Richard Marsh

“ George Solly's prison number was 13 C, the number being that of the cell he occupied.
"I listened outside of 13 C, and I heard two voices."
"Two voices?"
"Yes, sir, two voices—and one of them a woman's."
"A woman's?"
"Yes, sir, a woman's—I heard it most distinct. I could hear what they were saying. They were regularly carrying on. I heard Solly say, 'My own true love!' I heard the woman say, 'Sweetheart!' and a lot more like that."
As if suspecting the presence, somewhere, of a smile. Warder Slater all at once became emphatic. ”

“ Champnell was drenched with what seemed like sea-water, and he was in the possession of the whole of the missing jewels—they had been vomited forth by the infernal machines.
"Although this looks as if it were a fairy tale," he told himself, "I fancy it has a very simple explanation."
As, some half-hour after, he was driving down Bond Street in a cab, his attention was attracted to an individual who was advancing along the Piccadilly pavement.
"The man himself! So whatever may have become of the Stormy Petrel, milord himself is above water." ”

“ But does it therefore follow that I should play the piano, like a madman, at the Apollo Club? Though I can easily believe that if I did play the piano at the Apollo Club, or, indeed, anywhere else, that I should play it like a madman. I assure you that I can give you a circumstantial and satisfactory account of every hour I spent in town, Miss Nora."
"You pique my curiosity, Mr. Attree," said Mrs. Groome. "I should like to see this Mr. Isaac Goad, though possibly, and I think probably, the resemblance would not strike me so forcibly as it appears to have struck you." ”

“ The Earl of Datchet was leaning against the table. The Duchess's waist was encircled by his arm. They stared at the intruder in not unjustifiable surprise. Miss Paynter addressed herself to the Duchess.
"I wouldn't go and get ready if I were you."
"What do you mean?" the Duchess replied.
"Why, my dear child, because in real knowledge of this wicked world I believe you're nothing but a child; you're only biting off your nose to spite your face. You're jumping out of the frying-pan into the fire. This gentleman has not the slightest real intention of marriage—have you?" ”

“ As Mason held his peace I took his place as fugleman.
But we could not stand against them—we could not—in scrimmage or out of it. All at once they seemed to be possessed. In an instant their back play improved a hundred per cent. One of their men, in particular, played like Old Nick himself. In the excitement—and they were an exciting sixty seconds—I could not make out which one of them it was; but he made things lively. He as good as played us single-handed; he was always on the ball; he seemed to lend their forwards irresistible impetus when it was in the scrimmage. ”

“ She stood, trembling all over, a pretty picture of distress—in tan shoes and a white piqué gown.
"What do you mean?" cried Ernest
"You are dreaming," murmured I.
We rose together. But he was the quicker. Going behind the willow tree, he parted the bracken with his hands.
"There is, by George! What are you doing there, sir? Are you drunk? Why——" He stooped down. "Good God! He's dead!"
Suddenly, with a loud cry, he fell upon his knees.
"It's Coursault!" ...
It was. Lying dead among the bracken—"Where the Willows cast their Shade." ”

“ She was not to be persuaded to stay any more than Inglis. She did not even stay to clear the table. I have seldom seen a woman in a greater hurry. As for wages, there was not a hint of them. Staid, elderly, self-possessed female though she was, she seemed to be in a perfect panic of fear. Nothing would satisfy her but that she should, with the greatest possible expedition, shake from her feet the dust of the Water Lily. When we were quit of her I looked at Violet and Violet looked at me. ”

“ Yes, gentlemen, there is the own brother to this pack of cards at this moment in the museum at Scotland Yard. Perhaps this gentleman's knowledge of the profession which he adorns so well will enable him to corroborate that fact."
"This—this is the pack."
"Do tell! That's candid, now. What, the Colonel's own! It's beautiful: for, gentlemen, Francis Farmer was a swindler, a card-sharper, a thief. He had all the talents. Permit me, sir, to exploit his favourite pack of cards."
The stranger took the cards which Mr. Armitage was holding in his hand. ”

“ Mr. Fungst turned to the Duchess. He stretched out his hand. "I have been running after that diamond all through the town— yes, night and day—from the pillar to the post. I trace it home to you. I learn that it was presented to you this morning to wear to-night at the Marquis of Clonkilty's ball. At the Marquis of Clonkilty's ball I see it in your hair."
Her Grace's bewilderment seemed to be increasing. "The Marquis of Clonkilty's ball! You?"
"Yes, me. I go to the door of the house. I ask for you. There was a crowd of people. They do not seem to understand. ”

“ He spoke coldly.
"There is only one thing better."
"Frankly, I am not quite sure what is my own mind upon the matter. There is so much talked about that sort of thing. But really I doubt if there is anything better worth living for than art."
"For a man there is a woman."
"You mean, I suppose, that for a man there are women."
"Miss Davidson! Don't say that." He put his hand upon her arm. His face was eager and flushed. "That, if you like, is the cant of the day. There is only one woman for a man." ”

“ For some minutes after the Frenchman had gone neither of the Englishmen said anything. Mr. Kennard, his head thrown back, his pipe between his teeth, puffed clouds of smoke towards the ceiling. He was the first to speak.
"Not a very genial invitation—eh, William?"
"My dear Hugh, what it is to be heavy-footed. Did you happen to observe that the fellow was half beside himself with trouble?" ”

“ Or perhaps you have made a slight mistake in giving us one print for another. Are you aware that the portrait you have given us is not the portrait of a man at all, but of a woman?"
"I am aware of it, and of a woman who, to my eye, has the light of a great purpose in her face. There can be no doubt that that woman was sitting in George Solly's chair."
"And where is George Solly then?"
"That I cannot tell you. But, as Mr. Dodsworth remarked the other day—and I shall have to make my apologies to Mr. Dodsworth—it is a well-authenticated fact that the camera cannot lie. ”

“ To this observation Miss Paynter answered nothing. She looked at her mother, and out of the comers of her eyes she peeped at the stranger. As she peeped she smiled; it was but the faintest shadow of a smile, but it was certainly a smile. The stranger was a solid-looking young man, short and broad. He had rather a vacuous expression of countenance. His cheeks, which were innocent of whiskers, were fat and red. Altogether he did not seem to be the sort of person who was likely to be hurt by a trifle, which, under the circumstances, was perhaps as well. ”

“ As Violet asked her question there came this observation from the person in the bed — whom, by the way, I could not see. There was a long-drawn sigh. "What fools all we women are! What fools!"
There was a sincerity of bitterness about the tone, which, coming as it did from an unseen speaker — one so near and yet so far — had on one a most uncomfortable effect. Violet pressed closer to my side. The woman in the bed turned over. Overhead there still continued the measured tramp, tramping of the man. We were conscious, in some subtle way, that the woman lay listening to the footsteps. ”

“ A PACK OF CARDS
PART I.
"YOU see these? They belong to Francis Farmer; Colonel Farmer he called himself; the Colonel he was known as among his pals. Did you ever hear of him?"
I could not say that I ever had.
"He was a card himself, the Colonel was. An American. He had had something to do with the army, once upon a time, I fancy; but he had had more to do with the police. He was one of the greatest swindlers of modern times—an artist the Colonel was." ”

“ I was thinking, as I ate, about what I had seen, memorials of hideous murders, a unique collection of burglars' tools, coiners' moulds, forgers' presses, ingenious implements for every sort of swindling—a perfect arsenal of crime! I am free to confess that that pack of cards was present to my mind. What a relic for a man to possess—a haunted pack of swindler's cards! ”

“ Groome, the brain has two lobes—that is, divisions. These lobes sometimes, without their possessor knowing anything at all about it, work separately. While one works the other, so to speak, sleeps, and vice versâ. This is how the two lobes of your brain have treated you. Ordinarily you are—as you are—the gentleman whose acquaintance I have the honour of making, Mr. Groome. But while one lobe has been sleeping, the other lobe has insisted upon your being that very talented musician whose acquaintance I have also had the honour of making—Mr. Isaac Goad. ”

“ It is to be noted that the attitude of the woman is, throughout, one of protection to the man and defiance to us—of defiance, that is, to the manipulator of the camera. She first of all, in Mr. Dodsworth's plate, tries to hide the name upon the slate. Then she actually, with her own person, conceals the man. In my first plate she confronts me boldly, as if to give me to understand that it is with her I have to reckon. Then she rubs out the name upon the slate, she writes another in its place. ”

“ The young lady did not know what to think This duke was such an extraordinary duke. The great middle class is aware that there are members of the British aristocracy who are deficient in brains; manners, morals, and even education. But, as a matter of fact, even in these democratic days individuals of that class seldom come into actual contact even with a baron, and when, by some wondrous accident, they stumble on a duke, they expect that duke to be a duke. If to all outward seeming he appears to be a cross between a billiard marker and a stable hand, they are apt to be surprised. ”

“ Inglis glanced uncomfortably at the chair on which he was sitting. "Why, I believe this is the very chair on which I sat! I remember noticing what a queer shape it was."
It was rather an odd-shaped chair. For that matter, all the things on board were odd.
"Then have you been on board this boat before?"
"Yes." Inglis positively shuddered. "I was, once; if it is the Sylph, that is." He thrust his hands into his trouser pockets. He leaned back in his chair. A curious look came into his face. "It is the Sylph, I'll swear to it. It all comes back to me. What an extraordinary coincidence! ”

“ The noise served to rouse the snakes, and efts, and lizards to renewed activity. The room seemed again to be alive with them. As he listened, Mr. Howitt became livid. He was, apparently, becoming imbecile with terror.
His aforetime partner, turning to him, pointed to the box with outstretched hand.
"What a row it makes! What a rage it's in! Your death screams out to you, with a ravening longing—the most awful death that a man can die. ”

“ Mr. Fungst spoke almost with a gasp.
"For ever! Look out!" Mr. Brooke spoke just in time. There was a little crack. The diamond had disappeared. Three pairs of eyes were still bent upon her Grace's hand. But it was empty—the diamond had gone.
"It's gone off bang!"
"What do you mean?" exclaimed the Duchess. "What has happened?"
"When your servants sweep the room in the morning your Grace should give them instructions to be careful. A diamond which was your husband's present, and for which your Grace was offered thirty thousand pounds, lies in dust upon the floor." ”

“ With your attitudinising, and the rest of your folly, you've driven that little girl, who loves you as only a woman can love a fool, to try to gain for you a wretched ten thousand francs in exchange, you little ass, for her own life. ”

“ However, she was a lady whose mental processes, under certain conditions, and in a certain sense, travelled quickly.
"And is the dear Duchess"—she was still "the dear Duchess"—"at Boulogne?"
"Yes— hang it! And Dicky Datchet's with her, too."
"Dicky Datchet! Do you mean the Earl of Datchet?"
"That's him."
"Dear me! How sad! I never thought that the Earl of Datchet was that kind of man."
"What kind of man?"
"I always thought that the Earl of Datchet was a nobleman of the strictest propriety—as one of our first nobility ought to be, for the sake of the public example. ”

“ No one made a price.
"You're surely not afraid of one man? What, all the lot of you?"
"Dash me!" roared Mr. Jacobs. "No man shall say that I'm afraid of him—not if I have to go into the workhouse to-morrow. I'll tell you what I'll do, Mr. Major. I'll give you the chance to make the biggest bet that was ever made in England. You've got over a hundred and fifty thousand pounds there, and by ——! most of it's mine. If you like to put the lot of it on Ballet Girl, at five to one on, I'll take you." ”