Part 6 (1/2)

”You have very little to whine about. It was I who stooped and you who rose.”

”Rose!”

”Yes, rose. I suppose you do not deny that it is a promotion to exchange the music-hall for Mannering Hall. Fool that I was ever to take you out of your true sphere!”

”If you think so, why do you not separate?”

”Because private misery is better than public humiliation. Because it is easier to suffer for a mistake than to own to it. Because also I like to keep you in my sight, and to know that you cannot go back to him.”

”You villain! You cowardly villain!”

”Yes, yes, my lady. I know your secret ambition, but it shall never be while I live, and if it happens after my death I will at least take care that you go to him as a beggar. You and dear Edward will never have the satisfaction of squandering my savings, and you may make up your mind to that, my lady. Why are those shutters and the window open?”

”I found the night very close.”

”It is not safe. How do you know that some tramp may not be outside? Are you aware that my collection of medals is worth more than any similar collection in the world? You have left the door open also. What is there to prevent any one from rifling the cases?”

”I was here.”

”I know you were. I heard you moving about in the medal room, and that was why I came down. What were you doing?”

”Looking at the medals. What else should I be doing?”

”This curiosity is something new.” He looked suspiciously at her and moved on towards the inner room, she walking beside him.

It was at this moment that I saw something which startled. I had laid my clasp-knife open upon the top of one of the cases, and there it lay in full view. She saw it before he did, and with a woman's cunning she held her taper out so that the light of it came between Lord Mannering's eyes and the knife. Then she took it with her left hand and held it against her gown out of his sight. He looked about from case to case--I could have put my hand at one time upon his long nose--but there was nothing to show that the medals had been tampered with, and so, still snarling and grumbling, he shuffled off into the other room once more.

And now I have to speak of what I heard rather than of what I saw, but I swear to you, as I shall stand some day before my Maker, that what I say is the truth.

When they pa.s.sed into the outer room I saw him lay his candle upon the corner of one of the tables, and he sat himself down, but in such a position that he was just out of my sight. She moved behind him, as I could tell from the fact that the light of her taper threw his long, lumpy shadow upon the floor in front of him. Then he began talking about this man whom he called Edward, and every word that he said was like a blistering drop of vitriol. He spoke low, so that I could not hear it all, but from what I heard I should guess that she would as soon have been lashed with a whip. At first she said some hot words in reply, but then she was silent, and he went on and on in that cold, mocking voice of his, nagging and insulting and tormenting, until I wondered that she could bear to stand there in silence and listen to it. Then suddenly I heard him say in a sharp voice, ”Come from behind me! Leave go of my collar! What! would you dare to strike me?” There was a sound like a blow, just a soft sort of thud, and then I heard him cry out, ”My G.o.d, it's blood!” He shuffled with his feet as if he was getting up, and then I heard another blow, and he cried out, ”Oh, you she-devil!” and was quiet, except for a dripping and splas.h.i.+ng upon the floor.

I ran out from behind my curtain at that, and rushed into the other room, shaking all over with the horror of it. The old man had slipped down in the chair, and his dressing-gown had rucked up until he looked as if he had a monstrous hump to his back. His head, with the gold gla.s.ses still fixed on his nose, was lolling over upon one side, and his little mouth was open just like a dead fish. I could not see where the blood was coming from, but I could still hear it drumming upon the floor. She stood behind him with the candle s.h.i.+ning full upon her face.

Her lips were pressed together and her eyes s.h.i.+ning, and a touch of colour had come into each of her cheeks. It just wanted that to make her the most beautiful woman I had ever seen in my life.

”You've done it now!” said I.

”Yes,” said she, in her quiet way, ”I've done it now.”

”What are you going to do?” I asked. ”They'll have you for murder as sure as fate.”

”Never fear about me. I have nothing to live for, and it does not matter. Give me a hand to set him straight in the chair. It is horrible to see him like this!”

I did so, though it turned me cold all over to touch him. Some of his blood came on my hand and sickened me.

”Now,” said she, ”you may as well have the medals as any one else. Take them and go.”

”I don't want them. I only want to get away. I was never mixed up with a business like this before.”

”Nonsense!” said she. ”You came for the medals, and here they are at your mercy. Why should you not have them? There is no one to prevent you.”