第81章 A MERE INTERLUDE(8)

'Well,if he doesn't care for a view,'said Mr.Heddegan,with the air of a highly artistic man who did.

'O no--I am sure he doesn't,'she said.'I can promise that you shall have the room you want.If you would not object to go for a walk for half an hour,I could have it ready,and your things in it,and a nice tea laid in the bow-window by the time you come back?'

This proposal was deemed satisfactory by the fussy old tradesman,and they went out.Baptista nervously conducted him in an opposite direction to her walk of the former day in other company,showing on her wan face,had he observed it,how much she was beginning to regret her sacrificial step for mending matters that morning.

She took advantage of a moment when her husband's back was turned to inquire casually in a shop if anything had been heard of the gentleman who was sucked down in the eddy while bathing.

The shopman said,'Yes,his body has been washed ashore,'and had just handed Baptista a newspaper on which she discerned the heading,'A Schoolmaster drowned while bathing,'when her husband turned to join her.She might have pursued the subject without raising suspicion;but it was more than flesh and blood could do,and completing a small purchase almost ran out of the shop.

'What is your terrible hurry,mee deer?'said Heddegan,hastening after.

'I don't know--I don't want to stay in shops,'she gasped.

'And we won't,'he said.'They are suffocating this weather.Let's go back and have some tay!'They found the much desired apartment awaiting their entry.It was a sort of combination bed and sitting-room,and the table was prettily spread with high tea in the bow-window,a bunch of flowers in the midst,and a best-parlour chair on each side.Here they shared the meal by the ruddy light of the vanishing sun.But though the view had been engaged,regardless of expense,exclusively for Baptista's pleasure,she did not direct any keen attention out of the window.

Her gaze as often fell on the floor and walls of the room as elsewhere,and on the table as much as on either,beholding nothing at all.

But there was a change.Opposite her seat was the door,upon which her eyes presently became riveted like those of a little bird upon a snake.For,on a peg at the back of the door,there hung a hat;such a hat--surely,from its peculiar make,the actual hat--that had been worn by Charles.Conviction grew to certainty when she saw a railway ticket sticking up from the band.Charles had put the ticket there--she had noticed the act.

Her teeth almost chattered;she murmured something incoherent.Her husband jumped up and said,'You are not well!What is it?What shall I get 'ee?''Smelling salts!'she said,quickly and desperately;'at that chemist's shop you were in just now.'

He jumped up like the anxious old man that he was,caught up his own hat from a back table,and without observing the other hastened out and downstairs.

Left alone she gazed and gazed at the back of the door,then spasmodically rang the bell.An honest-looking country maid-servant appeared in response.

'A hat!'murmured Baptista,pointing with her finger.'It does not belong to us.'

'O yes,I'll take it away,'said the young woman with some hurry.

'It belongs to the other gentleman.'

She spoke with a certain awkwardness,and took the hat out of the room.Baptista had recovered her outward composure.'The other gentleman?'she said.'Where is the other gentleman?''He's in the next room,ma'am.He removed out of this to oblige 'ee.'

'How can you say so?I should hear him if he were there,'said Baptista,sufficiently recovered to argue down an apparent untruth.

'He's there,'said the girl,hardily.

'Then it is strange that he makes no noise,'said Mrs.Heddegan,convicting the girl of falsity by a look.

'He makes no noise;but it is not strange,'said the servant.

All at once a dread took possession of the bride's heart,like a cold hand laid thereon;for it flashed upon her that there was a possibility of reconciling the girl's statement with her own knowledge of facts.

'Why does he make no noise?'she weakly said.

The waiting-maid was silent,and looked at her questioner.'If Itell you,ma'am,you won't tell missis?'she whispered.

Baptista promised.

'Because he's a-lying dead!'said the girl.'He's the schoolmaster that was drownded yesterday.''O!'said the bride,covering her eyes.'Then he was in this room till just now?''Yes,'said the maid,thinking the young lady's agitation natural enough.'And I told missis that I thought she oughtn't to have done it,because I don't hold it right to keep visitors so much in the dark where death's concerned;but she said the gentleman didn't die of anything infectious;she was a poor,honest,innkeeper's wife,she says,who had to get her living by making hay while the sun sheened.

And owing to the drownded gentleman being brought here,she said,it kept so many people away that we were empty,though all the other houses were full.So when your good man set his mind upon the room,and she would have lost good paying folk if he'd not had it,it wasn't to be supposed,she said,that she'd let anything stand in the way.Ye won't say that I've told ye,please,m'm?All the linen has been changed,and as the inquest won't be till to-morrow,after you are gone,she thought you wouldn't know a word of it,being strangers here.'The returning footsteps of her husband broke off further narration.

Baptista waved her hand,for she could not speak.The waiting-maid quickly withdrew,and Mr.Heddegan entered with the smelling salts and other nostrums.

'Any better?'he questioned.

'I don't like the hotel,'she exclaimed,almost simultaneously.'Ican't bear it--it doesn't suit me!'