Page:The Climber (Benson).djvu/316

306 The house above was dark, and as he went he turned on the passage lights. But even before he had reached the first landing lights were turned on above him, and Lucia, barefooted and in a dressing-gown, came running down. It was no wonder she had heard the knocking; it was sufficient to wake the dead. And just as she reached the landing by the drawing-room she saw him.

For some half-minute neither spoke. In Edgar's mind there was still no anger, only the intolerable weight of his dead love. Then he spoke, raising his voice a little, so that she might hear it above the noise of that tempest of blows outside.

"The motor is at the door," he said, "and it shall drive you away to some hotel. Go and dress yourself. I will wait here for you, and take your luggage down. Ah, here is Hopkins."

The caretaker, half dressed, appeared at this moment, roused from sleep by the noise that still continued.

"Please wait and take her ladyship's luggage to the motor, Hopkins," he said. "It will be ready as soon as possible."

Lucia had not moved since the moment she saw her husband. But then, with a passionate gesticulation, she came a step or two towards him.

"Edgar, I swear to you" she began.

He just held up his hand.

"Ah, quite so," he said. "It is wasted on me."

"But I implore you"

"That is wasted on me also. Go upstairs, and be quick."

He turned, went downstairs again, and crossed the hall to the door. He undid the bolts he had just fastened, and opened it, and found Charlie, white-faced, frantic.

"It will do no good to make that noise," he said. "You had better go home."

Charlie stammered a few incoherent words before he could make his tongue do his bidding.

"But I can't leave her like this!" he cried.

Then, at the sound of his voice, Edgar's dead love, in the presence of the man who had helped to murder it, cried from the earth. But even now he did not lose control of himself; he but just knew that his control was weakening.

"You will be wise to go, you damned hound!" he said. "I am flesh an,d blood also. You need not be afraid for her. She will leave the house in a few minutes. Are you so stupid as to suppose I could touch her? But I might touch you. You might spare me that. Go!"