Part 112 (1/2)

To the first provocative to laughter this mistake excited, there quickly succeeded a far sadder, darker sentiment, and Lady Vyner arose, and the party retired to the drawing-room.

”I think our dining-room was most uncomfortably warm to-day, Sir Within,” said Georgina; ”come and see if this little salon here with the open window is not very refres.h.i.+ng after it.” And Sir Within bowed and followed her.

”What do you call _that_, Sir?” whispered M'Kinlay to Grenfell, as they stood taking their coffee at a window. ”He has just turned the corner; he has been so long loitering about. The head is gone now, and, I suppose, gone for ever.”

”My position,” whispered M'Kinlay again, ”is a very painful one; he sent to me this morning about a codicil he wants executed.”

”Does he intend to make me his heir?” asked the other, laughing. ”I opine not, Sir. It is of that girl--Miss Luttrell, they pretend to call her now--he was thinking; but really he is not in that state the law requires.”

”The disposing mind---eh?”

”Just so, Sir. I could not bring myself to face a cross-examination on the subject.”

”Very proper on your part; proper and prudent, both.” ”You see, Sir, the very servants noticed the way he was in to-day. Harris actually pa.s.sed him twice without giving him Hock; he saw his state.”

”Cruel condition, when the very flunkeys feel for one!” ”I thought at the time what evidence Harris would give--I did, indeed, Sir.

No solicitor of rank in the profession could lend himself to such a proceeding.”

”Don't do it, then,” said Grenfell, bluntly.

”Ah! it's very well saying don't do it, Mr. Grenfell, but it's not so easy when you have to explain to your client why you 'wont do it.'”

Grenfell lit a cigarette, and smoked on without reply. ”It was finding myself in this difficulty,” continued M'Kinlay, ”I thought I'd apply to you.”

”To _me!_ And why, in Heaven's name, to me?” ”Simply, Sir, as Sir Within's most intimate friend--the person, of all others, most likely to enjoy his confidence.”

”That may be true enough in one sense,” said Grenfell, evidently liking the flattery of the position attributed to him; ”but though we are, as you observe, on the most intimate terms with each other, I give you my solemn word of honour he never so much as hinted to me that he was going mad.”

Mr. M'Kinlay turned angrily away; such levity was, he felt, unbecoming and misplaced, nor was he altogether easy in his mind as to the use a man so unscrupulous and indelicate might make of a privileged communication. While he stood thus irresolute, Grenfell came over to him, and, laying a finger on his arm, said:

”I'll tell you who'll manage this matter for you better--infinitely better--than either of us; Miss Courtenay.”

”Miss Courtenay!” repeated ”the lawyer, with astonishment.

”Yes, Miss Courtenay. You have only to see, by the refined attention she bestows on him, how thoroughly she understands the break-up that has come upon his mind; her watchful anxiety to screen him from any awkward exposure; how carefully she smoothes down the little difficulties he occasionally finds at catching the clue of any theme. She sees what he is coming to, and would evidently like to spare _him_ the pain of seeing it while his consciousness yet remains.”

”I almost think I have remarked that. I really believe you are right.

And what could she do--I mean, what could I ask her to do--in this case?”

”Whatever you were about to ask me! I'm sure I'm not very clear what that was, whether to urge upon Sir Within the inexpediency of giving away a large portion of his fortune to a stranger, or the impropriety of falling into idiocy and the hands of Commissioners in Lunacy.”

Again was Mr. M'Kinlay driven to the limit of his temper, but he saw, or thought he saw, that this man's levity was his nature, and must be borne with.

”And you advise my consulting Miss Courtenay upon it?”

”I know of none so capable to give good counsel; and here she comes.

She has deposited the old man in that easy-chair for a doze, I fancy.

Strange enough, the faculties that do nothing occasionally stand in need of rest and repose!”