Speaker 1: Chapter twenty one of The Double by Edgar Wallace. This
Speaker 1: LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Read by Atolsharma, Winnipeg, Canada,
Speaker 1: Chapter twenty one, Tommy Wield sat down in his hotel
Speaker 1: sitting room to take stock of himself. There were quite
Speaker 1: a number of people in the world who regarded this
Speaker 1: fresh faced, young, irresponsible man of thirty as an easy mark.
Speaker 1: But Tommy Wield was no fool, and if proof were necessary,
Speaker 1: his bailiff could have revealed quite a number of interesting facts.
Speaker 1: Contrary to the general belief, the late Lord Weald was
Speaker 1: not a very rich man. He was certainly a careless one.
Speaker 1: He had left his estate in some confusion, and it
Speaker 1: had been Tommy who had shored up the tottering fortune
Speaker 1: of his house, and most shrewdly rebuilt its foundation. Perhaps
Speaker 1: his patent innocence helped him. He had been led in
Speaker 1: by acquaintances on the stock exchange to several good things.
Speaker 1: They expected him to speculate gently and leave the fat
Speaker 1: pickings of the market to themselves. They were pardonably indignant
Speaker 1: when they found their novitiate gambling with the sang frois
Speaker 1: of a hardened jabber and what is more, skimming the
Speaker 1: cream of the market. Tommy was no born manager of estates,
Speaker 1: but he had the knack of choosing the right men.
Speaker 1: He had found his reputation for innocence something of an asset,
Speaker 1: and had stared between many dangerous rocks across many disastrous shoals,
Speaker 1: avoiding in the process the lady who was popularly believed
Speaker 1: to have a million of money but no personal attractions,
Speaker 1: at least two cousins, a charming widow or two, and
Speaker 1: divers detached and distantly related females. He ran his fingers
Speaker 1: through his untidy hair and stared solemnly at his reflection
Speaker 1: in the mirror. Tommy always sat before a looking glass
Speaker 1: when he was alone, and if there was one available
Speaker 1: for he was a gregarious creature and loved company. And
Speaker 1: here was the fact that the Earl of Wield had
Speaker 1: to face for the first time in his life. He
Speaker 1: was desperately in love with a girl, who, from self
Speaker 1: consciousness or some other cause, treated him, in his own words,
Speaker 1: like a beastly poodle by day and by night, was
Speaker 1: to him the most adorable and the most loving of women.
Speaker 1: Tommy had none of the uncomfortable thoughts which usually beset
Speaker 1: a man in his position. He had no relations to
Speaker 1: please or displease. For his aunts, if the truth be told,
Speaker 1: were so many pegs on which she could hang timely excuses.
Speaker 1: They were timorous old ladies, very much in awe of
Speaker 1: their nephew. He had money. The woman he loved, so
Speaker 1: far as he could judge by voice and manner, was
Speaker 1: a lady. He never even speculated upon this, And except
Speaker 1: for her unfortunate shyness or awkwardness, or whatever was the
Speaker 1: disturbing quality which made her so impossible in daytime, she
Speaker 1: adored him. An aunt had rather diffidently raised the only
Speaker 1: objection in the course of a letter, which was filled
Speaker 1: with reserved congratulation. One of course, must know her people.
Speaker 1: Many modern young girls have the most presentable manners, and
Speaker 1: are indistinguishable from ladies and members of a good family
Speaker 1: until one meets their relations. Tommy replied to that hotly.
Speaker 1: He was marrying Mary and not her relations. But he
Speaker 1: was quite prepared to discover that they earned a precarious
Speaker 1: livelihood in the ancient and honorable profession of ragpickers, he
Speaker 1: said romantically. Nevertheless, he had his uneasy moments. There were
Speaker 1: a few gritting the slides of life. Even now, he
Speaker 1: had not dressed for dinner, and sat watching the slow
Speaker 1: minute hand of the clock on the mantelpiece move imperceptibly
Speaker 1: toward the hour of his rendezvous. It was not remarkable
Speaker 1: that he should be waiting outside the charmed house a
Speaker 1: quarter of an hour too soon. There was a diversion
Speaker 1: to occupy his mind. He had passed at the corner
Speaker 1: of the road, a very inebriated gentleman who sang as
Speaker 1: he staggered, a song about love. Tommy watched him reel
Speaker 1: through the drizzle, and long after he had passed out
Speaker 1: of sight, his melancholy cadences were yet audible. He saw
Speaker 1: a movement near the house, and a dim figure melted
Speaker 1: out of the bushes near the doorway and came toward him. Oh, Tommy,
Speaker 1: I didn't know it was raining, she said, her voice
Speaker 1: full of self reproach, as she opened the gate and
Speaker 1: led him onto the dark lawn. How mean of me
Speaker 1: I could have come out before nothing, dear old thing, nothing,
Speaker 1: said Tommy briskly. If I wait till it stops raining,
Speaker 1: I should never see you. How's that jolly old rascal Cornfort?
Speaker 1: He has gone to bed, said the girl, as she
Speaker 1: slipped her arm in his. He's terribly tired. There was
Speaker 1: a canvas swing in the garden, and above a most
Speaker 1: substantial awning, which would have kept out the ultra violet
Speaker 1: rays of the sun, if the sun had ever shone itself,
Speaker 1: and did, in point of fact, serve as a protection
Speaker 1: from the heavy showers of rain, which were not infrequent.
Speaker 1: Tommy sat down by his companion's side and put his
Speaker 1: arm about her shoulder. Tommy, you're purring, she said, in alarm.
Speaker 1: He accepted the accusation as a compliment. Her head sank
Speaker 1: lower on his shoulder. He drooped his head, and her
Speaker 1: velvet cheek was against his. They must have looked very silly,
Speaker 1: but nobody saw them, and two people in such circumstances
Speaker 1: can never look silly, except in another's eyes. Presently, Tommy
Speaker 1: straightened up, Mary, my darling. He said, I've got a
Speaker 1: fearfully important question to ask you. He heard her sigh, Tommy,
Speaker 1: I hate answering fearfully important questions, But he was determined.
Speaker 1: Aren't you awfully keen on dick stains? She thought this
Speaker 1: matter over? I like him, she said, thoughtfully, from what
Speaker 1: I have seen of him, he seems rather nice. Honestly, Mary,
Speaker 1: he cleared his throat, for he was putting a question
Speaker 1: which properly and satisfactorily answered would sweep away a great
Speaker 1: deal of the unhappiness which clouded his waking moments. Honestly,
Speaker 1: aren't you in love with him? A little bit? I mean,
Speaker 1: he's a shriekingly good looking chap and I know I'm
Speaker 1: a perfectly ghastly sight. Every time I look at a baby,
Speaker 1: it goes blue in the face. It's a fact. What
Speaker 1: I mean to say is, don't you think you would
Speaker 1: be happier with what nonsense you talk? Tommy? There was
Speaker 1: a little touch of petulance in her voice. I don't
Speaker 1: know why, but I love you better than anybody in
Speaker 1: the world. Do you believe that? Believe what asked Tommy,
Speaker 1: who was always cautious at the wrong moment, that you
Speaker 1: don't know why? She sat bolt upright? Of course, I
Speaker 1: don't know. Why does any girl? Tommy? If I am
Speaker 1: in love with you, which I suppose I am, is
Speaker 1: it remarkable that I shouldn't know why? Here was a
Speaker 1: problem in psychology which could not readily be solved. Tommy
Speaker 1: liked a reason for everything, even for falling in love,
Speaker 1: and it had seemed to him that in the daytime,
Speaker 1: at any rate, Mary's attitude was distinctly frigid, especially in
Speaker 1: Dick Staine's presence. That's all right, he said, with satisfaction.
Speaker 1: The truth is, old Darling, I've been fearfully worried. You
Speaker 1: and old Dicky get on so well together. You have
Speaker 1: your secret pilavers, and there have been moments when I've
Speaker 1: been frantically jealous. She squeezed his arm gently. Then you've
Speaker 1: been frantically foolish, she said. The house where mister Cornfort
Speaker 1: had his lodgings was on the corner of two roads,
Speaker 1: and the large gardens were flanked by low cut hedges.
Speaker 1: From where they sat, the front door was obscured by
Speaker 1: clumps of rhododendrons, which also hid half the tiled path
Speaker 1: to the gate, which was not only in view in
Speaker 1: the daylight but even at night. Beyond the pathway the
Speaker 1: great on slope down to a sunken garden, so that
Speaker 1: anybody passing to the gate from the house showed against
Speaker 1: the skyline. Tommy's hearing was particularly acute. He heard the
Speaker 1: front door open and close softly in the faint crunch
Speaker 1: of feet and smiled. Who is that? He asked, She
Speaker 1: shook free of his arm and sat up. What was it?
Speaker 1: Before he could answer, the figure of a man came
Speaker 1: into view. He limped quickly across their line of vision.
Speaker 1: They heard the squeak of the gate, and he disappeared
Speaker 1: in the darkness of the roadway. Jumping snakes. Gasped, Tommy,
Speaker 1: that's old Cornfort. He had seen the thin face, the
Speaker 1: mop of gray hair, the long hawk like nose. I
Speaker 1: thought you said, nonsense, Tommy. Her voice was sharp. Mister
Speaker 1: Cornfort's in bed. That was another lodger. He looked round
Speaker 1: at her slowly. Mary, He said, you lie in your boots,
Speaker 1: ol dear. If that's not the late or nearly late,
Speaker 1: mister Cornfort, I'll eat my right ear for a second.
Speaker 1: She was too taken aback to answer. You're probably right,
Speaker 1: she said, with devastating coolness, But why shouldn't he take
Speaker 1: a little exercise now? And again? Nevertheless, in spite of
Speaker 1: her calm manner, he detected a tremor of agitation in
Speaker 1: her voice when she asked this audacious question. Wait, she said,
Speaker 1: and ran across the lawn, disappearing into the house. Presently
Speaker 1: she came out, followed by a man whom Tommy recognized
Speaker 1: as Henry. Henry had been something of a puzzle to
Speaker 1: Lord Wield. He had never quite known whether the bath
Speaker 1: chairman was a permanency. Certainly, he was unaware until that
Speaker 1: moment that Henry had lodgings in the house of his employer.
Speaker 1: The girl and the man talked together quickly in a
Speaker 1: low voice, and Tommy thought he heard the chairman say damn,
Speaker 1: which in a bath chairman seemed nearer to profanity. Henry
Speaker 1: heard cried out into the road, and he also disappeared.
Speaker 1: She waited for a few seconds, looking over the gate,
Speaker 1: and then came slowly back and sat down by Tommy's side.
Speaker 1: It is really nothing, she said. Mister Cornfort has these
Speaker 1: little fits of energy, but I don't like him to
Speaker 1: go out alone. He may have a fit of vertico
Speaker 1: and fall over a cliff or something, which would give
Speaker 1: him a nasty taste in his mouth, said Tommy flippantly.
Speaker 1: Old Cornfort. Fancy the old blighter being hauled around in
Speaker 1: a chair all day and trotting about all night on
Speaker 1: his flat feet. We like to encourage him to walk,
Speaker 1: said the girl hastily. He had an idea that she
Speaker 1: was listening, as all her senses showed for some sound,
Speaker 1: he knew, not what. When a few streets away a
Speaker 1: motorcycle back fired incessantly, she nearly jumped from her feet.
Speaker 1: What was that, she gasped. Her voice was agitated. Sounds
Speaker 1: like a motorbike to me, said Tommy. But when he
Speaker 1: put his arm around, she was trembling from head to foot.
Speaker 1: I'm a terrible coward, her voice quavered. I wish I
Speaker 1: had the courage. She stopped short. You've got plenty of courage.
Speaker 1: Oh dear, it's this beastly job trotting round after the
Speaker 1: poor old ditherer that gets you rattled, said Tommy. And
Speaker 1: this time there was no question as to the noise.
Speaker 1: It was the sound of a shot, clear and unmistakable.
Speaker 1: The girl sprang to her feet. Oh, Tommy, she gasped.
Speaker 1: I wish he hadn't. And then came the sound of
Speaker 1: running feet. Let me go, said an angry voice. The
Speaker 1: gate was flung open, and mister Cornfort sprawled in as
Speaker 1: though he had been violently pushed from behind. Henry followed,
Speaker 1: closed the gate and leaned over. Tommy thought he saw
Speaker 1: something glitter in the chairman's hand. Anything wrong, Henry looked round.
Speaker 1: It seemed that he was only then aware of the
Speaker 1: visitor's presence. No, my lord, nothing's wrong. I shouldn't sit
Speaker 1: out here if I were. You, young lady, what is it,
Speaker 1: she asked in a low voice. Somebody was the ambiguous reply,
Speaker 1: then to Tommy, did you see anybody, my lord? When
Speaker 1: you came in there was a fellow at the corner
Speaker 1: of the street. Rather tight, said Tommy, remembering the appearance
Speaker 1: of the inebriated wayfarer. A policeman came into sight under
Speaker 1: a street lamp he crossed the road. Did you hear
Speaker 1: somebody shooting? No, sir, Henry's voice was almost humble. There's
Speaker 1: been a motorcycle exploding round here, as he spoke, as
Speaker 1: though by a pre arranged signal, and to confirm his
Speaker 1: explanation of the sound, came another backfire and a quick
Speaker 1: succession of loud pops from the distance. That's what it was, eh,
Speaker 1: The policeman seemed relieved after that bomb throwing. I've been
Speaker 1: set to keep an eye on the house. I happened
Speaker 1: to go round the corner to see my friend. On
Speaker 1: the next beat. I didn't half get a fright. He
Speaker 1: chatted for a few seconds and walked along the road.
Speaker 1: Henry came slowly back to where they sat. I think
Speaker 1: I should go now if I were you, sir. He
Speaker 1: was very respectful, and apparently undisturbed by any adventures through
Speaker 1: which he might have passed. Before Tommy could reply, a
Speaker 1: voice called urgently from the door, hurry, come and get
Speaker 1: your arm dressed quickly. It was Cornfort speaking, and for
Speaker 1: one on the verge of eternity, there was considerable vigor
Speaker 1: in his voice. Are you hurt? The girl's voice was
Speaker 1: almost awail. Nothing, nothing at all, said Henry, showing his
Speaker 1: first sign of impatience. A scratch, my dear, A bush
Speaker 1: caught my er sleeve. Then it was that Tommy saw
Speaker 1: he was holding his left arm a little above the wrist. Darling,
Speaker 1: you are hurt, said the girl, almost tearfully, and Tommy
Speaker 1: nearly dropped. Darling, was ever bath chairman addressed in such
Speaker 1: endearing terms, Miss Dane, you are entirely mistaken. The Chairman's
Speaker 1: voice was very firm. Now, Lord Wield, you would greatly
Speaker 1: oblige me if you went home. In the confusion of farewell,
Speaker 1: the girl disappeared. Tommy had hardly left the house when
Speaker 1: he heard her call him back. Good night, Tommy. He
Speaker 1: turned to kiss her cold lips. I'm awfully frightened to night, Tommy.
Speaker 1: I'm so terribly wicked. I was never meant to be.
Speaker 1: Before he could ask for an explanation, she had gone dashed. Extraordinary,
Speaker 1: said Tommy aloud, and strode fiercely back to the hotel.
Speaker 1: He kept a lookout for the drunken man, but did
Speaker 1: not see him. Nearing the front, he found himself following
Speaker 1: a stocky individual who might have been the song bird
Speaker 1: he had seen earlier in the evening. He walked more
Speaker 1: quickly to overtake the suspect, but as if he knew
Speaker 1: he was being followed, the man walked faster. They came
Speaker 1: to the fringe of a carnival party, either going to
Speaker 1: or returning from a dance, and his quarry disappeared before
Speaker 1: Lord Walde could make his acquaintance. For a long time
Speaker 1: that night, Tommy sat on the edge of his bed
Speaker 1: with folded arms, frowning at the wall paper. There were
Speaker 1: one or two things that the future Lady Walde must
Speaker 1: be taught, as, for example, the bad form of addressing
Speaker 1: Bath Chairman in terms of excessive endearment. End of Chapter
Speaker 1: twenty one