The Silent House Page 3

  CHAPTER III

  AN UNSATISFACTORY EXPLANATION

  "Mr. Berwin!" cried Lucian, recognising the man. "Is it you?"

  "Who else should it be?" replied Berwin, bending forward to see who hadjostled him. "Who else should it be, Mr. Denzil?"

  "But I thought--I thought," said the barrister, unable to conceal hissurprise, "that is, I fancied you were indoors."

  "Your fancy was wrong, you see. I am not indoors."

  "Then who is in your house?"

  Berwin shrugged his shoulders. "No one, so far as I know."

  "You are mistaken, sir. There was a light in your room, and I saw theshadows of a man and a woman struggling together thrown on the blind."

  "People in my house!" said Berwin, laying a shaking hand on the arm ofLucian. "Impossible!"

  "I tell you it is so!"

  "Come, then, and we will look for them," said Berwin in a tremulousvoice.

  "But they have gone by this time!"

  "Gone!"

  "Yes," said Denzil rapidly. "I rang the bell, as I fancied there wassome fatal quarrel going on within. At once the light was put out, andas I could attract no one to the door, I suppose the man and woman musthave fled."

  For a moment or so Berwin said nothing, but his grip on Lucian's armrelaxed, and he moved forward a few steps. "You must be mistaken, Mr.Denzil," said he in altered tones, "there can be no person in my house.I locked the door before I went out, and I have been absent at least twohours."

  "Then I must be mad, or dreaming!" retorted Lucian, with heat.

  "We can soon prove if you are either of the two, sir. Come with me andexamine the house for yourself."

  "Pardon me," said Denzil, drawing back, "it is none of my business. ButI warn you, Mr. Berwin, that others are more curious than I am. Severaltimes people have been known to be in your house while you were absent,and your mode of life, secretive and strange, does not commend itself tothe householders in this neighbourhood. If you persist in giving rise togossip and scandal, some busybody may bring the police on the scene."

  "The police!" echoed the old man, now greatly alarmed, as would appearfrom his shaking voice. "No! no! That will never do! My house is mycastle! The police dare not break into it! I am a peaceful and veryunfortunate gentleman, who wishes to live quietly. All this talk ofpeople being in my house is nonsense!"

  "Yet you seemed afraid when I told you of the shadows," said Lucianpointedly.

  "Afraid! I am afraid of nothing!"

  "Not even of those who are after you?" hinted Denzil, recalling theconversation of the previous occasion.

  Berwin gave a kind of eldritch shriek and stepped back a pace, as thoughto place himself on his guard. "What--what do you know about such--suchthings?" he panted.

  "Only so much as you hinted at when I last saw you."

  "Yes, yes! I was not myself on that night. The wine was in and the witwas out."

  "The truth also, it would seem," said Lucian drily, "judging by youragitation then and now."

  "I am an unfortunate gentleman," whimpered Berwin tremulously.

  "If you will excuse me, sir, I shall leave you," said Lucianceremoniously. "It seems to be my fate to hold midnight conversationswith you in the cold, but I think this one had better be cut short."

  "One moment," Mr. Berwin exclaimed. "You have been good enough to placeme on my guard as to the talk my quiet course of life is causing. Prayadd to your kindness by coming with me to my house and exploring it fromattic to basement. You will then see that there are no grounds forscandal, and that the shadows you fancy you saw on the blind are notthose of real people."

  "They can't be those of ghosts, at all events," replied Lucian, "as Inever heard, to my knowledge, that spirits could cast shadows."

  "Well, come and see for yourself that the house is empty."

  Warmly as this invitation was given, Lucian had some scruples aboutaccepting it. To explore an almost unfurnished mansion with a completestranger--and one with an ill reputation--at the midnight hour, is notan enterprise to be coveted by any man, however bold he may be. Still,Lucian had ample courage, and more curiosity, for the adventure, as thechance of it stirred up that desire for romance which belongs peculiarlyto youth. Also he was anxious to satisfy himself concerning the blindshadows, and curious to learn why Berwin inhabited so dismal andmysterious a mansion. Add to these reasons a keen pleasure in profitingby the occurrence of the unexpected, and you will guess that Denzilended by accepting the strange invitation of Berwin.

  Being now fully committed to the adventure, he went forward with coolcourage and an observant eye, to spy out, if possible, the secret uponwhich hinged these mysteries.

  As on the former occasion, Berwin inducted his guest into thesitting-room, and here, as previously, a dainty supper was spread.Berwin turned up the lamp light and waved his hand round theluxuriously furnished room, pointing particularly to the space betweentable and window.

  "The figures whose shadows you saw," said he, "must have struggledtogether in this space, so as to be between the lamp and the blind forthe performance of their pantomime. But I would have you observe, Mr.Denzil, that there is no disturbance of the furniture to show that sucha struggle as you describe took place; also that the curtains are drawnacross the window, and no light could have been thrown on the blind."

  "The curtains were, no doubt, drawn after I rang the bell," said Lucian,glancing towards the heavy folds of crimson velvet which veiled thewindow.

  "The curtains," retorted Berwin, stripping off his coat, "were drawn byme before I went out."

  Lucian said nothing, but shook his head doubtfully. Evidently Berwin wastrying, for his own ends, to talk him into a belief that his eyes haddeceived him; but Denzil was too clear-headed a young man to be sogulled. Berwin's explanations and excuses only confirmed the idea thatthere was something in the man's life which cut him off from humanity,and which would not bear the light of day. Hitherto, Lucian had heardrather than seen Berwin; but now, in the clear light of the lamp, he hadan excellent opportunity of observing both the man and his quarters.

  Berwin was of medium height, and lean, with a clean-shaven face, hollowcheeks, and black, sunken eyes. His hair was grey and thin, his lookswild and wandering, and the hectic colouring of his face and narrowchest showed that he was far gone in consumption. Even as Lucian lookedat him he was shaken by a hollow cough, and when he withdrew hishandkerchief from his lips the white linen was spotted with blood.

  He was in evening dress, and looked eminently refined, although worn andhaggard in appearance. Denzil noted two peculiar marks about him; thefirst, a serpentine cicatrice extending on the right cheek from lipalmost to ear; the second, the loss of the little finger of the lefthand, which was cut off at the first joint. As he examined the man asecond and more violent fit of coughing shook him.

  "You seem to be very ill," said Lucian, pitying the feebleness of thepoor creature.

  "Dying of consumption--one lung gone!" gasped Berwin. "It will soon beover--the sooner the better."

  "With your health, Mr. Berwin, it is sheer madness to dwell in thisrigorous English climate."

  "No doubt," replied the man, pouring himself out a tumbler of claret,"but I can't leave England--I can't leave this house, even; but on thewhole," he added, with a satisfied glance around, "I am not badlylodged."

  Lucian agreed with this speech. The room was furnished in the mostluxurious manner. The prevailing hue was a deep, warm red--carpet,walls, hangings, and furniture were all of this cheerful tint. Thechairs were deep, and softly cushioned; on the walls were several oilpaintings by celebrated modern artists; there were dwarf bookcasesfilled with well-chosen books, and on a small bamboo table near the firelay magazines and papers.

  The mantelpiece, reaching nearly to the ceiling, was of oak, framingmirrors of bevelled glass; and on the numerous shelves, cups, saucers,and vases of old and valuable china were placed. There was also a giltclock, a handsome sideboard, and a neat smoking-table, on which stood acu
t-glass spirit-stand and a box of cigars. The whole apartment wasfurnished with taste and refinement, and Lucian saw that the man whoowned such luxurious quarters must be possessed of money, as well as thecapability of using it in the most civilised way.

  "You have certainly all that the heart of man can desire in the way ofmaterial comforts," said he, looking at the supper table, which, withits silver and crystal and spotless covering, glittered like a jewelunder the brilliant lamplight. "My only wonder is that you shouldfurnish one room so finely and leave the others bare."

  "My bedroom and bathroom are yonder," replied Berwin, pointing towardslarge folding doors draped with velvet curtains, and placed opposite tothe window. "They are as well furnished as this. But how do you know therest of this house is bare?"

  "I can hardly help knowing it, Mr. Berwin. Your contrast of poverty andriches is an open secret in this neighbourhood."

  "No one has been in my house save yourself, Mr. Denzil."

  "Oh, I have said nothing. You turned me out so quickly the other nightthat I had no time for observation. Besides, I am not in the habit ofremarking on matters which do not concern me."

  "I beg your pardon," said Berwin weakly. "I had no intention ofoffending you. I suppose Mrs. Kebby has been talking?"

  "I should think it probable."

  "The skirling Jezebel!" cried Berwin. "I'll pack her off right away!"

  "Are you a Scotchman?" asked Denzil suddenly.

  "Why do you ask?" demanded Berwin, without replying.

  "You used an essentially Scotch word--'skirling.'"

  "And I used an essentially American phrase--'right away,'" retorted theman. "I may be a Scot, I may be a Yankee, but I would remind you that mynationality is my own secret."

  "I have no wish to pry into your secrets," said Denzil, rising from thechair in which he had seated himself, "and in my turn I would remind youthat I am here at your invitation."

  "Don't take offense at a hasty word," said Berwin nervously. "I am gladof your company, although I seem rather brusque. You must go over thehouse with me."

  "I see no necessity to do so."

  "It will set your mind at rest regarding the shadows on the blind."

  "I can trust my eyes," said Lucian, drily, "and I am certain that beforeI met you a man and a woman were in this room."

  "Well," said Berwin, lighting a small lamp, "come with me and I'll provethat you are mistaken."