Read Ebook: The Hampstead mystery: a novel. Volume 3 (of 3) by Marryat Florence

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Ebook has 599 lines and 47595 words, and 12 pages

'Did I promise?' asked his brother in a stupid way. 'I suppose I have forgotten it! I have so much business to think of. But I had better tell Hannah I am going with you, or she will wait dinner for me.'

'I left Hannah with Edith, Hal, and the sooner we join them the better. I have my cab at the door, so come at once, like a good fellow,' said Arthur Hindes, who was beginning to feel seriously uneasy about his brother.

He persuaded him to accompany him back to town, however, and in another half-hour they had all sat down to dinner. Captain Hindes marked the anxious look in his sister-in-law's eye, as he related how he had found his brother; but Henry picked up considerably during dinner, and even attempted some feeble attempts towards jocularity, which were accompanied, however, by such a silly, cackling laugh, that his wife's cheeks burned with shame to listen to him, and Arthur tried by all means in his power to cover his shortcomings by talking a great deal more nonsense than was his wont.

'I am sorry,' he said, as they started for the theatre, 'that I was unable to procure a box at the Lyceum. Everything was booked there for three weeks in advance, but I got seats at another theatre, which I daresay will prove just as amusing.'

'I shall like anything, naturally,' replied Edith; 'but you, Hannah, see so many pieces, I suppose, that you may be fastidious.'

'Indeed, you are mistaken,' said Hannah, with her quiet smile. 'Henry does not care, as a rule, to go out after dinner, and I cannot, of course, go without him. An evening at the theatre is almost as great a treat to me as to you, Edith.'

The theatre which Captain Hindes had selected was one of those which provide melodrama for the public amusement. There happened to be a very stirring piece on there at that moment, full of sensational scenes of murder, assault, and robbery. The murder was committed in the prologue, and the story dragged through three long acts afterwards, during which the assassin was being hunted down until he was finally brought to justice.

As soon as Hannah understood what they were likely to see, she became anxious and troubled on her husband's account, although she took great pains to conceal her feelings. The two ladies were seated in front of the box, whilst the gentlemen occupied the spaces behind their chairs. She could not, therefore, see her husband's face, but she sympathised with him all through the play. She fancied that the conversation between the brothers grew less and less as the piece proceeded, but that might be due to the fact that they had become interested in it. Her worst fears were, however, realised, when, as they were watching a scene in which the murderer betrayed himself to a woman, who had been on his track from the beginning, she suddenly heard Henry exclaim,--

'This is an insult! I will stand it no longer. I consider you had no right to bring my wife to see such a piece as this.'

Captain Hindes started to his feet at once, the two ladies looked round in amazement, and Hannah said, in an agonised whisper,--

'Hush, Henry, hush, for Heaven's sake! You will attract public notice. I am enjoying the play immensely. Do sit down and be quiet.'

'I will not sit down,' he continued, loudly. 'I will not stay another moment in this damned place. Here, Hannah, put on your cloak and bonnet at once, and come home with me. You sha'n't hear another line of it.'

Hannah glanced at her brother and sister-in-law with infinite distress, which their looks returned, but, rising hastily, she whispered to Arthur,--

'Don't make any fuss. Let me go home with him. He is not well. Forgive me, Arthur; forgive us both, but don't try to persuade him to stay.'

She threw her mantle over her shoulders as she spoke, and, putting her hand through her husband's arm, said gently,--

'Come, dear, I am quite ready to go home. Good-night, dear Arthur and Edie. Thanks so much,' and, with that, she drew him quickly away.

When they had disappeared, Captain and Mrs Hindes looked at each other in sorrowful surprise.

'I am very much inclined to believe it,' replied her husband. 'There is certainly something very wrong about him, and I shall speak to a doctor on the subject to-morrow. Hannah says he has refused to see anybody, but, when a man begins to be as unreasonable as this, it is time his friends acted for him. I have not had time to tell you how I found him this afternoon, but I will when we get home.'

Henry and Arthur Hindes had been the only children of their parents, and, as young men, had been much attached to each other; Arthur, perhaps, caring for Henry more than Henry did for him, as he joined admiration of his elder brother's abilities and address to his affection. His principal thought in coming home had been the meeting with Henry again, and the reality proved a bitter disappointment to him. He lay awake half the night trying to find some reason for his brother's unaccountable conduct, but was unable to think of any illness, except that of the brain, that could make him behave in so extraordinary a manner.

He determined, therefore, that, whether Henry liked it or not, it was his duty to consult a specialist on his behalf, and get him, if possible, to pay him a visit. His first action, therefore, in the morning was to inquire for and gain an interview with an eminent brain doctor, to whom he related, as well as he was able, all that had occurred since his arrival in England.

The great man listened to him with polite attention and in perfect silence. He was a slender, delicate-looking man, with a bald head, mild eyes and a pale complexion. No novice, to look at him, would have imagined that that quiet eye of his had the power to quell the ravings of the greatest lunatic who ever tried to dash his keeper's brains out. But, as he sat quietly with clasped hands and gazed at him, Captain Hindes felt his influence without inviting it.

'A sad story, Captain Hindes,' he said, when Arthur had finished; 'and it may be you have guessed the truth. But no disease is so subtle as that of the brain, and I can give no opinion without seeing your brother.'

'Could you not introduce me as a friend of your own? Under any circumstances, you could not tell him who I am. It would defeat my efforts. I must observe him quietly and by myself,' said Doctor Govan.

'He is so morose and apparently averse to any company,' replied Arthur. 'I suppose you could not manage to see him at his office on pretence of doing business?'

'Very good,' replied Captain Hindes. 'What evening will suit you, doctor?'

'I can go to-night, if you are sure your brother will be at home.'

'I will wire to my sister-in-law, and let you know the result at once.'

'Very well, sir. I will hold the time at your disposal for, say, the next hour.'

Arthur thanked him, and withdrew to the nearest telegraph office, whence he sent a wire to Hannah, waiting there till he had received her reply. It was satisfactory.

'We shall be at home this evening, and glad to see you.'

With this, Arthur hastened back to Doctor Govan, and received his promise to meet him at the entrance of The Old Hall gates at eight o'clock that night. They were both punctual, and walked up the drive together. The servant admitted them to the library, where his master and mistress usually spent their evenings, and they found Hannah sitting at her needlework by the lamplight, whilst her husband lounged in a chair with a newspaper on his knees, but apparently doing nothing.

'Well, Hal!' exclaimed Arthur, cheerfully, after he had saluted his sister-in-law, 'how are you? I should have looked you up before this, but I have been occupied half the day with a friend and fellow-passenger of mine, Doctor Govan. Let me make you known to one another. Doctor, this is my brother, Mr Hindes.'

As Hannah heard the profession of the stranger mentioned, she threw a quick glance towards Henry, to see how he would take it, but seemingly he had forgotten the breach of good manners of which he had been guilty the night before, and recovered his good temper, for he welcomed both his brother and his friend heartily.

'Delighted to see you both,' he said. 'Hannah, my dear, ring for brandy and soda. My wife says I behaved like a bear last night, Artie, in breaking up your party so soon; but I was confoundedly sleepy, old chap, and that's a fact, so you must forgive me.'

'Why, Hal, I don't think you need begin making excuses to me at this time of day,' replied his brother, who looked at the doctor, nevertheless, to see how he took this very brief mention of a great insult.

But Doctor Govan's face was imperturbable, and no index to his feelings. He accepted a glass of brandy-and-soda, and entered into a pleasant conversation with Henry Hindes respecting his business and shipping prospects, whilst Arthur maintained small talk with Hannah. At last a diversion was effected by the sound of a child's whimpering outside.

'Wally being carried off to bed,' said his mother, smiling. 'He is a very spoilt boy, I am sorry to say, and it is seldom effected without a controversy.'

'Wally,' cried his uncle. 'Oh, do have him in, Hannah! You forget I have not been introduced to my nephew yet.'

'It is so late,' she said, demurringly, as she glanced at the clock, 'eight o'clock. He ought to have been in bed half an hour ago. And he may worry Doctor Govan.'

'I'm sure he won't,' replied Arthur, as he sprang towards the door; 'here, nurse, bring that youngster this way. His mamma wants him,' he continued, and in another minute the little fellow ran into the room and hid his face in his mother's lap.

It was evident how his father loved him. Henry Hindes's features lighted up with paternal affection as his little son appeared, and he called the child to him and placed him on his knee, that all the room might admire him. Master Wally was really a splendid specimen of a boy, notwithstanding his plainness, with his head of thick, curly hair, his large, dark eyes, and dimpled neck and shoulders showing above his embroidered frock.

'This is not a bad specimen to carry on the family of the Hindes, eh, Arthur?' inquired his father, proudly, as he passed his hand over the infant's curls.

'He is a magnificent boy,' said his brother, enthusiastically, 'and I don't wonder you are proud of him, Henry. Why, he would make two of our little Charlie! And how fat he is! He must weigh about fifty pounds.'

'And he is really very intelligent for such a baby,' interposed Hannah; 'he has taught himself all his letters from his picture alphabet, and draws wonderfully for so young a child.'

'Yes,' added Henry Hindes, proudly, 'we are not at all ashamed of our son and heir. We consider he is as good as most.'

'I don't remember ever to have seen a finer child,' said Doctor Govan, willing to add his meed of admiration for the parents' pleasure, 'but you must be careful how you press so active a brain. Never forget that the body and the brain cannot grow together, unless at the expense of one or the other. Let him do nothing but play now! Half a dozen years hence will be plenty of time to begin cramming him. If the true history of most murderers could be traced back, it would be found that their brains had been unduly charged when young, and broken down, or become abnormal under the process. You don't want this little man to develop into a criminal, I'm sure,' said the doctor, as he kindly patted the boy's shoulder.

But Henry Hindes's manner had completely changed. He snatched the child from the stranger's reach, and rose majestically from his seat.

'What do you mean?' he demanded, 'by coupling my child's name with that of a murderer? Have you come here to insult me? I will not let you touch him again. I never heard of such a thing in my life! Perhaps you are a murderer yourself, since it comes so pat to you to talk of them. Leave my house at once! I will not have my children's ears contaminated by hearing of such things!'

'Henry! Henry!' pleaded his wife, 'what are you saying? This gentleman is our guest--a friend of Arthur's. You must not speak to him like that! You can't be well!'

'Not well!' he exclaimed vehemently, 'that's what you're always cramming down my throat nowadays. What is there about me that is not well? I suppose you want to get rid of me, and hope, by always dinning the lie, that I'm not well, into my ears, that you'll frighten me into dying. But you're mistaken! I'll live in spite of you! And is this the reason,' he continued, turning fiercely upon Arthur, 'that you brought this man to my house? You know I hate doctors. I told you yesterday that I don't believe in them. Why is he here? Tell me the truth at once!'

'There is nothing to tell, Henry,' replied his brother, in a tone of vexation, 'except that, since you choose to behave so unlike a gentleman, it will be the last time my friends ever intrude on you. I thought, in bringing Doctor Govan to my brother's house, that I was ensuring him the treatment due to his name and profession, but I see I was mistaken. We will not stay to be affronted any longer, so I will bid you good-night.'

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