BASIL
While Jennings was thus working at the case, and hoping to bring it to
a successful issue, Cuthbert was resting in the happy belief that no
further steps were being taken. The detective had appeared so
despondent when Mallow called with Caranby that the former thought with
some show of reason that he meant what he said. Had he known that
Jennings was still active he would have been much disturbed.
Agreeably to Cuthbert's suggestion, Juliet had offered the money of
Miss Loach to her mother. But Mrs. Octagon refused to be bribed--as
she put it--into consenting to the match. In the presence of Mallow
himself, she expressed the greatest detestation for him and for his
uncle, and told Juliet she would never acknowledge her as a daughter if
she married the young man. The poor girl was thus between two
fires--that of her love for Cuthbert, and that of her mother's hearty
hatred for the Earl and his nephew. Under the circumstances Cuthbert
thought it best to remain away from the "Shrine of the Muses" for a
time until Mrs. Octagon could be brought to see reason. But she was so
obstinate a woman that it was doubtful if she would ever behave in an
agreeable manner. Cuthbert returned to his rooms in a rather low state
of mind. He knew that Juliet, whatever happened, would remain true to
him, and had quite hoped to bribe Mrs. Octagon into consenting by means
of the inherited money. But now things seemed more hopeless than ever.
Juliet, although not very fond of her mother, was a devoted daughter
from a sense of duty, and it would be difficult to bring her to consent
to a match against which the elder woman so obstinately set her face.
Certainly Juliet had said she would marry with or without her mother's
consent, but now that the consent was withheld with violent words, she
seemed inclined to wait. However, if she did not marry Mallow, he knew
well that she would marry no one else, least of all the objectionable
Arkwright, Cuthbert derived some degree of comfort from this small
fact. He wondered if there was any chance of forcing Mrs. Octagon into
giving her consent, but after surveying the situation could see no
opportunity.
After dinner that night, Cuthbert was thinking of going to see his
uncle, who still stopped at the Avon Hotel. When Hale was announced.
Mallow was surprised. The lawyer was not a friend of his, and he had
no liking for his company. However, he felt a certain curiosity as to
the reason of this unexpected visit and welcomed the man with civility.
But he did not ask him to have any coffee though it was on the table.
Cuthbert held to the traditions of the East regarding bread and salt,
and he wished to leave himself free to deal with Hale as an enemy,
should occasion arise, as it might. Hale was far too intimate with
Maraquito to please the young man. And Maraquito's attentions were far
too pressing to make Cuthbert feel comfortable in her presence.
"Well, Mr. Hale," said Mallow coldly, "why have you come?"
The lawyer, who was in an evening suit and dressed with taste and care,
took a seat, although not invited to do so. He looked cold and calm,
but there was an excited gleam in his large eyes which showed that his
calmness masked some emotion, the cause of which Cuthbert could not
fathom. "I have come to see you about young Saxon," he said.
"Really," answered Mallow coolly, although surprised, "what can you
have to say to me about him."
"He is your friend--"
"Pardon me. I can hardly call him so. We are acquaintances only."
"But you are engaged to his sister," persisted Hale.
Mallow threw away the cigarette he was lighting and jumped up. "I see
no reason why Miss Saxon's name should be mentioned, Mr. Hale."
"Don't you, Mr. Mallow? I do."
"Then I object to your mentioning it. State your business and go, Mr.
Hale. I have no acquaintance with you."
"I can't state my business unless I mention Miss Saxon's name."
"Then you will please to take yourself off," said Mallow.
Hale smiled coldly, though evidently annoyed. "I think it is to your
interest to hear me," he said deliberately, "and to the interest of the
lady whom you hope to call your wife."
"Does this business concern Miss Saxon?"
"Indirectly it does. But it rather has to do with her brother."
Mallow frowned. The conversation was taking a turn of which he did not
approve. However, he knew well the dangerous ground upon which he
stood with regard to the case, and thought it best to hear what his
unexpected visitor had to say. "State your business," he said curtly.
"Very good," replied Hale, nursing his silk hat on his knee. "I see you
don't offer me coffee or a cigarette."
"We are not friends, sir. And let me remind you that you thrust
yourself uninvited on me."
"To do you a service," said Hale quickly. "I think, therefore, that I
deserve a better reception."
"Will you please come to the point?" said Mallow coldly, "whatever the
service may be, I am quite sure it is two for you if one for me. You
are not the man to go out of your way, Mr. Hale, to help anyone."
Hale nodded and smiled grimly. "You are quite right. Now, then, Mr.
Mallow, do you know that Basil Saxon was to have inherited the money of
my late client, Miss Loach?"
"No, I never knew that. I understood that Miss Loach always intended
to leave the money to Miss Saxon."
Hale shook his well-oiled head. "On the contrary, Mr. Saxon was her
favorite. In spite of his wild ways she liked him. However, she was
also fond of Miss Saxon, and you may thank Miss Loach, Mr. Mallow, for
having been the means of forwarding your engagement."
"What do you mean by that?" asked Cuthbert angrily.
"Mrs. Octagon," went on the lawyer deliberately, "would never have
consented to Miss Saxon becoming engaged to you had not Miss Loach
insisted that she should agree."
"Seeing that Mrs. Octagon hated her sister and was not likely, to be
influenced by her, I do not see how that can be."
"Perhaps not. Nevertheless, such is the case. You saw how, when Miss
Loach died, Mrs. Octagon seized the first opportunity to place
obstacles in the way of your marriage."
"I believe she did that on Maraquito's account, Mr. Hale. I know
perfectly well that Mrs. Octagon called on Maraquito."
"Quite so--to ask Maraquito not to let Basil Saxon play beyond his
means. Certainly, Maraquito having a strange fancy for you, agreed, on
condition that Mrs. Octagon refuse to let Miss Saxon marry you. But,
in any case, Mrs. Octagon hates your uncle too much to allow her
daughter to become your wife. You will never get Mrs. Octagon's consent
unless I help you."
"You!" echoed Mallow, astonished and annoyed. "What possible influence
can you have with Mrs. Octagon. I have certainly seen you at her
house, but I scarcely think you know her well enough--"
"Oh, yes, I do." Hale rose in his earnestness. "See here, sir; I love
Maraquito and I wish to marry her."
"You can, so far as I am concerned,"
"So you say," said Hale bitterly, "but you cannot be ignorant that
Maraquito loves you."
"I don't see what that has to do with our conversation," replied
Mallow, growing red and restless.
"It has everything to do with the matter. I want to marry Maraquito,
as I am rich and deeply in love with her. She would have become my
wife long ago but that you crossed her path. Lord knows why she should
love a commonplace man like you, but she does."
"Isn't that rather personal?" said Mallow dryly.
"I beg your pardon. But what I wish to say is this. If you marry Miss
Saxon and place yourself beyond Maraquito's reach, I will be able to
induce her to marry me. Our interests are bound up together. Now, to
do this you must have Mrs. Octagon's consent. I can get it."
"In what way?"
"She loves Basil, her son, more than she does herself," went on Hale,
paying no attention to the remark. "To save him she would do much."
"To save him from what?"
"Basil;" continued the lawyer, still not noticing the interruption, "is
a young fool. He thought himself sure of Miss Loach's money--and he
was until a week before she died. Then he came to Rose Cottage and
insulted her--"
"I have heard that. She ordered him out of the house."
"She did. Miss Loach was a bitter, acrid old woman when the fit took
her. However, Basil insulted her so grossly that she made a new will
and left all the money to Miss Saxon. Now it happens that Basil, to
supply himself with funds, when his aunt refused to aid his
extravagance further, forged her name to a bill--What's the matter?"
"Nothing," said Mallow, who had started from his chair, "only your
intelligence is sufficiently unpleasant."
"I can understand that," sneered the lawyer, "since you wish to marry
his sister. You don't want a forger for a brother-in-law."
"Who does?" said Cuthbert, not telling that he was thinking of Basil in
connection with a still darker crime. "Go on, Mr. Hale."
"The bill fell into my hands. When Miss Saxon got the money she
transferred the business to her own lawyer. I had to give the bill up."
"Ah!" said Mallow meaningly, "I see now the hold you had over Basil."
"Yes, that was my hold. I did not want to give up the bill. But it had
been met, and as Miss Loach is dead, there was a difficulty in proving
the signature to be a forgery. I therefore gave the bill to Miss
Saxon. She knew of her brother's guilt--"
"I see--I see," murmured Cuthbert, wondering if she had been shielding
Basil as well as him. "My poor girl!"
"She is a brave girl," said Hale, in a voice of reluctant admiration.
"She met me and fought for her brother. I gave way, as I did not wish
to make trouble. Why, it doesn't matter. However, you see how things
stand. Basil is a forger. If his mother knew that he was in danger of
being arrested she would consent to your marriage, and then I might
marry Maraquito. I have come here to tell you this."
"But if Miss Saxon has the bill, and there is a difficulty of proving
the signature, owing to Miss Loach's death, I don't see--"
"Ah, not in this case. But Basil Saxon forged my name also. I hold a
forged check. I met it and said nothing about it. Basil, thinking
because his sister held the bill that he was out of my power, was most
insolent. But I said nothing of the check which he thought I never
detected. The more fool he. He must have a fine opinion of my business
capacity. However, as the check is only for fifty pounds, he probably
thought that it would escape my notice. Well, you see how I can force
Mrs. Octagon's hand. What do you say?"
Mallow put his hands to his head quite bewildered by the information.
"You must give me time to think," he said, "but if I consent--"
"You marry Miss Saxon. I ask no reward for my services. All I want is
to get you out of my way as regards Maraquito. I will give you the
forged check on the day you wed Miss Saxon. I can see," added Hale,
rising, "that you are somewhat upset with this news, and no wonder.
You never thought Basil was such a scoundrel."
"I thought him a fool, never a knave."
"My dear sir, he is a thoroughly bad man," said Hale cynically, "though
I daresay other people are just as bad. However, I will give you a week
to think over the matter. Good-night."
"Good-night," said Mallow, touching the bell, but without meeting the
gaze of Hale, "I will think over what you have said."
"You will find it to your advantage to do so," replied Hale, and went
out of the room at the heels of the servant.
Mallow remained where he was in deep thought. It was terrible to think
that the brother of Juliet should be such a scamp. A forger and
perhaps something else. Here, indeed, was a motive for Miss Loach to
meet with her death at her nephew's hand. Probably on the night in
question she threatened to let the law take its course, and then
Basil--but at this point of his meditations a ring came at the door.
In a few moments Cuthbert heard a step he knew and rose with an
agitated air. Basil entered the room.
The young man was carefully dressed as usual in his rather affected
way, but his face was pale and he seemed uneasy. "I see you have had a
visit from Hale," he said, trying to appear at his ease.
"How do you know that?" asked Mallow abruptly, and declining to see the
proffered hand.
"I saw Hale enter a cab as I came up the stairs," said Basil, drawing
back; "and even had I not seen him I would know that he has been
telling you a lot of lies because you refuse to shake hands."
"Are they lies?"
"Ah, then, he has been talking. He is my enemy. He comes here to do
me harm," said Basil, his eyes flashing.
"He came here as your friend," replied Mallow abruptly, "Hale wishes me
to marry your sister. He offers to hand over to me a certain check if
I marry her."
"I don't know what you are talking about," cried Basil petulantly, and
threw himself into a chair, very pale.
"I think you know very well. Why have you come here?"
Basil looked sullen. "I want you to marry Juliet also. And I came to
say that I thought I could get my mother to take that money and to
withdraw her opposition."
"So that you may have the fingering of the money?"
"Oh, I suppose she will give me some," said Basil airily, and began to
roll a cigarette with deft fingers.
Mallow was enraged at this coolness. "Basil, you are a scoundrel!"
"Am I, indeed? Nice words to use to your future relative."
"How do you know I will ever be your relative. Suppose I refuse Hale's
demand, and let him proceed on this check?"
Basil's cigarette dropped our of his hand. "I don't know what check
you mean," he declared with alarm, "there was a bill--I couldn't help
myself. My aunt--"
"Gave you a lot of money and you repaid her by forging her name. But
you also forged Hale's name."
"Ah, I know what you mean now. It was only for fifty pounds."
"Had it been for fifty pence the crime is the same," said Mallow
vehemently, "why did you not let me help you? I offered to. But you
preferred to commit a crime."
"Such a fuss to make," muttered the youth discontentedly, "the bill is
in the possession of Juliet, and no steps can be taken on that. If
mother accepts this six thousand a year, she will buy the check back
from Hale. He's a scoundrel and will do anything for money. Then you
can marry Juliet, and I can go abroad for a few years on an income of
three thousand. Mother will allow me that."
The coolness of this speech almost took Mallow's breath away. The man
did not seem to be at all affected by his crime. So long as he was not
found out he appeared to think nothing about the matter. "And I know
you will marry Juliet," proceeded Basil, "you love her too well to give
her up."
"That is true enough," said Cuthbert, who, having already spared him
too long, now determined to punish him, "but I may love her so well
that I may not wish to buy her."
"What do you mean by buying her?" demanded Basil sulkily.
"What I say. Is it only to save you that I am to marry Juliet? My
marriage must be one of love--"
"She does love you. And I don't see," added Basil complainingly, "why
you should jump on a chap for wishing for your happiness--"
"And your own safety."
"Oh, bosh! The bill is destroyed. Juliet put it into the fire, and
Hale will sell the check at his own price."
"His price is that I am to marry Juliet."
"So that he can marry Maraquito, I suppose. I know that she loves you
and that Hale is crazy about her. It's very hard on me," whined the
egotistical youth, "for I want to marry her myself, only mother put her
spoke in my wheel."
"Dare you offer yourself to Maraquito, bad as she is, knowing what you
are?" cried Mallow, fairly disgusted.
"Oh, the forgeries. What of them? It's nothing." Basil snapped his
fingers. "Maraquito won't mind. But I suppose I'll have to give her
up on account of that infernal check. Such a small one as it was too.
I wish I had made it one hundred and fifty. I could have done so."
In the face of this callous behavior it was sheer wrongdoing to spare
the man. "I do not allude to the forgery, though that is bad enough,"
said Cuthbert, glancing round to see that the door was closed, "but to
the murder of your aunt. You killed her."
Basil leaped from his chair with great indignation. "I did not. How
dare you accuse me?" he panted.
"Because I have proofs."
"Proofs?" Basil dropped back as though he had been shot.
"Yes. I learned from my man that you took the bowie knife which used
to hang on the wall yonder. He saw you take it, and thought you had
received my permission. You went to the Marlow Theatre with your
sister. You left her in the box and went out after eight o'clock. You
went to Rexton to Rose Cottage. After Clancy left the house your aunt
admitted you and you killed her--"
"I swear I did not!" said Basil, perfectly white and trembling.
"You did, you liar! Juliet followed you to the cottage."
"Juliet? She did not know I had gone."
"Ah! you see, you were there. Yes, she said she went in order to try
and make it up between your aunt and you. But I believe now she went
to see if you were committing a crime. I am not aware how much Juliet
knows of your wickedness, Basil, but--"
"She knows only about the forgery. I was not at the cottage."
Mallow made a weary gesture. "Why do you tell these falsehoods?" he
said with scorn. "Juliet entered the cottage by means of her
latch-key. She found Miss Loach dead and the knife on the floor. You
dropped it there. She came out and saw a man of my height--which you
are, and of my appearance (you are not unlike me at a distance)
climbing the wall into the park. He had on alight overcoat--my
overcoat. Juliet thought I was the man. I did not say no. But the
moment she mentioned the coat I knew it was you. You borrowed the coat
from me, and returned it the other day. Now then--"
"Stop! stop!" cried Basil, rising with pale lips and shaking hands, "I
admit that I went to Rexton on that night, but I swear I am innocent."
"Pah!" cried Mallow, thinking this was another lie, and a weak one too.
Basil seized him by the arm. "Mallow, I swear by all that I hold most
sacred that I did not kill Aunt Selina. I own I took the knife. I
wished to frighten her into giving me money. I left the theatre in
order to go to Rexton. I thought I might be spotted if I came by the
lane. I climbed the wall of the park on the other side after nine,
some time after nine. I was crossing when a man chased me. I don't
know who it was. I could not see in the bushes, and the night was
rather dark at the moment, though clear later. I dropped the knife, it
fell out of my pocket, and I scrambled over the wall and bolted."
"Then how did Juliet see you shortly before eleven?"
"I came back for the knife. I thought it might be traced to you and
that you might get into trouble. Really I did," said Basil, seeing
Mallow make a gesture of dissent. "I came back by the railway path,
and along by the corn. Where Juliet could have been, I don't know. I
climbed the wall and crossed the park. I could not find the knife
where I thought I had dropped it, near the house. I then climbed the
opposite wall and got away home. Next day I heard of the death and
went down to look for the knife again. I never thought she had been
killed with that knife, as no weapon was found. Juliet said nothing to
me about the matter--"
"No. Because she thought the knife was mine, as it is, and that I was
the man who climbed the wall. I was on the spot. I remember telling
you that, when we met in the street, and you were afraid. I see now
why you asked me if I had been in the park at night."
"I thought you might have spotted me. When were you there?"
"About twenty minutes past ten."
"Well, then, I was there at ten or a few minutes later. I got away
from the man who chased me some time before you came. It was, as you
say, at a quarter to eleven when I came back, and by that time I
suppose you had gone."
"I went over the opposite wall as you did," said Cuthbert, "we must
have run each other very close."
"I expect we were in different parts of the park," said Basil, "but I
swear that I am telling you the truth. I said nothing about this, as I
was afraid of being arrested. But, if you like, I'll tell that
detective Jennings what I told you. He will help me."
"My advice to you is to hold your tongue and keep silent."
"But if I am traced?" stammered Basil.
"I shall say nothing," said Mallow, "and Jennings has dropped the case.
I shall get the check from Hale, and you must go abroad. I believe you
are innocent."
"Oh, thank you--thank you--"
"But you are a scoundrel for all that. When I get you sent abroad and
marry your sister, neither she nor I will have anything to do with you.
And if you come back to England, look out."