The Beetle, Richard Marsh [general ebook reader .txt] 📗

aware of it, but the repetitions of the threats were, in themselves, confessions of weakness. He came a step or two forward⁠—then, stopping short, began to tremble. The perspiration broke out upon his brow; he made spasmodic little dabs at it with his crumpled-up handkerchief. His eyes wandered hither and thither, as if searching for something which they feared to see yet were constrained to seek. He began to talk to himself, out loud, in odd disconnected sentences⁠—apparently ignoring me entirely.

“What was that?⁠—It was nothing.⁠—It was my imagination.⁠—My nerves are out of order.⁠—I have been working too hard.⁠—I am not well.⁠—What’s that?”

This last inquiry came from him in a half-stifled shriek⁠—as the door opened to admit the head and body of an elderly man in a state of considerable undress. He had the tousled appearance of one who had been unexpectedly roused out of slumber, and unwillingly dragged from bed. Mr. Lessingham stared at him as if he had been a ghost, while he stared back at Mr. Lessingham as if he found a difficulty in crediting the evidence of his own eyes. It was he who broke the silence⁠—stutteringly.

“I am sure I beg your pardon, sir, but one of the maids thought that she heard the sound of a shot, and we came down to see if there was anything the matter⁠—I had no idea, sir, that you were here.” His eyes travelled from Mr. Lessingham towards me⁠—suddenly increasing, when they saw me, to about twice their previous size. “God save us!⁠—who is that?”

The man’s self-evident cowardice possibly impressed Mr. Lessingham with the conviction that he himself was not cutting the most dignified of figures. At any rate, he made a notable effort to, once more, assume a bearing of greater determination.

“You are quite right, Matthews, quite right. I am obliged by your watchfulness. At present you may leave the room⁠—I propose to deal with this fellow myself⁠—only remain with the other men upon the landing, so that, if I call, you may come to my assistance.”

Matthews did as he was told, he left the room⁠—with, I fancy, more rapidity than he had entered it. Mr. Lessingham returned to me, his manner distinctly more determined, as if he found his resolution reinforced by the near neighbourhood of his retainers,

“Now, my man, you see how the case stands, at a word from me you will be overpowered and doomed to undergo a long period of imprisonment. Yet I am still willing to listen to the dictates of mercy. Put down that revolver, give me those letters⁠—you will not find me disposed to treat you hardly.”

For all the attention I paid him, I might have been a graven image. He misunderstood, or pretended to misunderstand, the cause of my silence.

“Come, I see that you suppose my intentions to be harsher than they really are⁠—do not let us have a scandal, and a scene⁠—be sensible!⁠—give me those letters!”

Again he moved in my direction; again, after he had taken a step or two, to stumble and stop, and look about him with frightened eyes; again to begin to mumble to himself aloud.

“It’s a conjurer’s trick!⁠—Of course!⁠—Nothing more⁠—What else could it be?⁠—I’m not to be fooled.⁠—I’m older than I was. I’ve been overdoing it⁠—that’s all.”

Suddenly he broke into cries.

“Matthews! Matthews!⁠—Help! help!”

Matthews entered the room, followed by three other men, younger than himself. Evidently all had slipped into the first articles of clothing they could lay their hands upon, and each carried a stick, or some similar rudimentary weapon.

Their master spurred them on.

“Strike the revolver out of his hand, Matthews!⁠—knock him down!⁠—take the letters from him!⁠—don’t be afraid!⁠—I’m not afraid!”

In proof of it, he rushed at me, as it seemed half blindly. As he did so I was constrained to shout out, in tones which I should not have recognised as mine,

“The beetle!”

And that moment the room was all in darkness, and there were screams as of someone in an agony of terror or of pain. I felt that something had come into the room, I knew not whence nor how⁠—something of horror. And the next action of which I was conscious was, that under cover of the darkness, I was flying from the room, propelled by I knew not what.

VIII The Man in the Street

Whether anyone pursued I cannot say. I have some dim recollection, as I came out of the room, of women being huddled against the wall upon the landing, and of their screaming as I went past. But whether any effort was made to arrest my progress I cannot tell. My own impression is that not the slightest attempt to impede my headlong flight was made by anyone.

In what direction I was going I did not know. I was like a man flying through the phantasmagoric happenings of a dream, knowing neither how nor whither. I tore along what I suppose was a broad passage, through a door at the end into what, I fancy, was a drawing-room. Across this room I dashed, helter-skelter, bringing down, in the gloom, unseen articles of furniture, with myself sometimes on top, and sometimes under them. In a trice, each time I fell, I was on my feet again⁠—until I went crashing against a window which was concealed by curtains. It would not have been strange had I crashed through it⁠—but I was spared that. Thrusting aside the curtains, I fumbled for the fastening of the window. It was a tall French casement, extending, so far as I could judge, from floor to ceiling. When I had it open I stepped through it on to the verandah without⁠—to find that I was on the top of the portico which I had vainly essayed to ascend from below.

I tried the road down which I had tried up⁠—proceeding with a breakneck recklessness of which now I shudder to think. It was, probably, some thirty feet above the pavement, yet I rushed at the descent with as much disregard for the safety of life and limb as if it