Doctor Syn on the High Seas - Thorndike Russell - Страница 13

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that so?”

“I have heard that things did not go well will your honour,” replied

the man. “In fact the state of your honour’s coach told me that the

cards must have fallen damned bad.”

“And so they did,” admitted the Squire, filling his glass with port.

“But a gentleman of spirit should never get down -hearted at the

continual falling of bad cards, for it always comes to your own deal at

last.”

“With a good ace tucked up one’s sleeve,” chuckled the man.

“And why not?” laughed the Squire. “Maybe I lost this morning, but

it is my deal now, and those I play against will be astonished at the

number of aces I shall have up my sleeve, and if by your help I

win the game I mean to play, you shall have twenty guineas in

your pocket. Now

- 29 -

listen carefully, and I will tell you how I wish the cards to fall.”

Whereupon the Squire unfolded his scheme.

Mister Cragg had no difficulty in watching White Frairs, nor in

recognizing his master’s victims. There was Doctor Syn, whom he had met

already, with his arm round the beautiful Spanish girl. There was the

elder Spanish lady, her mother, and the

other two at the open window he knew must be the lawyer and the lady he

was wooing in the Woodstock road. The crowded booths and stalls

opposite the house lent him an easy concealment. As compensation for

his weary wait, he watched the happiness upon the lovers’ faces, and

gloated over the contrasting emotions that were in store for them.

Earlier than he expected, he saw the whole party withdraw from the

window, and began to congratulate himself that the gentlemen were so

soon retiring. In this, however, he was doomed to disappointment, for

it was only the lawyer and his lady who appeared at the front door, with

Doctor S yn bidding them farewell.

But it was at parting that Cragg heard the lawyer say: “I say be

back within the hour, Christopher, and then we’ll wend along together to

the Chancellor. He sits up late enough, the old rascal, and will

welcome us to drink his port.”

“Well, Tony,” laughed Doctor Syn, “linger if you will upon the way,

but hurry all you can upon your return, for, as you know, the Senora

likes to retire to bed in good time.

“Within the hour without fail,” replied Tony Cobtree, taking his hand

of his lady and placing it under his arm, as they threaded their way

through the packed merry -markers in St. Giles’.

So Mister Cragg had to exert his patience for yet another hour.

However, Tony Cobtree was as good as his word, and better, for in ha lf

an hour he was back, and Cragg had no more waiting, for the two men

immediately left the house on their way to the Chancellor’s.

Although he knew their destination, Cragg followed them to make sure.

He knew that they were not returning that night to White Friars, for he

had heard Doctor Syn say to the Spanish girl, “I will be round for

breakfast in the morning.” So when he saw them both disappear into the

Chancellor’s house he knew that it was safe, as far as they were

concerned, to put the plot in motion. But he lingered on the way back

so that dusk should give place to night. Having seen that the carriage

were ready outside St. Giles’, in order to avoid the crowds, he

leisurely walked towards White Friars. There he waited until the

candles in the upper parlour were extinguished. He saw the light of

bedroom candles being carried into another room, and then he rang the

bell vigorously. The housekeeper, after some delay, opened the door on

the chain, and he handed a note, saying that the matter was very urgent

and he would wait instructions. A few minutes later he was admitted

into the hall, and found, just as the Squire had hoped, that the Spanish

girl had readily fallen into the trap. Although her manner was calm,

her eyes were bathed in tears, as she asked Cragg whether he had seen

the accident. He told her, “No,” but he had seen the unfortunate

gentlemen afterwards and had helped his master to lift him into a

carriage which was now waiting to convey her to the house, which was on

the outskirt s of the town.

“I will just go and hasten my mother,” she said, “and we will start

immediately. Where is the carriage you mention?”

Cragg told her it was beyond the crowd, some two hundred yards

distant, and that he would escort them to it.

- 30 -

Five minutes later Cragg was escorting them through the crowds, and the

carriage was reached. Seeing that they were so full of the calamity,

that no suspicion of foul play had entered their heads, Cragg decided to

climb on to the box rather than ride inside with the ladies, which he

thought they would resent. Once the horses were off, he knew there

would be no stopping, for at such a time the roads would be free.

Only once, and towards the end of the journey, did the girl put her

head out of the carriage window and ask how much further.

“We are nearly there, madame,” answered Cragg, giving the drive a

jocular nudge in his ribs.

A few minutes later they turned through the gates, which, to save

trouble and delay, he had left open, and were sw eeping up the drive at a

gallop. The hall door was open for their reception, and the butler

ushered them in. He led them into the dining-room, after closing the

heavy hall door, and said that if they would wait there a minute he

would inform his master, who was now consulting with the physician in

the sick man’s room.

It was then that Imogene heard two noises which puzzled her for the

moment. The sound of the carriage driving away, and the bolting and

chaining of the hall door. But before any suspicion had time to take

root in her mind the butler returned with an explanation. He reported

that if the sufferer could be kept alive through the night, he had hopes

for his recovery. At the moment he had drifted into unconsciousness,

but directly he revived to his senses the young lady would be permitted

to see him. Two visitors the doctor could not allow, but as the

reverend gentleman kept asking for Imogene, the sight of her would

perhaps bring him a little peace. Since the case was desperate, the

servants had orders to accommodate the ladies in a bedroom adjoining, in

case they were needed in the night. The butler said he had been told to

ask them if they would accept this hospitality, and whether they would

care for a glass of wine before proceeding upstairs. This they both

declined. Imogene saying that she would see her mother to the room, and

hoped they were not causing too much inconvenience, and she added that

if the lady of the house was at liberty she would like to thank her for

all they are doi ng.

“My lady will visit you in a few moments in the bedroom,” replied the

butler. “At the moment she is helping the doctor with the reverent

gentleman’s bandages. I will give instructions for the lady’s-maid to

wait upon you and to see that you have a ll that you require. Will you

follow me, please?”

He led them upstairs, across a wide landing to an open bedroom door.

They went in and found it old-fashioned and comfortable.

“I will inform my lady,” said the butler as he closed the door. In a

minute he was back again and whispered: “The reverend gentleman has

recovered consciousness. Will the young lady come at once, please?”

“Yes, go, my dear,” whispered her mother. “I will wait for you here.

I hope he is better.”

Imogene noticed as sh e passed through the bedroom door that the key

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