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Actors All
by
“But you astound me,” Sir Gresley interrupted. “The constant Mallison, of all persons!”
“Nevertheless, my dear, they assure me that he has made over to her the heart and lodgings until lately occupied by Mrs. Roydon–Oh, the devil!” cried Colonel Denstroude, “they are fighting above!”
“Good for Frank!” observed Mr. Babington-Herle. “Hip-hip! Stick young rascal! Persevorate him, by Jove!”
But the other men had run hastily up the stairway and were battering at the door of Vanringham’s chamber. “Locked!” said the Colonel. “Oh, the unutterable cur! Open, open, I tell you, Vanringham! By God, I’ll have your blood for this if you have hurt the boy!”
“Break in the door!” said a voice from below. The Colonel paused in his objurgations, and found that the Duke of Ormskirk, followed by four attendants, had entered the hallway of the Three Gudgeons. “Benyon,” said the Duke, more sharply, and wheeled upon his men, “you have had my orders, I believe. Break in yonder door!”
This was done. They found Mr. Francis Vanringham upon the hearthrug a tousled heap of flesh and finery, insensible, with his mouth gaping, in a great puddle of blood. To the rear of the room was a boy in pink-and-silver, beside the writing-desk he had just got into with the co-operation of a poker. Hugged to his breast he held a brown despatch-box.
Ormskirk strode toward the boy and with an inhalation paused. The Duke stood tense for a moment. Then silently he knelt beside the prostrate actor and inspected Vanringham’s injury. “You have killed him,” the Duke said at last.
“I think so,” said the boy. “But ’twas in fair fight.”
The Duke rose. “Benyon,” he rapped out, “do you and Minchin take this body to the room below. Let a surgeon be sent for. Bring word if he find any sign of life. Gentlemen, I must ask you to avoid the chamber. This is a state matter. I am responsible for yonder person.”
“Then your Grace is responsible for perfectly irresponsible young villain!” said Mr. Babington-Herle. “He’s murderer Frank Vanringham, of poor dear Frank, like a brother to me, by Jove! Hang him high’s Haman, your Grace, and then we’ll have another bottle.”
“Colonel Denstroude,” said the Duke, “I will ask you to assist your friend in retiring. The stairs are steep, and his conviviality, I fear, has by a pint or so exceeded his capacity. And in fine–I wish you a good-evening, gentlemen.”
VII
Ormskirk closed the door; then he turned, “I lack words,” the Duke said. “Oh, believe me, speech fails before this spectacle. To find you, here, at this hour! To find you–my betrothed wife’s kinswoman and life-long associate,–here, in this garb! A slain man at your feet, his blood yet reeking upon that stolen sword! His papers–pardon me!”
Ormskirk sprang forward and caught the despatch-box from her grasp as she strove to empty its contents into the fire. “Pardon me,” he repeated; “you have unsexed yourself; do not add high treason to the list of your misdemeanors. Mr. Vanringham’s papers, as I have previously had the honor to inform you, are the state’s property.”
She stood with void and inefficient hands that groped vaguely. “I could trust no one,” she said. “I have fenced so often with Gerald. I was not afraid–at least, I was not very much afraid.. And ’twas so difficult to draw him into a quarrel,–he wanted to live, because at last he had the money his dirty little soul had craved. Ah, I had sacrificed so many things to get these papers, my Lord Duke,–and now you rob me of them. You!”
The Duke bent pitiless brows upon her. “I rob you of them,” he said,–“ay, I am discourteous and I rob, but not for myself alone. For your confusion tells me that I hold here between my hands the salvation of England. Child, child!” he cried, in sudden tenderness, “I trusted you to-day, and could you not trust me? I promised you the life of the man you love. I promised you–” He broke off, as if in a rivalry of rage and horror. “And you betrayed me! You came hither, trousered and shameless, to save these hare-brained traitors! Well, but at worst your treachery has very happily released me from my promise to meddle in the fate of this Audaine. I shall not lift a finger now. And I warn you that within the week your precious Captain will have become the associate of seraphim.”