"Wilkie Collins - The Evil Genius" - читать интересную книгу автора (Collins Wilkie)

man's keeping," she added. "Leave the room."
James rose with suspicious docility, and walked out, having his own private ends
in view.
Half an hour later, Mrs. Westerfield's old man was interrupted over his work by
a person of bulky and blackguard appearance, whom he had never seen before.
The stranger introduced himself as a gentleman who was engaged to marry Mrs.
Westerfield: he requested (not at all politely) to be permitted to look at the
cipher. He was asked if he had brought a written order to that effect, signed by
the lady herself. Mr. Bellbridge, resting his fists on the writing-table,
answered that he had come to look at the cipher on his own sole responsibility,
and that he insisted on seeing it immediately. "Allow me to show you something
else first," was the reply he received to this assertion of his will and
pleasure. "Do you know a loaded pistol, sir, when you see it?" The barrel of the
pistol approached within three inches of the barman's big head as he leaned over
the writing-table. For once in his life he was taken by surprise. It had never
occurred to him that a professed interpreter of ciphers might sometimes be
trusted with secrets which placed him in a position of danger, and might
therefore have wisely taken measures to protect himself. No power of persuasion
is comparable to the power possessed by a loaded pistol. James left the room;
and expressed his sentiments in language which has not yet found its way into
any English Dictionary.
But he had two merits, when his temper was in a state of repose. He knew when he
was beaten; and he thoroughly appreciated the value of the diamonds. When Mrs.
Westerfield saw him again, on the next day, he appeared with undeniable claims
on her mercy. Notice of the marriage had been received at the church; and a
cabin had been secured for her on board the steamer.
Her prospects being thus settled, to her own satisfaction, Mrs. Westerfield was
at liberty to make her arrangements for the desertion of poor little Syd.
The person on whose assistance she could rely was an unmarried elder sister,
distinguished as proprietor of a cheap girls' school in one of the suburbs of
London. This lady--known to local fame as Miss Wigger--had already proposed to
take Syd into training as a pupil teacher. "I'll force the child on," Miss
Wigger promised, "till she can earn her board and lodging by taking my lowest
class. When she gets older she will replace my regular governess, and I shall
save the salary."
With this proposal waiting for a reply, Mrs. Westerfield had only to inform her
sister that it was accepted. "Come here," she wrote, "on Friday next, at any
time before two o'clock, and Syd shall be ready for you. P.S.--I am to be
married again on Thursday, and start for America with my husband and my boy by
next Saturday's steamer."
The letter was posted; and the mother's anxious mind was, to use her own phrase,
relieved of another worry.
As the hour of eight drew near on Wednesday evening, Mrs. Westerfield's anxiety
forced her to find relief in action of some kind. She opened the door of her
sitting-room and listened on the stairs. It still wanted for a few minutes to
eight o'clock, when there was a ring at the house-bell. She ran down to open the
door. The servant happened to be in the hall, and answered the bell. The next
moment, the door was suddenly closed again.
"Anybody there?" Mrs. Westerfield asked.
"No, ma'am."