CONCLUSION.
Sir Richard Arden had learned how matters were with Mr. Longcluse. He
hesitated. Flight might provoke action of the kind for which there
seemed no longer a motive.
In an agony of dubitation, as the day wore on, he was interrupted. Mr.
Rooke, Mr. Longcluse's attorney, had called. There was no good in
shirking a meeting. He was shown in.
"This is for you, Sir Richard," said Mr. Rooke, presenting a large
letter. "Mr. Longcluse wrote it about three hours ago, and requested me
to place it in your own hand, as I now do."
"It is not any _legal_ paper----" began Sir Richard.
"I haven't an idea," answered he. "He gave it to me thus. I had some
things to do for him afterwards, and a call to make, at his desire, at
Mr. David Arden's. When I got home I was sent for again. I suppose you
heard the news?"
"No; what is it?"
"Oh, dear, really! They have heard it some time at Mr. Arden's. You
didn't hear about Mr. Longcluse?"
"No, nothing, excepting what we all know--his arrest."
The attorney's countenance darkened, and he said, dropping his voice as
low as he would have given a message in church--
"Oh, poor gentleman! he died to-day. Some kind of fit, I believe; he's
gone!"
Then Mr. Rooke went into particulars, so far as he knew them, and
mentioned that the coroner's inquest would be held that afternoon; and
so he departed.
Unmixed satisfaction accompanied the hearing of this news in Sir
Richard's mind. But with reflection came the terrifying question, "Has
Levi got hold of that instrument of torture and ruin--the forged
signature?"
In this new horror he saw the envelope which Rooke had handed to him,
upon the table. He opened it, and saw the forged deed. Written across
it, in Longcluse's hand, were the words--
"Paid by W. Longcluse before due.
"W. LONGCLUSE."
That day's date was added.
So the evidence of his guilt was no longer in the hands of a stranger,
and Sir Richard Arden was saved.
David Arden had already received under like circumstances, and by the
same hand, two papers of immense importance. The first written in
Rooke's hand and duly witnessed, was a very short will, signed by the
testator, Walter Longcluse, and leaving his enormous wealth absolutely
to David Arden. The second was a letter which attached a trust to this
bequest. The letter said--
"I am the son of Edwin Raikes, your cousin. He had cast me off for
my vices, when I committed the crime, not intended to have amounted
to murder. It was Harry Arden's determined resistance and my danger
that cost him his life. I did kill Lebas. I could not help it. He
was a fool, and might have ruined me; and that villain, Vanboeren,
has spoken truth for once.
"I meant to set up the Arden family in my person. I should have
taken the name. My father relented on his death-bed, and left me his
money. I went to New York, and received it. I made a new start in
life. On the Bourse in Paris, and in Vienna, I made a fortune by
speculation; I improved it in London. You may take it all by my
will. Do with half the interest as you please, during your lifetime.
The other half pay to Miss Alice Arden, and the entire capital you
are to secure to her on your death.
"I had taken assignments of all the mortgages affecting the Arden
estates. They must go to Miss Arden, and be secured unalienably to
her.
"My life has been arduous and direful. That miserable crime hung
over me, and its dangers impeded me at every turn.
"You have played your game well, but with all the odds of the
position in your favour. I am tired, beaten. The match is over, and
you may rise now and say Checkmate.
"WALTER LONGCLUSE."
That Longcluse had committed suicide, of course I can have no doubt. It
must have been effected by some unusually subtle poison. The post-mortem
examination failed to discover its presence. But there was found in his
desk a curious paper, in French, published about five months before,
upon certain vegetable poisons, whose presence in the system no chemical
test detects, and no external trace records. This paper was noted here
and there on the margin, and had been obviously carefully read. Any of
these tinctures he could without much trouble have procured from Paris.
But no distinct light was ever thrown upon this inquiry.
In a small and lonely house, tenanted by Longcluse, in the then less
crowded region of Richmond, were found proofs, no longer needed, of
Longcluse's identity, both with the horseman who had met Paul Davies on
Hampstead Heath, and the person who crossed the Channel from Southampton
with David Arden, and afterwards met him in the streets of Paris, as we
have seen. There he had been watching his movements, and traced him,
with dreadful suspicion, to the house of Vanboeren. The turn of a die
had determined the fate of David Arden that night. Longcluse had
afterwards watched and seized an opportunity of entering Vanboeren's
house. He knew that the baron expected the return of his messenger, rang
the bell, and was admitted. The old servant had gone to her bed, and was
far away in that vast house.
Longcluse would have stabbed him, but the baron recognised him, and
sprang back with a yell. Instantly Longcluse had used his revolver; but
before he could make assurance doubly sure, his quick ear detected a
step outside. He then made his exit through a window into a deserted
lane at the side of the house, and had not lost a moment in commencing
his flight for London.
With respect to the murder of Lebas, the letter of Longcluse pretty
nearly explains it. That unlucky Frenchman had attended him through his
recovery under the hands of Vanboeren; and Longcluse feared to trust, as
it now might turn out, his life, in his giddy keeping. Of course, Lebas
had no idea of the nature of his crime, or that in England was the scene
of its perpetration. Longcluse had made up his mind promptly on the
night of the billiard-match played in the Saloon Tavern. When every eye
was fixed upon the balls, he and Lebas met, as they had ultimately
agreed, in the smoking-room. A momentary meeting it was to have been.
The dagger which he placed in his keeping, Longcluse plunged into his
heart. In the stream of blood that instantaneously flowed from the wound
Longcluse stepped, and made one distinct impression of his boot-sole on
the boards. A tracing of this Paul Davies had made, and had got the
signatures of two or three respectable Londoners before the room filled,
attesting its accuracy, he affecting, while he did so, to be a member of
the detective police, from which body, for a piece of _over_-cleverness,
he had been only a few weeks before dismissed. Having made his tracing,
he obscured the blood-mark on the floor.
The opportunity of distinguishing himself at his old craft, to the
prejudice of the force, whom he would have liked to mortify, while
earning, perhaps, his own restoration, was his first object. The
delicacy of the shape of the boot struck him next. He then remembered
having seen Longcluse--and his was the only eye that observed him--pass
swiftly from the passage leading to the smoking-room at the beginning of
the game. His mind had now matter to work upon; and hence his visit to
Bolton Street to secure possession of the boot, which he did by an
audacious _ruse_.
His subsequent interview with Mr. Longcluse, in presence of David Arden,
was simply a concerted piece of acting, on which Longcluse, when he had
made his terms with Davies, insisted, as a security against the
re-opening of the extortion.
Nothing will induce Alice to accept one farthing of Longcluse's
magnificent legacy. Secretly Uncle David is resolved to make it up to
her from his own wealth, which is very great.
Richard Arden's story is not known to any living person but the Jew
Levi, and vaguely to his sister, in whose mind it remains as something
horrible, but never approached.
Levi keeps the secret for reasons more cogent than charitable. First he
kept it to himself as a future instrument of profit. But on his
insinuating something that promised such relations to Sir Richard, the
young gentleman met it with so bold a front, with fury so unaffected,
and with threats so alarming, founded upon a trifling matter of which
the Jew had never suspected his knowledge, that Mr. Levi has not
ventured either to "utilise" his knowledge, in a profitable way, or
afterwards to circulate the story for the solace of his malice. They
seem, in Mr. Rooke's phrase, to have turned their backs on one another;
and as some years have passed, and lapse of time does not improve the
case of a person in Mr. Levi's position, we may safely assume that he
will never dare to circulate any definite stories to Sir Richard's
prejudice. A sufficient motive, indeed, for doing so exists no longer,
for Sir Richard, who had lived an unsettled life travelling on the
Continent, and still playing at foreign tables when he could afford it,
died suddenly at Florence in the autumn of '69.
Vivian Darnley has been in "the House," now, nearly four years. Uncle
David is very proud of him; and more impartial people think that he
will, at last, take an honourable place in that assembly. His last
speech has been spoken of everywhere with applause. David Arden's
immensely increased wealth enables him to entertain very magnificent
plans for this young man. He intends that he shall take the name of
Arden, and earn the transmission of the title, or the distinction of a
greater one.
A year ago Vivian Darnley married Alice Arden, and no two people can be
happier.
Lady May, although her girlish ways have not forsaken her, has no
present thoughts of making any man happy. She had a great cry all to
herself when Sir Richard died, and she now persuades herself that he
never meant one word he said of her, and that if the truth were known,
although after that day she never spoke to him more, he had never really
cared for more than one woman on earth. It was all spite of that odious
Lady Wynderbroke!
Alice has never seen Mortlake since the night of her flight from its
walls.
The two old servants, Crozier and Martha Tansey, whose acquaintance we
made in that suburban seat of the Ardens, are both, I am glad to say,
living still, and extremely comfortable.
Phoebe Chiffinch, I am glad to add, was jilted by her uninteresting
lover, who little knew what a fortune he was slighting. His desertion
does not seem to have broken her heart, or at all affected her spirits.
The gratitude of Alice Arden has established her in the prosperous
little Yorkshire town, the steep roof, chimneys, and church tower of
which are visible, among the trees, from the windows of Arden Court. She
is the energetic and popular proprietress of the "Cat and Fiddle," to
which thriving inn, at a nominal rent, a valuable farm is attached. A
fortune of two thousand pounds from the same grateful friend awaits her
marriage, which can't be far off, with the handsome son of rich Farmer
Shackleton.
THE END.
[ Transcriber's Note:
The following is a list of corrections made to the original.
The first line is the original line, the second the corrected one.
ALL IN DARK
ALL IN THE DARK
good humouredly.
good-humouredly.
Mr. Longcluse, the millionarie, had, of course, many poor enviers. Had
Mr. Longcluse, the millionaire, had, of course, many poor enviers. Had
sent me down for Charles; and the boy will be back. Sir, in two or three
sent me down for Charles; and the boy will be back, Sir, in two or three
"Oh oh! very good. And now, Sir," he said, in rising fury, turning upon
"Oh, oh! very good. And now, Sir," he said, in rising fury, turning upon
"You know him, Mr Darnley?" inquired Lady May.
"You know him, Mr. Darnley?" inquired Lady May.
"Why should it?" laughed Vivian Darnley, partly to cover perhaps, a
"Why should it?" laughed Vivian Darnley, partly to cover, perhaps, a
pretended to think her great deal more frightened than she really can
pretended to think her a great deal more frightened than she really can
you, and he ll arrange everything; and how soon do you wish to go?"
you, and he'll arrange everything; and how soon do you wish to go?"
likely to marry His estate was in the nattiest order. He had always
likely to marry. His estate was in the nattiest order. He had always
don't know what to make of it exactly; but it pleases her, and she
doesn't know what to make of it exactly; but it pleases her, and she
give an exact description of the man who had been dogging the decased;
give an exact description of the man who had been dogging the deceased;
for more than six years. And why? I needn't tell yon. You know the
for more than six years. And why? I needn't tell you. You know the
him for ever?"
him for ever!"
something. What has frightened you!"
something. What has frightened you?"
as he may suppose, and dated, and signed by espectable people; and I
as he may suppose, and dated, and signed by respectable people; and I
must try to persuade Lady May to get up that party to the Derby,"
must try to persuade Lady May to get up that party to the Derby."
"I believe," said Mr. Longcluse, with a laugh. "I am growing
"I believe," said Mr. Longcluse, with a laugh, "I am growing
"Yes, a little, perhaps. Don't you."
"Yes, a little, perhaps. Don't you?"
now, Master David, and not much for this world, I'm thinking'," she
now, Master David, and not much for this world, I'm thinking," she
this, ye have just a chilly flush o' the sun' settin', and, before it's
this, ye have just a chilly flush o' the sun settin', and, before it's
unacountable though distant relation to the vague suspicions that had
unaccountable though distant relation to the vague suspicions that had
"Do you know that gentleman's name!"
"Do you know that gentleman's name?"
you see, as to the indentity of the person you suspect; but some person
you see, as to the identity of the person you suspect; but some person
a swaggering' cove, and a yard o' red beard over his waistcoat, and
a swaggerin' cove, and a yard o' red beard over his waistcoat, and
very foolishly, and we _must_ drop him And now, darling, good-bye."
very foolishly, and we _must_ drop him. And now, darling, good-bye."
his homage, his tone of melancholy deference ever since she had know
his homage, his tone of melancholy deference ever since she had known
He heard the piano faintly, and, he thought, Alice's voice lso; and
He heard the piano faintly, and, he thought, Alice's voice also; and
certainly he saw Vivian Darnley in the drawing-room indow, as his cab
certainly he saw Vivian Darnley in the drawing-room window, as his cab
others a note from Lady Mary Penrose, reminding him of her little
others a note from Lady May Penrose, reminding him of her little
unauthenticated, unpleasant. There were whispered with sneers by Mr.
unauthenticated, unpleasant. These were whispered with sneers by Mr.
have thought that, the muscian having departed, their stay in that room
have thought that, the musician having departed, their stay in that room
So over the short grass that handsome girl walked, with Mr Longcluse at
So over the short grass that handsome girl walked, with Mr. Longcluse at
"Yes, she was here; she came with Lady Tramways. They went away about
"Yes, she was here; she came with Lady Tramway. They went away about
"Now, Sir, you'll be so good as to to observe that you have taken upon
"Now, Sir, you'll be so good as to observe that you have taken upon
trace a name or two on the pages that are passing That sunset, that
trace a name or two on the pages that are passing. That sunset, that
saw it, and the Cæsars saw it, and the Pharoahs saw it, and we see it
saw it, and the Cæsars saw it, and the Pharaohs saw it, and we see it
with coarse, black hair, that might not unsuitable stuff a chair. His
with coarse, black hair, that might not unsuitably stuff a chair. His
But not pays his bets! And how could he? Ten shillings in the pound? Not
But not pay his bets! And how could he? Ten shillings in the pound? Not
the rest are rifling, but they were the most impertinent, and I was so
the rest are trifling, but they were the most impertinent, and I was so
eloquence. There was in Cicero's face, he though, something satirical
eloquence. There was in Cicero's face, he thought, something satirical
again in danger. I I am not going to help you." His blue eyes looked cold
again in danger. I am not going to help you." His blue eyes looked cold
refugees.
refugees."
circumstances to which I have but alluded, I hope to be in town
circumstances to which I have but alluded. I hope to be in town
hall-door Don't mind knocking, ring the bell," he said to the driver.
hall-door. Don't mind knocking, ring the bell," he said to the driver.
and distinctness, and in accents that seemed, somehow to ring through
and distinctness, and in accents that seemed, somehow, to ring through
table, at the other of which he had arrested his monotonous shuffle
table, at the other end of which he had arrested his monotonous shuffle
So spoke Tansey, into whose talk, in moments of excitement returned
So spoke Tansey, into whose talk, in moments of excitement, returned
"No, dear, never mind him--he's well enough." David, Arden peeped at his
"No, dear, never mind him--he's well enough." David Arden peeped at his
sheventeen, ash I m a shinner!"
sheventeen, ash I'm a shinner!"
In a very small room, where burned a single jet of gas, Mr. Mr. Arden
In a very small room, where burned a single jet of gas, Mr. Arden
CHAPTER XLVIII
CHAPTER XLVIII.
suavity of manner, and in the perennial mourning that belongs to a
suavity of manner, and in the perennial mourning that belongs to
which would corroborate his first vague suspicions?"
which would corroborate his first vague suspicions?
The oak-parlour was a fine old room, and into the panels were let four
The oak-parlour was a fine old room, and into the panels were set four
Italian greyhound by a blue ribbon, and the gentlemen stood booted for
Italian greyhound by a blue ribbon, and the gentleman stood booted for
he'll stay still your Uncle David comes, for he told him he had something
he'll stay till your Uncle David comes, for he told him he had something
under the little chuch, whose steeple cast its shadow every sunny
under the little church, whose steeple cast its shadow every sunny
from Lady May Penrose a note, in the folowing terms:--
from Lady May Penrose a note, in the following terms:--
least picturesque and and most probable way. I should like to know the
least picturesque and most probable way. I should like to know the
that gradually overcome her more and more till she almost felt faint,
that gradually overcame her more and more till she almost felt faint,
connected with Alice? Slowly it passes along. Through one opening made
connected with Alice! Slowly it passes along. Through one opening made
to ensure a system of check, such as would made it next to impossible
to ensure a system of check, such as would make it next to impossible
Vanboeren
Vanboeren.
in London, was, I believe in your employment?"
in London, was, I believe, in your employment?"
"I am in London, Sir, ubon my business, and no one else's. I I am sinking
"I am in London, Sir, ubon my business, and no one else's. I am sinking
battered felt hat, in which a a costermonger would scarcely have gone
battered felt hat, in which a costermonger would scarcely have gone
end contracting some some incurable insanity; and that insanity of the
end contracting some incurable insanity; and that insanity of the
who is for a moment doubtful whther its terrors or its fury may
who is for a moment doubtful whether its terrors or its fury may
gallery exsited. How were they taken? Photographs are the colourless
gallery existed. How were they taken? Photographs are the colourless
There is something in that pale face and spectra smile that fascinates
There is something in that pale face and spectral smile that fascinates
Boulogne, or where he likes--I'll stand t--and I don't think he'll need
Boulogne, or where he likes--I'll stand it--and I don't think he'll need
"Yes, as were driving into town to-day, Uncle David told me so
"Yes, as we were driving into town to-day, Uncle David told me so
would marry me at all, Isn't it better to say, 'My Angelina,' or
would marry me at all. Isn't it better to say, 'My Angelina,' or
message for his sister with old Crozier ordered his servant and trap to
message for his sister with old Crozier, ordered his servant and trap to
harmlesh."
harmlesh.'"
heavy skip upon the flags, where she executed an involuutary frisk that
heavy skip upon the flags, where she executed an involuntary frisk that
staring at the smiling face of the young lady; you can't be serious!"
staring at the smiling face of the young lady; "you can't be serious!"
was no more), she had herished for him was gone, and a great disgust
was no more), she had cherished for him was gone, and a great disgust
was there nstead.
was there instead.
almos breathlessly,--
almost breathlessly,--
see the cold glimmer of the windows that reflected the gray horizon.
see the cold glimmer of the windows that reflected the grey horizon.
the gate he saw the distant lights, and heard through the the dim air the
the gate he saw the distant lights, and heard through the dim air the
dragging Levi by the arm all this time towards the candles: "do now,
dragging Levi by the arm all this time towards the candles): "do now,
heaven, before I have time to think?"
heaven, before I have time to think!"
"That'sh the note you forgot in my offish yeshterday, withhish name
"That'sh the note you forgot in my offish yeshterday, with hish name
enter. How your friends will laugh?"
enter. How your friends will laugh!"
"La! who'd a thought o' seeing you, Master Richard! why, ou told Miss
"La! who'd a thought o' seeing you, Master Richard! why, you told Miss
Alice you'd not be here till to-morrow!" she says ettishly, holding the
Alice you'd not be here till to-morrow!" she says pettishly, holding the
afraid of him! Dick, you look ill and unhappy: what's the matter!"
afraid of him! Dick, you look ill and unhappy: what's the matter?"
family there a happetite for another up here Azh I 'ope to be shaved, I
family there a happetite for another up here. Azh I 'ope to be shaved, I
locked. and the keysh with him, before dark, thish evening, except only
locked, and the keysh with him, before dark, thish evening, except only
Sir Richard leaned back in the cab as he drove into town, He had as yet
Sir Richard leaned back in the cab as he drove into town. He had as yet
no plan formed. It was a more complicated exploit that he was at the
no plan formed. It was a more complicated exploit than he was at the
spirited away like the rest Sir Richard had told her that his sister
spirited away like the rest. Sir Richard had told her that his sister
Richard lounges, expecting the arrival of David Arden almost momentarily.
Richard lounge, expecting the arrival of David Arden almost momentarily.
six distinct master-pieces of Watteau's. I have know that for ten
six distinct master-pieces of Watteau's. I have known that for ten
but slightly. You wish. perhaps to learn particulars about those
but slightly. You wish, perhaps, to learn particulars about those
"But you talk of bringing me face to face withthem; how soon?"
"But you talk of bringing me face to face with them; how soon?"
"No, in the the solid. Here is the key of the catacombs." And he took a
"No, in the solid. Here is the key of the catacombs." And he took a
"Bah! what a wise man Then I may show you whom I please, and you know
"Bah! what a wise man. Then I may show you whom I please, and you know
"And _is_ more. Why, count the words, one, two, four six, eight. There
"And _is_ more. Why, count the words, one, two, four, six, eight. There
nothing. Come, come. Monsieur! kindly take the candle."
nothing. Come, come, Monsieur! kindly take the candle."
which his work has strewn the floor
which his work has strewn the floor.
step, all is up with that, You see--you understand. Bah! you are no
step, all is up with that. You see--you understand. Bah! you are no
fool; it is plain. all I sacrifice."
fool; it is plain, all I sacrifice."
fared with him, if he had, I can't tell."
fared with him, if he had, I can't tell.
CHATPER LXXXIV.
CHAPTER LXXXIV.
mind; I know it all know," she whispered, as she walked softly up to the
mind; I know it all now," she whispered, as she walked softly up to the
time, or I'll tell 'em there's no good keepin' me 'ere no longer I
time, or I'll tell 'em there's no good keepin' me 'ere no longer. I
to do it. I've never had a hint that she meditated leaving this
to do with it. I've never had a hint that she meditated leaving this
upon the table. He opened it, and saw the orged deed. Written across
upon the table. He opened it, and saw the forged deed. Written across
desk a curious paper, in French. published about five months before,
desk a curious paper, in French, published about five months before,
nearly explains it. That unlucky Frenchman had attended him though his
nearly explains it. That unlucky Frenchman had attended him through his
]