Part 10 (1/2)
Romanoff lay back in his chair and quietly smoked his cigar.
”But why these questions?” persisted d.i.c.k.
”I was only thinking, my friend, on what small issues fortune or poverty may rest.”
”But--but really----”
”Here is the case as I understand it. Your lawyer told you that Mr. Anthony Riggleton, the only man who stood between you and all your uncle's possessions, was killed in a drunken brawl in Melbourne, and that on his death you became heir. That was why he sent you that wireless; that was why he summoned you back to England.”
”Exactly.”
”But what if Mr. Anthony Riggleton is not dead?”
”There is no doubt about that,” replied d.i.c.k, in tones of relief. ”Mr. Bidlake realised the importance of this, and sent to a lawyer in Melbourne to make investigations. Every care was taken, every possible loophole of mistake was investigated. I saw all the doc.u.ments, all the newspaper reports.”
”Has it ever struck you that mistakes might be made about this?”
”Of course. As a consequence I questioned Bidlake closely, and he told me that doubt was impossible.”
”Let me understand,” and Romanoff continued to speak quietly. ”Your position is that Anthony Riggleton, the then heir to all your Uncle Faversham's fortune, was living in Australia; that he was known in Melbourne; that he went to a house near Melbourne with some boon companions; that there was a night of orgy; that afterwards there was a quarrel; and that Mr. Anthony Riggleton was killed.”
”Evidently you've worked up the case,” and there was a sneer in d.i.c.k's voice.
”But I'm right, am I not?”
”As far as you've gone, you are roughly right. Of course, his body was afterwards identified by----”
”By the cas.h.i.+er of the bank from which he had drawn money, and by others,” interrupted Romanoff. ”But what if that cas.h.i.+er made a mistake? What if it paid him to make it? What if the others who identified the body were paid to do so? What if Mr. Anthony Riggleton is still alive?”
”What if a hundred things are true?” cried d.i.c.k angrily. ”One can ask such questions for ever. Of course, if Mr. Anthony Riggleton is still alive, I have no right here. If he is alive, I clear out.”
”And does the prospect please you?” and the Count looked at d.i.c.k like one anxious.
”Of course, it doesn't please me. If it's true, I'm a pauper, or next door to one. If it's true, I should have to leave everything and go out into the world to begin again.”
”And give up all thought of Lady Blanche Huntingford,” added the Count.
”I say, Romanoff, if you've anything definite to tell me, tell it. I tell you honestly, I don't enjoy all this.”
”Of course you don't. The thought of giving up all this is like thinking of having your eyes pulled out, isn't it?”
”But of course it's all rubbish. Of course you are imagining an ugly bogey man,” and d.i.c.k laughed nervously.
”I'm imagining nothing, Faversham.”
”Then you mean to tell me----”
”That Mr. Anthony Riggleton is alive? Yes, I do.”
d.i.c.k gave the Count an angry look, then started to his feet and began to pace the room.
”Of course it's all nonsense,” he cried after a few seconds. ”Please don't imagine that I'm going to accept a c.o.c.k-and-bull sort of story like that. Do you think that Bidlake would be deceived? Do you imagine that the man he employed in Melbourne would be duped? No, no, I'm not such a fool as to accept that. Besides, what have you to do with it? Why did you come here in such a fas.h.i.+on, and with such a story? It does not look very friendly, does it?”
”Why I came here, and why I have told you the truth, will leak out presently. You will see then that I came not as an enemy, but as a friend.”
”As a friend!” and there was an angry sneer in d.i.c.k's voice.
”As a friend,” repeated Romanoff. ”Of course,” he went on quietly, ”I expected that you would take it in this way; but you will soon see that my motives are--not unworthy of a friend.”
”Tell me then how you came to know of this. Perhaps you will also give me some proofs that Mr. Anthony Riggleton, who was found dead, whose body was identified by responsible witnesses, has so miraculously come to life again. Believe me, this hearsay, this wonderful story does not appeal to me. Do you come to me with this--this farrago of nonsense with the belief that I am going to give up all this?” and he looked out of the window towards the far-spreading parks as he spoke, ”without the most absolute and conclusive proof? If Mr. Anthony Riggleton is alive, where is he? Why does he not show himself? Why does he not come here and claim his own?”
”Because I have stopped him from coming,” replied Romanoff.
”You have stopped him from coming?” cried d.i.c.k excitedly.
”Exactly.”
”Then you have seen him?”
”I have seen him.”
”But how do you know it was he? Are Mr. Bidlake's inquiries to go for nothing? No, no, it won't do. I can't be deceived like that.”
”I know it was he because I have the most absolute proofs--proofs which I am going to submit to you.”
”You saw him, you say?”
”I saw him.”
”But where?”
”In Australia. I told you, didn't I, that--after leaving you I went to Australia? I told you, too, that I left Australia quickly because I did not like the country. That was false. I came because I wanted to warn you, to help you. You asked me just now why, if Mr. Anthony Riggleton was alive, he did not show himself. I will tell you why. If I had allowed him to do so, if he knew that he was heir to all you now possess, you would be a poor man. And I did not want you to be a poor man. I did not want your life to be ruined, your future sacrificed, your hopes destroyed. That's why, Faversham. That's why I left Australia and came here without wasting an hour. That's why I examined your uncle's will; that's why I came to warn you.”
”To warn me?”
”To warn you.”
”Against what?”
”Against dangers--against the dangers which might engulf you--ruin you for ever.”
”You speak in a tragic tone of voice.”
”I speak of tragic things. I told you that this was your hour of destiny. I told you the truth. This night will decide your future. You are a young fellow with your life all before you. You were born for enjoyment, for pleasure, for ease. You, unlike your uncle, who made all the wealth we are thinking of, are not a business genius; you are not a great master personality who can forge your way through difficult circ.u.mstances. You are not cast in that mould. But you can enjoy. You have barely felt your feet since you came into possession of great wealth, but already you have dreamt dreams, and seen visions. You have already made plans as to how you can suck the orange of the world dry. And to-night will be the time of decision.”
d.i.c.k laughed uneasily. ”How?” he asked, and his face was pale to the lips.