Then he relapsed into melancholy. Tell me, Percyhonest Indian!do you really love her? Love her? His eyes grew round as saucers. Dont I tell you that I love her? I know you tell me, but that sort of thing is easy telling. What does it make you feel like, this love you talk so much about? Feel like?Just anyhowand nohow. You should look inside me, and then youd know. I see.Its like that, is it?Suppose she loved another man, what sort of feeling would you feel towards him? Does she love another man? I say, suppose. I dare say she does. I expect thats it.What an idiot I am not to have thought of that before. He sighedand refilled his glass. Hes a lucky chap, whoever he is. IdId like to tell him so. Youd like to tell him so? Hes such a jolly lucky chap, you know. Possiblybut his jolly good luck is your jolly bad luck. Would you be willing to resign her to him without a word? If she loves him. But you say you love her. Of course I do. Well then? You dont suppose that, because I love her, I shouldnt like to see her happy?Im not such a beast!Id sooner see her happy than anything else in all the world. I seeEven happy with another?Im afraid that my philosophy is not like yours. If I loved Miss Lindon, and she loved, say, Jones, Im afraid I shouldnt feel like that towards Jones at all. What would you feel like? Murder.Percy, you come home with meweve begun the night together, lets end it togetherand Ill show you one of the finest notions for committing murder on a scale of real magnificence you ever dreamed of. I should like to make use of it to show my feelings towards the supposititious Joneshed know what I felt for him when once he had been introduced to it. Percy went with me without a word. He had not had much to drink, but it had been too much for him, and he was in a condition of maundering sentimentality. I got him into a cab. We dashed along Piccadilly. He was silent, and sat looking in front of him with an air of vacuous sullenness which illbecame his cast of countenance. I bade the cabman pass though Lowndes Square. As we passed the Apostles I pulled him up. I pointed out the place to Woodville. You see, Percy, thats Lessinghams house!thats the house of the man who went away with Marjorie! Yes. Words came from him slowly, with a quite unnecessary stress on each. Because he made a speech.Id like to make a speech.One day Ill make a speech. Because he made a speechonly that, and nothing more! When a man speaks with an Apostles tongue, he can witch any woman in the land.Hallo, whos that?Lessingham, is that you? I saw, or thought I saw, someone, or something, glide up the steps, and withdraw into the shadow of the doorway, as if unwilling to be seen. When I hailed no one answered. I called again. Dont be shy, my friend! I sprang out of the cab, ran across the pavement, and up the steps. To my surprise, there was no one in the doorway. It seemed incredible, but the place was empty. I felt about me with my hands, as if I had been playing at blind mans buff, and grasped at vacancy. I came down a step or two. Ostensibly, theres a vacuumwhich nature abhors.I say, driver, didnt you see someone come up the steps? I thought I did, sirI could have sworn I did. So could I.Its very odd. Perhaps whoever it was has gone into the ouse, sir. I dont see how. We should have heard the door open, if we hadnt seen itand we should have seen it, its not so dark as that.Ive half a mind to ring the bell and inquire. I shouldnt do that if I was you, siryou jump in, and Ill get along. This is Mr. Lessinghamsthe great Mr. Lessinghams. I believe the cabman thought that I was drunkand not respectable enough to claim acquaintance with the great Mr. Lessingham. Wake up, Woodville! Do you know I believe theres some mystery about this placeI feel assured of it. I feel as if I were in the presence of something uncannysomething which I can neither see, nor touch, nor hear. The cabman bent down from his seat, wheedling me. Jump in, sir, and well be getting along. I jumped in, and we got alongbut not far. Before we had gone a dozen yards, I was out again, without troubling the driver to stop. He pulled up, aggrieved. Well, sir, whats the matter now? Youll be damaging yourself before youve done, and then youll be blaming me. I had caught sight of a cat crouching in the shadow of the railingsa black one. That cat was my quarry. Either the creature was unusually sleepy, or slow, or stupid, or it had lost its witswhich a cat seldom does lose!anyhow, without making an attempt to escape it allowed me to grab it by the nape of the neck. So soon as we were inside my laboratory, I put the cat into my glass box. Percy stared. What have you put it there for? That, my dear Percy, is what you are shortly about to see. You are about to be the witness of an experiment which, to a legislatorsuch as you are!ought to be of the greatest possible interest. I am going to demonstrate, on a small scale, the action of the force which, on a large scale, I propose to employ on behalf of my native land. He showed no signs of being interested. Sinking into a chair, he recommenced his wearisome reiteration. I hate cats!Do let it go!Im always miserable when theres a cat in the room. Nonsensethats your fancy! What you wants a taste of whiskyyoull be as chirpy as a cricket. I dont want anything more to drink!Ive had too much already! I paid no heed to what he said. I poured two stiff doses into a couple of tumblers. Without seeming to be aware of what it was that he was doing he disposed of the better half of the one I gave him at a draught. Putting his glass upon the table, he dropped his head upon his hands, and groaned. What would Marjorie think of me if she saw me now? Think?nothing. Why should she think of a man like you, when she has so much better fish to fry? Im feeling frightfully ill!Ill be drunk before Ive done! Then be drunk!only, for gracious sake, be lively drunk, not deadly doleful.Cheer up, Percy! I clapped him on the shoulderalmost knocking him off his seat on to the floor. I am now going to show you that little experiment of which I was speaking!You see that cat? Of course I see it!the beast!I wish youd let it go! Why should I let it go?Do you know whose cat that is? That cats Paul Lessinghams. Paul Lessinghams? Yes, Paul Lessinghamsthe man who made the speechthe man whom Marjorie went away with. How do you know its his? I dont know it is, but I believe it isI choose to believe it is!I intend to believe it is!It was outside his house, therefore its his catthats how I argue. I cant get Lessingham inside that box, so I get his cat instead. Whatever for? You shall see.You observe how happy it is? It dont seem happy. Weve all our ways of seeming happythats its way, The creature was behaving like a cat gone mad, dashing itself against the sides of its glass prison, leaping to and fro, and from side to side, squealing with rage, or with terror, or with both. Perhaps it foresaw what was comingthere is no fathoming the intelligence of what we call the lower animals. Its a funny way. We some of us have funny ways, beside cats. Now, attention! Observe this little toyyouve seen something of its kind before. Its a spring gun; you pull the springdrop the charge into the barrelrelease the springand the charge is fired. Ill unlock this safe, which is built into the wall. Its a letter lock, the combination just now, is whisky,you see, thats a hint to you. Youll notice the safe is strongly madeits airtight, fireproof, the outer casing is of tripleplated drillproof steelthe contents are valuableto me!and devilish dangerousId pity the thief who, in his innocent ignorance, broke in to steal. Look insideyou see its full of ballsglass balls, each in its own little separate nest; light as feathers; transparentyou can see right through them. Here are a couple, like tiny pills. They contain neither dynamite, nor cordite, nor anything of the kind, yet, given a fair field and no favour, theyll work more mischief than all the explosives man has fashioned. Take hold of oneyou say your heart is broken!squeeze this under your noseit wants but a gentle pressureand in less time than no time youll be in the land where they say there are no broken hearts. He shrunk back. I dont know what youre talking about.I dont want the thing.Take it away. Think twicethe chance may not recur. I tell you I dont want it. Sure?Consider! Of course Im sure! Then the cat shall have it. Let the poor brute go! The poor brutes goingto the land which is so near, and yet so far. Once more, if you please, attention. Notice what I do with this toy gun. I pull back the spring; I insert this small glass pellet; I thrust the muzzle of the gun through the opening in the glass box which contains the Apostles catyoull observe it fits quite close, which, on the whole, is perhaps as well for us.I am about to release the spring.Close attention, please.Notice the effect. Atherton, let the brute go! The brutes gone! Ive released the springthe pellet has been dischargedit has struck against the roof of the glass boxit has been broken by the contactand, hey presto! the cat lies deadand that in face of its nine lives. You perceive how still it ishow still! Lets hope that, now, its really happy. The cat which I choose to believe is Paul Lessinghams has received its quietus; in the morning Ill send it back to him, with my respectful compliments. Hell miss it if I dont.Reflect! think of a huge bomb, filled with what well call Athertons Magic Vapour, fired, say, from a hundred and twenty ton gun, bursting at a given elevation over the heads of an opposing force. Properly managed, in less than an instant of time, a hundred thousand menquite possibly more!would drop down dead, as if smitten by the lightning of the skies. Isnt that something like a weapon, sir? Im not well!I want to get away!I wish Id never come! That was all Woodville had to say. Rubbish!Youre adding to your stock of information every second, and, in these days, when a member of Parliament is supposed to know all about everything, informations the one thing wanted. Empty your glass, manthats the time of day for you! I handed him his tumbler. He drained what was left of its contents, then, in a fit of tipsy, childish temper he flung the tumbler from him. I had placedcarelessly enoughthe second pellet within a foot of the edge of the table. The shock of the heavy beaker striking the board close to it, set it rolling. I was at the other side. I started forward to stop its motion, but I was too late. Before I could reach the crystal globule, it had fallen off the edge of the table on to the floor at Woodvilles feet, and smashed in falling. As it smashed, he was looking down, wondering, no doubt, in his stupidity, what the pother was aboutfor I was shouting, and making something of a clatter in my efforts to prevent the catastrophe which I saw was coming. On the instant, as the vapour secreted in the broken pellet gained access to the air, he fell forward on to his face. Rushing to him, I snatched his senseless body from the ground, and dragged it, staggeringly, towards the door which opened on to the yard. Flinging the door open, I got him into the open air. As I did so, I found myself confronted by someone who stood outside. It was Lessinghams mysterious EgyptoArabian friendmy mornings visitor. XVII. Magic?Or Miracle? The passage into the yard from the electrically lit laboratory was a passage from brilliancy to gloom. The shrouded figure, standing in the shadow, was like some object in a dream. My own senses reeled. It was only because I had resolutely held my breath, and kept my face averted that I had not succumbed to the fate which had overtaken Woodville. Had I been a moment longer in gaining the open air, it would have been too late. As it was, in placing Woodville on the ground, I stumbled over him. My senses left me. Even as they went I was conscious of exclaimingremembering the saying about the engineer being hoist by his own petard, Athertons Magic Vapour! My sensations on returning to consciousness were curious. I found myself being supported in someones arms, a strangers face was bending over me, and the most extraordinary pair of eyes I had ever seen were looking into mine. Who the deuce are you? I asked. Then, understanding that it was my uninvited visitor, with scant ceremony I drew myself away from him. By the light which was streaming through the laboratory door I saw that Woodville was lying close beside mestark and still. Is he dead? I cried. Percy.speak, man!its not so bad with you as that! But it was pretty badso bad that, as I bent down and looked at him, my heart beat uncomfortably fast lest it was as bad as it could be. His heart seemed stillthe vapour took effect directly on the cardiac centres. To revive their action and that instantly, was indispensable. Yet my brain was in such a whirl that I could not even think of how to set about beginning. Had I been alone, it is more than probable Woodville would have died. As I stared at him, senselessly, aimlessly, the stranger, passing his arms beneath his body, extended himself at full length upon his motionless form. Putting his lips to Percys, he seemed to be pumping life from his own body into the unconscious mans. As I gazed bewildered, surprised, presently there came a movement of Percys body. His limbs twitched, as if he was in pain. By degrees, the motions became convulsivetill on a sudden he bestirred himself to such effect that the stranger was rolled right off him. I bent downto find that the young gentlemans condition still seemed very far from satisfactory. There was a rigidity about the muscles of his face, a clamminess about his skin, a disagreeable suggestiveness about the way in which his teeth and the whites of his eyes were exposed, which was uncomfortable to contemplate. The stranger must have seen what was passing through my mindnot a very difficult thing to see. Pointing to the recumbent Percy, he said, with that queer foreign twang of his, which, whatever it had seemed like in the morning, sounded musical enough just then. All will be well with him. I am not so sure. The stranger did not deign to answer. He was kneeling on one side of the victim of modern science, I on the other. Passing his hand to and fro in front of the unconscious countenance, as if by magic all semblance of discomfort vanished from Percys features, and, to all appearances, he was placidly asleep. Have you hypnotised him? What does it matter? If it was a case of hypnotism, it was very neatly done. The conditions were both unusual and trying, the effect produced seemed all that could be desiredthe change brought about in half a dozen seconds was quite remarkable. I began to be aware of a feeling of quasirespect for Paul Lessinghams friend. His morals might be peculiar, and manners he might have none, but in this case, at any rate, the end seemed to have justified the means. He went on. He sleeps. When he awakes he will remember nothing that has been. Leave himthe night is warmall will be well. As he said, the night was warmand it was dry. Percy would come to little harm by being allowed to enjoy, for a while, the pleasant breezes. So I acted on the strangers advice, and left him lying in the yard, while I had a little interview with the impromptu physician. XVIII. The Apotheosis of the Beetle The laboratory door was closed. The stranger was standing a foot or two away from it. I was further within the room, and was subjecting him to as keen a scrutiny as circumstances permitted. Beyond doubt he was conscious of my observation, yet he bore himself with an air of indifference, which was suggestive of perfect unconcern. The fellow was Oriental to the fingertipsthat much was certain; yet in spite of a pretty wide personal knowledge of Oriental people I could not make up my mind as to the exact part of the east from which he came. He was hardly an Arab, he was not a fellahhe was not, unless I erred, a Mohammedan at all. There was something about him which was distinctly not Mussulmanic. So far as looks were concerned, he was not a flattering example of his race, whatever his race might be. The portentous size of his beaklike nose would have been, in itself, sufficient to damn him in any court of beauty. His lips were thick and shapelessand this, joined to another peculiarity in his appearance, seemed to suggest that, in his veins there ran more than a streak of negro blood. The peculiarity alluded to was his semblance of great age. As one eyed him one was reminded of the legends told of people who have been supposed to have retained something of their pristine vigour after having lived for centuries. As, however, one continued to gaze, one began to wonder if he really was so old as he seemedif, indeed, he was exceptionally old at all. Negroes, and especially negresses, are apt to age with extreme rapidity. Among coloured folk one sometimes encounters women whose faces seem to have been lined by the passage of centuries, yet whose actual tale of years would entitle them to regard themselves, here in England, as in the prime of life. The senility of the fellows countenance, besides, was contradicted by the juvenescence of his eyes. No really old man could have had eyes like that. They were curiously shaped, reminding me of the elongated, faceted eyes of some queer creature, with whose appearance I was familiar, although I could not, at the instant, recall its name. They glowed not only with the force and fire, but, also, with the frenzy of youth. More uncannylooking eyes I had never encounteredtheir possessor could not be, in any sense of the word, a clubable person. Owing, probably, to some peculiar formation of the opticnerve one felt, as one met his gaze, that he was looking right through you. More obvious danger signals never yet were placed in a creatures head. The individual who, having once caught sight of him, still sought to cultivate their owners acquaintance, had only himself to thank if the very worst results of frequenting evil company promptly ensued. It happens that I am myself endowed with an unusual tenacity of vision. I could, for instance, easily outstare any man I ever met. Yet, as I continued to stare at this man, I was conscious that it was only by an effort of will that I was able to resist a baleful something which seemed to be passing from his eyes to mine. It might have been imagination, but, in that sense, I am not an imaginative man; and, if it was, it was imagination of an unpleasantly vivid kind. I could understand how, in the case of a nervous, or a sensitive temperament, the fellow might exercise, by means of the peculiar quality of his glance alone, an influence of a most disastrous sort, which given an appropriate subject in the manifestation of its power might approach almost to the supernatural. If ever man was endowed with the traditional evil eye, in which Italians, among modern nations, are such profound believers, it was he. When we had stared at each other for, I daresay, quite five minutes, I began to think I had had about enough of it. So, by way of breaking the ice, I put to him a question. May I ask how you found your way into my back yard? He did not reply in words, but, raising his hands he lowered them, palms downward, with a gesture which was peculiarly Oriental. Indeed?Is that so?Your meaning may be lucidity itself to you, but, for my benefit, perhaps you would not mind translating it into words. Once more I ask, how did you find your way into my back yard? Again nothing but the gesture. Possibly you are not sufficiently acquainted with English manners and customs to be aware that you have placed yourself within reach of the pains and penalties of the law. Were I to call in the police you would find yourself in an awkward situationand, unless you are presently more explanatory, called in they will be. By way of answer he indulged in a distortion of the countenance which might have been meant for a smileand which seemed to suggest that he regarded the police with a contempt which was too great for words. Why do you laughdo you think that being threatened with the police is a joke? You are not likely to find it so.Have you suddenly been bereft of the use of your tongue? He proved that he had not by using it. I have still the use of my tongue. That, at least, is something. Perhaps, since the subject of how you got into my back yard seems to be a delicate one, you will tell me why you got there. You know why I have come. Pardon me if I appear to flatly contradict you, but that is precisely what I do not know. You do know. Do I?Then, in that case, I presume that you are here for the reason which appears upon the surfaceto commit a felony. You call me thief? What else are you? I am no thief.You know why I have come. He raised his head a little. A look came into his eyes which I felt that I ought to understand, yet to the meaning of which I seemed, for the instant, to have mislaid the key. I shrugged my shoulders. I have come because you wanted me. Because I wanted you!On my word!Thats sublime! All night you have wanted medo I not know? When she talked to you of him, and the blood boiled in your veins; when he spoke, and all the people listened, and you hated him, because he had honour in her eyes. I was startled. Either he meant what it appeared incredible that he could mean, orthere was confusion somewhere. Take my advice, my friend, and dont try to come the buncosteerer over meIm a bit in that line myself, you know. This time the score was minehe was puzzled. I know not what you talk of. In that case, were equalI know not what you talk of either. His manner, for him, was childlike and bland. What is it you do not know? This morning did I not sayif you want me, then I come? I fancy I have some faint recollection of your being so good as to say something of the kind, butwheres the application? Do you not feel for him the same as I? Whos the him? Paul Lessingham. It was spoken quietly, but with a degree ofto put it gentlyspitefulness which showed that at least the will to do the Apostle harm would not be lacking. And, pray, what is the common feeling which we have for him? Hate. Plainly, with this gentleman, hate meant hatein the solid Oriental sense. I should hardly have been surprised if the mere utterance of the words had seared his lips. I am by no means prepared to admit that I have this feeling which you attribute to me, but, even granting that I have, what then? Those who hate are kin. That, also, I should be slow to admit; butto go a step fartherwhat has all this to do with your presence on my premises at this hour of the night? You love her. This time I did not ask him to supply the namebeing unwilling that it should be soiled by the traffic of his lips. She loves himthat is not well. If you choose, she shall love youthat will be well. Indeed.And pray how is this consummation which is so devoutly to be desired to be brought about? Put your hand into mine. Say that you wish it. It shall be done. Moving a step forward, he stretched out his hand towards me. I hesitated. There was that in the fellows manner which, for the moment, had for me an unwholesome fascination. Memories flashed through my mind of stupid stories which have been told of compacts made with the devil. I almost felt as if I was standing in the actual presence of one of the powers of evil. I thought of my love for Marjoriewhich had revealed itself after all these years; of the delight of holding her in my arms, of feeling the pressure of her lips to mine. As my gaze met his, the lower side of what the conquest of this fair lady would mean, burned in my brain; fierce imaginings blazed before my eyes. To win heronly to win her! What nonsense he was talking! What empty brag it was! Suppose, just for the sake of the joke, I did put my hand in his, and did wish, right out, what it was plain he knew. If I wished, what harm would it do! It would be the purest jest. Out of his own mouth he would be confounded, for it was certain that nothing would come of it. Why should I not do it then? I would act on his suggestionI would carry the thing right through. Already I was advancing towards him, whenI stopped. I dont know why. On the instant, my thoughts went off at a tangent. What sort of a blackguard did I call myself that I should take a womans name in vain for the sake of playing fools tricks with such scum of the earth as the hideous vagabond in front of meand that the name of the woman whom I loved? Rage took hold of me. You hound! I cried. In my sudden passage from one mood to another, I was filled with the desire to shake the life half out of him. But so soon as I moved a step in his direction, intending war instead of peace, he altered the position of his hand, holding it out towards me as if forbidding my approach. Directly he did so, quite involuntarily, I pulled up deadas if my progress had been stayed by bars of iron and walls of steel. For the moment, I was astonished to the verge of stupefaction. The sensation was peculiar. I was as incapable of advancing another inch in his direction as if I had lost the use of my limbsI was even incapable of attempting to attempt to advance. At first I could only stare and gape. Presently I began to have an inkling of what had happened. The scoundrel had almost succeeded in hypnotising me. That was a nice thing to happen to a man of my sort at my time of life. A shiver went down my backwhat might have occurred if I had not pulled up in time! What pranks might a creature of that character not have been disposed to play. It was the old story of the peril of playing with edged tools; I had made the dangerous mistake of underrating the enemys strength. Evidently, in his own line, the fellow was altogether something out of the usual way. I believe that even as it was he thought he had me. As I turned away, and leaned against the table at my back, I fancy that he shiveredas if this proof of my being still my own master was unexpected. I was silentit took some seconds to enable me to recover from the shock of the discovery of the peril in which I had been standing. Then I resolved that I would endeavour to do something which should make me equal to this gentleman of many talents. Take my advice, my friend, and dont attempt to play that hankey pankey off on to me again. I dont know what you talk of. Dont lie to meor Ill burn you into ashes. Behind me was an electrical machine, giving an eighteen inch spark. It was set in motion by a lever fitted into the table, which I could easily reach from where I sat. As I spoke the visitor was treated to a little exhibition of electricity. The change in his bearing was amusing. He shook with terror. He salaamed down to the ground. My lord!my lord!have mercy, oh my lord! Then you be careful, thats all. You may suppose yourself to be something of a magician, but it happens, unfortunately for you, that I can do a bit in that line myselfperhaps Im a trifle better at the game than you are. Especially as you have ventured into my stronghold, which contains magic enough to make a show of a hundred thousand such as you. Taking down a bottle from a shelf, I sprinkled a drop or two of its contents on the floor. Immediately flames arose, accompanied by a blinding vapour. It was a sufficiently simple illustration of one of the qualities of phosphorousbromide, but its effect upon my visitor was as startling as it was unexpected. If I could believe the evidence of my own eyesight, in the very act of giving utterance to a scream of terror he disappeared, how, or why, or whither, there was nothing to showin his place, where he had been standing, there seemed to be a dim object of some sort in a state of frenzied agitation on the floor. The phosphorescent vapour was confusing; the lights appeared to be suddenly burning low; before I had sense enough to go and see if there was anything there, and, if so, what, the flames had vanished, the man himself had reappeared, and, prostrated on his knees, was salaaming in a condition of abject terror. My lord! my lord! he whined. I entreat you, my lord, to use me as your slave! Ill use you as my slave! Whether he or I was the more agitated it would have been difficult to saybut, at least, it would not have done to betray my feelings as he did his. Stand up! He stood up. I eyed him as he did with an interest which, so far as I was concerned, was of a distinctly new and original sort. Whether or not I had been the victim of an ocular delusion I could not be sure. It was incredible to suppose that he could have disappeared as he had seemed to disappearit was also incredible that I could have imagined his disappearance. If the thing had been a trick, I had not the faintest notion how it had been worked; and, if it was not a trick, then what was it? Was it something new in scientific marvels? Could he give me as much instruction in the qualities of unknown forces as I could him? In the meanwhile he stood in an attitude of complete submission, with downcast eyes, and hands crossed upon his breast. I started to crossexamine him. I am going to ask you some questions. So long as you answer them promptly, truthfully, you will be safe. Otherwise you had best beware. Ask, oh my lord. What is the nature of your objection to Mr. Lessingham? Revenge. What has he done to you that you should wish to be revenged on him? It is the feud of the innocent blood. What do you mean by that? On his hands is the blood of my kin. It cries aloud for vengeance. Who has he killed? That, my lord, is for meand for him. I see.Am I to understand that you do not choose to answer me, and that I am again to use mymagic? I saw that he quivered. My lord, he has spilled the blood of her who has lain upon his breast. I hesitated. What he meant appeared clear enough. Perhaps it would be as well not to press for further details. The words pointed to what it might be courteous to call an Eastern Romancethough it was hard to conceive of the Apostle figuring as the hero of such a theme. It was the old tale retold, that to the life of every man there is a backgroundthat it is precisely in the unlikeliest cases that the backgrounds darkest. What would that pennyplainandtwopencecoloured bogey, the Nonconformist Conscience, make of such a story if it were blazoned through the land. Would Paul not come down with a run?  Spilling blood is a figure of speech; pretty, perhaps, but vague. If you mean that Mr. Lessingham has been killing someone, your surest and most effectual revenge would be gained by an appeal to the law. What has the Englishmans law to do with me? If you can prove that he has been guilty of murder it would have a great deal to do with you. I assure you that at any rate, in that sense, the Englishmans law is no respecter of persons. Show him to be guilty, and it would hang Paul Lessingham as indifferently, and as cheerfully, as it would hang Bill Brown. Is that so? It is so, as, if you choose, you will be easily able to prove to your own entire satisfaction. He had raised his head, and was looking at something which he seemed to see in front of him with a maleficent glare in his sensitive eyes which it was not nice to see. He would be shamed? Indeed he would be shamed. Before all men? Before all menand, I take it, before all women too. And he would hang? If shown to have been guilty of wilful murderyes. His hideous face was lighted up by a sort of diabolical exultation which made it, if that were possible, more hideous still. I had apparently given him a wrinkle which pleased him most consummately. Perhaps I will do that in the endin the end! He opened his eyes to their widest limits, then shut them tightas if to gloat on the picture which his fancy painted. Then reopened them. In the meantime I will have vengeance in my own fashion. He knows already that the avenger is upon himhe has good reason to know it.


And through the days and the nights the knowledge shall be with him still, and it shall be to him as the bitterness of deathaye, of many deaths. For he will know that escape there is none, and that for him there shall be no more sun in the sky, and that the terror shall be with him by night and by day, at his rising up and at his lying down, wherever his eyes shall turn it shall be thereyet, behold, the sap and the juice of my vengeance is in this, in that though he shall be very sure that the days that are, are as the days of his death, yet shall he know that the death, the great death, is comingcomingand shall be on himwhen I will! The fellow spoke like an inspired maniac. If he meant half what he saidand if he did not then his looks and his tones belied him!then a promising future bade fair to be in store for Mr. Lessinghamand, also, circumstances being as they were, for Marjorie. It was this latter reflection which gave me pause. Either this imprecatory fanatic would have to be disposed of, by Lessingham himself, or by someone acting on his behalf, and, so far as their power of doing mischief went, his big words proved empty windbags, or Marjorie would have to be warned that there was at least one passage in her suitors life, into which, ere it was too late, it was advisable that inquiry should be made. To allow Marjorie to irrevocably link her fate with the Apostles, without being first of all made aware that he was, to all intents and purposes, a haunted manthat was not to be thought of. You employ large phrases. My words cooled the others heated blood. Once more his eyes were cast down, his hands crossed upon his breast I crave my lords pardon. My wound is ever new. By the way, what was the secret history, this morning, of that little incident of the cockroach? He glanced up quickly. Cockroach?I know not what you say. Wellwas it beetle, then? Beetle! He seemed, all at once, to have lost his voicethe word was gasped. After you went we found, upon a sheet of paper, a capitally executed drawing of a beetle, which, I fancy, you must have left behind youScaraboeus sacer, wasnt it? I know not what you talk of. Its discovery seemed to have quite a singular effect on Mr. Lessingham. Now, why was that? I know nothing. Oh yes you doand, before you go, I mean to know something too. The man was trembling, looking this way and that, showing signs of marked discomfiture. That there was something about that ancient scarab, which figures so largely in the still unravelled tangles of the Egyptian mythologies, and the effect which the mere sight of its cartouchefor the drawing had resembled something of the kindhad had on such a seasoned vessel as Paul Lessingham, which might be well worth my finding out, I felt convincedthe mans demeanour, on my recurring to the matter, told its own plain tale. I made up my mind, if possible, to probe the business to the bottom, then and there. Listen to me, my friend. I am a plain man, and I use plain speechits a kind of hobby I have. You will give me the information I require, and that at once, or I will pit my magic against yoursin which case I think it extremely probable that you will come off worst from the encounter. I reached out for the lever, and the exhibition of electricity recommenced. Immediately his tremors were redoubled. My lord, I know not of what you talk. None of your lies for me.Tell me why, at the sight of the thing on that sheet of paper, Paul Lessingham went green and yellow. Ask him, my lord. Probably, later on, that is what I shall do. In the meantime, I am asking you. Answeror look out for squalls. The electrical exhibition was going on. He was glaring at it as if he wished that it would stop. As if ashamed of his cowardice, plainly, on a sudden, he made a desperate effort to get the better of his fearsand succeeded better than I had expected or desired. He drew himself up with what, in him, amounted to an air of dignity. I am a child of Isis! It struck me that he made this remark, not so much to impress me, as with a view of elevating his own low spirits. Are you?Then, in that case, I regret that I am unable to congratulate the lady on her offspring. When I said that, a ring came into his voice which I had not heard before. Silence!You know not of what you speak!I warn you, as I warned Paul Lessingham, be careful not to go too far. Be not like himheed my warning. What is it I am being warned againstthe beetle? Yesthe beetle! Were I upon oath, and this statement being made, in the presence of witnesses, say, in a solicitors office, I standing in fear of pains and penalties, I think that, at this point, I should leave the paper blank. No man likes to own himself a fool, or that he ever was a fooland ever since I have been wondering whether, on that occasion, that child of Isis did, or did not, play the fool with me. His performance was realistic enough at the time, heaven knows. But, as it gets farther and farther away, I ask myself, more and more confidently, as time effluxes, whether, after all, it was not clever jugglingsuperhumanly clever juggling, if you will; that, and nothing more. If it was something more, then, with a vengeance! there is more in heaven and earth than is dreamed of in our philosophy. The mere possibility opens vistas which the sane mind fears to contemplate. Since, then, I am not on oath, and, should I fall short of verbal accuracy, I do not need to fear the engines of the law, what seemed to happen was this. He was standing within about ten feet of where I leaned against the edge of the table. The light was full on, so that it was difficult to suppose that I could make a mistake as to what took place in front of me. As he replied to my mocking allusion to the beetle by echoing my own words, he vanishedor, rather, I saw him taking a different shape before my eyes. His loose draperies all fell off him, and, as they were in the very act of falling, there issued, or there seemed to issue out of them, a monstrous creature of the beetle typethe man himself was gone. On the point of size I wish to make myself clear. My impression, when I saw it first, was that it was as large as the man had been, and that it was, in some way, standing up on end, the legs towards me. But, the moment it came in view, it began to dwindle, and that so rapidly that, in a couple of seconds at most, a little heap of drapery was lying on the floor, on which was a truly astonishing example of the coleoptera. It appeared to be a beetle. It was, perhaps, six or seven inches high, and about a foot in length. Its scales were of a vivid golden green. I could distinctly see where the wings were sheathed along the back, and, as they seemed to be slightly agitated, I looked, every moment, to see them opened, and the thing take wing. I was so astonishedas who would not have been?that for an appreciable space of time I was practically in a state of stupefaction. I could do nothing but stare. I was acquainted with the legendary transmigrations of Isis, and with the story of the beetle which issues from the womans womb through all eternity, and with the other pretty tales, but this, of which I was an actual spectator, was something new, even in legends. If the man, with whom I had just been speaking, was gone, where had he gone to? If this glittering creature was there, in his stead, whence had it come? I do protest this much, that, after the first shock of surprise had passed, I retained my presence of mind. I felt as an investigator might feel, who has stumbled, haphazard, on some astounding, some epochmaking, discovery. I was conscious that I should have to make the best use of my mental faculties if I was to take full advantage of so astonishing an accident. I kept my glance riveted on the creature, with the idea of photographing it on my brain. I believe that if it were possible to take a retinal printwhich it someday will beyou would have a perfect picture of what it was I saw. Beyond doubt it was a lamellicorn, one of the copridae. With the one exception of its monstrous size, there were the characteristics in plain view;the convex body, the large head, the projecting clypeus. More, its smooth head and throat seemed to suggest that it was a female. Equally beyond a doubt, apart from its size, there were unusual features present too. The eyes were not only unwontedly conspicuous, they gleamed as if they were lighted by internal flamesin some indescribable fashion they reminded me of my vanished visitor. The colouring was superb, and the creature appeared to have the chameleonlike faculty of lightening and darkening the shades at will. Its not least curious feature was its restlessness. It was in a state of continual agitation; and, as if it resented my inspection, the more I looked at it the more its agitation grew. As I have said, I expected every moment to see it take wing and circle through the air. All the while I was casting about in my mind as to what means I could use to effect its capture. I did think of killing it, and, on the whole, I rather wish that I had at any rate attempted slaughterthere were dozens of things, lying ready to my hand, any one of which would have severely tried its constitution;but, on the spur of the moment, the only method of taking it alive which occurred to me, was to pop over it a big tin canister which had contained sodalime. This canister was on the floor to my left. I moved towards it, as nonchalantly as I could, keeping an eye on that shining wonder all the time. Directly I moved, its agitation perceptibly increasedit was, so to speak, all one whirr of tremblement; it scintillated, as if its coloured scales had been so many prisms; it began to unsheath its wings, as if it had finally decided that it would make use of them. Picking up the tin, disembarrassing it of its lid, I sprang towards my intended victim. Its wings opened wide; obviously it was about to rise; but it was too late. Before it had cleared the ground, the tin was over it. It remained over it, however, for an instant only. I had stumbled, in my haste, and, in my effort to save myself from falling face foremost on to the floor, I was compelled to remove my hands from the tin. Before I was able to replace them, the tin was sent flying, and, while I was still partially recumbent, within eighteen inches of me, that beetle swelled and swelled, until it had assumed its former portentous dimensions, when, as it seemed, it was enveloped by a human shape, and in less time than no time, there stood in front of me, naked from top to toe, my truly versatile Oriental friend. One startling fact nudity revealedthat I had been egregiously mistaken on the question of sex. My visitor was not a man, but a woman, and, judging from the brief glimpse which I had of her body, by no means old or illshaped either. If that transformation was not a bewildering one, then two and two make five. The most levelheaded scientist would temporarily have lost his mental equipoise on witnessing such a quick change as that within a span or two of his own nose I was not only witless, I was breathless tooI could only gape. And, while I gaped, the woman, stooping down, picking up her draperies, began to huddle them on her anyhowand, also, to skeddadle towards the door which led into the yard. When I observed this last manoeuvre, to some extent I did rise to the requirements of the situation. Leaping up, I rushed to stay her flight. Stop! I shouted. But she was too quick for me. Ere I could reach her, she had opened the door, and was through itand, what was more, she had slammed it in my face. In my excitement, I did some fumbling with the handle. When, in my turn, I was in the yard, she was out of sight. I did fancy I saw a dim form disappearing over the wall at the further side, and I made for it as fast as I knew how. I clambered on to the wall, looking this way and that, but there was nothing and no one to be seen. I listened for the sound of retreating footsteps, but all was still. Apparently I had the entire neighbourhood to my own sweet self. My visitor had vanished. Time devoted to pursuit I felt would be time illspent. As I returned across the yard, Woodville, who still was taking his rest under the open canopy of heaven, sat up. Seemingly my approach had roused him out of slumber. At sight of me he rubbed his eyes, and yawned, and blinked. I say, he remarked, not at all unreasonably, where am I? Youre on holyor on haunted groundhang me if I quite know which!but thats where you are, my boy. By Jove!I am feeling queer!I have got a headache, dont you know. I shouldnt be in the least surprised at anything you have, or haventIm beyond surprise. Its a drop of whisky you are wantingand what Im wanting tooonly, for goodness sake, drop me none of your drops! Mine is a case for a bottle at the least. I put my arm through his, and went with him into the laboratory. And, when we were in, I shut, and locked, and barred the door. XIX. The Lady Rages Dora Grayling stood in the doorway. I told your servant he need not trouble to show me inand Ive come without my aunt. I hope Im not intruding. She wasconfoundedly; and it was on the tip of my tongue to tell her so. She came into the room, with twinkling eyes, looking radiantly happythat sort of look which makes even a plain young woman prepossessing. Am I intruding?I believe I am. She held out her hand, while she was still a dozen feet away, and when I did not at once dash forward to make a clutch at it, she shook her head and made a little mouth at me. Whats the matter with you?Arent you well? I was not wellI was very far from well. I was as unwell as I could be without being positively ill, and any person of common discernment would have perceived it at a glance. At the same time I was not going to admit anything of the kind to her. Thank youI am perfectly well. Then, if I were you, I would endeavour to become imperfectly well; a little imperfection in that direction might make you appear to more advantage. I am afraid that that I am not one of those persons who ever do appear to much advantagedid I not tell you so last night? I believe you did say something of the kindits very good of you to remember. Have you forgotten something else which you said to me last night? You can hardly expect me to keep fresh in my memory all the follies of which my tongue is guilty. Thank you.That is quite enough.Good day. She turned as if to go. Miss Grayling! Mr. Atherton? Whats the matter?What have I been saying now? Last night you invited me to come and see you this morningis that one of the follies of which your tongue was guilty? The engagement had escaped my recollectionit is a factand my face betrayed me. You had forgotten? Her cheeks flamed; her eyes sparkled. You must pardon my stupidity for not having understood that the imitation was of that general kind which is never meant to be acted on. She was half way to the door before I stopped herI had to take her by the shoulder to do it. Miss Grayling!You are hard on me. I suppose I am.Is anything harder than to be intruded on by an undesired, and unexpected, guest? Now you are harder still.If you knew what I have gone through since our conversation of last night, in your strength you would be merciful. Indeed?What have you gone through? I hesitated. What I actually had gone through I certainly did not propose to tell her. Other reasons apart I did not desire to seem madder than I admittedly amand I lacked sufficient plausibility to enable me to concoct, on the spur of the moment, a plain tale of the doings of my midnight visitor which would have suggested that the narrator was perfectly sane. So I fencedor tried to. For one thingI have had no sleep. I had notnot one single wink. When I did get between the sheets, all night I lay in agony, I suffered from that worst form of nightmarethe nightmare of the man who is wide awake. There was continually before my fevered eyes the strange figure of that Nameless Thing. I had often smiled at tales of haunted folkhere was I one of them. My feelings were not rendered more agreeable by a strengthening conviction that if I had only retained the normal attitude of a scientific observer I should, in all probability, have solved the mystery of my Oriental friend, and that his example of the genus of copridae might have been pinnedby a very large pin!on a piecea monstrous piece!of cork. It was galling to reflect that he and I had played together a game of bluffa game at which civilisation was once more proved to be a failure. She could not have seen all this in my face; but she saw somethingbecause her own look softened. You do look tired. She seemed to be casting about in her own mind for a cause. You have been worrying. She glanced round the big laboratory. Have you been spending the night in thiswizards cave? Pretty well. Oh! The monosyllable, as she uttered it, was big with meaning. Uninvited, she seated herself in an armchair, a huge old thing, of shagreen leather, which would have held half a dozen of her. Demure in it she looked, like an agreeable reminiscence, alive, and a little uptodate, of the women of long ago. Her dove grey eyes seemed to perceive so much more than they cared to show. How is it that you have forgotten that you asked me to come?didnt you mean it? Of course I meant it. Then how is it youve forgotten? I didnt forget. Dont tell fibs.Something is the mattertell me what it is.Is it that I am too early? Nothing of the sortyou couldnt be too early. Thank you.When you pay a compliment, even so neat an one as that, sometimes, you should look as if you meant it.It is earlyI know its early, but afterwards I want you to come to lunch. I told aunt that I would bring you back with me. You are much better to me than I deserve. Perhaps. A tone came into her voice which was almost pathetic. I think that to some men women are almost better than they deserve. I dont know why. I suppose it pleases them. It is odd. There was a different intonationa dryness. Have you forgotten what I came for? Not a bit of itI am not quite the brute I seem. You came to see an illustration of that pleasant little fancy of mine for slaughtering my fellows. The fact is, Im hardly in a mood for that just nowIve been illustrating it too much already. What do you mean? Well, for one thing its been murdering Lessinghams cat. Mr. Lessinghams cat? Then it almost murdered Percy Woodville. Mr. Atherton!I wish you wouldnt talk like that. Its a fact. It was a question of a little matter in a wrong place, and, if it hadnt been for something very like a miracle, hed be dead. I wish you wouldnt have anything to do with such thingsI hate them. I stared. Hate them?I thought youd come to see an illustration. And pray what was your notion of an illustration? Well, another cat would have had to be killed, at least. And do you suppose that I would have sat still while a cat was being killed for myedification? It neednt necessarily have been a cat, but something would have had to be killedhow are you going to illustrate the deathdealing propensities of a weapon of that sort without it? Is it possible that you imagine that I came here to see something killed? Then for what did you come? I do not know what there was about the question which was startling, but as soon as it was out, she went a fiery red. Because I was a fool. I was bewildered. Either she had got out of the wrong side of bed, or I hador we both had. Here she was, assailing me, hammer and tongs, so far as I could see, for absolutely nothing. You are pleased to be satirical at my expense. I should not dare. Your detection of me would be so painfully rapid. I was in no mood for jangling. I turned a little away from her. Immediately she was at my elbow. Mr. Atherton? Miss Grayling. Are you cross with me? Why should I be? If it pleases you to laugh at my stupidity you are completely justified. But you are not stupid. No?Nor you satirical. You are not stupidyou know you are not stupid; it was only stupidity on my part to pretend that you were. It is very good of you to say so.But I fear that I am an indifferent host. Although you would not care for an illustration, there may be other things which you might find amusing. Why do you keep on snubbing me? I keep on snubbing you! You are always snubbing meyou know you are. Sometimes I feel as if I hated you. Miss Grayling! I do! I do! I do! After all, it is only natural. That is how you talkas if I were a child, and you wereoh I dont know what.Well, Mr. Atherton, I am sorry to be obliged to leave you. I have enjoyed my visit very much. I only hope I have not seemed too intrusive. She flouncedflounce was the only appropriate word!out of the room before I could stop her. I caught her in the passage. Miss Grayling, I entreat you Pray do not entreat me, Mr. Atherton. Standing still she turned to me. I would rather show myself to the door as I showed myself in, but, if that is impossible, might I ask you not to speak to me between this and the street? The hint was broad enough, even for me. I escorted her through the hall without a wordin perfect silence she shook the dust of my abode from off her feet. I had made a pretty mess of things. I felt it as I stood on the top of the steps and watched her goingshe was walking off at four miles an hour; I had not even ventured to ask to be allowed to call a hansom. It was beginning to occur to me that this was a case in which another blow upon the river might be, to say the least of it, advisableand I was just returning into the house with the intention of putting myself into my flannels, when a cab drew up, and old Lindon got out of it. XX. A Heavy Father Mr. Lindon was excitedthere is no mistaking it when he is, because with him excitement means perspiration, and as soon as he was out of the cab he took off his hat and began to wipe the lining. Atherton, I want to speak to youmost particularlysomewhere in private. I took him into my laboratory. It is my rule to take no one there; it is a workshop, not a playroomthe place is private; but, recently, my rules had become dead letters. Directly he was inside, Lindon began puffing and stewing, wiping his forehead, throwing out his chest, as if he were oppressed by a sense of his own importance. Then he started off talking at the top of his voiceand it is not a low one either. Atherton, IIve always looked on you as aa kind of a son. Thats very kind of you. Ive always regarded you as aa levelheaded fellow; a man from whom sound advice can be obtained when sound adviceisis most to be desired. That also is very kind of you. And therefore I make no apology for coming to you atat what may be regarded as aa strictly domestic crisis; at a moment in the history of the Lindons when delicacy and common sense areare essentially required. This time I contented myself with nodding. Already I perceived what was coming; somehow, when I am with a man I feel so much more clearheaded than I do when I am with a womanrealise so much better the nature of the ground on which I am standing. What do you know of this man Lessingham? I knew it was coming. What all the world knows. And what does all the world know of him?I ask you that! A flashy, plausible, shallowpated, carpetbaggerthat is what all the world knows of him. The mans a political adventurerhe snatches a precarious, and criminal, notoriety, by trading on the follies of his fellowcountrymen. He is devoid of decency, destitute of principle, and impervious to all the feelings of a gentleman. What do you know of him besides this? I am not prepared to admit that I do know that. Oh yes you do!dont talk nonsense!you choose to screen the fellow! I say what I meanI always have said, and I always shall say.What do you know of him outside politicsof his familyof his private life? Wellnot very much. Of course you dont!nor does anybody else! The mans a mushroomor a toadstool, rather!sprung up in the course of a single night, apparently out of some dirty ditch.Why, sir, not only is he without ordinary intelligence, he is even without a Brummagen substitute for manners. He had worked himself into a state of heat in which his countenance presented a not too agreeable assortment of scarlets and purples. He flung himself into a chair, threw his coat wide open, and his arms too, and started off again. The family of the Lindons is, at this moment, represented by aa young womanby my daughter, sir. She represents me, and its her duty to represent me adequatelyadequately, sir! And whats more, between ourselves, sir, its her duty to marry. My propertys my own, and I wouldnt have it pass to either of my confounded brothers on any account. Theyre next door to fools, andand they dont represent me in any possible sense of the word. My daughter, sir, can marry whom she pleaseswhom she pleases! Theres no one in England, peer or commoner, who would not esteem it an honour to have her for his wifeIve told her soyes, sir, Ive told her, though youyoud think that she, of all people in the world, wouldnt require telling. Yet what do you think she does? Sheshe actually carries on what II cant help calling aa compromising acquaintance with this man Lessingham! No! But I say yes!and I wish to heaven I didnt. IIve warned her against the scoundrel more than once; IIve told her to cut him dead. And yet, asas you saw yourself, last night, inin the face of the assembled House of Commons, after that twaddling claptrap speech of his, in which there was not one sound sentiment, nor an idea whichwhich would hold water, she positively went away with him, inin the most ostentatious andand disgraceful fashion, onon his arm, andand actually snubbed her father.It is monstrous that a parenta father!should be subjected to such treatment by his child. The poor old boy polished his brow with his pockethandkerchief. When I got home II told her what I thought of her, I promise you thatand I told her what I thought of himI didnt mince my words with her. There are occasions when plain speaking is demandedand that was one. I positively forbade her to speak to the fellow again, or to recognise him if she met him in the street. I pointed out to her, with perfect candour, that the fellow was an infernal scoundrelthat and nothing else!and that he would bring disgrace on whoever came into contact with him, even with the end of a barge pole.And what do you think she said? She promised to obey you, I make no doubt. Did she, sir!By gad, did she!That shows how much you know her!She said, and, by gad, by her manner, andand the way she went on, youdyoud have thought that she was the parent and I was the childshe said that II grieved her, that she was disappointed in me, that times have changedyes, sir, she said that times have changed!that, nowadays, parents werent Russian autocratsno, sir, not Russian autocrats!thatthat she was sorry she couldnt oblige meyes, sir, that was how she put itshe was sorry she couldnt oblige me, but it was altogether out of the question to suppose that she could put a period to a friendship which she valued, simply on account ofof my unreasonable prejudicesandandand, in short, sheshe told me to go the devil, sir! And did you I was on the point of asking him if he wentbut I checked myself in time. Let us look at the matter as men of the world. What do you know against Lessingham, apart from his politics? Thats just itI know nothing. In a sense, isnt that in his favour? I dont see how you make that out. II dont mind telling you that IIve had inquiries made. Hes not been in the House six yearsthis is his second Parliamenthes jumped up like a jackinthebox. His first constituency was Harwichtheyve got him still, and much good may he do em!but how he came to stand for the placeor who, or what, or where he was before he stood for the place, no one seems to have the faintest notion. Hasnt he been a great traveller? I never heard of it. Not in the East? Has he told you so? NoI was only wondering. Well, it seems to me that to find out that nothing is known against him is something in his favour! My dear Sydney, dont talk nonsense. What it proves is simplythat hes a nothing and a nobody. Had he been anything or anyone, something would have been known about him, either for or against. I dont want my daughter to marry a man whowhowhos shot up through a trap, simply because nothing is known against him. Hahang me, if I wouldnt ten times sooner she should marry you. When he said that, my heart leaped in my bosom. I had to turn away. I am afraid that is out of the question. He stopped in his tramping, and looked at me askance. Why? I felt that, if I was not careful, I should be done forand, probably, in his present mood, Marjorie too. My dear Lindon, I cannot tell you how grateful I am to you for your suggestion, but I can only repeat thatunfortunately, anything of the kind is out of the question. I dont see why. Perhaps not. Youyoure a pretty lot, upon my word! Im afraid we are. II want you to tell her that Lessingham is a damned scoundrel. I see.But I would suggest that if I am to use the influence with which you credit me to the best advantage, or to preserve a shred of it, I had hardly better state the fact quite so bluntly as that. I dont care how you state itstate it as you like. Onlyonly I want you to soak her mind with a loathing of the fellow; III want you to paint him in his true colours; ininin fact, II want you to choke him off. While he still struggled with his words, and with the perspiration on his brow, Edwards entered. I turned to him. What is it? Miss Lindon, sir, wishes to see you particularly, and at once. At that moment I found the announcement a trifle perplexingit delighted Lindon. He began to stutter and to stammer. Tthe very thing!ccouldnt have been better!show her in here! Hhide me somewhereI dont care wherebehind that screen! Yyou use your influence with her;ggive her a good talking to;ttell her what Ive told you; and atat the critical moment Ill come in, and thenthen if we cant manage her between us, itll be a wonder. The proposition staggered me. But, my dear Mr. Lindon, I fear that I cannot He cut me short. Here she comes! Ere I could stop him he was behind the screenI had not seen him move with such agility before!and before I could expostulate Marjorie was in the room. Something which was in her bearing, in her face, in her eyes, quickened the beating of my pulsesshe looked as if something had come into her life, and taken the joy clean out of it. XXI. The Terror in the Night Sydney! she cried, Im so glad that I can see you! She might bebut, at that moment, I could scarcely assert that I was a sharer of her joy. I told you that if trouble overtook me I should come to you, andIm in trouble now. Such strange trouble. So was Iand in perplexity as well. An idea occurred to meI would outwit her eavesdropping father. Come with me into the housetell me all about it there. She refused to budge. NoI will tell you all about it here. She looked about heras it struck me queerly. This is just the sort of place in which to unfold a tale like mine. It looks uncanny. But  But me no buts! Sydney, dont torture melet me stop here where I amdont you see Im haunted? She had seated herself. Now she stood up, holding her hands out in front of her in a state of extraordinary agitation, her manner as wild as her words. Why are you staring at me like that? Do you think Im mad?I wonder if Im going mad.Sydney, do people suddenly go mad? Youre a bit of everything, youre a bit of a doctor too, feel my pulsethere it is!tell me if Im ill! I felt her pulseit did not need its swift beating to inform me that fever of some sort was in her veins. I gave her something in a glass. She held it up to the level of her eyes. Whats this? Its a decoction of my own. You might not think it, but my brain sometimes gets into a whirl. I use it as a sedative. It will do you good. She drained the glass.


Its done me good alreadyI believe it has; thats being something like a doctor.Well, Sydney, the storm has almost burst. Last night papa forbade me to speak to Paul Lessinghamby way of a prelude. Exactly. Mr. Lindon Yes, Mr. Lindonthats papa. I fancy we almost quarrelled. I know papa said some surprising thingsbut its a way he hashes apt to say surprising things. Hes the best father in the world, butits not in his nature to like a really clever person; your good high dried old Tory never can;Ive always thought that thats why hes so fond of you. Thank you, I presume that is the reason, though it had not occurred to me before. Since her entry, I had, to the best of my ability, been turning the position over in my mind. I came to the conclusion that, all things considered, her father had probably as much right to be a sharer of his daughters confidence as I had, even from the vantage of the screenand that for him to hear a few home truths proceeding from her lips might serve to clear the air. From such a clearance the lady would not be likely to come off worst. I had not the faintest inkling of what was the actual purport of her visit. She started off, as it seemed to me, at a tangent. Did I tell you last night about what took place yesterday morningabout the adventure of my finding the man? Not a word. I believe I meant toIm half disposed to think hes brought me trouble. Isnt there some superstition about evil befalling whoever shelters a homeless stranger? Well hope not, for humanitys sake. I fancy there isI feel sure there is.Anyhow, listen to my story. Yesterday morning, before breakfastto be accurate, between eight and nine, I looked out of the window, and I saw a crowd in the street. I sent Peter out to see what was the matter. He came back and said there was a man in a fit. I went out to look at the man in the fit. I found, lying on the ground, in the centre of the crowd, a man who, but for the tattered remnants of what had apparently once been a cloak, would have been stark naked. He was covered with dust, and dirt, and blooda dreadful sight. As you know, I have had my smattering of instruction in First Aid to the Injured, and that kind of thing, so, as no one else seemed to have any sense, and the man seemed as good as dead, I thought I would try my hand. Directly I knelt down beside him, what do you think he said? Thank you. Nonsense.He said, in such a queer, hollow, croaking voice, Paul Lessingham. I was dreadfully startled. To hear a perfect stranger, a man in his condition, utter that name in such a fashionto me, of all people in the world!took me aback. The policeman who was holding his head remarked, Thats the first time hes opened his mouth. I thought he was dead. He opened his mouth a second time. A convulsive movement went all over him, and he exclaimed, with the strangest earnestness, and so loudly that you might have heard him at the other end of the street, Be warned, Paul Lessingham, be warned! It was very silly of me, perhaps, but I cannot tell you how his words, and his mannerthe two togetheraffected me.Well, the long and the short of it was, that I had him taken into the house, and washed, and put to bedand I had the doctor sent for. The doctor could make nothing of it at all. He reported that the man seemed to be suffering from some sort of cataleptic seizureI could see that he thought it likely to turn out almost as interesting a case as I did. Did you acquaint your father with the addition to his household? She looked at me, quizzically. You see, when one has such a father as mine one cannot tell him everything, at once. There are occasions on which one requires time. I felt that this would be wholesome hearing for old Lindon. Last night, after papa and I had exchanged our little courtesieswhich, it is to be hoped, were to papas satisfaction, since they were not to be mineI went to see the patient. I was told that he had neither eaten nor drunk, moved nor spoken. But, so soon as I approached his bed, he showed signs of agitation. He half raised himself upon his pillow, and he called out, as if he had been addressing some large assemblyI cant describe to you the dreadful something which was in his voice, and on his facePaul Lessingham!Beware!The Beetle!  When she said that, I was startled. Are you sure those were the words he used? Quite sure. Do you think I could mistake themespecially after what has happened since? I hear them singing in my earsthey haunt me all the time. She put her hands up to her face, as if to veil something from her eyes. I was becoming more and more convinced that there was something about the Apostles connection with his Oriental friend which needed probing to the bottom. What sort of a man is he to look at, this patient of yours? I had my doubts as to the gentlemans identitywhich her words dissolved; only, however, to increase my mystification in another direction. He seems to be between thirty and forty. He has light hair, and straggling sandy whiskers. He is so thin as to be nothing but skin and bonethe doctor says its a case of starvation. You say he has light hair, and sandy whiskers. Are you sure the whiskers are real? She opened her eyes. Of course theyre real. Why shouldnt they be real? Does he strike you as being aforeigner? Certainly not. He looks like an Englishman, and he speaks like one, and not, I should say, of the lowest class. It is true that there is a very curious, a weird, quality in his voice, what I have heard of it, but it is not unEnglish. If it is catalepsy he is suffering from, then it is a kind of catalepsy I never heard of. Have you ever seen a clairvoyant? I nodded. He seems to me to be in a state of clairvoyance. Of course the doctor laughed when I told him so, but we know what doctors are, and I still believe that he is in some condition of the kind. When he said that last night he struck me as being under what those sort of people call influence, and that whoever had him under influence was forcing him to speak against his will, for the words came from his lips as if they had been wrung from him in agony. Knowing what I did know, that struck me as being rather a remarkable conclusion for her to have reached, by the exercise of her own unaided powers of intuitionbut I did not choose to let her know I thought so. My dear Marjorie!you who pride yourself on having your imagination so strictly under control!on suffering it to take no errant flights! Is not the fact that I do so pride myself proof that I am not likely to make assertions wildlyproof, at any rate, to you? Listen to me. When I left that unfortunate creatures roomI had had a nurse sent for, I left him in her chargeand reached my own bedroom, I was possessed by a profound conviction that some appalling, intangible, but very real danger, was at that moment threatening Paul. Rememberyou had had an exciting evening; and a discussion with your father. Your patients words came as a climax. That is what I told myselfor, rather, that was what I tried to tell myself; because, in some extraordinary fashion, I had lost the command of my powers of reflection. Precisely. It was not preciselyor, at least, it was not precisely in the sense you mean. You may laugh at me, Sydney, but I had an altogether indescribable feeling, a feeling which amounted to knowledge, that I was in the presence of the supernatural. Nonsense! It was not nonsenseI wish it had been nonsense. As I have said, I was conscious, completely conscious, that some frightful peril was assailing Paul. I did not know what it was, but I did know that it was something altogether awful, of which merely to think was to shudder. I wanted to go to his assistance, I tried to, more than once; but I couldnt, and I knew that I couldntI knew that I couldnt move as much as a finger to help him.Stoplet me finish!I told myself that it was absurd, but it wouldnt do; absurd or not, there was the terror with me in the room. I knelt down, and I prayed, but the words wouldnt come. I tried to ask God to remove this burden from my brain, but my longings wouldnt shape themselves into words, and my tongue was palsied. I dont know how long I struggled, but, at last, I came to understand that, for some cause, God had chosen to leave me to fight the fight alone. So I got up, and undressed, and went to bedand that was the worst of all. I had sent my maid away in the first rush of my terror, afraid, and, I think, ashamed, to let her see my fear. Now I would have given anything to summon her back again, but I couldnt do it, I couldnt even ring the bell. So, as I say, I got into bed. She paused, as if to collect her thoughts. To listen to her words, and to think of the suffering which they meant to her, was almost more than I could endure. I would have thrown away the world to have been able to take her in my arms, and soothe her fears. I knew her to be, in general, the least hysterical of young women; little wont to become the prey of mere delusions; and, incredible though it sounded, I had an innate conviction that, even in its wildest periods, her story had some sort of basis in solid fact. What that basis amounted to, it would be my business, at any and every cost, quickly to determine. You know how you have always laughed at me because of my objection tocockroaches, and how, in spring, the neighbourhood of Maybugs has always made me uneasy. As soon as I got into bed I felt that something of the kind was in the room. Something of what kind? Some kind ofbeetle. I could hear the whirring of its wings; I could hear its droning in the air; I knew that it was hovering above my head; that it was coming lower and lower, nearer and nearer. I hid myself; I covered myself all over with the clothesthen I felt it bumping against the coverlet. And, Sydney! She drew closer. Her blanched cheeks and frightened eyes made my heart bleed. Her voice became but an echo of itself. It followed me. Marjorie! It got into the bed. You imagined it. I didnt imagine it. I heard it crawl along the sheets, till it found a way between them, and then it crawled towards me. And I felt itagainst my face.And its there now. Where? She raised the forefinger of her left hand. There!Cant you hear it droning? She listened, intently. I listened too. Oddly enough, at that instant the droning of an insect did become audible. Its only a bee, child, which has found its way through the open window. I wish it were only a bee, I wish it were.Sydney, dont you feel as if you were in the presence of evil? Dont you want to get away from it, back into the presence of God? Marjorie! Pray, Sydney, pray!I cant!I dont know why, but I cant! She flung her arms about my neck, and pressed herself against me in paroxysmal agitation. The violence of her emotion bade fair to unman me too. It was so unlike Marjorieand I would have given my life to save her from a toothache. She kept repeating her own wordsas if she could not help it. Pray, Sydney, pray! At last I did as she wished me. At least, there is no harm in prayingI never heard of its bringing hurt to anyone. I repeated aloud the Lords Prayerthe first time for I know not how long. As the divine sentences came from my lips, hesitatingly enough, I make no doubt, her tremors ceased. She became calmer. Until, as I reached the last great petition, Deliver us from evil, she loosed her arms from about my neck, and dropped upon her knees, close to my feet. And she joined me in the closing words, as a sort of chorus. For Thine is the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory, forever and ever. Amen. When the prayer was ended, we both of us were still. She with her head bowed, and her hands clasped; and I with something tugging at my heartstrings which I had not felt there for many and many a year, almost as if it had been my mothers hand;I daresay that sometimes she does stretch out her hand, from her place among the angels, to touch my heartstrings, and I know nothing of it all the while. As the silence still continued, I chanced to glance up, and there was old Lindon peeping at us from his hidingplace behind the screen. The look of amazed perplexity which was on his big red face struck me with such a keen sense of the incongruous that it was all I could do to keep from laughter. Apparently the sight of us did nothing to lighten the fog which was in his brain, for he stammered out, in what was possibly intended for a whisper, Isis she mmad? The whisperif it was meant for a whisperwas more than sufficiently audible to catch his daughters ears. She startedraised her headsprang to her feetturnedand saw her father. Papa! Immediately her sire was seized with an access of stuttering. Wwwhat the ddevils thethe mmmeaning of this? Her utterance was clear enoughI fancy her parent found it almost painfully clear. Rather it is for me to ask, what is the meaning of this! Is it possible, that, all the time, you have actually been concealed behind thatscreen? Unless I am mistaken the old gentleman cowered before the directness of his daughters gazeand endeavoured to conceal the fact by an explosion of passion. Dodont you sspeak to me lilike that, you unundutiful girl! IIm your father! You certainly are my father; though I was unaware until now that my father was capable of playing the part of eavesdropper. Rage rendered him speechlessor, at any rate, he chose to let us believe that that was the determining cause of his continuing silence. So Marjorie turned to meand, on the whole, I had rather she had not. Her manner was very different from what it had been just nowit was more than civil, it was freezing. Am I to understand, Mr. Atherton, that this has been done with your cognisance? That while you suffered me to pour out my heart to you unchecked, you were aware, all the time, that there was a listener behind the screen? I became keenly aware, on a sudden, that I had borne my share in playing her a very shabby trickI should have liked to throw old Lindon through the window. The thing was not of my contriving. Had I had the opportunity I would have compelled Mr. Lindon to face you when you came in. But your distress caused me to lose my balance. And you will do me the justice to remember that I endeavoured to induce you to come with me into another room. But I do not seem to remember your hinting at there being any particular reason why I should have gone. You never gave me a chance. Sydney!I had not thought you would have played me such a trick! When she said thatin such a tone!the woman whom I loved!I could have hammered my head against the wall. The hound I was to have treated her so scurvily! Perceiving I was crushed she turned again to face her father, cool, calm, stately;she was, on a sudden, once more, the Marjorie with whom I was familiar. The demeanour of parent and child was in striking contrast. If appearances went for aught, the odds were heavy that in any encounter which might be coming the senior would suffer. I hope, papa, that you are going to tell me that there has been some curious mistake, and that nothing was farther from your intention than to listen at a keyhole. What would you have thoughtand saidif I had attempted to play the spy on you? And I have always understood that men were so particular on points of honour. Old Lindon was still hardly fit to do much else than spluttercertainly not qualified to chop phrases with this sharptongued maiden. Ddont talk to me lilike that, girl!II believe youre sstark mad! He turned to me. Wwhat was that tomfoolery she was talking to you about? To what do you allude? About a rubrubbishing bbeetle, and ggoodness alone knows whatddiseased and mmorbid imaginationrreared on the literature of the gutter!I never thought that a child of mine could have ssunk to such a depth!Now, Atherton, I ask you to ttell me franklywhat do you think of a child who behaves as she has done? Who ttakes a nameless vagabond into the house and conconceals his presence from her father? And mmark the sequel! even the vagabond warns her against the rrascal Lessingham!Now, Atherton, tell me what you think of a girl who behaves like that? I shrugged my shoulders. II know very well what you ddo think of herdont be afraid to say it out because shes present. No; Sydney, dont be afraid. I saw that her eyes were dancingin a manner of speaking, her looks brightened under the sunshine of her fathers displeasure. Lets hear what you think of her as aas a mman of the world! Pray, Sydney, do! What you feel for her in youryour heart of hearts! Yes, Sydney, what do you feel for me in your heart of hearts? The baggage beamed with heartless sweetnessshe was making a mock of me. Her father turned as if he would have rent her. Ddont you speak until youre spoken to! Atherton, II hope Im not deceived in you; II hope youre the man II took you for; that youre willing andand ready to play the part of aaan honest friend to this mismisguided simpleton. Tthis is not the time for mincing words, itits the time for candid speech. Tell thisthis weak minded young woman, right out, whether this man Lessingham is, or is not, a damned scoundrel. Papa!Do you really think that Sydneys opinion, or your opinion, is likely to alter facts? Do you hear, Atherton, tell this wretched girl the truth! My dear Mr. Lindon, I have already told you that I know nothing either for or against Mr. Lessingham except what is known to all the world. Exactlyand all the world knows him to be a miserable adventurer who is scheming to entrap my daughter. I am bound to say, since you press me, that your language appears to me to be unnecessarily strong. Atherton, IIm ashamed of you! You see, Sydney, even papa is ashamed of you; now you are outside the pale.My dear papa, if you will allow me to speak, I will tell you what I know to be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.That Mr. Lessingham is a man with great gifts goes without sayingpermit me, papa! He is a man of genius. He is a man of honour. He is a man of the loftiest ambitions, of the highest aims. He has dedicated his whole life to the improvement of the conditions amidst which the less fortunate of his fellow countrymen are at present compelled to exist. That seems to me to be an object well worth having. He has asked me to share his lifework, and I have told him that I will; when, and where, and how, he wants me to. And I will. I do not suppose his life has been free from peccadilloes. I have no delusion on the point. What mans life has? Who among men can claim to be without sin? Even the members of our highest families sometimes hide behind screens. But I know that he is, at least, as good a man as I ever met, I am persuaded that I shall never meet a better; and I thank God that I have found favour in his eyes.Goodbye, Sydney.I suppose I shall see you again, papa. With the merest inclination of her head to both of us she straightway left the room. Lindon would have stopped her. Sstay, yyyyou he stuttered. But I caught him by the arm. If you will be advised by me, you will let her go. No good purpose will be served by a multiplication of words. Atherton, IIm disappointed in you. Youyou havent behaved as I expected. II havent received from you the assistance which I looked for. My dear Lindon, it seems to me that your method of diverting the young lady from the path which she has set herself to tread is calculated to send her furiously along it. Cconfound the women! cconfound the women! I dont mind telling you, in cconfidence, that atat times, her mother was the devil, and Ill beIll be hanged if her daughter isnt worse.What was the tomfoolery she was talking to you about? Is she mad? NoI dont think shes mad. I never heard such stuff, it made my blood run cold to hear her. Whats the matter with the girl? Wellyou must excuse my saying that I dont fancy you quite understand women. II dontand III dont want to either. I hesitated; then resolved on a taradiddlein Marjories interest. Marjorie is highstrungextremely sensitive. Her imagination is quickly aflame. Perhaps, last night, you drove her as far as was safe. You heard for yourself how, in consequence, she suffered. You dont want people to say you have driven her into a lunatic asylum. Igood heavens, no! IIll send for the doctor directly I get homeIIll have the best opinion in town. Youll do nothing of the kindyoull only make her worse. What you have to do is to be patient with her, and let her have peace.As for this affair of Lessinghams, I have a suspicion that it may not be all such plain sailing as she supposes. What do you mean? I mean nothing. I only wish you to understand that until you hear from me again you had better let matters slide. Give the girl her head. Give the girl her head! Hhavent II ggiven the ggirl her hhead all her llife! He looked at his watch. Why, the days half gone! He began scurrying towards the front door, I following at his heels. Ive got a committee meeting on at the clubmmost important! For weeks theyve been giving us the worst food you ever tasted in your lifepplayed havoc with my digestion, and IIm going to tell them ifthings arent changed, theytheyll have to pay my doctors bills.As for that man, Lessingham As he spoke, he himself opened the hall door, and there, standing on the step was that man Lessingham himself. Lindon was a picture. The Apostle was as cool as a cucumber. He held out his hand. Good morning, Mr. Lindon. What delightful weather we are having. Lindon put his hand behind his backand behaved as stupidly as he very well could have done. You will understand, Mr. Lessingham, that, in future, I dont know you, and that I shall decline to recognise you anywhere; and that what I say applies equally to any member of my family. With his hat very much on the back of his head he went down the steps like an inflated turkeycock. XXII. The Haunted Man To have received the cut discourteous from his future fatherinlaw might have been the most commonplace of incidentsLessingham evinced not a trace of discomposure. So far as I could judge, he took no notice of the episode whatever, behaving exactly as if nothing had happened. He merely waited till Mr. Lindon was well off the steps; then, turning to me, he placidly observed, Interrupting you again, you see.May I? The sight of him had set up such a turmoil in my veins, that, for the moment, I could not trust myself to speak. I felt, acutely, that an explanation with him was, of all things, the thing most to be desiredand that quickly. Providence could not have thrown him more opportunely in the way. If, before he went away, we did not understand each other a good deal more clearly, upon certain points, the fault should not be mine. Without a responsive word, turning on my heels, I led the way into the laboratory. Whether he noticed anything peculiar in my demeanour, I could not tell. Within he looked about him with that purely facial smile, the sight of which had always engendered in me a certain distrust of him. Do you always receive visitors in here? By no means. What is this? Stooping down, he picked up something from the floor. It was a ladys pursea gorgeous affair, of crimson leather and gleaming gold. Whether it was Marjories or Miss Graylings I could not tell. He watched me as I examined it. Is it yours? No. It is not mine. Placing his hat and umbrella on one chair, he placed himself upon anothervery leisurely. Crossing his legs, laying his folded hands upon his knees, he sat and looked at me. I was quite conscious of his observation; but endured it in silence, being a little wishful that he should begin. Presently he had, as I suppose, enough of looking at me, and spoke. Atherton, what is the matter with you?Have I done something to offend you too? Why do you ask? Your manner seems a little singular. You think so? I do. What have you come to see me about? Just now, nothing.I like to know where I stand. His manner was courteous, easy, even graceful. I was outmanoeuvred. I understood the man sufficiently well to be aware that when once he was on the defensive, the first blow would have to come from me. So I struck it. I, also, like to know where I stand.Lessingham, I am aware, and you know that I am aware, that you have made certain overtures to Miss Lindon. That is a fact in which I am keenly interested. Ashow? The Lindons and the Athertons are not the acquaintances of one generation only. Marjorie Lindon and I have been friends since childhood. She looks upon me as a brother As a brother? As a brother. Yes. Mr. Lindon regains me as a son. He has given me his confidence; as I believe you are aware, Marjorie has given me hers; and now I want you to give me yours. What do you want to know? I wish to explain my position before I say what I have to say, because I want you to understand me clearly.I believe, honestly, that the thing I most desire in this world is to see Marjorie Lindon happy. If I thought she would be happy with you, I should say, God speed you both! and I should congratulate you with all my heart, because I think that you would have won the best girl in the whole world to be your wife. I think so too. But, before I did that, I should have to see, at least, some reasonable probability that she would be happy with you. Why should she not? Will you answer a question? What is the question? What is the story in your life of which you stand in such hideous terror? There was a perceptible pause before he answered. Explain yourself. No explanation is neededyou know perfectly well what I mean. You credit me with miraculous acumen. Dont juggle, Lessinghambe frank! The frankness should not be all on one side.There is that in your frankness, although you may be unconscious of it, which some men might not unreasonably resent. Do you resent it? That depends. If you are arrogating to yourself the right to place yourself between Miss Lindon and me, I do resent it, strongly. Answer my question! I answer no question which is addressed to me in such a tone. He was as calm as you please. I recognised that already I was in peril of losing my temperwhich was not at all what I desired. I eyed him intently, he returning me look for look. His countenance betrayed no sign of a guilty conscience; I had not seen him more completely at his ease. He smiledfacially, and also, as it seemed to me, a little derisively. I am bound to admit that his bearing showed not the faintest shadow of resentment, and that in his eyes there was a gentleness, a softness, which I had not observed in them beforeI could almost have suspected him of being sympathetic. In this matter, you must know, I stand in the place of Mr. Lindon. Well? Surely you must understand that before anyone is allowed to think of marriage with Marjorie Lindon he will have to show that his past, as the advertisements have it, will bear the fullest investigation. Is that so?Will your past bear the fullest investigation? I winced. At any rate, it is known to all the world. Is it?Forgive me if I say, I doubt it. I doubt if, of any wise man, that can be said with truth. In all our lives there are episodes which we keep to ourselves. I felt that that was so true that, for the instant, I hardly knew what to say. But there are episodes and episodes, and when it comes to a man being haunted one draws the line. Haunted? As you are. He got up. Atherton, I think that I understand you, but I fear that you do not understand me. He went to where a selfacting mercurial airpump was standing on a shelf. What is this curious arrangement of glass tubes and bulbs? I do not think that you do understand me, or you would know that I am in no mood to be trifled with. Is it some kind of an exhauster? My dear Lessingham, I am entirely at your service. I intend to have an answer to my question before you leave this room, but, in the meanwhile, your convenience is mine. There are some very interesting things here which you might care to see. Marvellous, is it not, how the human intellect progressesfrom conquest unto conquest. Among the ancients the progression had proceeded farther than with us. In what respect? For instance, in the affair of the Apotheosis of the Beetle;I saw it take place last night. Where? Herewithin a few feet of where you are standing. Are you serious? Perfectly. What did you see? I saw the legendary Apotheosis of the Beetle performed, last night, before my eyes, with a gaudy magnificence at which the legends never hinted. That is odd. I once thought that I saw something of the kind myself. So I understand. From whom? From a friend of yours. From a friend of mine?Are you sure it was from a friend of mine? The mans attempt at coolness did him creditbut it did not deceive me. That he thought I was endeavouring to bluff him out of his secret I perceived quite clearly; that it was a secret which he would only render with his life I was beginning to suspect. Had it not been for Marjorie, I should have cared nothinghis affairs were his affairs; though I realised perfectly well that there was something about the man which, from the scientific explorers point of view, might be well worth finding out. Still, as I say, if it had not been for Marjorie, I should have let it go; but, since she was so intimately concerned in it, I wondered more and more what it could be. My attitude towards what is called the supernatural is an open one. That all things are possible I unhesitatingly believeI have, even in my short time, seen so many socalled impossibilities proved possible. That we know everything, I doubt;that our greatgreatgreatgreatgrandsires, our forebears of thousands of years ago, of the extinct civilisations, knew more on some subjects than we do, I think is, at least, probable. All the legends can hardly be false. Because men claimed to be able to do things in those days which we cannot do, and which we do not know how they did we profess to think that their claims are finally dismissed by exclaiminglies! But it is not so sure. For my part, what I had seen I had seen. I had seen some devils trick played before my very eyes. Some trick of the same sort seemed to have been played upon my MarjorieI repeat that I write my Marjorie because, to me, she will always be my Marjorie! It had driven her half out of her senses. As I looked at Lessingham, I seemed to see her at his side, as I had seen her not long ago, with her white, drawn face, and staring eyes, dumb with an agony of fear. Her life was bidding fair to be knit with hiswhat Upas tree of horror was rooted in his very bones? The thought that her sweet purity was likely to be engulfed in a devils slough in which he was wallowing was not to be endured. As I realised that the man was more than my match at the game which I was playingin which such vital interests were at stake!my hands itched to clutch him by the throat, and try another way. Doubtless my face revealed my feelings, because, presently, he said, Are you aware how strangely you are looking at me, Atherton? Were my countenance a mirror I think you would be surprised to see in it your own. I drew back from himI daresay, sullenly. Not so surprised as, yesterday morning, you would have been to have seen yoursat the mere sight of a pictured scarab. How easily you quarrel. I do not quarrel. Then perhaps its I. If that is so, then, at once, the quarrels endedpouf! its done. Mr. Lindon, I fear, because, politically, we differ, regards me as anathema. Has he put some of his spirit into you?You are a wiser man. I am aware that you are an adept with words. But this is a case in which words only will not serve. Then what will serve? I am myself beginning to wonder. And I. As you so courteously suggest, I believe I am wiser than Lindon. I do not care for your politics, or for what you call your politics, one fig. I do not care if you are as other men are, as I amnot unspotted from the world! But I do care if you are leprous. And I believe you are.