Читать книгу The Dwarf's Chamber - Fergus Hume - Страница 10

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RATHER to his surprise Warwick was not at once accorded an interview by Lord Lelanro, as he had anticipated. On the contrary a whole day elapsed before they came together; and during that time the old gentleman questioned both his sister and Pryce as to the personality and behaviour of the stranger. From each he received an enthusiastic report, which prepossessed him in Warwick’s favour; and therefore he maintained a different attitude during the interview, to that which he would have assumed had the young man been uncouth and uncultured. In place of regretting this unexpected arrival, Lelanro, who had a use for the youth, rather congratulated himself on the trick of Fate.

Moreover, the descriptions severally given by Madam Tot and the doctor interested him in no small degree; for he found it difficult to reconcile the statement that Warwick was a gentleman, and a public school boy, with the damning fact that he tramped the country as an itinerant musician. On the instant this ex-ambassador espied a mystery; and it was therefore with no little curiosity that he repaired after dinner to the study of Dr. Pryce for the purpose of conversing with his guest. In reality Warwick regarded himself as a prisoner, which opinion would have considerably surprised the courteous old lord had he known of it; for notwithstanding the abrupt entrance and lowly profession of the youth, the mere fact that two such excellent judges as Madam Tot and Pryce considered him to be of gentle birth, predisposed Lelanro to regard him in the light of a guest.

Warwick, still in his poor clothes—for, with the exception of clean linen, he had been unable to procure other garments—arose from his seat as Lord Lelanro approached. He beheld a slender and stately old gentleman, carefully arrayed in evening dress, and from his air of command he instinctively guessed the identity of the new-comer. Notwithstanding the sore burden of eighty years, Lelanro’s form was not bent, nor was the fire in his blue eyes dimmed to any appreciable extent. Although his crown was bald, yet there was a goodly circle of white locks round his head; he wore a moustache jauntily pointed on the upper lip, an imperial on the chin; both of these were snow-white, and in conjunction with his clear skin, seamed with myriad wrinkles, fine as though drawn by a needle, gave him an air of great distinction. Once Warwick remembered to have seen a portrait of Charles Stewart, and here he beheld the semblance of him in the flesh; nor, to complete the likeness, was wanting the melancholy look that characterized those of that royal and unfortunate House. Scandal hinted at a strain of Stewart blood in the veins of the Lelanros, and certainly the appearance of the present holder of the title went far to confirm the assertion.

Ever courteous, and now the more so as his guest was poor and unknown, Lord Lelanro bowed in recognition of Warwick’s respectful greeting, and motioned him to resume his seat. A few moments previously Dr. Pryce had left the study, so that the two were absolutely alone, and being seated by the table on which stood a shaded lamp, Lelanro took advantage of the opportunity to read the face of his guest. With a turn of his hand he so placed the shade that while he remained in shadow the countenance of the young man was in the glare. Thus prepared to note if the facial expression confirmed what the lips uttered, Lelanro proceeded to open the conversation. Hitherto respect had sealed the lips of his younger companion.

“Dr. Pryce informs me that your name is Algernon Warwick,” said the elder gentleman in a mellow voice.

“Yes, my lord.”

“And you entered my house by accident.”

“My lord, it was accidental in one way, but not in another,” said Warwick, determined to conceal nothing. “But that my foolish curiosity drew me to view the wall on the river’s brink, I had not fallen in; and but for such immersion, which in itself was an accident, I had not scaled the wall, and so surprised your secret.”

“I am glad to see that you speak frankly,” replied Lelanro, favourably impressed by this candid admission. “And may I ask what first roused your curiosity about my house?”

“The wall itself, my lord. I was coming to Dalesford along the high-road, and weary with tramping on the hard stones, I took advantage of a bend in the highway to walk across the fields. By so doing I shortened my journey, and soothed my sore feet. In taking this short cut I passed by your house, and I was much astonished at the massive wall which fronted the river.”

“You speak excellently, sir,” said the old lord approvingly, “and I note you recognize the value of our English tongue. Proceed.”

“I stayed for the night at the ‘Lelanro Arms,’ my lord, and there I heard some talk of your lordship’s family.”

“Indeed! Mistress Sally lets her tongue run freely, then.”

“By no means, my lord,” replied Warwick, distressed at the idea of inculpating the friendly landlady; “she said nothing.”

“But looked a great deal.”

“My lord, though young in years, experience has taught me how to read faces. I do not say that she looked in any pointed fashion; but I noted her embarrassment when I mentioned the wall, and so my curiosity was revived concerning the purpose for which it was built.”

Lelanro looked vexed, and eyed the young man keenly, for although these frank confessions disarmed his anger, he was nevertheless ill pleased at the perspicuity of the youth.

“I am glad all men are not so gifted,” said he after a pause, “else words would be of no value to hide thought, for oftentimes face reveals what tongue would hide. But do you not think, Mr. Warwick, that your curiosity was unwarrantable?”

“As to that I can only throw myself on your lordship’s mercy,” replied the youth, with flushed cheek.

For a moment or so Lelanro made no reply. He was pleased with the candour of the young man, and also with his ingenuous manner; therefore, though ruffled at what he could not but regard as a meddlesome curiosity, he forgave the fault for the honesty of the speech.

“You are but a lad, I see,” he remarked gently, “and though I have the right to be angry with the liberty you have taken, yet, as you admit your folly and court blame, I will not be hard on you. Let us say no more about it, Mr. Warwick.”

“And your lordship will not impute blame to Mistress Sally,”

“No, no! She is sufficiently discreet, though, indeed, she knows nothing but what may be constructed out of gossip and imagination. I see plainly that your gifts are beyond your years, and from what you have told me it would need a remarkably self-controlled person to baffle those thought-reading eyes of yours. Well, sir, your curiosity being thus roused, you took a second look at the wall.”

“Yes, my lord; and I was punished by falling into the nver. I must confess, however, that while playing on my violin, I heard Miss Lelanro singing beyond the wall.”

“Which further roused your curiosity,” responded Lelanro dryly, “and you resolved to scale the wall, and release the enchanted prisoner ensconced behind it.”

“I really don’t know what I should have done,” said Warwick honestly, though his cheek burned; “but Fate took the matter out of my hands, and I had either to climb the wall or let myself be drowned.”

“And as self-preservation is the first law of nature you took the former alternative. Well, Mr. Warwick, you have told your story honestly, and that condones your fault in my eyes. I am a reader of character also, of much more experience than you, and had you told a falsehood, not all your conversational powers would have saved you from my anger. I dare say, with your perspicuity, you guessed why I altered that lamp-shade.”

“To see my face, was it not?”

“Right, sir! You are certainly no fool,” replied Lelanro, with grim approval. “Well, sir, now that I know the truth, what am I to do with you?”

The other made no reply, but hung his head in some confusion, while the old lord revolved in his own mind the circumstances of the case.

“You have surprised a secret which our race would fain hide,” he continued, rising and pacing the room. “Many rumours are rife in the country and in town concerning the monster kept in the Lelanro Manor House. You see for yourself ‘tis only a poor little dwarf, who is kindly treated and well looked after. So far as humanity goes the whole world might know the truth; but in accordance with the traditions of our family I do not choose to let it be known. You have become wiser than your fellows, and I am puzzled to know what course to pursue. I cannot keep you prisoner, and yet, if you go, who knows what you may say?”

“Your lordship need have no fear,” retorted Warwick haughtily. “I promise you that no word shall pass my lips. Young as I am, my lord, you can confide in my honour as profoundly as in your own.”

The old nobleman stopped short and eyed the lad before him with some astonishment. He was not ill-pleased at the haughty outburst, and contrasting it with the former deference and humility of the young man, he was convinced that both his sister and the doctor were right in their surmise. The youth had good blood in his veins.

“We will settle the question later on,” said he after a pause; “first, I would know more about you, Mr. Warwick. May I ask who you are?”

“A wandering fiddler, my lord.”

“But your name, sir?”

“My Christian name, Algernon, was borne by my father,” replied the youth, “the other was taken by me from the place of my birth. I was born, my lord, in the town of Warwick.”

“Strange,” muttered Lelanro, caressing his chin, “you speak, look, and act like a gentleman, yet your statement—”

“Proclaims that I am not one! Very true, my lord! I put forward no claim to gentle birth, yet as my father was ignorant whence he sprang, I may come of a good stock for all I know.”

“Who was your father?”

“My lord,” said Warwick, with great confusion, “you have a right to my confidence, since you have forgiven my folly so kindly, and I shall tell you that which hitherto I have revealed to no man. My father—my father—”

“Go on, lad,” said Lelanro kindly, seeing the shamed look in the lad’s face, “who was your father?”

Warwick bit his lip, and stammered out the words with an effort.

“He was a dwarf, my lord.”

Astonished at so unexpected a reply, Lelanro turned pale, and sank into his former seat with an ejaculation, which even his self-control could not prevent. Soon his brow grew dark, and he frowned ominously at the young man.

“You are mocking me, sir.”

“No, my lord; I swear it is the truth,” responded Warwick, with great emotion. “My father was a dwarf scarce higher than your poor sister, who exhibited himself at fairs for his livelihood. He married one who called herself the Fair Circassian, who made her living by showing her beauty to the crowd. I am the offspring of the pair,” gasped Warwick, with a painful contraction of the throat, “I was—I was born in a booth.”

“But your speech, your behaviour. These do not suit with such humble birth.”

“My lord, I was educated at a public school for over ten years. My father was a great believer in the possibility that he came of good stock, and so, desiring to give me every advantage, he spent what money he possessed in aiding me to achieve a position in the world. I was taken away while young and placed at the school. I did not know the truth till two years ago, when I finished my education. Then the money was spent, my father and mother were dead, and I was thrown penniless on the world. To support myself I took up the profession of a strolling fiddler.”

Lelanro rested his chin on his hand and looked straight at Warwick. He saw perfectly well that the lad spoke truly, and was overcome with shame at having to make so humiliating a confession. Signing him to stand up, he looked at him long and earnestly, and found it difficult to believe that so well-grown and graceful a lad could own a dwarf for a father. A trifle beyond the ordinary stature, he was slender and well-made; and in looks and demeanour he showed himself to be one with gentle blood in his veins.

“A strange confession,” said Lelanro slowly; “be seated, Mr. Warwick, and relate your story.”