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Engleton laughed weakly, but with the remains of the contempt with which he had always treated his jailers. "Afraid of them!" he exclaimed contemptuously. "I fancy the boot has been on the other leg. Who you are, my dear young lady, I do not know, but upon my word you are the most welcome companion a man ever had." The pair moved toward the doorway.
"You tempt one to enquire the length of the reign of a satisfactory enigma," cried Lady Engleton. "Precisely the length of her ability to mystify me," he replied. "Your future wife ought to be given a hint." "Oh! a wife, in no case, could hold me: the mere fact that it was my duty to adore her, would be chilling.
Down gets the others, and all around the old man telling their story, and what they had lost, and how they was all as good as ruined; till at last Old Engleton says, says he, "How about Oglethorpe?" says he. "Ay," says the others, "how about the guard?" Well, with that we bousted him down, as white as a rag and all blooded like a sop. I thought he was dead.
He was seated before a small table upon which a common lamp was burning. His clothes hung about him loosely. His face was haggard. A short, unbecoming beard disfigured his face. He wore no collar or necktie, and his general appearance was altogether dishevelled. Forrest looked at him critically. "My dear Engleton!" he began. "What the devil do you want with me at this time of night?"
Professor Fortescue alone could not be drawn into the discussion. Lady Engleton took him aside and asked what he really thought about it. All he would say was that the whole affair was deeply tragic. He had no knowledge of the circumstances and feelings involved, and his judgment must therefore be useless.
Lady Engleton shook her head. "I fear he flies too high for ordinary mortals," she said; "and I doubt if even he can be quite consistent at that altitude." "Better perhaps fly fairly high, and come down now and again to rest, if one must, than grovel consistently and always," observed Ernest. Lady Engleton gave a little scream. "Mrs. Temperley, come to the rescue. Your brother is calling us names.
And then, for the second time to-day, that strange unexplained peace stole into her heart. Reason came quickly and drove it away with a sneer, and the horror and the darkness closed round again. "If I might only die, if I might only die!" But the little bird sang on. "Quite hopeless!" Joseph Fleming repeated the words incredulously. "Yes," said Lady Engleton, "it is the terrible truth."
This house and the servants and carriages are costing me a small fortune. I dare not even look at my bills. Another house is not to be thought of." Major Forrest looked gloomily at the shining tip of his patent boot. "It's jolly hard luck," he muttered. "A quiet place somewhere in the country, with Engleton and you and myself, and another one or two, and I should be able to pull through.
You have to think, not to enjoy." "Then you must not invite us to Craddock Place," Professor Theobald stipulated. "As usual, a halting compliment." "Ah," sighed Lady Engleton, "I know I don't extract the full flavour out of that!" "It is a neglected art," said the Professor.
Hadria and Lady Engleton, and, farther back, Professor Theobald and Joseph Fleming, could see the two figures pass down to the carriage and hear the carriage drive away. Hadria drew a long breath. "I am afraid she was in love with Joseph Fleming," remarked Lady Engleton.
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