For a while Edith remained almost fainting, then she roused herself, thought a little, and rang the bell. It was answered by the parlour-maid, who had returned.
“Jane,” she said, “when you are out in future, will you be so good as to tell that girl Eliza never to show a stranger up here again without asking if I wish to see him? This afternoon she let in some kind of a madman, who brought a bag of smuggled silks which he wished to sell me. I could not get rid of him for nearly half an hour, and he has frightened me almost out of my wits. No; I don’t want to hear any more about it. Take away the things.”
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE HAPPY, HAPPY LIFE
When Rupert left the house in Brook Street, he walked on aimlessly down it, down Bond Street, across Piccadilly, where in the mist he was nearly knocked over by a cab, down St. James’ Street to Pall Mall, and along it till he came to the Army and Navy Club, of which he was a member. Here he paused in front of the portico whither he had unconsciously directed his steps, then remembering that he was dead and that it would never do for him to enter there, turned round hurriedly and butted into a portly general under whom he had served, who was about to go up the steps of the club. The general, a choleric person, cursed him, then concluding from his crutch and wretched appearance that he was a poor, homeless cripple, felt ashamed of himself, and with some words of regret, thrust sixpence into his hand.
“Pray don’t apologise, General,” said Rupert, “it was my awkwardness.” Then he looked at the sixpence, and adding: “With your permission I will pass it on,” he gave it to a hungry-looking crossing-sweeper who waited hard by, and limped forward.
The general stood amazed, for he knew the voice, but could not put a name to it.
“Hi!” he shouted, after the retreating figure, but Rupert realising his danger, went on quickly towards the Athenaeum and was soon lost in the mist.
“Devilish odd thing,” said the General, as he strolled up the steps. “Whose voice was it? I know—Rupert Ullershaw’s!”
Then he ran to the porter’s box and asked: “Has Colonel Ullershaw been in the club?”
“No, General,” answered the porter, “he isn’t a member now; he’s dead. Killed in the Soudan, General, some months ago.”