Speaker 1: Chapter eight of Amusement Only. This is a libriywox recording.
Speaker 1: All liberal Rox recordings are in the public domain. For
Speaker 1: more information or to volunteer, please visit liberywox dot org.
Speaker 1: Recording by Carmen h. Amusement Only by Richard marsh Means,
Speaker 1: Chapter one. The first Lady, Missus and Missus Danvers. Mister
Speaker 1: Herbert Buxton, standing at the office window of the hotel,
Speaker 1: glancing at the visitor's book on the desk at his right,
Speaker 1: saw the names among the latest arrivals. They caught his eye.
Speaker 1: Pontresina was stated to be the place from which they
Speaker 1: had lately come. It is the Danvers or five word
Speaker 1: Cecius Danvers. Strolling from the office window, he took a letter,
Speaker 1: afraid letter from his pocket book. It was postmarked Pontresina.
Speaker 1: The signature was Sessy Buxton. It was from his brother,
Speaker 1: Dear Hubert. It ran, you really must get something to do.
Speaker 1: Your requests for what you call and advance is absurd.
Speaker 1: So far from advancing you anything, I shall have to
Speaker 1: cut short the allowance I have been making you. I
Speaker 1: have met here a missus and miss Danvers. I have
Speaker 1: asked Miss danwoth to do me the honor to marry me.
Speaker 1: She has consented. When that even comes to pass, which
Speaker 1: will be very shortly, your allowance will recede to a
Speaker 1: vanishing point that you will get something to do. Is
Speaker 1: therefore the advice of your affectionate brother, Cessy Buxton. It
Speaker 1: would be an odd coincidence, reflected Hubert, if that Miss
Speaker 1: Danvers is this Miss Danvers, an idea occurred to his
Speaker 1: fertile two fertile brain as the first glimmerings of the
Speaker 1: idea birds on him. Hubert smiled. In giving birth to
Speaker 1: Cecil and Hubert Buxton, nature had been indulging in one
Speaker 1: of her freaks. They were twins, born within a few
Speaker 1: seconds of each other. Cecil came first, Hilbert came with
Speaker 1: all possible expedition immediately after. Babies are probabily alike. These
Speaker 1: babies were so much alike that when they were undressed,
Speaker 1: no one ever pretended to be able to tell one
Speaker 1: from the other. The resemblance outlived babyhood as the youths
Speaker 1: went on. Cecil was always being taken for Hubert, Hubert
Speaker 1: for Cecil. The unfortunate part of the business was that
Speaker 1: the resemblance was merely superficial. Inside they whirled altogether different.
Speaker 1: Cecil was sullid and steady, while Hubert well, at that
Speaker 1: particular moment, he was quite at a fashionable bond Mouth hotel,
Speaker 1: without money in his pocket with which to pay his
Speaker 1: hotel bill, and with nobody within rich from whom he
Speaker 1: could borrow a five pound note. If he told himself
Speaker 1: these then words, is that Denvers I might make something
Speaker 1: out of that fatter likeness. After all, it would not
Speaker 1: be by any means the first time he had made
Speaker 1: something out of the fatal likeness. But on that in
Speaker 1: these plays we need not dwell. He strode along the corridor,
Speaker 1: the open letter in his hand, biting his nails and
Speaker 1: thinking over things as he went. As he approached the
Speaker 1: glacester which led into the grounds, it opened to admit
Speaker 1: a lady. At sight of him, she stopped, says you.
Speaker 1: She exclaimed, you would look at her. She was a
Speaker 1: manuficent woman, then altogether on a manificent scale, with a
Speaker 1: profusion of great gold hair and a pair of the
Speaker 1: biggest and brightest eyes. Hubert, with all his wide experience,
Speaker 1: ever remembered to have seen. It is the Denvers. He
Speaker 1: inwardly decided what an honor. But he was equal to
Speaker 1: the occasion. He generally was more than equal. He held
Speaker 1: out his hand to her with a little sudden burst you,
Speaker 1: he cried. The lady, however, did not immediately respond to
Speaker 1: his advances. On the contrary, she put her hands behind
Speaker 1: her back. This is an unexpected pleasure. I did not
Speaker 1: expect to see you here. I thought you were in Paris.
Speaker 1: As a matter of fact, according to the most recent advisers,
Speaker 1: Cecil was in Paris. But of course Hubert had nothing
Speaker 1: to do with that. I only arrived last night. You
Speaker 1: you don't seem glad to see me. It is rather
Speaker 1: I who should ask the question, are you glad to
Speaker 1: see me? There was a dryness in her tone, which
Speaker 1: greeted on Hubert's ears. This is a case in which
Speaker 1: diplomacy is required. I wonder what there's been between them. Aloud,
Speaker 1: he remarked, can you not forget and forgive? Cecil? Do
Speaker 1: you mean it? She glanced behind her, as if in
Speaker 1: sudden agitation. I cannot stop now meet me in the
Speaker 1: garden after dinner. She was gone before he even had
Speaker 1: the ghost of a chance of feeling his way, and
Speaker 1: of chapter one of Twins, Chapter nine of Amusement Only.
Speaker 1: This is a liberywox recording. All liberal Rox recordings are
Speaker 1: in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,
Speaker 1: please visit libywokx dot org. Recording by Carmen h Amusement
Speaker 1: Only by Richard marsh Twins, Chapter two. The second lady
Speaker 1: says you, where are you here? Hubert, who had been
Speaker 1: leaning against the wall, came out into the moonlight. The
Speaker 1: lady stood on the top of the steps. The moon
Speaker 1: shone full upon her. It lit up the glory of
Speaker 1: her red gold hair. She was clad in full evening dress.
Speaker 1: Her little opera cloak, which had slipped off her shoulders,
Speaker 1: revealed rather than concealed, her manuficent proportions. Hubert, eyeing her
Speaker 1: critically from below, told himself that she was certainly an honor.
Speaker 1: I am afraid, I am late. I hope you haven't
Speaker 1: been waiting long, nothing to speak of, just time enough
Speaker 1: to enjoy a cigar and to dream of you cecil.
Speaker 1: For shame is it? Damn? I have only my tin
Speaker 1: shoes on. She held one out in evidence. Hubert, like
Speaker 1: the look of it. It is as dry as tinder.
Speaker 1: Just the night for lovers. I really think it is.
Speaker 1: She came down the steps, how glorious, laying her hand
Speaker 1: upon his arm. She looked into his eyes with her
Speaker 1: big ones, as you say, it is just the night
Speaker 1: for lovers. They began to stroll. She spoke, it seemed strange,
Speaker 1: after all that has passed between us, that you and
Speaker 1: I should be walking here together. Seemed strange. It certainly did,
Speaker 1: after all the hard things you have taught and said
Speaker 1: of me. There was a pause. She looked down, speaking softly,
Speaker 1: call me by my pet name. He slightly started, but
Speaker 1: he was not the son of man to remain long
Speaker 1: at a loss. As he turned to her and answered
Speaker 1: in his voice, there was a ring of passionate intensity.
Speaker 1: Tell me by what name to call you? Call me
Speaker 1: angel Angere, my angel of love, my angel of all
Speaker 1: good things, Cecil. Their lips met in the keys as
Speaker 1: they did so. He told himself that if she was
Speaker 1: Cecil's idea of an angel, she wasn't his, But she
Speaker 1: was certainly in honor. He wondered, if she had been
Speaker 1: christened injured Denvers, what a weapon with which that chastise
Speaker 1: a wife. Cecil, Let us understand each other. You are
Speaker 1: not traveling with me again? Need you ask? This time?
Speaker 1: He was fairly start I am afraid that, after all
Speaker 1: which has passed between us, I need you do mean
Speaker 1: to make me a wife, make you my wife? Good heavens,
Speaker 1: what do you suppose I mean? Then you do not
Speaker 1: believe I cheated? Cheated? Then you do not believe that man,
Speaker 1: You don't believe the lies is said of me, never
Speaker 1: for one single instant his outspoken deniers seem to take
Speaker 1: her aback. Then if you didn't believe it, why but
Speaker 1: never mind cec you It would be useless to pretend
Speaker 1: to you that I have been the best of women.
Speaker 1: But I swear that I will be a good wife
Speaker 1: to you until I die my own. He murmured to himself.
Speaker 1: He said, there seems to have been a good deal
Speaker 1: more romans about this little affair of Cecius than I
Speaker 1: suppose her men not change. Let us talk of something else,
Speaker 1: Let us talk of you. Tell me of yourself, my love, well,
Speaker 1: said Hubert, the ever ready for the moment. I am
Speaker 1: in redder and awkward predicament. What is it? The fact
Speaker 1: is he looked her straight in the face and never
Speaker 1: turned a hair. My remittances seem to have all gone wrong.
Speaker 1: I am landed here with empty pockets, she laughed. Let
Speaker 1: me be your banco, will you with pleasure? I'm quite
Speaker 1: rich for me. I've got a heap of money in
Speaker 1: my purse, if I can only find it. She found
Speaker 1: it after long sinking. How much would you like twenty pounds?
Speaker 1: Thank you? Should I make it thirty? If you can
Speaker 1: make it thirty. Some banknotes change hands. He thrust them
Speaker 1: into his waistcoat pocket, telling himself that that was something
Speaker 1: on account at any rate. Now your remittances must make
Speaker 1: haste and come. Thirty pounds is nothing to you, It
Speaker 1: is a deal to me. Now I am destitute. She
Speaker 1: held out her purse for him to see it still
Speaker 1: contained a couple of banknotes and some gold. I suppose
Speaker 1: you couldn't make to spare the rest, he said, you grettiting.
Speaker 1: I can scarcely believe you are the Cesey Buxton I
Speaker 1: used to know. He would never have condescended to borrow
Speaker 1: toirty pounds from me. Do you know it isn't only
Speaker 1: that you are nicer, but somehow even your manner and
Speaker 1: your wife seemed different. Do you think so? They were
Speaker 1: standing under the shadow of a tree he leaned back
Speaker 1: against the tree. By the way, I have been remissed.
Speaker 1: I ought to have inquired after your mother. My mother?
Speaker 1: She started, I see, your names are Bracketer and the
Speaker 1: visitors book together, our names Bracketer and a visitors book together.
Speaker 1: You are dreaming. I saw them there, missus and Missus Danvers.
Speaker 1: Missus and Missus Danvers, Cecy, what do you mean? It
Speaker 1: was his turn to stare. Her manner had all at
Speaker 1: once become quite singular. What do you mean isn't your
Speaker 1: mother with you, Cecil? Are you making fun of me?
Speaker 1: Hubert felt that in some way he was take his
Speaker 1: food in it you. He did not quite see how
Speaker 1: nothing is further from my toss tend to make fun
Speaker 1: of you. But when I saw Missus Stanworth's name in
Speaker 1: a visitor's book, whose name? When I saw missus and
Speaker 1: Missus Stanworths dead, as large as life, the lady moved
Speaker 1: a step away from him, or at once she became,
Speaker 1: as it were, a different woman entirely. I see that
Speaker 1: you are the same man, after all, the same success
Speaker 1: in Buxton, the same cold, calculating, sneering cynic. Only you
Speaker 1: happen to have broken out in another place I presume
Speaker 1: you have been having a little amusement at my expense
Speaker 1: on the novel plan of your own. But this time,
Speaker 1: my friend, you have gone too far. You have asked me,
Speaker 1: in so many words, to be a wife. I dare
Speaker 1: you to deny it. You have borrowed money, I dare
Speaker 1: you to deny that too. I am not so unprotected
Speaker 1: as you may possibly imagine. I took the precaution to
Speaker 1: wire this morning for a friend. You will marry me,
Speaker 1: or we shall see the ladies swept him a splendid
Speaker 1: curtsy and walked off. He was so taken aback by
Speaker 1: a sudden change in her department that he made not
Speaker 1: the slightest attempt to arrest her progress. He stared after
Speaker 1: her in the moonlight, open eyed and open mouthed. Well,
Speaker 1: I've done something, though I don't know what. And I've
Speaker 1: done it somehow, though I don't know how. Since you
Speaker 1: ought to be grateful to me for reading him of her,
Speaker 1: they'd never have been happy together. I'll stake my life
Speaker 1: on it. Hello, who's this more adventurous? There was a
Speaker 1: rustling behind him. He turned some one came out of
Speaker 1: the shadow of the tree. It was a young girl
Speaker 1: She was clad in a plain like silk dinner dress.
Speaker 1: A shawl was thrown over her shoulders. He could see
Speaker 1: that she had brown hair and pleasant features. She addressed
Speaker 1: to him a question which surprised him. Who is that woman?
Speaker 1: She asked? She pointed after the rapidly retreat eating angel
Speaker 1: with a gesture which was almost tragic. He raised his head.
Speaker 1: I beg your pardon. I don't think I have the pleasure.
Speaker 1: She paid no attention to his words. Who is that woman?
Speaker 1: She repeated, Which woman? That woman? Really? I think there's
Speaker 1: some mistake. To his amazement, she burst into a passion
Speaker 1: of tales, says, you don't speak to me like that.
Speaker 1: Don't don't, don't you? Butt's dead. The young lady dropped
Speaker 1: her hands from before her face. She looked at him
Speaker 1: with streaming eyes. Who is that woman? Tell me? I've
Speaker 1: been longing for your coming, thinking of all that I
Speaker 1: should say to you, wishing that the meanings were but seconds,
Speaker 1: and you've been here all the time. You must have
Speaker 1: come hours before. You told me that your train was
Speaker 1: still What is the meaning of it? All? That is
Speaker 1: precisely what I should like to know. I came out
Speaker 1: here that I might be alone before our meeting. I
Speaker 1: heard the sound of voices, and I thought that one
Speaker 1: of them was the yours. I could not believe it.
Speaker 1: A listen. I heard you talking to that woman. I
Speaker 1: saw her kiss you or Census Cencily. My heart is broken.
Speaker 1: She tottered forward, all but falling into Hubert's arms. He
Speaker 1: tried to soothe her. Thought the boss, he told himself
Speaker 1: that Cecil had more romance in his nature than he
Speaker 1: had given him credit for his complications in the feminine
Speaker 1: line appeared to be worthy of the varces at the
Speaker 1: Palace Royal. In the midst of her emotion, the young
Speaker 1: lady in his arms continued to address him. Why did
Speaker 1: you tell me you were coming by one train when
Speaker 1: all the time you must have meant to come by another.
Speaker 1: I have your letter here. From the bosom of her dress,
Speaker 1: she drew an envelope. Hubert made a dash at it.
Speaker 1: My letter, permit me for an instant With scant ceremony,
Speaker 1: he took it from her hand. He glanced at the address,
Speaker 1: recognizing that Sill's well known writing, Miss miss Danvers. Are
Speaker 1: you are you? Miss Danvers? The girls shrang from him.
Speaker 1: Her tears were dry, her face grew white. Says you,
Speaker 1: She exclaimed, forgive me if my question seems a curious one.
Speaker 1: But are you, miss Danvers. The girl shrank away still more,
Speaker 1: her face grew whiter. She spoke too faintly. Her words
Speaker 1: were scarcely audible. Cecil, give me back my letter if
Speaker 1: you please, He handed her by her envelope. Miss Danvers,
Speaker 1: I entreat you. But the look of scone which was
Speaker 1: on her face brought even Hubert to a standstill. As
Speaker 1: he hesitated, she fixed him with her eyes. He had
Speaker 1: sudden felt uncomfortable as he did just then he seemed
Speaker 1: to feel himself growing smaller, simply because of the scone
Speaker 1: which was in her glance. Good evening, mister Buxton. She
Speaker 1: slightly inclined her head and was gone. You would stared
Speaker 1: after her dumbfoundered. When he did recover the faculty of speech,
Speaker 1: he hardly knew what used to make of it. Well,
Speaker 1: I've done it. If she's miss Dandworth, who is injured?
Speaker 1: Since he will tell me for the treat which I'm
Speaker 1: preparing for him. I knew this fatal likeness would dug
Speaker 1: me into the grave. Why was I born a twin?
Speaker 1: He strode slowly toward the building. As he entered the hall,
Speaker 1: a lady was coming along the corridor. At sight of him,
Speaker 1: she quickened her pace. She advanced to him with outstretched hands.
Speaker 1: She was a lady of perhaps forty years of age.
Speaker 1: Say sil, she cried. But Hubert was not to be
Speaker 1: caught with thought. He had had enough for the present
Speaker 1: of Cecil and of Cecil's feminine friends. Innoring her outstretched hands,
Speaker 1: he slightly raised his head. Pardon me, you have the
Speaker 1: advantage of me, madam. The lady Symby wildered. She stared
Speaker 1: at him as if she could not believe her eyes
Speaker 1: and ears. The doctor whish Hubert had just entered from
Speaker 1: the grass was reopened. At his bed. A fig glided
Speaker 1: past him. It was the younger from whom he had
Speaker 1: just parted in not to cordial a manner, she went
Speaker 1: straight to the lady, slipping her arm through hers. Mamma,
Speaker 1: mister Buxton has declined to acknowledge my acquaintance, as he
Speaker 1: declined to acknowledge yours. I think I can give you
Speaker 1: a sufficient reason for his doing so, if you will
Speaker 1: come with me, dear mother, heurty murmured the elder woman,
Speaker 1: still plainly at a loss come, said the girl. They went,
Speaker 1: leaving Hubert to stare, well, I've gone one better, that's
Speaker 1: missus Danvers. I presume so I've contrived inside the mother
Speaker 1: and the daughter too. Cecil will shower blessings on my head?
Speaker 1: Who can that injure be? As he was about to
Speaker 1: follow the ladies along the corridor, some one touched him
Speaker 1: on the arm. Turning, he saw that in a black
Speaker 1: frockcoat stood at his side. What were you saying to
Speaker 1: those ladies? This person asked, what the deals is dead
Speaker 1: to do with you? And who the devil are you?
Speaker 1: It has this to do with me that I am
Speaker 1: the manager of this hotel, and that it is sufficiently
Speaker 1: obvious that your presence is objectionable to those ladies. Moreover,
Speaker 1: under assisting circumstances, it is objectional to me. It is
Speaker 1: the rule of this hotel. The accounts are paid weekly.
Speaker 1: You have been here more than three weeks, and your
Speaker 1: first fixed bill is yet unpaid. You have made saundry promises,
Speaker 1: but you have not kept them. I don't mesh to
Speaker 1: have any unpleasaners with you, sir, but I regret that
Speaker 1: I am unable to accommodate you with obey in this
Speaker 1: hotel to night you went for a trifle while he
Speaker 1: was capable of the feeling. Now and then a stable
Speaker 1: advancing in one direction. Two gentlemen are tall and a short,
Speaker 1: one word ad one thing towards them in the other.
Speaker 1: They were coming to close quarters. Hibbert was conscious that
Speaker 1: the manager's outspoken observations could not be altogether inaudible to
Speaker 1: the approaching strangers, so he rode as high a horse
Speaker 1: as he conveniently could, as boy Bill, I will see
Speaker 1: it hang first. As for your insolence, I will report
Speaker 1: it to your employers. As for myself, I shall only
Speaker 1: be too glad to go. At once, one of the
Speaker 1: approaching strangers, the tall one, suddenly standing still, placed himself
Speaker 1: in front of Hubert in such a way as the
Speaker 1: bar his progress. With the finger tips of his right hand,
Speaker 1: he tapped him lightly on the chest. Not just at once,
Speaker 1: dear Buxton, Not just at once, not before you have
Speaker 1: said a few words to me and to me, said
Speaker 1: the shopman, who stood beside his taller companion. He would
Speaker 1: look from one to the other and pray, who may
Speaker 1: you be? He inquired. You do not know me, asked
Speaker 1: the big stranger, Nor me, echoed the little one. But
Speaker 1: it does not matter. Perhaps you have a bad memory,
Speaker 1: my dear Buxton. The big Man's manner was affable. He
Speaker 1: turned to the manager. You must excuse us for one moment.
Speaker 1: We have just a word to say to our friend Buxton.
Speaker 1: Here is our little private sitting room, most convenient, just
Speaker 1: a word. Before Hubert had altogether realized the situation, the
Speaker 1: big Man had trust his arm through his and drawn
Speaker 1: him into a sitting room which opened off the corridor
Speaker 1: from the left. When they were in, the big Man
Speaker 1: locked the door. He not only locked the door, but
Speaker 1: in an ostentatious manner, he pocketed the key and of
Speaker 1: Chapter two of Twins, Chapter ten of Amusements Only. This
Speaker 1: is a liverywox recording. All liverwox recordings are in the
Speaker 1: public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit
Speaker 1: liberfox dot org. Recording by Carmen h. Amusement Only by
Speaker 1: Richard marsh Twin's Chapter three, The unfortunate result of being
Speaker 1: a Twin. No, mister Buxton, you don't know me nor me.
Speaker 1: The largest stranger stood against the door. The lesser one,
Speaker 1: who appeared to be acting as echo, leaned against a table.
Speaker 1: He began, with a slightly overacted air of carelessness to
Speaker 1: roll a cigarette. There was something about this little man
Speaker 1: which Hubert did not like at all. It was a short,
Speaker 1: wiry individual, with long, straight black hair, hollow sollow shaven cheeks,
Speaker 1: high projecting cheek bones, and a pair of small black
Speaker 1: eyes which he had a trick of screwing up until
Speaker 1: only the pupils could be seen. His personal attractions were
Speaker 1: not enhanced by huge mod which occupied a conspicuous place
Speaker 1: in the middle of his left cheek. But if he
Speaker 1: liked the appearance of the small man later, it was
Speaker 1: not because he liked the appearance of the tall man. More.
Speaker 1: This was a great hawking fellow, with standing whiskers and moustache,
Speaker 1: and a manner which, in spite of its greasy insinuation,
Speaker 1: Hubert felt was distinctly threatening. Is it really possible, mister Buxton,
Speaker 1: that I have had the misfortune to escape your memory
Speaker 1: and me Ghilbert glanced from one to the other that
Speaker 1: the litter man was a foreigner, probably an Italian. He
Speaker 1: made up his mind at once as to the nationality
Speaker 1: of the big man. He was not so sure. He
Speaker 1: had had dealings with some strange people in his time,
Speaker 1: both at home and abroad, but he could not recollect
Speaker 1: encountering either of this gentleman before. I do not remember
Speaker 1: having ever seen either of you. Oh, you do not remember.
Speaker 1: The big man came a step nearer. You do not
Speaker 1: remember that pleasant evening in that little room at Niece.
Speaker 1: You do not remember slapping my face, quickly exclaimed the
Speaker 1: little man, suddenly slapping his own right cheek with startling vigor.
Speaker 1: You do not remember accusing me of treating you at cards.
Speaker 1: You do not remember placing an instant on me, on me,
Speaker 1: on me, or at once abandoning the process of manufacturing
Speaker 1: his cigarette, the little man came and placed himself in
Speaker 1: even uncomfortable proximity to Hubert's person. My friend, my cheek
Speaker 1: is burning to this wordy other. Hubert did not like
Speaker 1: the look of things at all. He was sure he
Speaker 1: had never seen this man before. I understand position exactly.
Speaker 1: You are doing what people constantly are doing. You are
Speaker 1: mistaking me for my brother, mistaking you for your brother.
Speaker 1: I am mistaking you for your brother. And me, cried
Speaker 1: the litter man against, saluting his own cheeks. Smartly, you liar.
Speaker 1: The big Man's manner was insulting you, but felt he
Speaker 1: must resent it. How dare you? But the sentiment died
Speaker 1: down into his boots as the big man came at
Speaker 1: him with a sudden ferocity, which seemed to cost the
Speaker 1: beating off his heart to cease. How dare I you
Speaker 1: dare to speak a word to me? Liar, I will
Speaker 1: kill you where you stand. As for me, remarked the
Speaker 1: shopman avitably, I have this, and this from one recess
Speaker 1: in his clothing. He took a revolver from another, a long,
Speaker 1: glittering and businesslike, if elegant knife. All these years I
Speaker 1: have not been able to make up my mind if
Speaker 1: I will shoot you like a dog or stickular a pig,
Speaker 1: which you are, gentlemen, exclaimed Hubert, with surprising manners. I
Speaker 1: assure you you are under a misapprehension. The likeness between
Speaker 1: my brother and myself is so striking, But our most
Speaker 1: intimate friends mistake one for the other. For whom then
Speaker 1: did my sister mistake you? This morning and to night?
Speaker 1: A light flash upon Hubert's brain. You mean angel? You
Speaker 1: call her angel? He calls her anger, I hear, observed
Speaker 1: the little man. If you will allow me to explain.
Speaker 1: The big man made a gesture of refusal, but the
Speaker 1: little man caught him by the arm. Let the liar speak,
Speaker 1: he said, the big man, acting on his friend's advice letter,
Speaker 1: that is, he let Hibbert speak a wailing himself of
Speaker 1: the courteously offered permission. Hilbert did his best make things clear.
Speaker 1: I am not as I would have told you before,
Speaker 1: if you would have led me. I am not sech you,
Speaker 1: but Hibert Buxton. The big man made another gesture again,
Speaker 1: the litter man restrained him. We are twins all our lives.
Speaker 1: It has been difficult to tell one from the other.
Speaker 1: Of reason years. I understand the resemblance between us has
Speaker 1: grown even greater, but the likeness is only skin deep.
Speaker 1: Cecil is the elder bye, I believe about thirty seconds.
Speaker 1: He is a rich man, and I am a poor man,
Speaker 1: bitterly poor. The big man spoke, And you dare to
Speaker 1: tell me that you have been making love to my
Speaker 1: sister under the fourth name, will be good. I have
Speaker 1: killed a man for less, but I will not kill
Speaker 1: you not yet. Is your handwriting as much like your
Speaker 1: brother's as you are My visit is like Ceciu's. So
Speaker 1: sit down. Hubert sat down. Take that pen. He took
Speaker 1: the pen. He did it in the inn. Right, I
Speaker 1: promise to marry? What's ticket of my promising to marry
Speaker 1: any one? Don't I tell you that I'm without a
Speaker 1: soup with fish to bless myself? Right, my friend? What
Speaker 1: I dictate? I promise to marry? Hubert wrote in Marian
Speaker 1: Phillips and Peters, And who the something is? Marian Phillips
Speaker 1: and Peters, Marian Phillips and Peters, Missus Phillipson Peters is
Speaker 1: my sister. It seemed to be a tolerably prosaic paraphrase
Speaker 1: of angel. Hubert, if the expression of his features could
Speaker 1: be trusted, appeared to think so. And what possible advantage
Speaker 1: does your sister propose to derive from my promising, either
Speaker 1: in black and white or in any other way, to
Speaker 1: marry her? Does the lady propose to pay my debts
Speaker 1: or to provide me with an income? Attend to me,
Speaker 1: my friend, write what I dictate? The big man laid
Speaker 1: his hand on Hubert's shoulder with an amount of pressure
Speaker 1: which might mean much or more. Hubert looked up. The
Speaker 1: pressure increased right it The little man was standing on
Speaker 1: the other side of the unbiling scorel. He had his
Speaker 1: revolver in one hand, his knife in the other. Write it,
Speaker 1: he said, up when Hibbert's shoulders, he wrote it. The
Speaker 1: Big Man continued his dictation. Within three months after day?
Speaker 1: What on earth? Right? Within three months after day? Oh,
Speaker 1: I'll write anything. I'll promise to marry her within three
Speaker 1: minutes to oblige you. The Big Man asamine what Hubert
Speaker 1: had written. Very like, very like, indeed, so like Cecy
Speaker 1: Buxton's handwriting that I plainly perceive, my friend, that you
Speaker 1: are the prince of all the liars. Now sign it,
Speaker 1: He arrested Hubert's hand, Sign it Cecy Buxton. Hubert glanced up.
Speaker 1: He dropped his pen. Now I see pick up that
Speaker 1: pen with pleasure. He picked it up. Sign it Cecy Buxton.
Speaker 1: The big Man spoke in a tone of voice which
Speaker 1: could not truthfully be described as friendly. In other words,
Speaker 1: coming forgery. The tall Man turned to the short one, Eugene,
Speaker 1: who is to use your revolver? Is it you or I?
Speaker 1: I swear to you that if this scoundrel, this contemptible villiant,
Speaker 1: does not make all the reparation to my sister that
Speaker 1: is in his miserable power. I will blow his brains
Speaker 1: out as he is sitting here. The short man smiled,
Speaker 1: not pleasantly. Give to me, my friend, that sacred duty,
Speaker 1: the sacred duty of being executioner. I have long had
Speaker 1: a little brush of my own against mister Cesey Buxton.
Speaker 1: I have one of those litter insults to wipe out,
Speaker 1: which can only be wiped out by third. I have
Speaker 1: not doubted all the time that this is mister Ceesy Buxton.
Speaker 1: I doubt it still less now that I have seen
Speaker 1: him right, I swear to you. The big man caught
Speaker 1: Hubert uncivilly shock. He repeated his command, signing sessive Buxton.
Speaker 1: Hubert looked from one face to the other. He was conscious,
Speaker 1: painfully conscious that his was not a pleasant situation. He
Speaker 1: saw murdered on the shopman's face. He did not like
Speaker 1: the look of his revolver. He held it far too
Speaker 1: carelessly that he was the thought of man who would
Speaker 1: entertain no kind of constantious scrupper against shooting him. To
Speaker 1: use his own words like a dog, he felt quite certain.
Speaker 1: Let me say one word, he pleaded. The big man
Speaker 1: refused him even that grace, not one while Hubert hesitated
Speaker 1: the pen between his fingers. There came a rapping at
Speaker 1: the door, and of chapter three of Twins. Chapter eleven
Speaker 1: of Amusement Only. This is a libriyvox recording. All LibriVox
Speaker 1: recordings are in the public domain. For more information or
Speaker 1: to volunteer, please visit libyvox dot org. Recording by Carmen h.
Speaker 1: Amusement Only by Richard marsh Twins, Chapter four, the arrival
Speaker 1: of the other Twin. The cause of that rapping at
Speaker 1: the door was this sassy Buxton arrived by the train
Speaker 1: by which he had informed Miss Danworth's by a letter
Speaker 1: that he would arrive hastily. Seeing his luggage on to
Speaker 1: a cab, he drove off to the hotel. In the
Speaker 1: hall he encountered a porter. The porter greeted him in
Speaker 1: rather a singular manner, scarcely as hotel porters are wont
Speaker 1: to greet a arriving guess. But but again say sistare
Speaker 1: as under the circumstances any man would stare this, won't
Speaker 1: do you know? I know all about it. You've been chucked.
Speaker 1: My orders is not let you into the place again,
Speaker 1: my good man said, cecil fully, believing that what he said,
Speaker 1: was true, you're drunk. Just then a lady came down
Speaker 1: the staircase. He recognized her, recognized her well. He rushed
Speaker 1: towards her. Hattie, he cried. The lady gave a start,
Speaker 1: but not the thought of start he had risen and
Speaker 1: good reason to expect. She turned, she looked at him
Speaker 1: with scornful eyes. She drew back, seeming to remove her
Speaker 1: webbing gown from any risk of personal contact. I half
Speaker 1: expected to see you at the station, Hatti, what what's
Speaker 1: the matter? The lady said nothing, but she looked at him,
Speaker 1: and she walked away, her head held very high in
Speaker 1: the air. Now you've got to come out of this.
Speaker 1: The potter, who had followed him across the hall, laid
Speaker 1: his hand upon his shoulder. Cecil swung round, and he
Speaker 1: not only swung round, but he swung the portter off,
Speaker 1: and that with a degree of vigor which possibly took
Speaker 1: the official by surprise. Remove your hand, he cried. There
Speaker 1: was a moment's pause, and during that moment's pause, another
Speaker 1: lady came down the stairs. The bewildered cecil rushed to her.
Speaker 1: Missus DAWs, has everybody gone mad? What is the matter
Speaker 1: with hetty? There was no mistake about it. This time.
Speaker 1: The lady was so desirous that none of her garments
Speaker 1: should come into contact with Cecil, that the better to
Speaker 1: draw them away from him. She clutched her skirts with
Speaker 1: both her hands. She spoke, how dare you, sir, address
Speaker 1: yourself to me? She turned to the porter with an
Speaker 1: air of command, desire this person to stand out of
Speaker 1: my way, and she stepped off, Cecil staring at her
Speaker 1: like a man in her dream. Well, sir, Cecil turned
Speaker 1: a certainly attired and even gentlemanly individual more standing at
Speaker 1: his side. Have you returned to pay your bill? Cecil
Speaker 1: look him up and down in his appearance. He noted
Speaker 1: no signs of insanity, nor of intoxication either. Are you
Speaker 1: the manager of this establishment? You know very well that
Speaker 1: I am pray. Don't let us have any nonsense. Allow
Speaker 1: me to give you my card since you handed him
Speaker 1: his pasteboat. I left Paris last night. I have been
Speaker 1: traveling all day. I arrived five minutes ago in your hotel.
Speaker 1: What is the meaning of the treatment which has been
Speaker 1: accorded me? The manager regarded him with a smile which
Speaker 1: gustly came within the definition of a courteous smile. You
Speaker 1: are certainly a character. Explain yourself, surely, not much explanation
Speaker 1: is required. It is only a few minutes ago since
Speaker 1: I inform you that your presence in this establishment could
Speaker 1: no longer be permitted, and now you favored me with
Speaker 1: this amazing story. Ceesy started forward. A new light came
Speaker 1: into his eyes. Has any one been staying here resembling
Speaker 1: me so much resembling you? That we shall be obliged
Speaker 1: if you will pay his bill which lies on paid
Speaker 1: on the Cassiou's deirs. Cesy gave an exclamation, not of pleasure,
Speaker 1: By jove, it's Hubert, I see it all. He has
Speaker 1: been up to some of his infernal tricks with Patty
Speaker 1: and her mother. If he has, he turned upon a manager?
Speaker 1: Where is he? The manager hesitated? Where is who you
Speaker 1: are standing here? When I last saw you, you were
Speaker 1: entering a private sitting room with two gentlemen who happened
Speaker 1: to have a particular desire for your society? Where is
Speaker 1: this sitting room? I will show you if you really
Speaker 1: don't know. The manager led the way, still smiling. Cecil
Speaker 1: went up to him as they moved along a corridor
Speaker 1: into which the manager turned, they came upon a lady
Speaker 1: who was standing outside one of the sitting rooms, and
Speaker 1: who not to put to find a point on it,
Speaker 1: steemed listening at the door. Her bag was turned towards
Speaker 1: them as they advanced. It was only when they were
Speaker 1: quite close to her that she seemed to become conscious
Speaker 1: of their approach. When she arrived at such a state
Speaker 1: of consciousness, she sprang up. She had been stooping a
Speaker 1: good deal forward before, and sprang round. She was in
Speaker 1: evening dress, a fine, tall, generously proportioned woman, with big,
Speaker 1: bright eyes and great gold hair. She was Hubert's owner. Injured.
Speaker 1: As her glance fell upon susive she gave a start,
Speaker 1: a most melodramatic start, still melodramatic, a start that she
Speaker 1: bumped herself, quite unintentionally, but with considerable force against the wall. You,
Speaker 1: she exclaimed. Cecil, on his part, appeared to recognize the lady. You,
Speaker 1: he said, without any appearance of undue deference in his manner.
Speaker 1: His arrival on the scene seemed to have thrown the
Speaker 1: lady into a state of really curious agitation. She stood
Speaker 1: with her back against the wall, staring at him as
Speaker 1: if he were a ghost. She positively trembled. How how
Speaker 1: did you get out? She asked, speaking in the sort
Speaker 1: of gaps I was never in, says to turn to
Speaker 1: the manager. It's a little complicated, but I think that
Speaker 1: I begin to understand the situation. He turned to the lady.
Speaker 1: He pointed to the sitting room outside which she was standing.
Speaker 1: Who is in there? Angel did not answer. Leaning forward,
Speaker 1: she rapped with a knockers against the panel of the
Speaker 1: door and of chapter four of Twins, Chapter two of
Speaker 1: Amusement Only. This is a libriyvox recording. All liberalvox recordings
Speaker 1: are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,
Speaker 1: please visit liberywox dot org. Recording by Carmen h Amusement
Speaker 1: Only by Richard marsh Twins, Chapter five. The twins confront
Speaker 1: each other when there came the rapping at the door.
Speaker 1: Hubert started back, Who's that? He cried. The big man
Speaker 1: still retained his scraps on Hubert's shoulder. He tightened it.
Speaker 1: Never mind who it is signed that paper? There was
Speaker 1: a voice without open the door. Hubbert slipped from the
Speaker 1: man's scraps. He sprang to his feet. He threw the
Speaker 1: pen from him on to the floor. It says. Still,
Speaker 1: the two men looked at him. He looked at them again.
Speaker 1: There was the voice. Without open the door. It's said,
Speaker 1: it's my brother. Now you will see if I like
Speaker 1: in Hubert's manner, there was positively something approaching an aid
Speaker 1: of triumph. The associates exchanged glances. The big man addressed
Speaker 1: himself again to Hubert. Look here, my friend, you will
Speaker 1: sign that paper. He moved a step forward. Hilbert grabs
Speaker 1: the back of a chair. You touch me, by George,
Speaker 1: I'll smash you. The big man hesitated. Hubert seemed to
Speaker 1: have gained a sudden excess of energy. He continued to
Speaker 1: address his companions in a strain which was distinctly not pacific.
Speaker 1: You couple of cowardly curls. You get me into a room,
Speaker 1: you lock the door. You come at me, the pair
Speaker 1: of you with a revolver and a knife, when you
Speaker 1: know that I haven't got so much as a tooth
Speaker 1: pick in my pocket. Why you miserable brutes. I'll smash
Speaker 1: you both. Hulbert brandished the chair about his head. The
Speaker 1: big man still hesitates. The shortter gentleman addressed this inquiry
Speaker 1: to his friend, Shall I shoot him? Shall I put
Speaker 1: six shots into his carcasse, shall I. Hubert did not
Speaker 1: wait to hear the others answer. He turned to the door. Cecil, say,
Speaker 1: cyl break down the door. The brutes will murder me.
Speaker 1: Break down the door. These words, uttered with the full
Speaker 1: force of Hubert's lungs, seemed to create, as was not unnatural,
Speaker 1: some sensation without. Several voices were heard speaking together. There
Speaker 1: was a loud knocking at the door. Some one said, evidently,
Speaker 1: not Cecil, open the door immediately. I am the manager
Speaker 1: of the hotel. Upon at once, the associates looked at
Speaker 1: each other. The clamor without seem to mean business. Hubert
Speaker 1: had slipped from their control. If they were not careful,
Speaker 1: that friendly little interview might be disagreeably interrupted. The shotterman
Speaker 1: shout his shoulders right up to his ears. What is
Speaker 1: the use you had? Better open the door? What is
Speaker 1: the use of playing a losing game too far than
Speaker 1: to Hubert with you, my friend, I will settle some
Speaker 1: other time. And I chimed in the big man playing
Speaker 1: the part of echo for once. I don't care that
Speaker 1: he would snap his fingers in the air for either
Speaker 1: or both of you new clothes. The comrades still hesitated.
Speaker 1: They probably resented the alteration in the young gentleman's demeanor,
Speaker 1: but the clamor at the door continued. The big man,
Speaker 1: doubtless perceiving that the position was becoming their spirit, took
Speaker 1: the key out of his pocket. He unlocked the door.
Speaker 1: As he did so, his companion's weapons disappeared into the
Speaker 1: hidden recess of his apparel. The moment the door was opened,
Speaker 1: Hubert at once says you. So it is you now,
Speaker 1: a gentleman. You will be able to see if I
Speaker 1: like this gentleman, says he. You are friends of yours,
Speaker 1: not of mine. I have never seen them before to night.
Speaker 1: You appear to have offended them. They have been endeavoring
Speaker 1: to visit your offense on me. I cannot congratulate you
Speaker 1: on your acquaintance. That little scoundre there, who appears to
Speaker 1: be an Italian bravo, has a knife in one pocket
Speaker 1: and a revolver in the other. He would have murdered
Speaker 1: me if you had delayed your appearance on the scene.
Speaker 1: Bah again, the litterman's shoulders went up to his ears.
Speaker 1: It was but a little game. And was this a
Speaker 1: little game? Hubert snatched out the paper the unsigned promise
Speaker 1: of marriage from the table on which it was lying.
Speaker 1: He held it out in front of him. The big man,
Speaker 1: in his turn, snatched it from his scraps. He tore
Speaker 1: it into many shreds, while Hubert still was staring a
Speaker 1: lady at once it was angel. So all the time
Speaker 1: you were amusing yourself at my expense. You are a
Speaker 1: charming pother Where are my thirty pounds? Gilbert was not
Speaker 1: at all embarrassed. He told his mouth, duch Cecil, this
Speaker 1: lady appears to be a friend of yours. Where are
Speaker 1: her thirty pounds? Cecil stepped up to him, what confounded
Speaker 1: tricks have you been up to? Gilbert's aud of injured
Speaker 1: innocence was in its way, super Cecil, this is too much,
Speaker 1: too much a mistake for you. I have been insulted,
Speaker 1: all but murdered and all he turned to the assembled company,
Speaker 1: and all upon my word of honor, because I was
Speaker 1: so unfortunate as to have been born a twin and
Speaker 1: of Chapter five of Twins