Part 40 (1/2)

”I knew that you were in the Museum, Cairn,” Ferrara continued, still having his basilisk eyes fixed upon the other from beneath the drooping lids, ”and I called to you to join me here.”

Still Cairn did not move, did not speak.

”You have acted very harshly towards me in the past, dear Cairn; but because my philosophy consists in an admirable blending of that practised in Sybaris with that advocated by the excellent Zeno; because whilst I am prepared to make my home in a Diogenes' tub, I, nevertheless, can enjoy the fragrance of a rose, the flavour of a peach--”

The husky voice seemed to be hypnotising Cairn; it was a siren's voice, thralling him.

”Because,” continued Ferrara evenly, ”in common with all humanity I am compound of man and woman, I can resent the enmity which drives me from sh.o.r.e to sh.o.r.e, but being myself a connoisseur of the red lips and laughing eyes of maidenhood--I am thinking, more particularly of Myra--I can forgive you, dear Cairn--”

Then Cairn recovered himself.

”You white-faced cur!” he snarled through clenched teeth; his knuckles whitened as he stepped around the case. ”You dare to stand there mocking me--”

Ferrara again placed the case between himself and his enemy.

”Pause, my dear Cairn,” he said, without emotion. ”What would you do?

Be discreet, dear Cairn; reflect that I have only to call an attendant in order to have you pitched ignominiously into the street.”

”Before G.o.d! I will throttle the life from you!” said Cairn, in a voice savagely hoa.r.s.e.

He sprang again towards Ferrara. Again the latter dodged around the case with an agility which defied the heavier man.

”Your temperament is so painfully Celtic, Cairn,” he protested mockingly. ”I perceive quite clearly that you will not discuss this matter judicially. Must I then call for the attendant?”

Cairn clenched his fists convulsively. Through all the tumult of his rage, the fact had penetrated--that he was helpless. He could not attack Ferrara in that place; he could not detain him against his will. For Ferrara had only to claim official protection to bring about the complete discomfiture of his a.s.sailant. Across the case containing the duplicate ring, he glared at this incarnate fiend, whom the law, which he had secretly outraged, now served to protect. Ferrara spoke again in his huskily musical voice.

”I regret that you will not be reasonable, Cairn. There is so much that I should like to say to you; there are so many things of interest which I could tell you. Do you know in some respects I am peculiarly gifted, Cairn? At times I can recollect, quite distinctly, particulars of former incarnations. Do you see that priestess lying there, just through the doorway? I can quite distinctly remember having met her when she was a girl; she was beautiful, Cairn. And I can even recall how, one night beside the Nile--but I see that you are growing impatient! If you will not avail yourself of this opportunity, I must bid you good-day--”

He turned and walked towards the door. Cairn leapt after him; but Ferrara, suddenly beginning to run, reached the end of the Egyptian Room and darted out on to the landing, before his pursuer had time to realise what he was about.

At the moment that Ferrara turned the corner ahead of him, Cairn saw something drop. Coming to the end of the room, he stooped and picked up this object, which was a plaited silk cord about three feet in length. He did not pause to examine it more closely, but thrust it into his pocket and raced down the steps after the retreating figure of Ferrara. At the foot, a constable held out his arm, detaining him.

Cairn stopped in surprise.

”I must ask you for your name and address,” said the constable, gruffly.

”For Heaven's sake! what for?”

”A gentleman has complained--”

”My good man!” exclaimed Cairn, and proffered his card--”it is--it is a practical joke on his part. I know him well--”

The constable looked at the card and from the card, suspiciously, back to Cairn. Apparently the appearance of the latter rea.s.sured him--or he may have formed a better opinion of Cairn, from the fact that half-a-crown had quickly changed hands.

”All right, sir,” he said, ”it is no affair of mine; he did not charge you with anything--he only asked me to prevent you from following him.”

”Quite so,” snapped Cairn irritably, and dashed off along the gallery in the hope of overtaking Ferrara.

But, as he had feared, Ferrara had made good use of his ruse to escape. He was nowhere to be seen; and Cairn was left to wonder with what object he had risked the encounter in the Egyptian Room--for that it had been deliberate, and not accidental, he quite clearly perceived.