Page:The Tragic Muse (London & New York, Macmillan & Co., 1890), Volume 3.djvu/257

Rh of course immediately became a high wonder—a wonder for Nick and Biddy, who had not heard of his return; and the marvel was increased by the fact that he gave no sign of looking for them, or even at them. Having taken possession of his place he sat very still in it, staring straight before him at the curtain. His abrupt reappearance contained mystifying elements both for Biddy and for Nick, so that it was mainly Miss Tressilian who had freedom of mind to throw off the theory that he had come back that very hour—had arrived from a long journey. Couldn't they see how strange he was and how brown, how burnt and how red, how tired and how worn? They all inspected him, though Biddy declined Miss Tressilian's glass; but he was evidently unconscious of observation, and finally Biddy, leaning back in her chair, dropped the fantastic words: "He has come home to marry Juliet."

Nick glanced at her; then he replied: "What a disaster—to make such a journey as that and to be late for the fair!"

"Late for the fair?"

"Why, she's married—these three days. They did it very quietly; Miriam says because her mother hated it and hopes it won't be much known. All the same she's Basil Dashwood's wedded wife—he has come in just in time to take the receipts for Juliet. It's a good thing, no doubt, for there are at least two fortunes to be made out of her, and he'll give up the stage." Nick explained to Miss Tressilian, who had inquired, that the gentleman in question was the actor who was playing Mercutio, and he asked Biddy if she had not known that this was what they were telling him in Rosedale Road in the morning. She replied that she had not understood, and she sank