The Malefactor
Page 2
OUTSIDE THE PALE
Three men were together in a large and handsomely furnished sitting roomof the Clarence Hotel, in Piccadilly. One, pale, quiet, and unobtrusive,dressed in sober black, the typical lawyer's clerk, was busy gatheringup a collection of papers and documents from the table, over which theyhad been strewn. His employer, who had more the appearance of a countrygentleman than the junior partner in the well-known firm of Rocke andSon, solicitors, had risen to his feet, and was drawing on his gloves.At the head of the table was the client.
"I trust, Sir Wingrave, that you are satisfied with this account of ourstewardship," the solicitor said, as his clerk left the room. "We havefelt it a great responsibility at times, but everything seems tohave turned out very well. The investments, of course, are all abovesuspicion."
"Perfectly satisfied, I thank you," was the quiet reply. "You seem tohave studied my interests in a very satisfactory manner."
Mr. Rocke had other things to say, but his client's manner seemeddesigned to create a barrier of formality between them. He hesitated,unwilling to leave, yet finding it exceedingly difficult to say thethings which were in his mind. He temporized by referring back tomatters already discussed, solely for the purpose of prolonging theinterview.
"You have quite made up your mind, then, to put the Tredowen property onthe market," he remarked. "You will excuse my reminding you of the factthat you have large accumulated funds in hand, and nearly a hundredthousand pounds worth of easily realizable securities. Tredowen hasbeen in your mother's family for a good many years, and I should doubtwhether it will be easily disposed of."
The man at the head of the table raised his head. He looked steadily atthe lawyer, who began to wish that he had left the room with his clerk.Decidedly, Sir Wingrave Seton was not an easy man to get on with.
"My mind is quite made up, thank you, on this and all other mattersconcerning which I have given you instructions," was the calm reply. "Ihave had plenty of time for consideration," he added drily.
The lawyer had his opening at last, and he plunged.
"Sir Wingrave," he said, "we were at college together, and ourconnection is an old one. You must forgive me if I say how glad I am tosee you here, and to know that your bad time is over. I can assure youthat you have had my deepest sympathy. Nothing ever upset me so much asthat unfortunate affair. I sincerely trust that you will do your bestnow to make up for lost time. You are still young, and you are rich. Letus leave business alone now, for the moment. What can I do for you as afriend, if you will allow me to call you so?"
Wingrave turned slightly in his chair. In his altered position, a ray ofsunshine fell for the first time upon his gaunt but striking face. Linedand hardened, as though by exposure and want of personal care, there wasalso a lack of sensibility, an almost animal callousness, on the coldlylit eyes and unflinching mouth, which readily suggested some terribleand recent experience--something potent enough to have dried up thehuman nature out of the man and left him soulless. His clothes had theimpress of the ready-made, although he wore them with a distinctionwhich was obviously inherent; and notwithstanding the fact that heseemed to have been writing, he wore gloves.
"I am much obliged to you, Rocke," he said. "Let me repeat yourquestion. What is there that you can do for me?"
Mr. Rocke was apparently a little nonplussed. The absoluteimperturbability of the man who had once been his friend wasdisconcerting.
"Well," he said, "the governor sent me instead of coming himself,because he thought that I might be more useful to you. London changes soquickly--you would hardly know your way about now. I should like you tocome and dine with me tonight, and I'll take you round anywhere you careto go; and then if you don't want to go back to your old tradespeople, Icould take you to my tailor and bookmaker."
"Is that all?" Wingrave asked calmly.
Rocke was again taken aback.
"Certainly not," he answered. "There must be many ways in which I couldbe useful to you, but I can't think of them all at once. I am here toserve you professionally or as a friend, to the best of my ability. Canyou suggest anything yourself? What do you want?"
"That is the question," Wingrave said, "which I have been asking myself.Unfortunately, up to now, I have not been able to answer it. Regardingmyself, however, from the point of view of a third party, I shouldsay that the thing I was most in need of was the society of my fellowcreatures."
"Exactly," Rocke declared. "That is what I thought you would say! Itwon't take us long to arrange something of the sort for you."
"Can you put me up," Wingrave asked, "at your club, and introduce me toyour friends there?"
Rocke flinched before the steady gaze of those cold enquiring eyes, inwhich he fancied, too, that a gleam of malice shone. The color mountedto his cheeks. It was a most embarrassing situation.
"I can introduce you to some decent fellows, of course, and to some verycharming ladies," he said hesitatingly, "but as to the club--I--well,don't you think yourself that it would scarcely be wise to--"
"Exactly," Wingrave interrupted. "And these ladies that you spoke of--"
"Oh! There's no difficulty about that," Rocke declared with an air ofrelief. "I can make up a little dinner party for tonight, if you like.There's an awfully smart American woman over here, with the Fanciful FanCompany--I'm sure you'd like her, and she'd come like a shot. Then I'dget Daisy Vane--she's all right. They don't know anything, and wouldn'tcare if they did. Besides, you could call yourself what you liked."
"Thank you," Wingrave said. "I am afraid I did not make myself quiteclear. I was not thinking of play fellows. I was thinking of the men andwomen of my own order. Shall I put the matter quite clearly? Can I takemy place in society under my own name, renew my old friendships andbuild up new ones? Can I do this even at the risk of a few difficultiesat first? I am not a sensitive man. I am prepared for the usual numberof disagreeable incidents. But can I win my way through?"
With his back against the wall, Rocke displayed more courage. Besides,what was the use of mincing matters with a man who had all theappearance of a human automaton, who never flinched or changed color,and whose passions seemed dried up and withered things?
"I am afraid not, Sir Wingrave," he said. "I should not recommend you totry, at any rate for the present."
"Give me your reasons," was the cool response.
"I will do so with pleasure," Rocke answered. "About the time of thetrial and immediately afterwards, there was a certain amount ofsympathy for you. People felt that you must have received a good deal ofprovocation, and there were several unexplained incidents which toldin your favor. Today, I should think that the feeling amongst thosewho remember the affair at all is rather the other way. You heard, Ibelieve, that Lady Ruth married Lumley Barrington?"
"Yes."
"Barrington has been very successful at the Bar, and they say that heis certain of a judgeship before long. His wife has backed him up well,they have entertained lavishly, and today I should think that she is oneof the most popular hostesses in London. In her earlier days, I used tohear that she was one of the very fast hunting set--that was the timewhen you knew her. I can assure you that if ever that was true, she isa completely altered woman today. She is patroness of half a dozen greatcharitable schemes, she writes very clever articles in the Reviews onthe Betterment of the Poor Question, and royalty itself visits at herhouse."
"I see," Wingrave said drily. "I was not aware of these changes."
"If ever," Mr. Rocke continued, "people were inclined to look a littleaskance at her, that has all gone by. Today she is one of the last womenin the world of whom people would be likely to believe ill."
Wingrave nodded slowly.
"I am very much obliged to you," he said, "for this information. Youseem to have come here today, Mr. Rocke, with good intentions towardsme. Let me ask you to put yourself in my place. I am barely fortyyears old, and I am rich. I want to make the most of my life--under thesomewhat peculiar circumstances. How and where sho
uld you live?"
"It depends a little upon your tastes, of course," Rocke answered. "Youare a sportsman, are you not?"
"I am fond of sport," Wingrave answered. "At least I was. At present Iam not conscious of having any positive tastes."
"I think," Rocke continued, "that I should first of all change myname. Then, without making any effort to come into touch with your oldfriends, I should seek acquaintance amongst the Bohemian world of Londonand Paris. There I might myself, perhaps, be able to help you. Forsport, you might fish in Norway or Iceland, or shoot in Hungary; youcould run to a yacht if you cared about it, and if you fancy big game,why, there's all Africa before you."
Wingrave listened, without changing a muscle of his face.
"Your programme," he remarked, "presupposes that I have no ambitionsbeyond the pursuit of pleasure."
Rocke shrugged his shoulders. He was becoming more at his ease. He feltthat his advice was sound, that he was showing a most comprehensivegrasp of the situation.
"I am afraid," he said, "that none of what we call the careers are opento you. You could not enter Parliament, and you are too old for theprofessions. The services, of course, are impossible. You might write,if your tastes ran that way. Nowadays, it seems to be the fashion torecord one's experiences in print, if--if they should happen to be inany way exceptional. I can think of nothing else!"
"I am very much obliged to you," Wingrave said. "Your suggestions areeminently practical. I will think them over. Don't let me keep you anylonger!"
"About this evening," Rocke remarked. "Shall I fix up that little dinnerparty? You have only to say the word!"
"I am very much obliged to you, but I think not," answered Wingrave."I will dine with you alone some evening, with pleasure! Not just aspresent!"
Rocke looked, as he felt, puzzled. He honestly wished to be of serviceto this man, but he was at a loss to know what further suggestion hecould make. There was something impenetrable about his client, somethingwhich he could not arrive at, behind the hard, grim face and measuredwords. He could not even guess as to what the man's hopes or intentionswere. Eventually, although with some reluctance, he took up his hat.
"Well, Sir Wingrave," he said, "if there is really nothing I can dofor you, I will go. If you should change your mind, you have only totelephone. You can command me at any time. I am only anxious to be ofservice to you."
"You have already been of service to me," Wingrave answered quietly."You have spoken the truth! You have helped me to realize my positionmore exactly. Will you give your father my compliments and thanks, andsay that I am entirely satisfied with the firm's conduct of affairsduring my--absence?"
Rocke nodded.
"Certainly," he said. "That will please the governor! I must be off now.I hope you'll soon be feeling quite yourself again, Sir Wingrave! Itmust seem a bit odd at first, I suppose, but it will wear off all right.What you want, after all, is society. Much better let me arrange thatlittle dinner for tonight!"
Wingrave shook his head.
"Later on, perhaps," he answered. "Good morning!"