Part 24 (1/2)
”Yes, but to-day he hadn't been in at all. Perhaps he has gone out of town.”
”Ah, probably.”
At this moment two men entered the restaurant and strolled towards the table next to that at which Valentine and Julian sat. One of them knew Julian and nodded as he pa.s.sed. He was just on the point of sitting down and unfolding his napkin when a sudden thought seemed to strike him, and he came over and said to Julian:
”You remember that dinner at Lady Crichton's, where we met the other night?”
”Yes.”
”Startling bit of news to-night, wasn't it? d.a.m.ned sudden!”
Julian looked puzzled.
”What--is Lady Crichton ill, then?”
”Lady Crichton! No. I meant about that poor fellow, Marr.”
Julian swung round in his seat and regarded the man full in the face.
”Marr! Why, what is it? Has he had an accident?”
”Dead!” the other man said laconically, arranging the gardenia in his coat, and taking a comprehensive survey of the room.
”Dead!” Julian repeated, without expression. ”Dead!”
”Yes. Well, bye-bye. Going on to the Empire!”
He turned to go, but Julian caught his arm.
”Wait a moment. When did he die?”
”Last night. In the dead of the night, or in the early morning.”
”What of?”
”They don't know. There's going to be an inquest. The poor chap didn't die at home, but in a private hotel, in the Euston Road, the 'European.'
He's lying there now. Funny sort of chap, but not bad in his way. I expect--”
Here the man bent down and murmured something into Julian's ear.
”Well, see you again presently. 'In the midst of life,' eh?”
He lounged away and began applying his intellect to the dissection of a sardine.
Julian turned round in his chair and again faced Valentine. But he did not go on eating the cutlet in aspic that lay upon his plate. He sat looking at Valentine, and at last said:
”How horribly sudden!”
”Yes,” Valentine answered sympathetically. ”He must have had a weak heart.”
”I dare say. I suppose so. Valentine, I can't realize it.”