Page:The Mystery of a Hansom Cab.djvu/205

Rh He had his bath, and, after dressing himself, went into his sitting-room, where he had a cup of tea, which refreshed him considerably. Mrs. Sampson came crackling merrily upstairs with a letter, and gave vent to an exclamation of surprise on seeing his altered appearance.

"Lor', sir!" she exclaimed, "What 'ave you bin a-doin'—me knowin' your 'abits know'd as you'd gone to bed, not to say as it's very temptin' in this 'ot weather, but with excuses, sir, you looks as you 'adn't slept a blessed wink."

"No more I have," said Brian, listlessly holding out his hand for the letter. "I was walking up and down my room all last night—I must have walked miles."

"Ah! 'ow that puts me in mind of my pore 'usband," chirped the cricket; "bein' a printer, and accustomed like a howl to the darkness, when 'e was 'ome for the night 'e walked up and down till 'e wore out the carpet, bein' an expensive one, as I 'ad on my marriage, and the only way I could stop 'im was by givin' 'im somethin' soothin', which you, sir, ought to try—whiskey 'ot, with lemon and sugar—but I've 'eard tell as chloroform——"

"No, d—— it," said Brian, hastily, startled out of his politeness, "I've had enough of that."

"Achin' teeth, no doubt," said the landlady, going to the door, "which I'm often taken that way myself, decayed teeth runnin' in the family, tho', to be sure, mine are stronger than former, a lodger of mine 'avin bin a dentist, an' doin' them beautiful, instead of payin' rent, not 'avin' ready cash, 'is boxes bein' filled with bricks on 'is departure from the 'ouse."

As Brian did not appear particularly interested in these domestic reminiscences, and seemed as if he wanted to be left alone, Mrs. Sampson, with a final crackle, went down stairs and talked with a neighbor in the kitchen, as to the desirability of drawing her money out of the savings bank in case the Russians should surprise and capture Melbourne.

Brian, left alone, stared out of the window at the dusty road and the black shadows cast by the tall poplars in front of the house.

"I must leave this place," he said to himself. "Every chance remark seems to bear on the murder, and I'm not going to have it constantly by my side like the skeleton at the feast."