登陆注册
5237600000065

第65章 RICHARDSON TRIES AGAIN(2)

Wingrave led the way into his sitting room and dismissed his servant who was setting out a tray upon the sideboard.

"Sit down," he ordered, and his strange guest again obeyed. Wingrave looked at him critically.

"It seems to me," he said deliberately, "that you are another of those poor fools who chuck away their life and happiness and go to the dogs because a woman had chosen to make a little use of them. You're out of work, I suppose?""Yes!"

"Hungry?"

"I suppose so."

Wingrave brought a plate of sandwiches from the sideboard, and mixed a whisky and soda. He set them down in front of his guest, and turned away with the evening paper in his hand.

"I am going into the next room for some cigarettes," he remarked.

He was gone scarcely two minutes. When he returned, the room was in darkness.

He moved suddenly towards the electric lights, but was pushed back by an unseen hand. A man's hot breath fell upon his cheek, a hoarse, rasping voice spoke to him out of the black shadows.

"Don't touch the lights! Don't touch the lights, I say!""What folly is this?" Wingrave asked angrily. "Are you mad?""Not now," came the quick answer. "I have been. It has come to me here, in the darkness. I know why she is angry, I know why she will not speak to me. It is--because I failed."Wingrave laughed, and moved towards the lights.

"We have had enough of this tomfoolery," he said scornfully. "If you won't listen to reason--"He never finished his sentence. He had stumbled suddenly against a soft body, he had a momentary impression of a white, vicious face, of eyes blazing with insane fury. Quick to act, he struck--but before his hand descended, he had felt the tearing of his shirt, the sharp, keen pain in his chest, the swimming of his senses. Yet even then he struck again with passionate anger, and his assailant went down amongst the chairs with a dull, sickening crash!

Then there was silence in the room. Wingrave made an effort to drag himself a yard or two towards the bell, but collapsed hopelessly. Richardson, in a few moments, staggered to his feet.

He groped his way to the side of the wall, and found the knobs of the electric lights. He turned two on and looked around him. Wingrave was lying a few yards off, with a small red stain upon his shirt front. His face was ghastly pale, and he was breathing thickly. The young man looked at him for several moments, and then made his way to the side table where the sandwiches were. One by one he took them from the dish, and ate deliberately. When he had finished, he made his way once more towards where Wingrave lay. But before he reached the spot, he stopped short. Something on the wall had attracted his attention. He put his hand to his head and thought for a moment. It was an idea--a glorious idea.

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Lady Ruth's maid stepped back and surveyed her mistress ecstatically.

"Milady," she declared, "has never, no never, appeared more charming. The gown, it is divine--and the coiffure! Milady will have no rivals."Lady Ruth looked at herself long and earnestly in the glass. Her face reflected none of the pleased interest with which her maid was still regarding her. The latter grew a little anxious.

"Milady thinks herself a trifle pale, perhaps--a little more color?"Lady Ruth set down the glass.

"No, thank you, Annette," she answered. "I shall do very well, I suppose.

Certainly, I won't have any rouge."

"Milady knows very well what becomes her," the woman answered discreetly. "The pallor, it is the more distinguished. Milady cannot fail to have all the success she desires!"Lady Ruth smiled a little wearily. And at that moment, there came a knock at the door. A servant entered.

"Someone wishes to speak to your ladyship on the telephone," the girl announced.

"On the telephone, at this time of night?" Lady Ruth exclaimed. "Ridiculous!

They must send a message, whoever they are!"

"Parkins told them so, your ladyship," the girl answered; "but they insisted that the matter was important. They would give no name, but said that they were speaking from Mr. Wingrave's rooms."Lady Ruth raised her eyebrows.

"It is very extraordinary," she said coldly, "but I will come to the telephone."

同类推荐
  • 武则天四大奇案

    武则天四大奇案

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 元故宫遗录

    元故宫遗录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 西樵语业

    西樵语业

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 啸亭杂录

    啸亭杂录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 灵鬼志

    灵鬼志

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 寻找快乐的毒药

    寻找快乐的毒药

    米克——憨厚老实的大乌龟,是马飞飞家养的超级宠物。米克和他的伙伴们可没少给马飞飞和他的同学们找麻烦。不过,在鹤乡发生的一系列惊心动魄的事情还多亏了米克、哈青和华丽鼠他们呢。你想知道马飞飞和他的哥们在鹤乡经历了怎样的惊心动魄的故事么?那就跟着米克去经历一段冒险之旅吧。兴许,你会在这里找到神秘的智慧宝典和香酥可口的心灵巧克力派……你准备好了吗?我们一起出发!
  • 美人何处

    美人何处

    安意如最新散文集,依然是解读古典,全书分两部分内容——解读古代美容时尚,通过赏析古代女性的经典故事,以其独有的特质为本,与当下美容话题形成对比、解析。如:杨贵妃的风韵和现今的减肥话题、金庸笔下小龙女的清新和现今的美白话题等。解读古代情商高的美女。文字隽永,将古代美与现代美给予新的注释。如:褒姒以及烽火戏诸侯的故事、牡丹亭中杜丽娘的爱情观、王宝钏一生倔强且悲凉的等待,鱼玄机与温庭筠的故事等。
  • 重生之嗜血魔医

    重生之嗜血魔医

    前世,苏婉清看着挚友为了保护自己惨死在自己面前,自己却无能为力。重来一世,发现好友惨死不是意外而是阴谋。她发誓,自己一定会手刃仇人。从此,江湖上多了一个性情古怪神秘莫测的魔医,人人都说魔医冷酷无情,残忍嗜血。可只有她自己知道,这一世自己经历了什么……直到有一天,他说:你是这个世界上最有情有义的人。
  • 龙傲九天

    龙傲九天

    你说是佛便是佛,你说是魔便是魔,怎奈佛魔干我何,如若欺我卑微小,灭你佛魔又如何。一个先天泥丸宫被封的少年,在惨遭灭门之后,辗转修真界几大门派,受尽世间冷暖,多次在生与死的边缘上挣扎。机缘巧合下得到了,天下至邪之物—怨灵珠,为了拯救天下苍生,不惜以一人之力,抗争于整个佛魔仙道。任你世人多么任性,我此生却绝不认命
  • 机灵竞赛(智商总动员)

    机灵竞赛(智商总动员)

    《智商乐园》是智商总动员系列丛书,智商总动员系列丛书让你在开心中学习,在学习中益智,在益智中快乐,永远是老师、学生和家长的共同追求。本系列丛书是一片快乐的阅读天地,童趣但不幼稚,启智却不教条,它能让你开心一刻,思考一回。在开心中学习,在学习中益智,在益智中快乐,永远是老师、学生和家长的共同追求。翻开《智商总动员》——轻轻松松让你踏上寓学于乐的智慧之旅!
  • 灵宝净明新修九老神印伏魔秘法

    灵宝净明新修九老神印伏魔秘法

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 最后的民间

    最后的民间

    这是著名作家高建群的《大西北三部曲》的第二部(第一剖《最后一个匈奴》),是一部原生态小说。原生态的故事,原生态的人物,原生态的语言。像大西北的原生态民歌一样,纯朴动人,别有韵味。
  • 鲁迅小说全集

    鲁迅小说全集

    本书选收了鲁迅先生的全部小说创作,其中短篇小说32篇,中篇小说1篇,计33篇。它们分别选自《呐喊》、《彷徨》和《故事新编》。
  • 一宠成瘾:萌妻养娇娇

    一宠成瘾:萌妻养娇娇

    程先森人生的唯一目标就是将家养的程遥宠上天,可同床共枕时,程遥却喊非礼了。程先森挑眉:这家长也见了,婚房也住了,连小皮鞭都用了,宝贝,咱们是合法的。程遥呵呵两声:求不合法!程先森:哦?那是谁刚才还说要洗鸳鸯浴的?程遥脸红:我……我才没有!程先森邪魅一笑,污力镇压,管你有没有,鸳鸯浴必须得有!再等他蒸熟了包子,看她还怎么不合法?本书也可叫做《那些年我摸错的大腿》、《小短腿立志要包养长腿欧巴的故事》或《论摸男神大腿摸到天荒地老的可行性报告》。
  • 别以为你会带团队

    别以为你会带团队

    企业团队管理的最新力作,遴选大量的一手案例,详实展现了在商业上已经取得初步成功的人物以及企业。通过这些企业实际积累起来的经验与教训,必定能对于后来者产生非常有益的帮助。公司中高层管理者精选必读!