III
THE KINGSMERE HOSPITAL FOR CONSUMPTIVES
I prepared a particularly tasty breakfast that morning for my master,and I took special pains to please him as I assisted him to dress. Hewas not a man given to paying compliments, but when he entered thedining-room, and was unable to discover a single trace of last night'sfeast, he did not dissemble his surprise.
"You have re-established order very quickly--here at all events," heremarked, "Butts always took a day or two to clear up."
"That is not my way," I softly replied. "I could not sleep until I hadcleared up everything. If you take the trouble to visit my pantry, sir,I will challenge you to find a stain on floor or wall, or a singlespeck on plate or cutlery."
"You appear to know your business," he conceded.
"From A to Z, sir," I answered. "Let me persuade you to try thisomelette, Sir William. I cooked it myself."
A talent for making omelettes is one of the few accomplishments I hadacquired from my father.
My master nodded, and helped himself to a dainty little roll. He tastedit, and actually smacked his lips.
"Excellent!" he observed. "Brown, I hope that Butts will not return,for his own sake. I wish you to take charge of my household henceforthfrom to-day. Your salary will be eight pounds a month."
"Thank you, sir," I murmured gratefully. "I shall do my best to pleaseyou, sir."
The street bell rang as I spoke. I slipped out, and opened the frontdoor. Mr. George Cavanagh waited upon the steps, and on either side ofhim stood Sir Charles Venner and Dr. Fulton.
Well was it then that over my features I can exercise an admirablecontrol, for at sight of that trio my heart felt like lead, and Ishivered in my shoes.
"We must see Sir William Dagmar at once!" said Mr. Cavanagh. "Ourbusiness is of the utmost importance."
I bowed and invited him to enter. "Sir William is at breakfast,gentlemen," I muttered as I closed the door. "I shall warn him of yourpresence at once. In the meanwhile will you kindly step into thisante-room."
"No!" replied Sir Charles. "We shall go directly to him. Don't bealarmed, Brown, we are sufficiently intimate with Sir William to takesuch a liberty."
I shrugged my shoulders, and deferentially preceded them. Their faceswere paste coloured and preternaturally solemn. I was, however, glad tosee Mr. Cavanagh; I liked him, and it was a relief to be sure that hewas still alive.
Tapping softly at the dining-room door, I opened it and entered, but Ihad no occasion to utter a word, for the others had trooped in on myheels.
"Excuse this intrusion, Dagmar," began Sir Charles in the Frenchtongue, "you may believe me when I tell you that nothing could haveinduced me so to invade you except necessity."
My master leaned back in his chair, his mouth agape with astonishment."Necessity!" he repeated. "What the deuce has happened?"
"Nothing less than a calamity. But first dismiss your servant--we mustrun no risks, the matter is too serious."
"Brown," said my master in English, "kindly leave the room. I shallring when I require you."
I bowed and obeyed. I would have cheerfully given my three hundredpounds for an opportunity of listening unseen to their conversation.But my fate was in the balance, and I dared not play the spy. Making avirtue of necessity I retired to the pantry, and tried to eat. But intruth I had no appetite. My nerves were on the jump. I lighted acigarette, and consumed it in half a dozen puffs. I chewed another topulp, but smoked the third. The sixth restored me to calm. I feltmyself again, and began to polish the glassware. I postured myindifference to myself and experienced an itch to whistle, just to showmyself how brave I was. Needless to say, however, I suppressed theinclination. An hour passed so, and then the library bell smartlytingled. So they had left the dining-room. I hurried upstairs,smoothing my expression as I ran. My master met me at the door--aletter in his hand. "I wish you to go out at once, and post this at thenearest post-office--not in a letter box," he commanded. "It is animportant missive."
"Certainly, sir!" I replied, and took the letter. He looked at me verykeenly. His face was expressionless, but it bore traces of recentagitation. "I shall hurry back," I said.
"Not in a letter box!" he repeated. "Remember, Brown."
I bowed deeply and departed. In half a minute I was out of the house,but not until I had turned the corner did I so much as glance at the"important missive." It was directed to Mr. John Brown, Box 89, G.P.O.The envelope was of thin foreign parchment. I held it up to the sun andsmiled. It contained a single sheet of blank paper. My message then wasa ruse to withdraw me from the house while they searched my room. Ifelt so confident, however, that they would never discover my make-upbox, that I smiled again, and to save myself the bother of walking, Itook a cab. After posting the letter, I entered the first bank I cameto, and requested the manager to allow me to make a deposit. He wisheda reference, and I was bold enough to refer him to my master. I thenpaid into the credit of Agar Hume L290, and left the office. Twominutes later, I returned and paid in nine pounds. I thus procured twodeposit slips. The one for L290 I tore in very small pieces, which Iscattered far and wide; I was not afraid that the bank would swindleme. But the other I treasured carefully. I walked home very leisurely,and I found my master alone in his study. He was pacing the floor, withan abstracted air, his hands clasped tightly behind his back.
"I posted the letter, sir!" I announced.
He stopped in his walk and frowningly regarded me. "Very good, Brown,"he replied. "By the way, my man, I want you to be very careful inadmitting visitors here again. I don't refer to the three gentlemen whocame this morning, they are friends of mine. But strangers."
"Yes, sir."
"Above all, Brown, permit no one, stranger or otherwise, to questionyou concerning me. If any one attempts to do such a thing, inform me atonce!"
"Certainly, sir."
"That will do, you may go."
"I beg your pardon, sir," I muttered hesitatingly, "I hope you willforgive me, sir, but the fact is I have ventured to take a liberty withyou this morning, sir."
"Ah!" He started and looked at me with piercing eyes.
"It's this way, sir," I said quickly, "I'm a saving man, sir, and I'vealways wished to have an account at a real bank, sir, not apost-office. Well, sir, I went into a bank while I was out just now,but they would not let me open an account without a reference. So--so Idared to give them your name, sir. I hope you'll excuse me, sir."
His eyes bored through me like a pair of gimlets. "How much money haveyou saved?" he demanded.
"Nine pounds, sir. Here is the ticket!" I eagerly handed him the slip.
He glanced at it, and his face cleared immediately.
"That is all right, Brown!" he said, smiling slightly. "If they applyto me, I shall try to satisfy them that they have secured a worthyclient. Good luck to you, my man, I am glad to know you are thrifty."
It is a curious thing how tenacious of life one's conscience is. Mymaster looked at me so kindly, that I felt a perfect brute for havingso mercilessly deceived him, and I vow that for one fateful moment Iwas on the point of voicing my compunction.
"You are t--too kind, sir," I began. "I--I'm afraid I----"
But he cut me short with a frown. "That will do, my man," heinterrupted in harsh tones. "I am busy, and I wish to be alone."
Had he remained silent, or allowed me to proceed, it is just possiblethat these memories might never have had occasion to be written. As itwas, I hastily backed out of the room, and my conscience yielded up itsfinal spark in the passage.
Anxious to verify my suspicion, I proceeded to my bed-room. Itappeared, at first glance, exactly as I had left it, but I am not acasual observer. The door of my wardrobe stood slightly ajar. I hadlatched it. My ready made evening suit was still lying neatly folded inits drawer, but the waistcoat occupied a different position from thatto which I had formerly assigned it. Finally the napped edge of mycounterpane was tucked beneath the bed-tick. I had left it hanging, soas to curtain the i
ron rail. I noted these trifling discrepancies withall the pride of an explorer who has discovered a new territory. Thereis no experience more gratifying to one's vanity than to havesuccessfully penetrated and prevised another man's intention. I beganto believe myself a prodigiously clever fellow, and even yet I dare toboast with reason. I have no deep learning, indeed, my knowledge of thesciences might be scratched with a pin, but I have nevertheless notpermitted the talents God has given me to rust, and there is one bookwith whose contents I am fairly well acquainted, the book of life.
Immediately my master had gone out to lunch, I repaired to his study,and repossessed myself of my make-up box. This I carried to mybed-room, and placed in the wardrobe. I did not, however, intend toleave it there very long. I did not anticipate another search party, itis true, but I thought it thoroughly advisable to have clean hands athome. My idea was (now that I had capital to work upon) to secure aprivate room somewhere in the neighbourhood, which I might use as astronghold, and to which I might repair whenever I should desire todisguise myself. During the next few days I took frequent excursionsabroad in my leisure hours, and at last I discovered exactly the placeI wanted. It was on the top floor of a bachelor apartment house inBruton Street. The chamber was small, but excellently lighted, and ithad this advantage, it was disconnected by an angle of the buildingfrom its fellows; moreover its door faced the stairs, and was notoverlooked by any other. On that very account, it had long beenuntenanted, but me it suited perfectly. After a good deal of hagglingwith the agent, I secured it on lease for L25 a year, and by paying sixmonths' rent in advance, I persuaded him to dispense with references. Ifurnished it only with things I absolutely needed. A bed-chair, in caseI might ever be obliged to sleep there, an oil stove, a thick rug forthe floor, a fine three-fly-full-length mirror set upon a revolvingstand, a dressing-table, and a large cabinet. I procured a locksmith tofit the door with a practically impregnable latch lock, and with thekey upon my chain, I felt as proud as the most bloated land-holder inWestminster. My next move was to purchase a fresh supply of paints,wigs and various other sartorial disguises including a number of newand second-hand character costumes. I have before remarked on the factthat every tooth in my head is false. Now in all the paraphernalia ofdisguises, there is nothing so important as the item of teeth. Teethgive expression to both mouth and voice. A difference of one twentiethfraction of an inch in their length for instance, will alter the voicebeyond hope of recognition, even to a truly practised ear, however fineits sense of perception. As for the lips, they at once become drawnout, and utterly transformed in shape. My last and most tender care,therefore, was bestowed upon my teeth. I visited a dozen differentdentists, and procured a dozen sets of varying shapes and sizes, whoseonly point of resemblance was, that they fitted my mouth. When all wasdone, my bank account was depleted by a hundred and fifty pounds, but Ifelt that I had acquired a first-rate stock-in-trade, and I did notrepent of the expenditure.
While I was busy with these arrangements, I by no means neglected mymaster. For a week or two after the disturbing visit paid by SirCharles Venner, Mr. Cavanagh, and Dr. Fulton, he remained in apreoccupied and gloomy mood, and seemed unable to settle down to work.I listened in my pantry by the hour, to his footsteps restlessly pacingthe floor of his library above my head. He also went out morefrequently than was his custom, and remained longer away from thehouse. He was irritable and hard to please. However quietly I enteredany room where he was, he heard and anxiously confronted me. He seemedconstantly to expect an unwelcome visitor. Sometimes he swore at me forstartling him, but he always apologised, and I saw that he wasbeginning to like me well. I longed for him to trust me, for I wasburning with curiosity to know what determination his society hadarrived at, regarding his daring impersonator. But that was out of thequestion, and I was obliged to content myself with guesses. Graduallyhis alarm passed off, and he resumed his literary labours as of yore.That pleased me, for I felt that his attitude might be relied upon toreflect the feelings of his fellow conspirators. I began to considerwhat further step I should take in my campaign to elucidate the mysterysurrounding that strange brotherhood. After a great deal of reflection,I resolved to shadow Sir William on the next Sunday excursion, for Icould not help suspecting that his regular absences from home on thatday in each week had something to do with the secret society to whichhe belonged. With that end in view, on the following Saturdayafternoon, I begged my master to allow me a holiday until the Mondaymorning, pleading by way of excuse a dear friend's sudden illness. Hegraciously consented, upon my promising to prepare his breakfastbeforehand. I left the house about nine o'clock, and repaired to mylittle stronghold in Bruton Street, where I spent the night. Always anearly riser, I arose at dawn, and made a hearty meal of the provisionswhich I had brought with me. I occupied the next few hours in selectingand perfecting a disguise. On this head, I may here remark, that I havenever in my life committed a mistake of attempting to assume acharacter representative of a class. Such an undertaking requires toogreat a strain upon the imagination, and however clever one may be,breeds mischievous errors of detail and anachronisms, so to say, whichmay readily be detected by a keen observer. My method has always beento impersonate, that is, to duplicate as closely as possible, someliving person, with whose habits and idiosyncrasies I am familiar. Onthis occasion I chose for my model an old actor with whom I had onceupon a time shared rooms in Birmingham. His name was Francis Leigh. Hewas a tragedian of a bygone generation, and he had many tricks andmannerisms which I had delighted to imitate. When I had completed mymake-up, I am sure that had Francis and I chanced to meet in thestreet, he would have believed that he looked upon his own counterfeitpresentment in a mirror. I wore a frock suit of shabby genteelrespectability, a frayed topper, and well-worn shoes. The originalcharacter of my mouth was altered by a set of false teeth, much longerthan those I ordinarily made use of. Long iron-grey locks fell from myhat rim, to my collar, my nose was attenuated by skilfully-paintedhollows, and a pair of heavily frowning false eyebrows cast my eyesinto a natural and also a senna-tinted shade. I was quite ready byseven o'clock, but I occupied the hour I had to spare in practisinggestures before the mirror. Perfectly satisfied at last, I strolled toCurzon Street, and before many minutes had elapsed I was gratified toperceive Sir William Dagmar emerge from his house, and set off at abrisk walk towards Park Lane. I followed him at a reasonable distance,keeping all my faculties alert. Entering Park Lane, he pursued his waytowards Marble Arch, without once looking behind him. He was dressed ina sack suit of plain grey tweed, he wore a soft felt slouch hat, and hecarried a stout walking stick, and a dark overcoat. Convinced that hewas not in the least mindful of my existence, I gradually diminishedthe distance between us, until I could distinctly hear his somewhatlaboured breathing. When almost at the corner of Oxford Street, hepaused suddenly, glanced about him for a moment, as though he hadforgotten where he was, and then abruptly crossed the road to the cabstand. He chose a hansom, and ordered the driver to take him toHampstead Heath by way of Finchley Road and Frognal Rise. I waiteduntil he had disappeared, then followed in a second hansom, which boreme leisurely in his wake. He alighted and dismissed his cab at thegates of the Heath. I did likewise. I had watched him enter the Heath,and proceed in the direction of Jack Straw's Castle, as my vehicletoiled up the hill. For a while I lost sight of him, but hurryingthrough the gates, I was just in time as I came to White Stone Pond, toperceive him enter the inn. He emerged as I approached, wiping his lipswith his handkerchief. Evidently he had partaken of refreshments.Without wasting a glance at me, he turned down Heath Brow, and set offin a north-westerly direction, towards Heath House and Hendon. Hedescended the hill slowly, as though already fatigued, and often herested in a musing fashion, looking steadily before him for a minute ata time. I lingered at a great distance, confident of overtaking himwhen I wished. It was a glorious morning, and the green sparkling Heathwas dotted with still and moving figures of men and women, takingadvantage of the sunshine, in which I was revelling. S
ir William Dagmarlooked, however, neither to right nor left. Either he was toobitter-minded to notice and rejoice in the beauties of the landscape,or he had some pressing business to perform, which absorbed hisattention. Crossing the valley he began to climb an opposing slope, andat length entered a long straggling thicket. From where I stood, Icould see three different paths emerging from the thicket's furtherside, and as the country thereabouts was rugged and broken up withrocks and trees, I waited for some time in order to discover which pathhe might choose, lest I should lose him. Ten minutes went by, however,and he did not appear. At the end of another five, I began to fear thathe had given me the slip. Hurrying down the hill, I crossed the slowlyrising vale and cautiously approached the thicket, by the route that mymaster had taken. It was less dense than it appeared at a distance, butin places it was thick enough for a man to hide in. A hundred pacesbrought me to the edge of a small, clear patch of fresh green-sward,furnished with a couple of rustic benches, set fairly close together.Upon the further bench, my master was seated, his face set towards me,in earnest converse with a woman. I almost cried aloud in my surprise.Indeed, I must have in some fashion exclaimed, for he raised his eyesand surveyed me with an intolerant annoyed expression, as though toinform me that I intruded. On instant I pretended to be the worse forliquor. Shambling forward, I sank down upon the first bench, stretchedout my feet before me, and permitted my hands to fall limply by mysides. For three or four minutes a dead silence reigned. Conscious oftheir examination, I kept my face set straight, and frowning heavily. Iheard at length the mutter of exchanged whispers, and fearing to drivethem away, I began to act. Flinging out my right hand with a fiercelytragic gesture, I declaimed in a hoarse voice, broken with hiccoughs,portions of Hamlet's immortal soliloquy. This gave me opportunity foran occasional glance at my quarry. Sir William was very pale, and helooked weary. His companion was watching me, but her face was veiled.Her figure was lithe, and beautifully shaped, and she was richlydressed. I knew she must be young. Of a sudden I resolved upon a boldstroke. I rose up, and ceasing to declaim, staggered towards them."Friends!" I cried, "in me you behold a wreck of former greatness, ashattered hulk, cast by unkind fate on a lee shore of fortune. Gaze onthis battered form, this shrunken frame, these gaunt and famishedlimbs, and t--r--r--emble when I tell you that time was, when inhappier hours, a shouting populace acclaimed their owner's frameimmortal!" I paused, and swaying from side to side the while, I drewfrom my pocket a tattered kerchief. "Sic transit gloria mundi--Goodfriends," I wailed, "kind friends, if you have tears prepare to shedthem now, for by'r Lady do I swear to ye that nor bite nor sup haspassed these parched and fever-smitten lips these four and twentyhours!"
I put up my kerchief to my eyes, and sobbed aloud; but my hard-heartedauditors preserved a stony silence.
Without uncovering my face, I stretched out my left hand. "Charity,friends, charity!" I muttered brokenly.
"No, Marion," said my master's voice. "Cannot you see that the rogue istipsy?"
"True, but a small gift may induce him to depart." The woman's toneswere of dulcet softness, but the accent was distinctly foreign.
"Charity!" I hiccoughed, "Charity!"
"Be off with you, you rascal!" cried my master sharply. I clutched ashilling, and broke into a stream of drunken sobbing thanks. Moving offI collided designedly with the vacant bench, and sprawled upon theground. There I lay pretending to be senseless. They came up, andturned me over on my back; Sir William Dagmar also kicked my ribs, butI answered all attempts to revive me with snores.
Satisfied apparently with my condition, they presently returned totheir seats and began to converse. The crown of my head was presentedto their gaze, so I could not see them, but I could hear, and not aword escaped me. "I thought for a moment he was really hurt," said thewoman.
"He is half stunned and wholly asleep," replied my master,"nevertheless let us speak in French. We cannot be too careful, Marion."
"Would it not be as well to move on?" asked the woman.
"For you perhaps, my child. You are young and strong, but I am old, andmy stroll has tired me out. Let us rest yet a little!"
"As you please, M'sieur."
"You were describing the effects of the picra toxic solution,"suggested my master.
"That is true. Alas! M'sieur, we have once more a failure to record--somany failures!" she replied drearily. "The operation is always soperfect, so perfect, and yet always the patients die,--of shock!"
"Ah! Then the woman is dead."
"There will be a funeral to-morrow, M'sieur. The failure is complete.Sir Charles is sad. He does not speak, but he shuts his mouth, so!"
"And Fulton?"
"From the first he had no hope, M'sieur. He declared the drug a poison,a neurotic intoxicant--malignant, deadly. He smiles--so--like a dog,and shrugs his shoulders. But he too said little!"
"What next Marion?" asked my master in a hoarse hollow voice.
"God knows, M'sieur. Soon we shall have exhausted the pharmacopoeia.Providence is very cruel to us, very cruel. We have been vouchsafed onehalf of the secrets of life, and it seems to me that in seeking theremainder we expand our energies in vain. Meanwhile the hands of us allbecome more deeply dyed with blood! M'sieur, as God hears me, Isometimes think myself a murderess."
"Hush, Marion!"
"No, M'sieur, I shall speak what is in my heart. I cannot see thesewretched creatures die, as day by day they perish, without often askingmyself the question--are we justified? I have spoken to Sir Charles andDr. Fulton, but they freeze me with their cold cold 'Science.' I swearto you, M'sieur, that were it not for George, I would be tempted tobreak my oath!"
"Foolish child, you must not trifle with this weakness. Crush it,subdue it!"
"Ah! Bah! M'sieur. Bid the breeze cease blowing. A woman's heart isweak!"
"But not the heart of a woman who loves, my child. Remember, this isGeorge's life for which you are striving. And those others, what arethey but worthless ones, condemned already past redemption. Grantedperhaps that our experiments may hasten the inevitable end. Of what dowe deprive them, but a few weeks or days of painful suffering. Ah, nomy child, you must not turn back now. Any day the secret may bediscovered, the door of life thrown open to us all. And that to youwill mean the instant realizing of your dearest dreams. Think of it,Marion, your lover yours to wed, yours for long years of happiness."
The woman answered in a sobbing voice. "George is so miserable,M'sieur."
"Does he yet know?"
"Yes, and he speaks of death, he is filled with despair!"
"You must be firm with him, my child. I have discovered that he is indebt, deeply in debt. For that reason he most despairs, because hefears to leave you poor as well as desolate. I fear that hecontemplates some desperate expedition. But you must persuade him to bepatient. You know, Marion, that we are all pledged not to assist eachother financially. On that account I dare not help your lover, though Icare for him as if he were my son. But with you it is different."
"How, M'sieur?"
"Why, my dear--you are not of our order, being a woman, although youare attached to us by ties which may not be unravelled. Take thispackage, child. It contains a great sum of money. Ten thousand pounds.I shall not ask you to tell me what you do with it. No child, not aword."
"M'sieur, M'sieur!" cried the woman.
I was so amazed, so confounded with astonishment, that to have saved mylife I could no longer have kept still. I sat up, and turned my head.The tableau is as clear to my remembrance now as though it had happenedyesterday. My master was gazing at the woman, his companion, with alook of paternal tenderness. His countenance was transfigured beyondrecognition, for in place of his half saturnine, half querulous aspect,I saw an expression of such holy and unselfish love, that in verywonder I caught my breath. The woman with both hands held the packagehe had given her, to her breast. Her bosom heaved and fell with deepinarticulate emotion. Moreover she had raised her veil. Never had Iseen a face one half so beautiful. Her
eyes were large and finelyshaped, in colour a passionate red brown. Her nose was straight, andcast in the Grecian mould, with thin quivering curved nostrils. Hermouth a perfect bow. The lips were tremulously parted. I have sinceseen the expression they wore then, perpetuated on the canvas ofBotticelli's most famous Madonna. It was indescribably pathetic, fullof both bliss and pain. Her face was pure oval, and so delicatelytinted was the skin, that I could have fancied that I looked upon aninspired painting, rather than a mere human woman. Fortunately for me,neither had remarked my movement. As soon as I perceived theindiscretion of which I had been guilty, I turned about again, andbending my forehead to my knees, I groaned aloud. The sound broke thespell. I heard them mutter together, and a moment later their departingfootsteps. I waited until all sound had died away, then rose hurriedlyto my feet, and cautiously pursued them. Shielded by the trees, Iwatched them from the edge of the grove take a north-westerly course,that seemed destined to lead them to a point between Child's Hill andHendon. I followed in a diagonal direction, taking advantage of everyobstacle in the landscape to conceal myself from view, for the womanfrequently looked back. Quitting the Heath at length, they entered ahedge-fenced road, full of twists and turns, which helped my purposefamously. At the angle of each curve, I waited until they had turnedthe next, and so on. Soon, however, they abandoned the main road, infavour of a devious maze of lanes. At last I lost them; lingering overlong at one bend, when I reached the next they had disappeared. Theyhad been moving so slowly, that I knew very well that they must haveentered some house. I retraced my steps, and searched the lane, whichhad evidently swallowed them up. Only one house had a frontage to thatspot. It was a large grey stone edifice, set back about a quarter milefrom the road. The grounds were encompassed with a high stone wall, andplanted thickly with beeches, chestnuts, and elm trees. I nodded andapproached the gates, which stood wide open. Upon one of the posts wasfastened a small brass plate, inscribed with the followinglegend:--"Kingsmere Hospital for Consumptives." I closed one eyeslowly, and nodded again. As well as if Sir William Dagmar had informedme, I knew that before me lay the key to the mystery, which it was myself-constituted task to solve. In order to make assurance doubly sure,I passed through the gates, and with the cautious cunning of an Indian,I approached the house. The path was wide and gravelled, but somewhatovergrown with weeds. It often bifurcated to surround a grove ofshrubs, or shade trees. The whole garden wore a rank, uncared-for look.The plantations were thick with undergrowth. In certain beds theunpruned rose-bushes had become giants, and had grown into thickets,while in others grasses choked all memory of cultivation. The place wasin fact a wilderness. The cover was so excellent, that I was able toinsinuate myself within twenty paces of the building, without risk ofdiscovery. Striking aside from the road at that point, I sneaked into agrove of laurels, that commanded a view of two sides of the house.There I cast myself down upon the ground, and although perfectlydefended from the keenest observation myself, by peering through theweeds and tree trunks, I could watch both path and house, as well asany spy could wish to do. The building was three storied, but of nogreat size. Its front was ornamented with a doric porch; otherwise itwas plain, square, and unpretentious. I judged it to contain a dozenlarge rooms at most. Its windows were all shut, and covered withimpenetrable green blinds, though the lattices stood open, perhaps forpurposes of sanitation. At the rear I could see a line of stragglingstone, slate roofed sheds, which seemed to have been recently erected,for their cemented walls had a fresh, unweathered look. I wondered whatthey contained, for they were too large and numerous to be assigned asstores for ordinary domestic uses. "Morgues perhaps!" I thought, andshuddered. "By chance the dead patient, of whom the woman and my masterhad conversed, was even now lying in one of them!"
The idea gave me the creeps, for I have a horror of death. I tried toforget the sheds, and resolutely watched the house. A soundless hourwent by, and I was feeling hungry, but I did not think of departing. MyWaterbury told me it was half-past two o'clock. At three, I began towonder at the silence of the place. At four, I was suspecting the placeto be deserted. The shadows were lengthening to the day's close, and Iwas chewing my handkerchief to assuage my famished appetite when of asudden I heard a curious noise. It was hoarse, guttural, chattering,and it seemed to issue from the sheds, which I had fancied to bemorgues. I listened with every sense on strain. The noise increased,and subsided at intervals, sometimes it became a perfect babel, andharsh animal-like cries quivered through the din. My curiosity became aplague, but I no longer doubted that the place was tenanted, and Idared not explore. The queer sounds I have attempted to describe,lasted about twenty minutes, and then all was still again. I did notknow what to think. Were wild animals confined in those sheds? I wasstill wondering when I heard footfalls on the gravel path, rapidlyapproaching the house from the lane. A moment later I saw Sir WilliamVenner striding through the twilight. His face was quiteexpressionless. He marched up to the porch, and disappeared. As I heardneither knock nor sound of bell, I concluded that he had entered with alatch-key. More than ever determined to remain, I fought my appetite asbest I could for the next three hours. By then it was quite dark, andthe glow of lamps appeared through the green blinds, covering thewindows of the house. Feeling wretchedly stiff and cramped, and cold tomy bones, I stood up and rubbed my limbs. When the circulation wasrestored, I crept out of the covert, where I had lain so long andstealthily approached the line of sheds. Their back walls were of blankstone, and showed me nothing; moreover, although of different size andheight, all were attached together, and also to the house. I skirtedthe rear, and turned the corner. Still no window, but before mestretched an asphalted court-yard. Peering round the second corner, Isaw into the hospital's kitchen, through the open back door. It waslighted up, and a comfortable fire burned in a large stove, beforewhich stood a covered spit. A wrinkled old woman sat before a tablekneading some pastry with her fingers. An old, grey-bearded man sat ina distant corner, his knees crossed, his arms folded. He was smoking apipe, and the light glistened on his bald pate. It made rather a prettypicture, that kitchen, with its Darby and Joan interior. I consideredit a while, and then glanced along the face of the mysterious sheds,only once more to be baffled. It consisted of a blank wall, piercedonly with an occasional padlocked door.
Thoroughly disgusted I returned to the front of the house, and took upa position hard by the trunk of a fine old elm tree, that grew at thefirst branch of the path. There I waited for another hour, but at lastmy patience was rewarded. The door suddenly opened, a man came out, andapproached me with a quick firm tread. It was too dark to see his face,but I guessed him to be Sir Charles Venner. He passed me so closely,that by stretching out my hand I could have brushed his cloak. He hadnot taken another ten steps, however, before the house door was againthrown open, and another man issued at a run. "Venner!" he shouted,"Venner!"
The voice was Dr. Fulton's.
"What is it?" demanded Sir Charles, from behind me, coming to an abrupthalt.
"One moment, Venner, where are you?"
"Here!"
Sir Charles Venner returned towards the house, and the two men met atthe very angle of the path, within six feet of my nose. I hugged thetree-trunk, and waited, hardly daring to breathe.
"Could you strain a point, Venner, and operate to-morrow night?" askedDr. Fulton in a pleading voice.
"No, old chap, I can't. You know my rule. I must give myself three daysbetween each, for the sake of my nerve."
"Just for once!"
"Impossible, Fulton. I wonder that you ask me. I have myself toconsider as well as the cause. We may succeed or we may not. But I amhanged if I deliberately risk destroying my own health for anything oranyone. I consider that I do quite enough for the cause as it is."
"You do, Venner, you do; but just for once do oblige Marion. She beggedme to ask you. You see, the fact is, Cavanagh is cranky."
"Damn Cavanagh!"
"With all my heart, but then you see, there is Marion. What sh
ould wedo without her?"
"That is all very well. But what should we do without me!"
"The poor girl is half out of her mind worrying about Cavanagh. He hasnot even had the grace to come here all day, though he promised."
"He is an infernal young cad!"
"I think so too, but it does not mend matters. The girl is crazily inlove with him, and she thinks he will kill himself, if we can't dosomething for him soon."
"Puppy!" The tone was bitterly contemptuous. Sir Charles seemed tohesitate. "Look here, Fulton," he proceeded, "I am sorry for Marion, ofcourse; nevertheless, I cannot help her. Tell her I am out of sorts, ormake any other excuse you like. I shall not operate until Tuesdayevening. Good-night to you!"
"One second, Venner, She begged me, if you refused her first request,to ask leave for Cavanagh to be present at the operation. You'll haveno objection to that I suppose!"
"Oh! curse the fellow," exclaimed Sir Charles very irritably. "Hebecomes the bane of my existence. If we admit him to the room, we arebound to have a scene. He will either faint or do something equallyidiotic. You know very well that the least interruption may play thedevil with my knife."
"She has pledged his good behaviour, Venner. Besides, I'll promise tolook after him. Come, come, old chap, don't send me back to her quiteempty-handed."
"The consequences must be upon your own head then."
"Thank you, Venner, you are a good fellow! Good-night!"
"I am, on the contrary, a soft-hearted fool. Good-night!"
They parted, and I heaved a sigh of relief.
When the silence had resumed itself, I stole through the plantation tothe gate, whence, after carefully fixing the locale of the hospital inmy mind, I made a speedy return to civilization, and an hour later Iwas discussing a hearty meal in a private room at Jack Straw's Castle.