Part 10 (2/2)
”There's such a disagreeable feeling of uneasiness about this affair.
I know that Uncle Francis is most awfully upset by it.”
I looked at her in some surprise. I had not seen any marked signs of concern in Mr. Raven.
”I hadn't observed that,” I said.
”Perhaps not,” she answered. ”But I know him better. He's an unusually nervous man. Do you know that since this happened he's taken to going round the house every night, examining doors and windows?--And--he's begun to carry a revolver.”
The last statement made me think. Why should Mr. Raven expect--or, if not expect, be afraid of, any attack on himself? But before I could make any comment on my companion's information, my attention to the subject was diverted. All that afternoon the weather had been threatening to break--there was thunder about. And now, with startling suddenness, a flash of lightning was followed by a sharp crack, and that on the instant by a heavy downpour of rain. I glanced at Miss Raven's light dress--early spring though it was, the weather had been warm for more than a week, and she had come out in things that would be soaked through in a moment. But just then we were close to an old red-brick house, which stood but a yard or two back from the road, and was divided from it by nothing but a strip of garden. It had a deep doorway, and without ceremony, I pushed open the little gate in front, and drew Miss Raven within its shelter. We had not stood there many seconds, our back to the door (which I never heard opened), when a soft mellifluous voice sounded close to my startled ear.
”Will you not step inside and shelter from the storm?”
Twisting round sharply, I found myself staring at the slit-like eyes and old parchment-hued face of a smiling Chinaman.
CHAPTER VIII
WAS IT A WOMAN?
Had Miss Raven and I suddenly been caught up out of that little coast village and transported to the far East on a magic carpet, to be set down in the twinkling of an eye on some Oriental threshold, we could scarcely have been more surprised than we were at the sight of that bland, smiling countenance. For the moment I was at a loss to think who and what the man could be; he was in the dress of his own country, a neat, close-fitting, high-b.u.t.toned blue jacket; there was a little cap on his head, and a pigtail dependent from behind it--I was not sufficiently acquainted with Chinese costumes to gather any idea of his rank or position from these things--for aught I knew to the contrary, he might be a mandarin who, for some extraordinary reason, had found his way to this out-of-the-world spot. And my answer to his courteous invitation doubtless sounded confused and awkward.
”Oh, thank you,” I said, ”pray don't let us put you to any trouble. If we may just stand under your porch a moment--”
He stood a little aside, waving us politely into the hall behind him.
”Dr. Lorrimore would be very angry with me if I allowed a lady and gentleman to stand in his door and did not invite them into his house,” he said, in the same even, mellifluous tones. ”Please to enter.”
”Oh, is this Dr. Lorrimore's?” I said. ”Thank you--we'll come in. Is Dr. Lorrimore at home?”
”Presently,” he answered. ”He is in the village.”
He closed the door as we entered, pa.s.sed us with a bow, preceded us along the hall, and threw open the door of a room which looked out on a trim garden at the rear of the house. Still smiling and bland he invited us to be seated, and then, with another bow, left the room, apparently walking on velvet. Miss Raven and I glanced at each other.
”So Dr. Lorrimore has a Chinese man servant?” she said.
”How--picturesque!”
”Um!” I muttered.
She gave me a questioning, half-amused glance, and dropped her voice.
”Don't you like--Easterns?” she whispered.
”I like 'em in the East,” I replied. ”In Northumberland they don't--shall we say they don't fit in with the landscape.”
”I think he fits in--here,” she retorted, looking round. ”This is a bit Oriental.”
She was right in that. The room into which we had been ushered was certainly suggestive of what one had heard of India. There were fine Indian rugs on the floor; ivories and bra.s.ses in the cabinets; the curtains were of fabric that could only have come out of some Eastern bazaar; there was a faint, curious scent of sandal-wood and of dried rose-leaves. And on the mantelpiece, where, in English households, a marble clock generally stands, reposed a peculiarly ugly Hindu G.o.d, cross-legged, hideous of form, whose baleful eyes seemed to follow all our movements.
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