The Haunted Chamber | Page 5

to you at any time that suited me best. This time
suits me, and so I have come."
He still smiles as he says this, and looks expectantly at Sir Adrian, who,
as in duty bound, instantly tells him he is very glad to see him, and that
he is a good fellow to have come without waiting for a more formal
repetition of his invitation. Then he takes him over to old Lady
FitzAlmont, the mother of Lady Gertrude Vining, and introduces him
to her as "my cousin Mr. Dynecourt."

The same ceremony is gone through with some of the others, but, when
he brings him to Mrs. Talbot, that pretty widow interrupts his mode of
introduction.
"Mr. Dynecourt and I are old friends," she says, giving her hand to the
new-comer. Then, turning to her cousin, she adds, "Florence, is it not a
fatality our meeting him so often?"
"Have we met so often?" asks Florence quietly, but with a touch of
hauteur and dislike in her tone. Then she too gives a cold little hand to
Mr. Dynecourt, who lingers over it until she disdainfully draws it away,
after which he turns from her abruptly and devotes himself to Dora
Talbot.
The widow is glad of his attentions. He is handsome and well-bred, and
for the last half hour she has been feeling slightly bored; so eager has
been the discussion about the Marlow matter, that she has been little
sought after by the opposite sex. And now, once again, the subject is
being examined in all its bearings, and the discussion waxes fast and
furious.
"What is it all about?" asks Arthur Dynecourt presently, glancing at the
animated group in the middle of the room. And Sir Adrian, hearing his
question, explains it to him.
"Ah, indeed!" he says. And then, after a scarcely perceptible
pause--"Who is to be Kate Hardcastle?"
"Miss Delmaine," answers Sir Adrian, who is still leaning over that
young lady's chair.
"In what does the difficulty consist?" inquires Arthur Dynecourt, with
apparent indifference.
"Well," replies Sir Adrian, laughing; "I believe mere fear holds us back.
Miss Delmaine, as we all know, is a finished actress, and we dread
spoiling her performance by faults on our side. None of us have
attempted the character before; this is why we hesitate."

"A very sensible hesitation, I think," says his cousin coolly. "You
should thank me then for coming to your relief this afternoon; I have
played the part several times, and shall be delighted to undertake it
again, and help you out of your difficulty."
At this Miss Delmaine flushes angrily, and opens her lips as if she
would say something, but, after a second's reflection, restrains herself.
She sinks back into her chair with a proud languor, and closes her
mouth resolutely.
Sir Adrian is confounded. All along he had secretly hoped that, in the
end, this part would fall to his lot; but now--what is to be done? How
can he refuse to let his cousin take his place, especially as he has
declared himself familiar with the part.
Arthur, observing his cousin's hesitation, laughs aloud. His is not a
pleasant laugh, but has rather a sneering ring in it, and at the present
moment it jars upon the ears of the listeners.
"If I have been indiscreet," he says, with a slight glance at Florence's
proud face, "pray pardon me. I only meant to render you a little
assistance. I thought I understood from you that you were rather in a
dilemma. Do not dwell upon my offer another moment. I am afraid I
have made myself somewhat officious--unintentionally, believe me."
"My dear fellow, not at all," declares Sir Adrian hastily, shocked at his
own apparent want of courtesy. "I assure you, you mistake. It is all so
much to the contrary, that I gratefully accept your offer, and beg you
will be Marlow."
"But really--" begins Arthur Dynecourt.
"Not a word!" interrupts Sir Adrian; and indeed by this time Arthur
Dynecourt has brought his cousin to believe he is about to confer upon
him a great favor. "Look here, you fellows," Sir Adrian goes on,
walking toward the other men, who are still arguing and disputing over
the vexed question, "I've settled it all for you. Here is my cousin; he
will take the difficulty off your hands, and be a first-class Marlow at

the same time."
A suppressed consternation follows this announcement. Many and dark
are the glances cast upon the new-comer, who receives them all with
his usual imperturbable smile. Rising, Arthur approaches one of the
astonished group who is known to him, and says something upon the
subject with a slight shrug of his shoulders. As he is Sir Adrian's cousin,
every one feels that it will be impossible to