The Irrational Knot Part 64

Conolly nodded a.s.sent; and they went to a house on the doorstep of which Douglas's man was waiting, and ascended to the front drawing-room.

"Now, sir," said Douglas, without inviting his guests to sit down.

Conolly alone took off his hat. Marmaduke went aside, and looked out of the window.

"I know the circ.u.mstances that have led to your return," said Conolly; "so we need not go into that. I want you, however, to a.s.sist me on one point. Do you know what Marian's pecuniary position is at present?'

"I decline to admit that it concerns me in any way."

"Of course not. But it concerns me, as I do not wish that she should be without money in a foreign city. She has telegraphed a question about her property to Miss McQuinch. That by itself is nothing; but her new address, which I first saw on a letter this morning, happens to be known to me as that of a rather shabby lodging-house."

"I know nothing of it."

"I do: it means that she is poor. I can guess at the sum she carried with her to America. Now, if you will be good enough to tell me whether you have ever given her money; if so, how much; and what her expenditure has been, you will enable me to estimate her position at present."

"I do not know that you have any right to ask such questions."

"I do not a.s.sert any right to ask them. On the contrary, I have explained their object. I shall not press them, if you think that an answer will in any way compromise you."

"I have no fear of being compromised. None whatever."

Conolly nodded, and waited for an answer.

"I may say that my late trip has cost me a considerable sum. I paid all the expenses; and Miss--Mrs. Conolly did not, to my knowledge, disburse a single fraction. She did not ask me to give her money. Had she done so, I should have complied at once."

"Thank you. Thats all right: she will be able to hold out until she hears from us. Good-afternoon."

"Allow me to add, sir, before you go," said Douglas, a.s.serting himself desperately against Conolly's absolutely sincere disregard of him and preoccupation with Marian, "that Mrs. Conolly has been placed in her present position entirely through her own conduct. I repudiate the insinuation that I have deserted her in a foreign city; and I challenge inquiry on the point."

"Quite so, quite so," a.s.sented Conolly, carelessly. "Good-bye, Lind."

And he took his hat and went out.

"By George!" said Marmaduke, admiringly, "he did that d.a.m.ned well--_d.a.m.ned_ well. Look here, old man: take my advice and clear out for another year or so. You cant stay here. As a looker-on, I see most of the game; and thats my advice to you as a friend."

Douglas, whose face had reddened and reddened with successive rushes of blood until it was now purple, lost all self-control at Marmaduke's commiserating tone. "I will see whether I cannot put him in the wrong,"

he burst out, in the debased voice of an ign.o.bly angry man. "Do you think I will let him tell the world that I have been thrown over and fooled?"

"Thats your own story, isnt it? At least, I understood you to say so as we came along."

"Let him say so, and I'll thrash him like, a dog in the street.

I'll----"

"Whats the use of thras.h.i.+ng a man who will simply hand you over to the police? and quite right, too! What rot!"

"We shall see. We shall see."

"Very well. Do as you like. You may twist one another's heads off for what I care. He has had the satisfaction of putting you into a rage, at all events."

"I am not in a rage."

"Very well. Have it your own way."

"Will you take a challenge to him from me?"

"No. I am not a born fool."

"That is plain speaking."

Marmaduke put his hands into his pockets, and whistled. "I think I will take myself off," he said, presently.

"As you please," replied Douglas, coldly.

"I will look in on you some day next week, when you have cooled down a bit. Good-bye."

Douglas said nothing, and Marmaduke, with a nod, went out. Some minutes later the servant entered and said that Mr. Lind was below.

"What! Back again!" said Douglas, with an oath.

"No, sir. It's old Mr. Lind--Mr. Reginald."

"Did you say I was in?"

"The man belonging to the house did, sir."

"Confound his officiousness! I suppose he must come up."

Reginald Lind entered, and bowed. Douglas placed a chair for him, and waited, mute, and a little put out. Mr. Lind's eyes and voice shewed that he also was not at his ease; but his manner was courtly and his expression grave, as Douglas had, in his boyhood, been accustomed to see them.

"I am sorry, Sholto," said Mr. Lind, "that I cannot for the present meet you with the cordiality which formerly existed between us. However unbearable your disappointment at Marian's marriage may have been, you should not have taken a reprehensible and desperate means of remedying it. I speak to you now as an old friend--as one who knew you when the disparity in our ages was more marked than it is at present."

Douglas bowed.

"I have just heard from Mr. Conolly--whom I met accidentally in Pall Mall--that you have returned from America. He gave me no further account of you, except that he had met you and spoken to you here. I hope nothing unpleasant pa.s.sed."

"The meeting was not a pleasant one. I shall take steps to make Mr.

Conolly understand that."

"Nothing approaching to violence, I trust."

"No. Mr. Conolly's discretion averted it. I am not sure that a second interview between us will end so quietly."

"The interview should not have taken place at all, Sholto. I need not point out to you that prudence and good taste forbid any repet.i.tion of it."

"I did not seek it, Mr. Lind. He forced it upon me. I promise you that if a second meeting takes place, it will be forced upon him by me, and will take place in another country."

"That is a young man's idea, Sholto. The day for such crimes, thank Heaven, is past and gone. Let us say no more of it. I was speaking to your mother on Sunday. Have you seen her yet?"

"No."