chit of a child to be wasted by some
fortune hunter？ And then I evolved the Hallowell
Institute； university； hospital； library； all under one roof；
all under one direction； and I would have been the director。 We
should have handled ten millions of dollars！ I'd have made you
both so rich；〃 he cried savagely； 〃that in two years you'd have
drunk yourselves into a mad…house。 And you couldn't trust me！
You've filled this house with fakes and palm…readers。 And； now；
every one will know just what he is a senile； half…witted old
man who was clay in my hands； clay in my hands and you've
robbed me of him； you've robbed me of him！〃 His voice； broken
with anger and disappointment； rose in an hysterical wail。 As
though to meet it a bell rang shrilly。 Gaylor started and stood
with eyes fixed on the door of the bedroom。 The three men eyed
each other guiltily。
The butler was the first to recover。 With mask…like face he
hastened noiselessly across the room。 In his tones of usual
authority； Gaylor stopped him。
〃Tell Mr。 Hallowell；〃 he directed； 〃that his niece and District
Attorney Winthrop will be here any moment。 Ask him if he wishes
me to see them； or if he will talk to them himself？〃
When the faithful servant had entered the bedroom Gaylor turned
to Rainey。
〃When do these mediums come today？〃 he asked。
Rainey stared sulkily at the floor。
〃I think they're here now downstairs；〃 he answered。 Garrett
generally hides them there till you're out of the house。〃
〃Indeed；〃 commented Gaylor dryly。 〃After Winthrop and Miss
Coates have gone； I want to talk with your friends。〃
〃Now； see here； Judge；〃 whined Rainey； 〃don't make trouble。 It
isn't as bad as you think。 The old man's only investigating 〃
〃Hush！〃 commanded the Judge。
From the bedroom； leaning on the butler's arm； Stephen
Hallowell came stumbling toward them and； with a sigh； sank into
an invalid's chair that was placed for him between the fire and
the long library table。。 He was a very feeble； very old man；
with a white face； and thin； white hair； but with a mouth and
lower jaw as hard and uncompromising as those of a skull。 His
eyes； which were strangely brilliant and young…looking； peered
suspiciously from under ragged white eyebrows。 But when they
fell upon the doctor； the eyes became suddenly credulous；
pleading； filled with self…pity。
〃I'm a very sick man； Doctor；〃 said Mr。 Hallowell。
Judge Gaylor bustled forward cheerily。 〃Nonsense； Stephen；
nonsense；〃 he cried； 〃you look a different man this morning。
Doesn't he； Doctor？〃
〃Sure he does！〃 assented Rainey。 〃Little sleep was all he
needed。〃 Mr。 Hallowell shook his head petulantly。 〃Not at all！〃
he protested。 〃That was a very serious attack。 This morning my
head hurts hurts me to think 〃
〃Perhaps；〃 said Gaylor； 〃you'd prefer that I talked to your
niece。〃
〃No！〃 exclaimed the invalid excitedly。 〃I want to see her
myself。 I want to tell her； once and for all 〃 He checked
himself and frowned at the Doctor。 〃You needn't wait；〃 he said。
〃And Doctor；〃 he added meaningly； 〃after these people go； you
come back。〃
With a conscious glance at the Judge； Rainey nodded and left
them。
〃No；〃 continued the old man； 〃I want to talk to my niece myself。
But I don't want to talk to Winthrop。 He's too clever a young
man； Winthrop。 In the merger case； you remember had me on the
stand for three hours。 Made me talk too。〃 The mind of the old
man suddenly veered at a tangent。 〃How the devil can Helen
retain him？〃 he demanded peevishly。 〃She can't retain him。 She
hasn't any money。 And he's District Attorney too。 It's against
the law。 Is he doing it as a speculation？ Does he want to marry
her？〃
Judge Gaylor laughed soothingly。
〃Heavens； no！〃 he said。 〃She's in his office； that's all。 When
she took this craze to be independent of you； he gave her a
position as secretary； or as stenographer； or something。 She's
probably told him her story； her side of it； and he's helping
her out of charity。：〃 The Judge smiled tolerantly。 〃He does that
sort of thing； I believe。〃
The old man struck the library table with his palm。 〃I wish he'd
mind his own business；〃 he cried。 〃It's my money。 She has no
claim to it； never had any claim 〃
The Judge interrupted quickly。
〃That's all right； Stephen； that's all right；〃 he said。 〃Don't
excite yourself。 Just get what you're to say straight in your
mind and stick to it。 Remember；〃 he went on； as though coaching
a child in a task already learned； 〃there never was a written
agreement。
〃No！〃 muttered Hallowell。 〃Never was！〃
〃Repeat this to yourself；〃 commanded the Judge。 〃The
understanding between you and your brother…in…law was that if
you placed his patent on the market； for the first five years
you would share the profits equally。 After the five years； all
rights in the patent became yours。 It was unfortunate；〃
commented the Judge dryly； 〃that your brother…in…law and your
sister died before the five years were up； especially as the
patent did not begin to make money until after five years。
Remember until after five years。〃
〃Until after five years；〃 echoed Mr。 Hallowell。 〃It was over six
years；〃 he went on excitedly； 〃before it made a cent。 And； then；
it was my money and anything I give my niece is charity。
She's not entitled 〃
Garrett appeared at the door。 〃Miss Coates；〃 he announced； 〃and
Mr。 Winthrop。〃 Judge Gaylor raised a hand for silence； and as
Mr。 Hallowell sank back in his chair； Helen Coates； the only
child of Catherine
