The Burglars' Club: A Romance in Twelve ChroniclesHering, Henry Augustus
General
The Burglars' Club: A Romance in Twelve Chronicles
Hering, Henry Augustus
Aristocracy (Social class) -- England -- Fiction; Burglars -- Fiction; Clubs -- Fiction; England -- Fiction
"Nothing, my lord, nothing," said the unhappy Jones. "I was only
following Mr. Kassala."
"Then perhaps you'll follow him to bed," remarked the Bishop drily. "I
hope I shall have a more satisfactory explanation in the morning."
Here, no doubt feeling that the situation was hardly in keeping with his
dignity, the Bishop closed his door. Mr. Percy did the same, while Mr.
Kassala and the shivering Jones returned to their corridor.
Mr. Kassala seemed rather amused than otherwise at the situation, but
Mr. Jones was permeated with distress. "Cheer up," said the Asiatic, as
he turned into his room. "If you will meddle in other people's business
you're bound to suffer for it."
There was no sleep for the unhappy chaplain that night. He was in love
with the eldest Miss Dacre, who, he had reason to believe, returned his
affection, and he had determined to see her father on the subject on the
morrow. But after the events of that night such an interview was highly
inadvisable. Yet he had acted from the best and most creditable of
motives. Only by hearsay was he acquainted with the habits and customs
of the East, but he felt sure that honest Asiatics would not be found
prowling about a palace in the midnight hours. What did Mr. Kassala
want in the Bishop's room? Was it theft or--something worse? Was this
self-styled priest the emissary of some Eastern organization bent upon
destroying the flower of the Western hierarchy? Was he a Thug? Mr. Jones
shuddered at the possibilities of the situation.
Ha! What was that? Again a creak outside. For a moment he listened
breathlessly. Then he opened his door again. Good gracious! there was
Mr. Kassala once more slinking down the corridor.
Hastily putting on his dressing-gown, Mr. Jones followed, with nerves
strung to their highest tension. This time the Asiatic walked with no
uncertain step. As he passed the Bishop's door the chaplain's heart gave
a bound of relief. He stopped at Mr. Percy's door, and tapped gently.
The light in the room was turned on, and the door opened by Mr. Percy
himself. Mr. Kassala entered, and the door closed noiselessly behind
him.
For some minutes Mr. Jones stared at the door in blank amazement. Then
he turned round, and walked slowly back to his own room. In times of
great perplexity he was accustomed to look for guidance to Mr. Paley's
"Evidences." Mechanically he now took down the well-thumbed volume from
its shelf, and opened it. He sat for many hours staring at the print
without ever turning the page.
"Where is Mr. Kassala?" were the Bishop's first words on entering the
breakfast-room the next morning. Although his lordship had betrayed no
consciousness of his existence Mr. Jones felt that the inquiry was
levelled at him.
"I do not know, my lord," he answered.
"John," said the Bishop to his butler, "will you inform Mr. Kassala that
breakfast is on the table?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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