“You must pardon me,” said he; “I am afraid that my interest in your friend’s conversation has diverted my attention unduly from my other guest.” Then, after a slight pause, he added, “Now I propose to take your friend to-morrow on an aerial journey, to see the other extremity of the valley, and some of the operations there. I can only take one at a time: you will probably like to come again. But, for to-morrow, how shall we provide for your amusement? we shall be back early in the afternoon.”
Jack replied civilly, but with an air of indifference which I thought was feigned, “I should be glad of an opportunity of examining some of the curious engines that we have seen yonder.” He pointed as he spoke in the direction of the platform.
“Very well,” was the reply; “I will see that you have a guide.” As he spoke he took an odd-looking little instrument from a pocket at his girdle, and whistled upon it. The resulting sound consisted of a few recurring notes, with a wild, odd strain of music in them.
[160] In a few moments a man appeared. He came from some place towards the further end of the valley, and he was no doubt one of those whom we had seen on this very square the day before. Signor Davelli spoke to the man. “You will meet this gentleman,” he said, “here, to-morrow; his name is Mr. Wilbraham. Meet him at whatever hour he pleases, and show him whatever he wishes to see.” Then he spoke a few words in the same strange language as before, and accompanied his words with the same sort of action.
Then he turned to me and said, “Will you meet me here at nine o’clock to-morrow, and I will take you to see what we are doing at the further end of the valley?”
I hesitated for a moment, and then I said, “Yes, I will meet you.”
Whether my hesitation, or anything in my tone, indicated that I meant not to commit myself to more than to meet him, I cannot say, but as I spoke a scowl passed over his face. It came and went in a moment, and then he said, “Very well,” rather curtly, to me. And then, addressing us both in the same gracious manner as before, “And now you are tired,” he said, “and it is getting late; I hope you find your quarters convenient and your commissariat sufficient.”
[161] We assured him on both points briefly, made our parting salutation, and retired. I may here mention that the salutations which passed between us and him were never anything more than a formal inclination of the head.
Two more facts must be put on record before I close the account of this eventful day.
We met near the foot of the great stairway the man whom I supposed to be James Redpath. He appeared to be engaged in setting right some detail of the machinery made use of by the workers on the platform. I could not but think as I looked upon him that he had all the appearance of being a machine himself, worked by an intellect not his own. Yet he was evidently working with a will.