Authors: George W. M. Reynolds,James Malcolm Rymer
The
landlord was not disposed to disregard the injunction which the baron had given
him to attend carefully on his servants and horses, and after giving orders
that nothing should be stinted as regarded the latter, he himself looked to the
creature-comforts of the former, and he did this with a double motive, for not
only was he anxious to make the most he could out of the baron in the way of
charges, but he was positively panting with curiosity to know more about so
singular a personage, and he thought that surely the servants must be able to
furnish him with some particulars regarding their eccentric master.
In
this, however, he was mistaken, for although they told him all they knew, that
amounted to so little as really not to be worth the learning.
They
informed him that they had been engaged all in the last week, and that they
knew nothing of the baron whatever, or where he came from, or what he was,
excepting that he paid them most liberal wages, and was not very exacting in
the service he required of them.
This
was very unsatisfactory, and when the landlord started on a mission, which he
considered himself bound to perform, to a Mr. Leek, in the town, who had the
letting of Anderbury-on-the-Mount, he was quite vexed to think what a small
amount of information he was able to carry to him.
"I
can tell him," he said to himself as he went quickly towards the agent's
residence; "I can tell him the baron's name, and that in the morning he
wants to look at Anderbury-on-the-Mount; but that's all I know of him, except
that he is a most extraordinary man—indeed, the most extraordinary that I ever
came near."
Mr.
Leek, the house agent, notwithstanding the deficiency of the facts contained in
the landlord's statement, was well enough satisfied to hear that any one of
apparent wealth was inquiring after the large premises to let, for, as he said
truly to the landlord,—
"The
commission on letting and receiving the rentals of such a property is no joke
to me."
"Precisely,"
said the landlord. "I thought it was better to come and tell you at once,
for there can be no doubt that he is enormously rich."
"If
that be satisfactorily proved, it's of no consequence what he is, or who he is,
and you may depend I shall be round to the inn early in the morning to attend
upon him; and in that case, perhaps, if you have any conversation with him, you
will be so good as to mention that I will show him over the premises at his own
hour, and you shall not be forgotten, you may depend, if any arrangement is
actually come to. It will be just as well for you to tell him what a nice
property it is, and that it is to be let for eight hundred a year, or sold
outright for eight thousand pounds."
"I
will, you may depend, Mr. Leek. A most extraordinary man you will find him; not
the handsomest in the world, I can tell you, but handsome is as handsome does,
say I; and, if he takes Anderbury-on-the-Mount, I have no doubt but he will
spend a lot of money in the neighbourhood, and we shall all be the better of
that, of course, as you well know, sir."
This
then was thoroughly agreed upon between these high contracting powers, and the
landlord returned home very well satisfied, indeed, with the position in which
he had put the affair, and resolved upon urging on the baron, as far as it lay
within his power so to do, to establish himself in the neighbourhood, and to
allow him to be purveyor-in-general to his household, which, if the baron
continued in his liberal humour, would be unquestionably a very pleasant post
to occupy.
THE VISITOR, AND THE DEATH IN THE SUBTERRANEAN PASSAGE.
About
an hour and a half after the baron had retired to rest, and while the landlord
was still creeping about enjoining silence on the part of the establishment, so
that the slumbers of a wealthy and, no doubt, illustrious personage should not
be disturbed, there arrived a horseman at the Anderbury Arms.
He
was rather a singular-looking man, with a shifting, uneasy-looking glance, as
if he were afraid of being suddenly pounced upon and surprised by some one; and
although his apparel was plain, yet it was good in quality, and his whole
appearance was such as to induce respectful attention.
The
only singular circumstance was, that such a traveller, so well mounted, should
be alone; but that might have been his own fancy, so that the absence of an
attendant went for nothing. Doubtless, if the whole inn had not been in such a
commotion about the illustrious and wealthy baron, this stranger would have
received more consideration and attention than he did.
Upon
alighting, he walked at once into what is called the coffee-room of the hotel,
and after ordering some refreshments, of which he partook but sparingly, he
said, in a mild but solemn sort of tone, to the waiter who attended upon him,—
"Tell
the Baron Stolmuyer, of Saltzburgh, that there is one here who wants to see
him."
"I
beg your pardon, sir," said the waiter, "but the baron is gone to
bed."
"It
matters not to me. If you nor no one else in this establishment will deliver
the message I charge you with, I must do so myself."
"I'll
speak to my master, sir; but the baron is a very great gentleman indeed, and I
don't think my master would like to have him disturbed."
The
stranger hesitated for a time, and then he said,—
"Show
me the baron's apartment. Perhaps I ought not to ask any one person connected
with this establishment to disturb him, when I am quite willing to do so myself.
Show me the way."
"Well,
but, sir, the baron may get in a rage, and say, very naturally, that we had no
business to let anybody walk up to his room and disturb him, because we
wouldn't do so ourselves. So that you see, sir, when you come to consider, it
hardly seems the right sort of thing."
"Since,"
said the stranger, rising, "I cannot procure even the common courtesy of
being shown to the apartment of the person whom I seek, I must find him
myself."
As he
spoke he walked out of the room, and began ascending the staircase, despite the
remonstrances of the waiter, who called after him repeatedly, but could not
induce him to stop; and when he found that such was the case, he made his way
to the landlord, to give the alarm that, for all he knew to the contrary, some
one had gone up stairs to murder the baron.
This
information threw the landlord into such a fix, that he knew not what to be at.
At one moment he was for rushing up stairs and endeavouring to interfere, and
at another he thought the best plan would be to pretend that he knew nothing
about it.
While
he was in this state of uncertainty, the stranger succeeded in making his way
up stairs to the floor from which proceeded the bedrooms, and, apparently,
having no fear whatever of the Baron Stolmuyer's indignation before his eyes,
he opened door after door, until he came to one which led him into the
apartment occupied by that illustrious individual.
The
baron, half undressed only, lay in an uneasy slumber upon the bed, and the
stranger stood opposite to him for some minutes, as if considering what he
should do.
"It
would be easy," he said, "to kill him; but it will pay me better to
spare him. I may be wrong in supposing that he has the means which I hope he
has; but that I shall soon discover by his conversation."
Stretching
out, his hand, he tapped the baron lightly on the shoulder, who thereupon
opened his eyes and sprang to his feet instantly, glancing with fixed
earnestness at the intruder, upon whose face shone the light of a lamp which
was burning in the apartment.
Then
the baron shrunk back, and the stranger, folding his arms, said,—
"You
know me. Let our interview be as brief as possible. There needs no explanations
between us, for we both know all that could be said. By some accident you have
become rich, while I continue quite otherwise. It matters not how this has
occurred, the fact is everything. I don't know the amount of your possessions;
but, from your style of living, they must be great, and therefore it is that I
make no hesitation in asking of you, as a price for not exposing who and what
you are, a moderate sum."
"I
thought that you were dead."
"I
know you did; but you behold me here, and, consequently, that delusion
vanishes."
"What
sum do you require, and what assurance can I have that, when you get it, the
demand will not be repeated on the first opportunity?"
"I
can give you no such assurance, perhaps, that would satisfy you entirely; but,
for more reasons than I choose to enter into, I am extremely anxious to leave
England at once and forever. Give me the power to do so that I require, and you
will never hear of me again."
The
baron hesitated for some few seconds, during which he looked scrutinizingly at
his companion, and then he said, in a tone of voice that seemed as if he were making
the remark to himself rather than to the other,—
"You
look no older than you did when last we parted, and that was years ago."
"Why
should I look older? You know as well as I that I need not. But, to be brief, I
do not wish to interfere with any plans or projects you may have on hand. I do
not wish to be a hindrance to you. Let me have five thousand pounds, and I am
off at once and forever, I tell you."
"Five
thousand! the man raves—five thousand pounds! Say one thousand, and it is
yours."
"No;
I have fixed my price; and if you do not consent, I now tell you that I will
blazon forth, even in this house, who and what you are; and, let your schemes
of ambition or of cupidity be what they may, you may be assured that I will
blast them all."
"This
is no place in which to argue such a point; come out into the open air; 'walls
have ears;' but come out, and I will give you such special reasons why you
should not now press your claim at all, that you shall feel much beholden to me
for them, and not regret your visit."
"If
that we come to terms, I no more desire than you can do that any one should
overhear our conversation. I prefer the open air for any conference, be it
whatever it may—much prefer it; and therefore most willingly embrace your
proposition. Come out."
The
baron put on his travelling cap, and the rich velvet cloak, edged with fur,
that he possessed, and leaving his chamber a few paces in advance of his
strange visitor, he descended the staircase, followed by him. In the hall of
the hotel they found the landlord and almost the whole of the establishment
assembled, in deep consultation as to whether or not any one was to go up
stairs and ascertain if the stranger who had sought the baron's chamber was
really a friend or an enemy.
But
when they saw the two men coming down, at all events apparently amicably, it
was a great relief, and the landlord rushed forward and opened the door, for
which piece of service he got a very stately bow from the baron, and a slight
inclination of the head from his visitor, and then they both passed out.
"I
have ascertained," said the man who came on horseback, "that for the
last week in London you have lived in a style of the most princely
magnificence, and that you came down here, attended as if you were one of the
first nobles of the land."
"These
things amuse the vulgar," said the baron. "I do not mind admitting to
you that I contemplate residing on this spot, and perhaps contracting a
marriage."
"Another
marriage?"
"And
why not? If wives will die suddenly, and no one knows why, who is to help it. I
do not pretend to control the fates."
"This,
between us, is idle talk indeed—most idle; for we know there are certain
circumstances which account for the strangest phenomena; but what roaring sound
is that which comes so regularly and steadily upon the ear."
"It
is the sea washing upon the coast. The tide is no doubt advancing, and, as the
eddying surges roll in upon the pebbly shore, they make what, to my mind, is
this pleasant music."
"I
did not think we were so near the ocean. The moon is rising; let us walk upon
the beach, and as that sound is such pleasant music, you shall hear it while I
convince you what unpleasant consequences will arise from a refusal of the
modest and moderate terms I offer you."
"We
shall see, we shall see; but I must confess it does seem to me most
extraordinary that you ask of me a positive fortune, for fear you should
deprive me of a portion of one; but you cannot mean what you say."
While
they were talking they reached a long strip of sand which was by the seashore,
at the base of some cliffs, through which was excavated the passage from the
coast into the grounds of Anderbury House, and which had been so expatiated
upon by the landlord of the inn, in his description of the advantages attendant
upon that property.
There
were some rude steps, leading to a narrow arched door-way, which constituted an
entrance to this subterraneous region; and as the moonlight streamed over the
wide waste of waters, and fell upon this little door-way in the face of the cliff,
he became convinced that it was the entrance to that excavation, and he eyed it
curiously.
"What
place is that?" said his companion.
"It
is a private entrance to the grounds of a mansion in this neighbourhood."
"Private
enough, I should presume; for if there be any other means of reaching the
house, surely no one would go through such a dismal hole as that towards it;
but come, make up your mind at once. There need be no quarrelling upon the
subject of our conference, but let it be a plain matter of yes or no. Is it
worth your while to be left alone in peace, or is it not?"
"It
is worth my while, but not at such a price as that you mentioned; and I cannot
help thinking that some cheaper mode of accomplishing the same object will
surely present itself very shortly."
"I
do not understand you; you talk ambiguously."
"But
my acts," said the baron, "shall be clear and plain enough, as you
shall see. Could you believe it possible that I was the sort of person to
submit tamely to any amount of extortion you chose to practise upon me. There
was a time when I thought you possessed great sense and judgment when I thought
that you were a man who weighed well the chances of what you were about; but
now I know to the contrary; and I think for less than a thousand pounds I may
succeed in ridding myself of you."
"I
do not understand you; you had better beware how you tamper with me, for I am
not one who will be calmly disposed to put up with much. The sense, tact, and
worldly knowledge which you say you have before, from time to time, given me
credit for, belongs to me still, and I am not likely easily to commit
myself."
"Indeed;
do you think you bear such a charmed life that nothing can shake it?"
"I
think nothing of the sort; but I know what I can do—I am armed."
"And
I; and since it comes to this, take the reward of your villany; for it was you
who made me what I am, and would now seek to destroy my every hope of
satisfaction."
As
the baron spoke he drew from his breast a small pistol, which, with the
quickness of thought, he held full in the face of his companion, and pulled the
trigger.
There
can be no doubt on earth that his intention was to commit the murder, but the
pistol missed fire, and he was defeated in his intention at that moment. Then
the stranger laughed scornfully, and drawing a pistol from his pocket, he
presented it at the baron's head, saying,—
"Do
I not bear a charmed life? If I had not, should I have escaped death from you
now? No, I could not; but you perceive that even a weapon that might not fail you
upon another occasion is harmless against me; and can you expect that I will
hesitate now to take full and ample revenge upon you for this dastardly
attempt?"
These
words were spoken with great volubility, so much so, indeed, that they only
occupied a few very brief seconds in delivering; and then, perhaps, the baron's
career might have ended, for it seemed to be fully the intention of the other
to conclude what he said by firing the pistol in his face; but the wily aspect
of the baron's countenance was, after all, but a fair index of the mind, and,
just as the last words passed the lips of his irritated companion, he suddenly
dropped in a crouching position to the ground, and, seizing his legs, threw him
over his head in an instant.
The
pistol was discharged, at the same moment, and then, with a shout of rage and
satisfaction, the baron sprang upon his foe, and, kneeling upon his breast, he
held aloft in his hand a glittering dagger, the highly-polished blade of which
caught the moonbeams, and reflected them into the dazzled eyes of the conquered
man, whose fate now appeared to be certain.