“That’s all right. Here, take Harris’s arm—so. I sha’n’t worry about your left arm; this will do the trick.”
“This” meant that a handcuff was snapped round my right wrist, and its fellow, connected with it by a chain, round Harris’s left.
I shivered involuntarily at the touch of the steel, at the sensation of being a prisoner in reality,—fettered!
“I say, that isn’t necessary,” I remonstrated, rather unsteadily. “You must know that I shall make no attempt to escape.”
“Yes, I know that, but we must do things decently and in order,” he answered soothingly, as one would speak to a fractious child. “That’s quite comfortable, isn’t it? You’d have had to lean on one of us anyhow, being an invalid. There, the rug over your shoulder—so; not a soul will notice it, and we’d go ashore last; we’ve a compartment reserved on the train, of course.”
I dare say he was right, and that none of the many passengers noticed anything amiss; but I felt as if every one must be staring at me,—a handcuffed felon. The “bracelet” didn’t hurt me at all, like those that had been forced on my swollen wrists in the Russian prison, and that had added considerably to the tortures I endured; but somehow it seemed morally harder to bear,—as a slight but deliberate insult from one who has been a friend hurts more than any amount of injury inflicted by an avowed enemy.
They were both as kind and considerate as ever during the last stage of our journey. From Dover to Charing Cross, Harris, I know, sat in a most cramped and uncomfortable position all the way, so that I should rest as easily as possible; but in some subtle manner our relationship had changed. I had, of course, been their prisoner all along, but the fact only came home to me now.
From Charing Cross we went in a cab to the prison, through the sunny streets, so quiet at this early hour.
“Cheer up,” counselled Freeman, as I shook hands with him and Harris, from whom I was now, of course, unshackled. “You’ll come before the magistrate to-morrow or next day; depends on what the doctor says. He’ll see you directly. You’ll want to communicate with your friends at once, of course, and start arranging about your defence. I can send a wire, or telephone to any one on my way home if you like.”
He really was an astonishing good sort, though he had been implacable on the handcuff question.