Evelyn Manwaring : $b A tale of Hampton Court PalaceChester, Greville John
General
Evelyn Manwaring : $b A tale of Hampton Court Palace
Chester, Greville John
England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction; Hampton Court (Richmond upon Thames, London, England) -- Fiction
Upon this, Massenger sent off express to telegraph for Lord
Guttleborough, and next morning the great man arrived soon after
breakfast. He was closeted with the Doctor for more than an hour, and
then the two came into the room where we were sitting. Cubleigh seemed
utterly flabbergasted at the unlooked-for appearance of his father, but
he put on a sickly smile as he went up to greet him.
“No, sir,” cried my Lord, in a terrible voice, “don’t attempt to speak
to me; I’ll bandy no words with you; but come up into your bedroom at
once. And you,” he added, turning to me, “having, as I understand, been
present at another search for stolen goods, I have thought it right to
ask Dr. Massenger’s permission to request your Grace to come upstairs a
second time for a similar purpose.”
All I could do, though I confess I was dying of curiosity, was to
bow assent, and then up we all went into Cubleigh’s room. Lord
Guttleborough seemed in no mood to spare his son. He compelled him to
rummage out even the smallest articles. Once, in a sudden fit of fury,
he tore down a photograph from the wall, and crushed it, frame and all,
under his feet. At length we came to Cubleigh’s desk.
“Open that,” said my Lord, sternly.
Cubleigh obeyed, and ostentatiously threw out all the contents upon the
table. “I don’t know what you expect to find,” said he; “but I hope you
are satisfied now.”
Lord Guttleborough gave a sigh, as if of relief. Dr. Massenger looked
puzzled.
“I suppose I may put these things back now?” said Cubleigh; and as he
spoke I noticed a look of exultation upon his pale countenance. As no
one answered, he moved the desk, when, as he did so, a rattling sound
was heard, and the hand that held it trembled visibly.
“Ha! what’s that?” cried Lord Guttleborough. “Give that desk to me.”
The son obeyed, trembling more and more as he did so.
“Secret drawers!” almost screamed my Lord, and as he shook the desk
violently, the rattling increased, and then a secret drawer fell
out, and disclosed a number of diamonds picked out of their setting,
the gold setting in a paper by itself, and--what do you think,
Manwaring?--why, no less than forty-nine gold coins, the very number
wanting to make up the tale of those stolen from Mr. Wilmot. There was
a dead silence for a few moments, and then Dr. Massenger ejaculated the
word, “Kleptomania!”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Evelyn Manwaring : $b A tale of Hampton Court Palace — John Shaqi
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