Herbert hastily offered Mr Brailsford a chair, pushing it against his calves just in time to interrupt an angry speech at the beginning. The three sat down.
We have called on you, Mr Jack,” said Adrian, in the hope that you can throw some light on a matter which is a source of great anxiety to Mr Brailsford. Miss Brailsford has disappeared”
“What!” cried Jack. “Run away again. Ha! ha! I expected as much.”
“Pray be calm,” said Herbert, as Mr Brailsford made a frantic gesture. “Allow me to speak, Mr Jack: I believe you have lately been in communication with the young lady.”
“I have been teaching her for the last four months, if that is what you mean.”
“Pray understand that we attach no blame to you in the matter. We merely wish to ascertain the whereabouts of Miss Brailsford: and we thought you might be able to assist us. If so, I feel sure you will not hesitate to give this gentleman all the information in your power.”
“You may reassure yourself,” said Jack.” She has got an engagement at some theatre and has gone to fulfill it. “She told me so a few days ago, when she came to break off her lessons.”
“We particularly wish to find out where she has gone to,” said Herbert slowly.
“You must find that out as best you can,” said Jack, looking attentively at him. She mentioned the place to me; but she asked me not to repeat it, and it is not my business to do so.”
“Herbert,” cried Mr. Brailsford, “Herbert.”
“Pray: remonstrated Adrian. “Just allow me one word—”
“Herbert,” persisted the other: “this is the fellow of whom I told you as we came along in the cab. He is her accomplice. You know you are,” he continued, turning to Jack, and raising his voice. “Do you still deny that you are her agent?”
Jack stared at him imperturbably.
“It is a conspiracy,” said Mr Brailsford. “It, has been a conspiracy from the first; and you are the prime mover in it. You shall not bully me, sir. I will make you speak.”
“There, there,” said Jack. “Take him away, Mr Herbert.”
Adrian stepped hastily between them, fearing that his companion would proceed to violence. Before another word could be spoken the door was opened by Mrs Simpson, who started and stopped short when she saw visitors in the room.
“I beg pardon — Why, it’s Mr Brailsford,” she added, reddening. “I hope I see you well, sir,” she continued, advancing with a propitiatory air. “I am honored by having you in my house.”
“Indeed!” said the old gentleman, with a look which made her tremble. “So it is you who introduced Miss Magdalen to this man. Herbert, my dear boy, the thing is transparent. This woman is an old retainer of ours. It was her sister who took Madge away before. I told you it was all a conspiracy.”
“ Lord bless us!” exclaimed Mrs. Simpson. “I hope nothing ain’t happened to Miss Magdalen.”
“If anything has, you shall be held responsible for it. Where has she gone?”
“Oh, don’t go to tell me that my sweet Miss Magdalen has gone away again, sir!”
“You hear how they contradict one another, Herbert?”
Mrs Simpson looked mistrustfully at Jack, who was grinning at her with cynical admiration. “I don’t know what Mr. Jack may have put into your head about me, sir,” she said cautiously; “but I assure you I know nothing of poor Miss Magdalen’s doings. I haven’t seen her this past month.”
“You understand, of course,” remarked Jack, “that that is not true. Mrs. Simpson has always been present at your daughter’s lessons. She knows perfectly well that Miss Brailsford has gone to play at some theatre. She heard it in—”
“I wish you’d mind your own business, Mr Jack.” said the landlady, sharply.
“When lies are needed to serve Miss Brailsford, you can speak,” retorted Jack. “Until then, hold your tongue. It is clear to me, Mr Herbert, that you want this unfortunate young lady’s address for the purpose of attempting to drag her back from an honorable profession to a foolish and useless existence which she hates. Therefore I shall give you no information. If she is unhappy or unsuccessful in her new career, she will return of her own accord.”
“I fear,” said Herbert, embarrassed by the presence of Mrs Simpson, “that we can do no good by remaining here.”
“You arc right,” said Mr Brailsford. “I decline to address myself further to either of you. Other steps shall be taken. And you shall repent the part you have played on this occasion, Mrs. Simpson. As for you, sir, I can only say 1 trust this will prove our last meeting.”
“I shan’t repent nothink,” said Mrs. Simpson. “Why shouldn’t I assist the pretty—”
“Come!” said Jack, interrupting her, “we have said enough. Good evening, Mr Herbert.” Adrian colored, and moved towards the door, “You shall be welcome whenever you wish to see me,” added lack; “but at present you had better take this gentleman away.” Herbert bowed slightly, and went out, annoyed by the abrupt dismissal, and even more by the attempt to soften it. Mr Brailsford walked stiffly after him, staring indignantly at Mrs Simpson and her lodger. Provoked to mirth by this demonstration, Jack, who had hitherto behaved with dignity, rubbed his nose with the palm of his hand, and grinned hideously through his fingers at his visitor.
“As I told you before,” said Mr. Brailsford, turning as he reached the threshold, “you are a vile kidnapper; and I will see that your trade is exposed and put a stop to.”
“As I told you before,” said Jack, removing his hand from his nose, “you are an old fool; and I wish you good afternoon.”
“Sh — sh,” said Mrs Simpson, as Mr Brailsford, with a menacing wave of his glove, disappeared. “You didn’t ought to speak like that to an old gentleman, Mr. Jack.”
“His age gives him no right to be ill-tempered and abusive to me,” said Jack angrily.
“Humph!” retorted the landlady. “Your own tongue and temper are none of the sweetest. If I was you, I wouldn’t be so much took aback at seeing others do the same as myself.”
“Indeed. And how do you think being me would feel like, Mrs. Deceit?”
“I wouldn’t make out other people to be liars before their faces, at all events, Mr Jack.”
“You would prefer the truth to be told of you behind your back, perhaps. I sometimes wonder what part of my music will show the influence of your society upon me. My Giulietta Guicciardi!”
“Give me no more of your names,” said Mrs. Simpson, shortly, “I don’t need them.”
Jack left the room slowly as if he had forgotten her. Meanwhile Mr. Brailsford was denouncing him to Herbert. “From the moment I first saw him,” he said, “I felt an instinctive antipathy to him. I have never seen a worse face, or met with a worse nature.”
“I certainly do not like him,” said Herbert. “He has taken up an art as a trade, and knows nothing of the trials of a true artist’s career. No doubts of himself; no aspirations to suggest them; nothing but a stubborn narrow self-sufficiency. I half envy him.”
“The puppy!” exclaimed Mr Brailsford, not attending to Adrian: “to dare insult me! He shall suffer for it. I have put a bullet into a fellow — into a gentleman of good position — for less. And Magdalen — my daughter — is intimate with him — has visited him. Girls are going to the devil of late years, Herbert, going to the very devil. She shall not give me the slip again, when I catch her.”
Mr