the world could not have inspired with such a new horror of expression
the eyes that gleamed out of that ghastly pale face.
The grey daylight had just got final mastery of the dark, when Vincent
met the man whom he had employed the night before to help him in his
inquiries. This agent, more skilful than the minister, had found out the
cab-driver who conveyed the party from the hotel on the previous
evening. Colonel Mildmay seemed to have made the precipitate retreat of
a man suddenly startled and frightened out of his plans. The cabman gave
a detailed account of the strange conduct of his fare. "We was a-going
to the pier to the Ostend steamer, sir," said the driver, "when I was
pulled up sharp, and got my directions to turn about sudden and go to
the railway. There was a lady as I see keeping her eye on us,
a-standing by the pier gates with her bag in her hand; but it was dark,
and she couldn't have seen who was in the cab. The same occurred, sir,
as we came up to the railway. I don't say as I see the lady there--but
sure enough I was pulled up second time, and ordered out along the
Folkestone road, a matter o' three mile or so. Then I was turned back
again; and the end of all was that I took them to the Swan in Walmer
Street, as is a place where there's well-aired beds and chops, and that
style o' thing. That ain't the style of thing as is done in the Lord
Warden. To take a fare, and partic'lar along with ladies, from the one
of them places to the other, looks queer--that's what it does; it looks
very queer, sir. It made me take a deal of notice. Gen'leman tall,
light-haired, hook nose, awful swell to look at. Ladies, one on 'em
pretty tall, one little; pretty creatures, but dreadful skeared as far
as I could see. The little one had a blue veil. That's them, sir;
thought as I was right."
"And you can take me to the place?" said Vincent.
"Jump into my cab, and I'll have you there, sir, in five minutes," said
the man.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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