按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃I finally determined to flee to America。 I made all my
arrangements with care andas I thoughtwith secrecy。 I
imagined that I had given him the slip。 But he was too clever
for me。 The third day out； as one of the ship's officers was
showing me about the vessel； I detected Reginald Maltravers in
the hold。 It is not usual to allow women so far below decks； but
I had insisted on seeing everything。 Perspiring； begrimed； and
mopping the moisture from his brow with a piece of cotton waste；
there he stood in the guise of aofa croaker； is it； Mr。
Cleggett？〃
〃Stoker； I believe；〃 said Cleggett。
〃Stoker。 Thank you。 He turned away in confusion when he saw
that he was discovered。 I perceived that； designing to cross on
the same ship with me； he had thought himself hidden there。 He
was not wearing his monocle； but I would know that sloping
forehead； that blond mustache； and that long； high； bony nose
anywhere。〃
Lady Agatha broke off for a moment。 She was extremely agitated。
But presently she continued： 〃I endeavored to evade him。 The
attempt was useless。 He found me out at once。 The persecution
went on。 It was more terrible here than it had been in England。
There I had friends。 I had hours； sometimes even whole days； to
myself。
〃But this was not the worst。 A new phase developed。 From his
appearance it suddenly became apparent to me that Reginald
Maltravers could not stop haunting me if he wished！〃
〃COULD not stop？〃 cried Cleggett。
〃COULD not；〃 said Lady Agatha。 〃The hunt had become a monomania
with him。 It had become an obsession。 He had given his whole
mentality to it and it had absorbed all his faculties。 He was
now the victim of it。 He had grown powerless in the grip of the
idea； he had lost volition in the matter。
〃You can imagine my consternation when I realized this。 I began
to fear the day when his insanity would take some violent form
and he would endeavor to do me a personal injury。 I determined
to have a bodyguard。 I wanted a man inured to danger； one
capable of meeting violence with violence； if the need arose。 It
struck me that if I could get into touch with one of those
chivalrous Western outlaws； of whom we read in American works of
fiction； he would be just the sort of man I needed to protect me
from Reginald Maltravers。
〃I did not consider appealing to the authorities； for I have no
confidence in your American laws； Mr。 Cleggett。 But I did not
know how to go about finding a chivalrous Western outlaw。 So
finally I put an advertisement in the personal column of one of
your morning papers for a reformed convict。〃
〃A reformed convict！〃 exclaimed Cleggett。 〃May I ask how you
worded the ad。？〃
〃Ad。？ Oh； advertisement？ I will get it for you。〃
She went into the stateroom and was back in a moment with a
newspaper cutting which she handed to Cleggett。 It read：
Convict recently released from Sing Sing； if
his reform is really genuine； may secure honest
employment by writing to A。 F。； care Morning Dispatch。
〃Out of the answers；〃 she resumed； 〃I selected four and had their
writers call for a personal interview。 But only two of them
seemed to me to be really reformed； and of these two Elmer's
reform struck me as being the more genuine。 You may have noticed
that Elmer gives the appearance of being done with worldly
vanities。〃
〃He does seem depressed；〃 said Cleggett； 〃but I had imputed it
largely to the nature of his present occupation。〃
〃It is due to his attempt to lead a better lifeor at least so
he tells me；〃 said Lady Agatha。 〃Morality does not come easy to
Elmer； he says； and I believe him。 Elmer's time is largely taken
up by inward moral debate as to the right or wrong of particular
hypothetical cases which his imagination insists on presenting to
his conscience。〃
〃I can certainly imagine no state of mind less enjoyable；〃 said
Cleggett。
〃Nor I；〃 replied Lady Agatha。 〃But to resume： The very fact
that I had employed a guard seemed to put Reginald Maltravers
beside himself。 He followed me more closely than ever。
Regardless of appearances； he would suddenly plant himself in
front of me in restaurants and tramcars； in the streets or parks
when I went for an airing； even in the lifts and corridors of the
apartment hotel where I stopped； and stare at me intently through
his monocle； caressing his mustache the while。 I did not dare
make a scene； the thing was causing enough remark without that； I
was； in fact； losing my reputation。
〃Finally； goaded beyond endurance； I called Elmer into my
apartment one day and put the whole case before him。
〃'I will pay almost any price short of participation in actual
crime；' I told him； 'for a fortnight of freedom from that man's
presence。 I can stand it no longer； I feel my reason slipping
from me。 Have I not heard that there are in New York creatures
who are willing； on the payment of a certain stipulated sum； to
guarantee to chastise a person so as to disable him for a
definite period； without doing him permanent injury？ You must
know some such disreputable characters。 Procure me some wretches
of this sort！'
〃Elmer replied that such creatures do； indeed； exist。 He called
themwhat did he call them？〃
〃Gunmen？〃 suggested Cleggett。
〃Yes； thank you。 He brought two of them to me whom he introduced
as〃
She paused。 〃The names escape me；〃 she said。 She called： 〃Elmer；
just step here a moment； please。〃
Elmer； who was still putting ice into the oblong box； moodily
laid away his tools and approached。
〃What WERE the odd names of your friends？ The ones whowho made
the mistake？〃 asked Lady Agatha； resuming her seat。
Elmer rolled a bilious eye at Cleggett and asked Lady Agatha； out
of that corner of his mouth nearer to her：
〃Is th' guy right？〃
〃Mr。 Cleggett is a friend of mine and can keep a secret； if that
is what you mean；〃 said Lady Agatha。 And the words sent a thrill
of elation through Cleggett's being。
〃M' friends w'at makes the mistake；〃 said Elmer； apparently
satisfied with the assurance； and offering the information to
Cleggett out of the side of his mouth which had not been involved
in his question to Lady Agatha； 〃goes by th' monakers of Dopey
Eddie and Izzy the Cat。〃
〃Picturesque；〃 murmured Cleggett。
〃Picturewhat？ Picture not'in！〃 said Elmer； huskily。 〃The
bulls got not'in' on them boys。 Them guys never been mugged。
Them guys is too foxy t' get mugged。〃
〃I infer that you weren't always so foxy；〃 said Cleggett； eyeing
him curiously。
The remark seemed to touch a sensitive spot。 Elmer flushed and
shuffled from one foot to the other； hanging his head as if in
embarrassment。 Finally he said； earnestly：
〃I wasn't no boob； Mr。 Cleggett。 It was a snitch got ME settled。
I was a good cracksman； honest I was。 But I never had no luck。〃
〃I intended no