"I am sick of talking," he cried--"sick of it! I have warned you. That
is enough. I cannot do more."
He wheeled on his heel and went out. A minute later the two heard the
front door bang.
She looked at Mr. Vincent. He was twirling softly in his strong
fingers a little bronze candlestick that stood on the mantelpiece: his
manner was completely unconcerned; he even seemed to be smiling a
little.
For herself she felt helpless. She had taken her choice, impelled to
it, though she scarcely recognized the fact, by the entrance of this
strong personality; and now she needed reassurance once again. But
before she had a word to say, he spoke--still in his serene manner.
"Yes, yes," he said. "I remember now. I used to know Mr. Cathcart
once. A very violent old gentleman."
"What did he mean?"
"His reasons for leaving us? Indeed I scarcely remember. I suppose it
was because he became a Catholic."
"Was there nothing more?"
He looked at her pleasantly.
"Why, I daresay there was. I really can't remember, Lady Laura. I
suppose he had his nerves shaken. You can see for yourself what a
fanatic he is."
But in spite of his presence, once more a gust of anxiety shook her.
"Mr. Vincent, are you sure it's safe--for Mr. Baxter, I mean?"
"Safe? Why, he's as safe as any of us can be. We all have nervous
systems, of course."
"But he's particularly sensitive, isn't he?"
"Indeed, yes. That is why even this evening he must not go into
trance. That must come later, after a good training."
She stood up, and came herself to stand by the mantelpiece.
"Then really there's no danger?"
He turned straight to her, looking at her with kind, smiling eyes.
"Lady Laura," he said, "have I ever yet told you that there was no
danger? I think not. There is always danger, for every one of us, as
there is for the scientist in the laboratory, and the engineer in his
machinery. But what we can do is to reduce that danger to a minimum,
so that, humanly speaking, we are reasonably and sufficiently safe. No
doubt you remember the case of that girl? Well, that was an accident:
and accidents will happen; but do me the justice to remember that it
was the first time that I had seen her. It was absolutely impossible
to foresee. She was on the very edge of a nervous breakdown before
she entered the room. But with regard to Mr. Baxter, I have seen him
again and again; and I tell you that I consider him to be running a
certain risk--but a perfectly justifiable one, and one that is reduced
to a minimum, if I did not think that we were taking every precaution,
I would not have him in the room for all the world.... Are you
satisfied, Lady Laura?"
Every word he said helped her back to assurance. It was all so
reasonable and well weighed. If he had said there was no danger, she
would have feared the more, but his very recognition of it gave her
security. And above all, his tranquility and his strength were
enormous assets on his side.
She drew a breath, and decided to go forward.
"And Mr. Cathcart?" she asked.
He smiled again.
"You can see what he is," he said. "I should advise you not to see him
again. It's of no sort of use."
_Chapter XIII_
I
The weather forecasts had been in the right; and the few that
struggled homewards that night from church fought against a south-west
wind that tore, laden with driving rain, up the streets and across the
open spaces, till the very lights were dimmed in the tall street lamps
and shone only through streaming panes that seemed half opaque with
mist and vapor. In Queen's Gate hardly one lighted window showed that
the houses were inhabited. So fierce was the clamor and storm of the
broad street that men made haste to shut out every glimpse of the
night, and the fanlights above the doors, or here and there a line of
brightness where some draught had tossed the curtains apart, were the
only signs of human life. Outside the broad pavements stared like
surfaces of some canal, black and mirror-like, empty of passengers,
catching every spark or hint of light from house and lamp,
transforming it to a tall streak of glimmering wetness.
The housekeeper's room in this house on the right was the more
delightful from the contrast. It was here that the august assembly was
held every evening after supper, set about with rigid etiquette and
ancient rite. Its windows looked on to the little square garden at the
back, but were now tight shuttered and curtained; and the room was a
very model of comfort and warmth. Before the fire a square table was
drawn up, set out with pudding and fruit, for it was here that the
upper servants withdrew after the cold meat and beer of the servants'
hall, to be waited upon by the butler's boy: and it was round this
that the four sat in state--housekeeper, butler, lady's maid, and
cook.
It was already after ten o'clock; and Mr. Parker was permitted to
smoke a small cigar. They had discussed the weather, the sermon that
Miss Baker had heard in the morning, and the prospects of a
Dissolution; and they had once more returned to the mysteries that
were being enacted upstairs. They were getting accustomed to them now,
and there was not a great deal to say, unless they repeated
themselves, which they had no objection to do. Their attitude was one
of tolerant skepticism, tempered by an agreeable tendency on the part
of Miss Baker to become agitated after a certain point. Mr. Vincent,
it was generally conceded, was a respectable sort of man, with an air
about him that could hardly be put into words, and it was thought to
be a pity that he lent himself to such superstition. Mrs. Stapleton
had been long ago dismissed as a silly sort of woman, though with a
will of her own; and her ladyship, of course, must have her way; it
could not last long, it was thought.
But young Mr. Baxter was another matter, and there was a deal to say
about him. He was a gentleman--that was certain; and he seemed to have
sense; but it was a pity that he was so often here now on this
business. He had not said one word to Mr. Parker this evening as he
took off his coat; Mr. Parker had not thought that he looked very
well.
"He was too quiet-like," said the butler.
As to the details of the affair upstairs--these were considered in a
purely humorous light. It was understood that tables danced a
hornpipe, and that tambourines were beaten by invisible hands; and it
was not necessary to go further into principles, particularly since
all these things were done by machinery at the Egyptian Hall. Faces
also, it was believed, were seen looking out of the cabinet which
Mr. Parker had once more helped to erect this morning; but these, it
was explained, were "done" by luminous paint. Finally, if people
insisted on looking into causes, Electricity was a sufficient answer
for all the rest. No one actually suggested water-power.
As for human motives, these were not called in question at all. It
appeared to amuse some people to do this kind of thing, as others
might collect old china or practice the cotillion. There it was, a
fact, and there was no more to be said about it. Old Lady Carraden,
where Mr. Parker had once been under-butler, had gone in for pouter
pigeons; and Miss Baker had heard tell of a nobleman who had a
carpenter's shop of his own.
These things were so, then; and meantime here was a cigar to be smoked
by Mr. Parker, and a little weak tea to be taken by the three ladies.
It was about a quarter-past ten when a reversion was made to the
weather. Within here all was supremely comfortable. A black stuff mat,
with a red fringed border, lay before the blazing fire, convenient to
the feet; the heavy red curtains shut out the darkness, and where the
glass cases of china permitted it, large photographs of wedding groups
and the houses of the nobility hung upon the walls. A King Charles'
spaniel, in another glass case, looked upon the company with an
eternal snarl belied by the mildness of his brown eyes; and,
corresponding to him on the other side of the fire, a numerous family
of humming-birds, a little dusty and dim, poised perpetually above the
flowers of a lichened tree, with a flaming sunset to show them up.
But, without, the wind tore unceasingly, laden with rain, through the
gusty darkness of the little garden, and, in the pauses, the swift
dripping from the roof splashed and splashed upon the paved walk. It
was a very wild night, as Mr. Parker observed four times: he only
hoped that no one would require a hansom cab. He had been foolish
enough to take the responsibility tonight of letting the guests out
himself, and of allowing William to go to bed when he wished. And
these were late affairs, seldom over before eleven, and often not till
nearly midnight.
Mrs. Martin, in her blouse, moved a little nearer the fire, and said
she must be off soon to bed; Mrs. Mayle, in her black silk, added that
there was no telling when her ladyship would get to bed, what with
Mrs. Stapleton and all, and commiserated Miss Baker; Miss Baker
moaned a little in self-pity; and Mr. Parker remarked for the fifth
time that it was a wild night. It was an astonishingly serene and
domestic atmosphere: no effort of imagination or wit was required from
anybody; it was enough to make observations when they occurred to the
brain, and they would meet with a tranquil response.
As half-past ten tinkled out from the little yellow marble clock on
the mantelpiece--it had been won by Mrs. Mayle's deceased husband in a
horticultural exhibition--Mrs. Martin said that she must go and have a
look at the scullery to see that all was as it should be; there was no
knowing with these girls nowadays what they might not leave undone;
and Mrs. Mayle preened herself gently with the thought that her
responsibilities were on a higher plane. Mr. Parker made a courteous
movement as if to rise, and remained seated, as the cook rustled out.
Miss Baker sighed again as she contemplated the long conversation that
might take place between the two ladies upstairs before she could get
her mistress to bed.
Once more the tranquil atmosphere settled down on the warm room; the
brass lamp burned brightly with a faint and reassuring smell of
paraffin; the fire presented a radiant cavern of red coals fringed by
dancing flames; and Mr. Parker leaned forwards to shake off the ash of
his cigar.
Then, on a sudden, he paused, for from the passage outside came the
passionless tinkle of an electric bell--then another, and another, and
another, as if some person overhead strove by reiteration on that
single note to cry out some overwhelming need.