“That, however, is only part of what I had to say to you. Before he left he brought a most extraordinary charge against you which I should certainly have disregarded, had it not coincided strangely with a similar charge made elsewhere. I only repeat it to you in order to give you an opportunity of repudiating it. It had relation to the outrage which was committed on Mr Bickers last term, for which your house still lies in disgrace. He stated that you knew more about that mystery than anyone else at Grandcourt, and, indeed, gave me the impression, from the language he used, that he actually considers you yourself were the perpetrator of the outrage. That, of course, is the mere wild talk of a revengeful ill-doer.”
Railsford laughed a short uneasy laugh. Had the doctor worded the question in slightly different form, it might have been difficult to answer it as decisively as he could now.
“It is; and if he were here to hear me I would say that it is as absolutely and wickedly false as emphatically as I say it to you, sir. I am sorry indeed that you should have thought it necessary to put the question.”
“There is never anything lost,” said the doctor drily, “by giving the calumniated person an opportunity of denying a charge of this sort, however preposterous. I am myself perfectly satisfied to take your word that you neither had any part in the affair yourself nor have you any knowledge as to who the culprits are.”
Railsford coloured and bit his lips. The doctor had now put the question in the very form which he had dreaded. If he could only have held his peace the matter would be at an end, perhaps never to revive again. But could he, an honest man, hold his peace?
“Excuse me,” said he, in undisguised confusion; “what I said was that the imputation that I had anything to do with the outrage myself was utterly and entirely false.”
“Which,” said the doctor incisively, “is tantamount to admitting that the imputation that you are sheltering the real culprits is well-founded.”
“At the risk of being grievously misunderstood, Doctor Ponsford,” replied Railsford slowly and nervously, yet firmly, “I must decline to answer that question.”
“Very well, sir,” said the doctor briskly; “this conversation is at an end—for the present.”