Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: July 15, 2025
Vandeloup laid the pistol down on the mantelpiece with a laugh, lit a cigarette, and, sitting down in a chair opposite Gollipeck, began to talk. 'You are a brave man, he said, coolly blowing a wreath of smoke, 'I admire brave men. 'You are a clever man, retorted the doctor; 'I admire clever men. 'Very good, said Vandeloup, crossing one leg over the other.
Gollipeck, ever sparing of words, nodded in reply, and trudged on in silence, but the Frenchmen, being used to the eccentricities of his companion, was in nowise offended at his silence, but went on talking in an animated manner. 'Ah, my dear friend, he said, pushing his straw hat back on his fair head; 'how goes on the great work?
'As we now understand one another, I await your explanation of this visit. Dr Gollipeck, with admirable composure, placed his hands on his knees, and acceded to the request of M. Vandeloup. 'I saw in the Ballarat and Melbourne newspapers, he said, quietly, 'that Selina Sprotts, the servant of Mrs Villiers, was dead.
He did not want him to come up there, as he would see all the evidences of his intention to leave the country. 'I'll see him downstairs, he said, sharply, to the landlady; 'ask the gentleman to wait. The landlady, however, was pushed roughly to one side, and Dr Gollipeck, rusty and dingy-looking as ever, entered the room.
After his dinner he suddenly recollected that he still had the volume which Dr Gollipeck had lent him, so, calling a cab, he drove to the residence of that eccentric individual to return it. When the servant announced M. Vandeloup, she pushed him in and suddenly closed the door after her, as though she was afraid of some of the doctor's ideas getting away.
So Archie went into Ballarat, and returned to the Pactolus with Dr Gollipeck, an eccentric medical practitioner, whose peculiarities were the talk of the city. Dr Gollipeck was tall and lank, with an unfinished look about him, as if Nature in some sudden freak had seized an incomplete skeleton from a museum and hastily covered it with parchment.
The rain was beating wildly against the windows and someone in the room below was playing the eternal waltz, 'One summer's night in Munich', while Vandeloup, leaning back in his chair, stared at Dr Gollipeck, who looked at him disbelievingly. 'It's not true, he said, harshly; 'what reason had she to poison the woman Sprotts?
'I'm not at home, replied Vandeloup, coolly, removing the cigarette he was smoking from his mouth; 'I can't see anyone tonight. 'He says you'd like to see him, sir, answered the woman, standing at the door. 'The deuce he does, muttered Vandeloup, uneasily; 'I wonder what this pertinacious gentleman's name is? and he glanced at the card, whereon was written 'Dr Gollipeck'.
'Come, Monsieur, said Vandeloup, going to the door, 'let us be off to the office and see how much is due to my friend, and with a bow to Madame, he went out. 'A braw sort o' freend, muttered Archie, as he followed. 'Quite good enough for him, retorted Dr Gollipeck, who overheard him.
Villiers had disappeared entirely, and had taken the nugget with him, so where he was and what he was doing remained a mystery. One result of Madame's illness was that M. Vandeloup had met Dr Gollipeck, and the two, though apparently dissimilar in both character and appearance, had been attracted to one another by a liking which they had in common.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking