December Love

by Robert Hichens

  CHAPTER XIV

  When Sir Seymour was going out of the main hall of the building in whichArabian lived a taxicab happened to drive up. A man got out of it andpaid the chauffeur. Sir Seymour made a sign to the chauffeur, who jerkedhis head and said:

  "Yes, sir."

  "Drive me to Claridge's Hotel, please," said Sir Seymour.

  He got into the taxicab and was soon away in the night. When he reachedthe hotel he went to the bureau and inquired if Miss Van Tuyn was athome. The man at the bureau, who knew him well, said that she was in,that she had not been out all day. He would inquire at once if she wasat home to visitors. As he spoke he looked at Sir Seymour with an air ofdiscreet interest. After a moment at the telephone he asked Sir Seymourto go upstairs, and called a page-boy to accompany him and show him theway.

  "Henriques," said Sir Seymour, pausing as he was about to follow thepage. "You're a discreet fellow, I know."

  "I hope so, Sir Seymour."

  "If by chance a man called Arabian should come here, while I amupstairs, get rid of him, will you? I am speaking on Miss Van Tuyn'sbehalf and with her authority."

  "I won't let the gentleman up, Sir Seymour."

  "Has he called to-day?"

  "Yes, Sir Seymour. He called early this afternoon. I had orders to sayMiss Van Tuyn and Miss Cronin were both out. He wrote a note downstairswhich was sent up."

  "He may call again at any time. Get rid of him."

  "Yes, Sir Seymour."

  "Thanks. I rely on your discretion."

  And Sir Seymour went towards the lift, where the page-boy was waiting.

  Miss Van Tuyn met him at the threshold of her sitting-room. She was verypale. She greeted him eagerly.

  "How good of you to call again! Do come in. I haven't stirred. I haven'tbeen out all day."

  She shut the sitting-room door.

  "_He_ has been here!"

  "So I heard."

  "How? Who has--"

  "I ventured to speak to Henriques, the young man at the bureau, beforecoming up. I know him quite well. I took it on myself to give an orderon your behalf."

  "That he wasn't to be allowed to come up?"

  "Yes. I told Henriques to get rid of him."

  "Oh, thank you! Thank you! I've been in misery all day thinking at everymoment that he might open my door and walk in."

  "They won't let him up."

  "But they mightn't happen to see him. If there were many people in thehall he might pass by unnoticed and--"

  "In a hotel of this type people don't pass by unnoticed. You need not beafraid."

  "But I am horribly afraid. I can't help it. And it's so dreadful notdaring to move. It's--it's like living in a nightmare!"

  "Come, Miss Van Tuyn!" said Sir Seymour, and in his voice and mannerthere was just a hint of the old disciplinarian, "pull yourselftogether. You're not helpless, and you've got friends."

  "Oh, do forgive me! I know I have. But there's something so absolutelyhideous in feeling like this about a man who--whom I--"

  She broke off, and sat down on a sofa abruptly, almost as if her limbshad given way under her.

  "I quite understand that. I've just been with the fellow."

  Miss Van Tuyn started up.

  "You've seen him?"

  "Yes."

  "Where? Here?"

  "I went to Mr. Garstin's studio to have a look at the portrait and say aword to him. While I was there Arabian called. I stayed on and sat withhim for some time. Afterwards I walked with him to the building where heis living temporarily and went in."

  "Went in? _You_ went into his flat!"

  "As I say."

  Miss Van Tuyn looked at him without speaking. Her expression showedintense astonishment, amounting almost to incredulity.

  "I had it out with him," said Sir Seymour grimly, after a pause. "And inthe heat of the moment I told him something which I had not intended totell him, which I had not meant to speak of at all."

  "What? What?"

  "I told him I knew about the theft of ten years ago."

  "Oh!"

  "And I told him also that you knew about it."

  "That I--oh! How did he take it? What did he say?"

  "I didn't wait to hear. The flat was--well--scented, and I wanted to getout of it."

  His face expressed such a stern and acute disgust that Miss Van Tuyn'seyes dropped beneath his.

  "You may think--it would be natural to think that the fact of my havingtold the man about your knowledge of his crime would prevent him fromever attempting to see you again," Sir Seymour continued, "but I don'tfeel sure of that."

  "You think that even after that he might--"

  "I'll be frank with you. I can't tell what he might or might not do. Hemay follow my suggestion--"

  "What did you--"

  "I suggested to him that he had better clear out of the country at once.It's quite possible that he may take my view and go, but in case hedoesn't, and tries to bother you any more--"

  "He's been! He's written! He says he _will_ see me. He has guessed thatsomething has turned me against him."

  "He knows now what it is. Now I want you to write a note to him whichI will leave at the bureau in case he calls to-night or to-morrowmorning."

  "Yes."

  She went to the writing-table and sat down.

  "If you will allow me to suggest the wording."

  "Please--please do!"

  She took up a pen and dipped it in the ink. Then Sir Seymour dictated:

  SIR,--Sir Seymour Portman has told me of his meeting with you to-day andof what occurred at it. What he said to you about me is true. I _know_.If you call you will not see me. I refuse absolutely to see you or tohave anything more to do with you, now or at any future time.

  "And then your name at the end."

  Miss van Tuyn wrote with a hand that slightly trembled. "B. VAN TUYN."

  "If you will put that into an envelope and address it I will take itdown and leave it at the bureau."

  "Thank you."

  Miss Van Tuyn put the note into an envelope, closed the envelope andaddressed it.

  "That's right."

  Sir Seymour held out his hand and she gave him the note.

  "Now, good night."

  "You are going!"

  He smiled slightly.

  "I don't sleep at Claridge's as you and Miss Cronin do."

  "No, of course not. Thank you so very, very much! But I can never thankyou properly."

  She paused. Then she said with sudden bitterness:

  "And I used to pride myself on my independence!"

  "Ah--independence! A word!" said Sir Seymour.

  He turned away to go, but when he was near the door he stopped andseemed hesitating.

  "What is it?" said Miss Van Tuyn anxiously.

  "Even men sometimes have instincts," he said, turning round.

  "Yes?"

  "May I use your telephone?"

  "Of course! But--do--you--"

  "Where--Oh, there it is!"

  He went to it and called up the bureau. Then he said: "Sir SeymourPortman is speaking from Miss Van Tuyn's sitting-room . . . is that Mr.Henriques? Please tell me, has that man, Arabian, of whom we spoke justnow, called again?"

  There was a silence in which Miss Van Tuyn, watching, saw a frownwrinkle deeply Sir Seymour's forehead.

  "Ah! Has he gone? Did you get rid of him? . . . How long ago? . . . Onlytwo or three minutes! . . . Do you think he knows I am here? . . . Thankyou. I'll be down in a moment."

  He put the receiver back.

  "Oh, but don't leave me!" said Miss Van Tuyn distractedly. "You see, inspite of what you told him he _has_ come!"

  "Yes. He has been. He's a determined fellow."

  "He'll never give it up! What can I do?"

  "All you can do at present is to remain quietly up here in yourcomfortable rooms. Leave the rest to me."

  "But if he gets in?"

  "He won't. Even if he came upstairs--and he won't be allowed to
--he hasno key of your outer door. Now I'll go down and leave this note at thebureau. If he comes back and receives it, that will probably decide himto give the thing up. He is counting on the weakness of your will. Thisnote will show him you have made up your mind. By the way"--he fixed hisdark eyes on her--"you _have_ made up your mind?"

  She blushed up to her hair.

  "Oh, yes--yes!"

  "Very well. To-morrow I shall go to Scotland Yard. We'll get him out ofthe country one way or another."

  She accompanied him to the outer door of the apartment. When he hadgone out she shut it behind him, and he heard the click of a bolt beingpushed home.

  Before leaving the hotel Sir Seymour again sought his discreet friendHenriques, to whom he gave Miss Van Tuyn's note.

  "So the fellow has been?" he said.

  "Yes, Sir Seymour."

  "Did you get rid of him easily?"

  "Well, to tell the truth, Sir Seymour, he tried to be obstinate. Ithink--if you'll excuse me--I certainly think that he was slightly underthe influence of drink. Not drunk, you'll understand, not at all as muchas that! But still--"

  "Yes--yes. If he comes back give him that note. And--do you think itwould be wise to give him a hint that any further annoyance might leadto the intervention of the police? The young lady is very much upsetand frightened. Do you think you might drop a word or two--at yourdiscretion?"

  "I'll manage it, Sir Seymour. Leave it to me!"

  "Very good of you, Henriques. Good night."

  "Good night, Sir Seymour. Always very glad to do anything for you."

  "Thank you."

  As Sir Seymour stepped out into Brook Street he glanced swiftly up anddown the thoroughfare. But he did not see the man he was looking for. Hestood still for a moment. There was hesitation in his mind. The naturalthing, he felt, would be to go at once to Berkeley Square and to havea talk with Adela. It was late. He was beginning to feel hungry. Adelawould give him some dinner. But--could he go to Adela just now? No; hecould not. And he hailed a cab and drove home. Something the beasthad said had made a horrible impression upon the faithful lover, animpression which remained with him, which seemed to be eating its way,like a powerful acid, into his very soul, corroding, destroying.

  Adela--young Craven!

  Was it possible? Was there then never to be an end to that mania, whichhad been Adela's curse, and the tragedy of the man who had loved herwith the long love which is so rare among men?

  There was bitterness in Sir Seymour's heart that night, and thatbitterness sent him home, to the home that was no real home, to thesolitude that _she_ had given him.