A Strange Experience, Chapters I-V [pp. 223-237]

A STRANGE EXPERIENCE.
in, reached me with a vibration of hope which fell
painfully as no sign from Roger came. Tea was
served; a dozen people sat down; the gayety in
voice and manner rising. I faced the gallery, where
I suddenly caught sight of Mary, whose face had a
warning look in it. I rose at once and went over to
the staircase, which she descended quickly, putting
a note into my hands. I could hardly repress a cry
of joy as I read the words:
"I am at the gardener's house. Will you come
at once? - ROGER."
I scarcely know how I found myself, carelessly
cloaked and hooded, walking down the gardenpath. But one thought filled.me. Every feeling
of dread or pain merged into the one great thought
that Roger was come home! I pushed open good
Mrs. Larkin's door. The sitting-room fire burned
brightly; the clock ticked away with regular indifference to fate or circumstance. No one seemed
about, but, as I stood irresolutely on the threshold,
my name was called-Roger stood before me! For
an instant I gave way to foolish weeping-the tension had been too strong. Roger stood in sympathizing silence for a moment, before speaking, and,
oh, how gratefully the sound of his voice fell upon
my ears!
"My dear Agnes," he was saying, hurriedly,
"your letters and Leonor's, announcing this engagement, came together; hers was one little line of
farewell; yours, thank Heaven! was in detail, and
from it I learned how to trace this man's career!"
He stopped, and I implored him to go on. He
took my hand, looking searchingly down into my
face.
"Agnes," he said, quickly, "there is no time to
be lost. I dare not wait to tell you all I have
learned. We must go to him at once!" I shrank
back in horror, but it was only momentary; a great
wave of relief swept across my heart, for Roger's
voice and look seemed encouragement to anything.
"I will go, Roger," I answered, quickly. He
said no more, but pressed my hand, and we set out
at once upon the road. It was a short cut across the
fields to Lemark's house. To this day, years later, I
can recall the darkening look of things: the sombre
falling of the twilight; our silence, which was like
the supremest expression of anxiety and dread.
Afar down the gray fields we saw the trees encircling his house; leafless as the branches were, they
still shut it in with that look of cold security which
always filled my imagination uncomfortably. It was
only at the gateway Roger spoke again: "I ask
of you, Agnes," he said, "only to remain beside me
to bear witness to what I say. Do not be surprised
by who may be there."
In a moment we were at the doorway- admitted by the old woman who served Lemark. We
made our way at once to the drawing-room I had
not seen since that hateful night. A dull fire
glowed upon the hearth. Candles were lighted with
an ostentatious air of hospitality. Lemark stood
himself evidently waiting to receive us. Miss Jane
and Mrs. Thurston sat together facing the door.
Happily for myself, I was entirely above being
shocked by any such small surprises. I remember
now how Lemark's astonishment seemed of no
earthly consequence to me. I think I barely noticed
his greeting of me.
"Mr. Dale!" he had exclaimed, on seeing Roger, and for once the mark of indifference fell from
his face. Roger. bowed abruptly, and passed over
to Miss Jane and Mrs. Thurston. From them he
turned, glaring at us all.
"Time is so short and precious," he said, quickly. "I have none to lose.-I must beg, Mr. Lemark,
that you will listen in silence to what I have to
say."
A sudden contraction of the man's fingers was
the only outward sign of any fear he may have felt.
He looked the polite, attentive host.
"I have come," Roger went on, "to break up
this marriage. Listen to me, sir!' " He turned to
the two frightened women, who had risen involuntarily.-" Do. not be alarmed. Mr. Lemark will understand me when I say I have been to Lyonshave traced his forgery-his flight-and have put my
present knowledge of his whereabouts in the hands
of an eminent French detective!"
Lemark's whole frame vibrated to the touch, yet
he did not speak. I think he moved forward, and
then back, but his eyes were fixed steadily upon
Roger's pale face.
"There is more than this," Roger went on again,
looking at us all. "In Lyons I learned how his
marriage with some Russian woman, whose imagination and weak will he had entirely reduced by his
pretended power of clairvoyance, ended with her
sudden, suspicious death. A convicted forger-a wellknown impostor-I ask of you all whether this marriage shall go on?"
Mrs. Thurston was weeping hysterically. Lemark had tried vainly to smile or speak. I have
never seen anything more dreadful than the icy look
which settled about the lines of his mouth and eyes.
"In twelve hours," Roger went on, calmly,
"Monsieur Tautorre, of the French service, will be
here. I need not add that this man's name, which
he would have given Leonor, is an assumed one.
Mr. Lemark has been well known in England and
France as the clairvoyant physician Dr. Leroux."
The dead silence may have lasted an hour, or only
ten seconds, for all I know. Lemark-I still call him
so-made an effort to speak again, addressing Roger
in a strange, dull tone.
"I must ask you, Mr. Dale," he said, quietly,
"to wait here for an hour or two. I shall have more
to say."
He moved toward the door, looking back once
with something strangely uncertain in his glance at
us all, and then noiselessly made his way from the
room.
Why we all sat quietly when he left I know not.
Miss Jane, after a little while, began to pace the
floor; then, begging of Mrs. Thurston to cease cry
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