death of the lion-第7章

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well　out　of　the　adventure。　　I　can't　tell　you　how　much　more　and　more　
your　attitude　to　him；　in　the　midst　of　all　this；　shines　out　by　
contrast。　　I　never　willingly　talk　to　these　people　about　him；　but　
see　what　a　comfort　I　find　it　to　scribble　to　you！　　I　appreciate　it　…　
it　keeps　me　warm；　there　are　no　fires　in　the　house。　　Mrs。　Wimbush　
goes　by　the　calendar；　the　temperature　goes　by　the　weather；　the　
weather　goes　by　God　knows　what；　and　the　Princess　is　easily　heated。　　
I've　nothing　but　my　acrimony　to　warm　me；　and　have　been　out　under　an　
umbrella　to　restore　my　circulation。　　Coming　in　an　hour　ago　I　found　
Lady　Augusta　Minch　rummaging　about　the　hall。　　When　I　asked　her　what　
she　was　looking　for　she　said　she　had　mislaid　something　that　Mr。　
Paraday　had　lent　her。　　I　ascertained　in　a　moment　that　the　article　
in　question　is　a　manuscript；　and　I've　a　foreboding　that　it's　the　
noble　morsel　he　read　me　six　weeks　ago。　　When　I　expressed　my　
surprise　that　he　should　have　bandied　about　anything　so　precious　（I　
happen　to　know　it's　his　only　copy　…　in　the　most　beautiful　hand　in　
all　the　world）　Lady　Augusta　confessed　to　me　that　she　hadn't　had　it　
from　himself；　but　from　Mrs。　Wimbush；　who　had　wished　to　give　her　a　
glimpse　of　it　as　a　salve　for　her　not　being　able　to　stay　and　hear　it　
read。

〃'Is　that　the　piece　he's　to　read；'　I　asked；　'when　Guy　Walsingham　
arrives？'

〃'It's　not　for　Guy　Walsingham　they're　waiting　now；　it's　for　Dora　
Forbes；'　Lady　Augusta　said。　　'She's　coming；　I　believe；　early　to…
morrow。　　Meanwhile　Mrs。　Wimbush　has　found　out　about　him；　and　is　
actively　wiring　to　him。　　She　says　he　also　must　hear　him。'

〃'You　bewilder　me　a　little；'　I　replied；　'in　the　age　we　live　in　one　
gets　lost　among　the　genders　and　the　pronouns。　　The　clear　thing　is　
that　Mrs。　Wimbush　doesn't　guard　such　a　treasure　so　jealously　as　she　
might。'

〃'Poor　dear；　she　has　the　Princess　to　guard！　　Mr。　Paraday　lent　her　
the　manuscript　to　look　over。'

〃'She　spoke；　you　mean；　as　if　it　were　the　morning　paper？'

〃Lady　Augusta　stared　…　my　irony　was　lost　on　her。　　'She　didn't　have　
time；　so　she　gave　me　a　chance　first；　because　unfortunately　I　go　to…
morrow　to　Bigwood。'

〃'And　your　chance　has　only　proved　a　chance　to　lose　it？'

〃'I　haven't　lost　it。　　I　remember　now　…　it　was　very　stupid　of　me　to　
have　forgotten。　　I　told　my　maid　to　give　it　to　Lord　Dorimont　…　or　at　
least　to　his　man。'

〃'And　Lord　Dorimont　went　away　directly　after　luncheon。'

〃'Of　course　he　gave　it　back　to　my　maid　…　or　else　his　man　did；'　said　
Lady　Augusta。　　'I　dare　say　it's　all　right。'

〃The　conscience　of　these　people　is　like　a　summer　sea。　　They　haven't　
time　to　look　over　a　priceless　composition；　they've　only　time　to　
kick　it　about　the　house。　　I　suggested　that　the　'man；'　fired　with　a　
noble　emulation；　had　perhaps　kept　the　work　for　his　own　perusal；　and　
her　ladyship　wanted　to　know　whether；　if　the　thing　shouldn't　
reappear　for　the　grand　occasion　appointed　by　our　hostess；　the　
author　wouldn't　have　something　else　to　read　that　would　do　just　as　
well。　　Their　questions　are　too　delightful！　　I　declared　to　Lady　
Augusta　briefly　that　nothing　in　the　world　can　ever　do　so　well　as　
the　thing　that　does　best；　and　at　this　she　looked　a　little　
disconcerted。　　But　I　added　that　if　the　manuscript　had　gone　astray　
our　little　circle　would　have　the　less　of　an　effort　of　attention　to　
make。　　The　piece　in　question　was　very　long　…　it　would　keep　them　
three　hours。

〃'Three　hours！　　Oh　the　Princess　will　get　up！'　said　Lady　Augusta。

〃'I　thought　she　was　Mr。　Paraday's　greatest　admirer。'

〃'I　dare　say　she　is　…　she's　so　awfully　clever。　　But　what's　the　use　
of　being　a　Princess　…　'

〃'If　you　can't　dissemble　your　love？'　I　asked　as　Lady　Augusta　was　
vague。　　She　said　at　any　rate　she'd　question　her　maid；　and　I'm　
hoping　that　when　I　go　down　to　dinner　I　shall　find　the　manuscript　
has　been　recovered。〃



CHAPTER　X。



〃IT　has　NOT　been　recovered；〃　I　wrote　early　the　next　day；　〃and　I'm　
moreover　much　troubled　about　our　friend。　　He　came　back　from　Bigwood　
with　a　chill　and；　being　allowed　to　have　a　fire　in　his　room；　lay　
down　a　while　before　dinner。　　I　tried　to　send　him　to　bed　and　indeed　
thought　I　had　put　him　in　the　way　of　it；　but　after　I　had　gone　to　
dress　Mrs。　Wimbush　came　up　to　see　him；　with　the　inevitable　result　
that　when　I　returned　I　found　him　under　arms　and　flushed　and　
feverish；　though　decorated　with　the　rare　flower　she　had　brought　him　
for　his　button…hole。　　He　came　down　to　dinner；　but　Lady　Augusta　
Minch　was　very　shy　of　him。　　To…day　he's　in　great　pain；　and　the　
advent　of　ces　dames　…　I　mean　of　Guy　Walsingham　and　Dora　Forbes　…　
doesn't　at　all　console　me。　　It　does　Mrs。　Wimbush；　however；　for　she　
has　consented　to　his　remaining　in　bed　so　that　he　may　be　all　right　
to…morrow　for　the　listening　circle。　　Guy　Walsingham's　already　on　
the　scene；　and　the　Doctor　for　Paraday　also　arrived　early。　　I　
haven't　yet　seen　the　author　of　'Obsessions；'　but　of　course　I've　had　
a　moment　by　myself　with　the　Doctor。　　I　tried　to　get　him　to　say　that　
our　invalid　must　go　straight　home　…　I　mean　to…morrow　or　next　day；　
but　he　quite　refuses　to　talk　about　the　future。　　Absolute　quiet　and　
warmth　and　the　regular　administration　of　an　important　remedy　are　
the　points　he　mainly　insists　on。　　He　returns　this　afternoon；　and　
I'm　to　go　back　to　see　the　patient　at　one　o'clock；　when　he　next　
takes　his　medicine。　　It　consoles　me　a　little　that　he　certainly　
won't　be　able　to　read　…　an　exertion　he　was　already　more　than　unfit　
for。　　Lady　Augusta　went　off　after　breakfast；　assuring　me　her　first　
care　would　be　to　follow　up　the　lost　manuscript。　　I　can　see　she　
thinks　me　a　shocking　busybody　and　doesn't　understand　my　alarm；　but　
she'll　do　what　she　can；　for　she's　a　good…natured　woman。　　'So　are　
they　all　honourable　men。'　　That　was　precisely　what　made　her　give　
the　thing　to　Lord　Dorimont　and　made　Lord　Dorimont　bag　it。　　What　use　
HE　has　for　it　God　only　knows。　　I've　the　worst　forebodings；　but　
somehow　I'm　strangely　without　passion　…　desperately　calm。　　As　I　
consider　the　unconscious；　the　well…meaning　ravages　of　our　
appreciative　circle　I　bow　my　head　in　submission　to　some　great　
natural；　some　universal　accident；　I'm　rendered　almost　indifferent；　
in　fact　quite　gay　（ha…ha！）　by　the　sense　of　immitigable　fate。　　Lady　
Augusta　promises　me　to　trace　the　precious　object　and　let　me　have　it　
through　the　post　by　the　time　Paraday's　well　enough　to　play　his　part　
with　it。　　The　last　evidence　is　that　her　maid　did　give　it　to　his　
lordship's　valet。　　One　would　suppose　it　some　thrilling　number　of　
THE　FAMILY　BUDGET。　　Mrs。　Wimbush；　who's　aware　of　the　accident；　is　
much　less　agitated　by　it　than　she　would　doubtless　be　were　she　not　
for　the　hour　inevitably　engrossed　with　Guy　Walsingham。〃

Later　in　the　day　I　informed　my　correspondent；　for　whom　indeed　I　
kept　a　loose　diary　of　the　situation；　that　I　had　made　the　
acquaintance　of　this　celebrity　and　that　she　was　a　pretty　little　
girl　who　wore　her　hair　in　what　used　to　be　called　a　crop。　　She　
looked　so　juvenile　and　so　innocent　that　if；　as　Mr。　Morrow　had　
announced；　she　was　resigned　to　the　larger　latitude；　her　superiority　
to　prejudice　must　have　come　to　her　early。　　I　spent　most　of　the　day　
hovering　about　Neil　Paraday's　room；　but　it　was　communicated　to　me　
from　below　that　Guy　Walsingham；　at　Prestidge；　was　a　success。　　
Toward　evening　I　became　conscious　somehow　that　her　superiority　was　
contagious；　and　by　the　time　the　company　separated　for　the　night　I　
was　sure　the　larger　latitude　had　been　generally　accepted。　　I　
thought　of　Dora　Forbes　and　felt　that　he　had　no　time　to　lose。　　
Before　dinner　I　received　a　telegram　from　Lady　Augusta　Minch。　　〃Lord　
Dorimont　thinks　he　must　have　left　bundle　in　train　…　enquire。〃　　How　
could　I　enquire　…　if　I　was　to　take　the　word　as　a　command？　　I　was　
too　worried　and　now　too　alarmed　about　Neil　Paraday。　　The　Doctor　
came　back；　and　it　was　an　immense　satisfaction　to　me　to　be　sure　he　
was　wise　and　interested。　　He　was　proud　of　being　called　to　so　
distinguished　a　patient；　but　he　admitted　to　me　that　night　that　my　
friend　was　gravely　ill。　　It　was　really　a　relapse；　a　recrudescence　
of　his　old　malady。　　There　could　be　no　question　of　moving　him：　　we　
must　at　any　rate　see　first；　on　the　spot；　what　turn　his　condition　
would　take。　　Meanwhile；　on　the　morrow；　he　was　to　have　a　nurse。　　On　
the　morrow　the　dear　man　was　easier；　and　my　spirits　rose　to　such　
cheerfulness　that　I　could　almost　laugh　over　Lady　Augusta's　second　
telegram：　　〃Lord　Dorimont's　servant　been　to　station　…　nothing　
found。　　Push　enquiries。〃　　I　did　laugh；　I'm　sure；　as　I　remembered　
this　to　be　the　mystic　scroll　I　had　scarcely　allowed　poor　Mr。　Morrow　
to　point　his　umbrella　at。　　Fool　that　I　had　been：　　the　thirty…seven　
influential　journals　wouldn't　have　destroyed　it；　they'd　only　have　
printed　it。　　Of　course　I　said　nothing　to　Paraday。

When　the　nurse　arrived　she　turned　me　out　of　the　room；　on　which　I　
went　downstairs。　　I　should　premise　that　at　breakfast　the　news　that　
our　brilliant　friend　was　doing　well　excited　universal　complacency；　
and　the　Princess　graciously　remarked　that　he　was　only　to　be　
commiserated　for　missing　the　society　of　Miss　Collop。　　Mrs。　Wimbush；　
whose　social　gift　never　shone　brighter　than　in　the　dry　decorum　with　
which　she　accepted　this　fizzle　in　her　fireworks；　mentioned　to　me　
that　Guy　Walsingham　had　made　a　very　favourable　impression　on　her　
Imperial　Highness。　　Indeed　I　think　every　one　did　so；　and　that；　like　
the　money…market　or　the　national　honour；　her　Imperial　Highness　was　
constitutionally　sensitive。　　There　was　a　certain　gladness；　a　
perceptible　bustle　in　the　air；　however；　which　I　thought　slightly　
anomalous　in　a　house　where　a　great　author　lay　critically　ill。　　〃Le　
roy　est　mort　…　vive　le　roy〃：　　I　was　reminded　that　another　great　
author　had　already　stepped　into　his　shoes。　　When　I　came　down　again　
after　the　nurse　had　taken　possession　I　found　a　strange　gentleman　
hanging　about　the　hall　and　pacing　to　and　fro　by　the　closed　door　of　
the　drawing…room。　　This　personage　was　florid　and　bald；　he　had　a　big　
red　moustache　and　wore　showy　knickerbockers　…　characteristics　all　
that　fitted　to　my　conception　of　the　identity　of　Dora　Forbes。　　In　a　
moment　I　saw　what　had　happened：　　the　author　of　〃The　Other　Way　
Round〃　had　just　alighted　at　the　portals　of　Prestidge；　but　had　
suffered　a　scruple　to　restrain　him　from　penetrating　further。　　I　
recognised　his　scruple　when；　pausing　to　listen　at　his　gesture　of　
caution；　I　heard　a　shrill　voice　lifted　in　a　sort　of　rhythmic　
uncanny　chant。　　The　famous　reading　had　begun；　only　it　was　the　
author　of　〃Obsessions〃　who　now　furnished　the　sacrifice。　　The　new　
visitor　whispered　to　me　that　he　judged　something　was　going　on　he　
oughtn't　to　interrupt。

〃Miss　Collop　arrived　last　night；〃　I　smiled；　〃and　the　Princess　has　a　
thirst　for　the　inedit。〃

Dora　Forbes　lifted　his　bushy　brows。　　〃Miss　Collop？〃

〃Guy　Walsingham；　your　distinguished　confrere　…　or　shall　I　say　your　
formidable　rival？〃

〃Oh！〃　growled　Dora　Forbes。　　Then　he　added：　　〃Shall　I　spoil　it　if　I　
go　in？〃

〃I　should　think　nothing　could　spoil　it！〃　I　ambiguously　laughed。

Dora　Forbes　evidently　felt　the　dilemma；　he　gave　an　irritated　crook　
to　his　moustache。　　〃SHALL　I　go　in？〃　he　presently　asked。

We　looked　at　each　ot