screditors—tenpenceinthepoundinsixweekssetupagain,coaxedbackhiswife,andisflourishinglikeagreenbay-tree.”
“AndCrimsworthHall—wasthefurnituresoldtoo?”
“Everything—fromthegrandpianodowntotherolling-pin.”
“Andthecontentsoftheoakdining-room—weretheysold?”
“Ofcoursewhyshouldthesofasandchairsofthatroombeheldmoresacredthanthoseofanyother?”
“Andthepictures?”
“Whatpictures?CrimsworthhadnospecialcollectionthatIknowof—hedidnotprofesstobeanamateur.”
“Thereweretwoportraits,oneoneachsidethemantelpieceyoucannothaveforgottenthem,Mr.Hunsdenyouoncenoticedthatofthelady—”
“Oh,Iknow!thethin-facedgentlewomanwithashawlputonlikedrapery.—Why,asamatterofcourse,itwouldbesoldamongtheotherthings.Ifyouhadbeenrich,youmighthaveboughtit,forIrememberyousaiditrepresentedyourmother:youseewhatitistobewithoutasou.”
Idid.“Butsurely,”Ithoughttomyself,“Ishallnotalwaysbesopoverty-strickenImayonedaybuyitbackyet.—Whopurchasedit?doyouknow?”Iasked.
“Howisitlikely?Ineverinquiredwhopurchasedanythingtherespoketheunpracticalman—toimaginealltheworldisinterestedinwhatinterestshimself!Now,goodnight—I’moffforGermanyto-morrowmorningIshallbebackhereinsixweeks,andpossiblyImaycallandseeyouagainIwonderwhetheryou’llbestilloutofplace!”helaughed,asmockingly,asheartlesslyasMephistopheles,andsolaughing,vanished.
Somepeople,howeverindifferenttheymaybecomeafteraconsiderablespaceofabsence,alwayscontrivetoleaveapleasantimpressionjustatpartingnotsoHunsden,aconferencewithhimaffectedonelikeadraughtofPeruvianbarkitseemedaconcentrationofthespeciallyharsh,stringent,bitterwhether,likebark,itinvigorated,Iscarcelyknew.
AruffledmindmakesarestlesspillowIsleptlittleonthenightafterthisinterviewtowardsmorningIbegantodoze,buthardlyhadmyslumberbecomesleep,whenIwasrousedfromitbyhearinganoiseinmysittingroom,towhichmybed-roomadjoined—astep,andashovingoffurniturethemovementlastedbarelytwominuteswiththeclosingofthedooritceased.IlistenednotamousestirredperhapsIhaddreamtitperhapsalocatairehadmadeamistake,andenteredmyapartmentinsteadofhisown.Itwasyetbutfiveo’clockneitherInorthedaywerewideawakeIturned,andwassoonunconscious.WhenIdidrise,abouttwohourslater,IhadforgottenthecircumstancethefirstthingIsaw,however,onquittingmychamber,recalleditjustpushedinatthedoorofmysitting-room,andstillstandingonend,wasawoodenpacking-case—aroughdealaffair,widebutshallowaporterhaddoubtlessshoveditforward,butseeingnooccupantoftheroom,hadleftitattheentrance.
“Thatisnoneofmine,”thoughtI,