The Mystery of M. FelixFarjeon, B. L. (Benjamin Leopold)
General
The Mystery of M. Felix
Farjeon, B. L. (Benjamin Leopold)
Detective and mystery stories; English fiction -- 19th century
The weather was bitterly cold, and snow was falling heavily, but this
did not keep her at home. In a kind of fever she traversed the streets
of the city, selecting those which a man of fashion and fond of
pleasure would be most likely to frequent. On the fourth day of her
search she was walking in Regent Street, when she suddenly stopped
with her hand at her heart. It was as much as she could do to prevent
herself from screaming aloud, for walking leisurely before her, with a
light step and jaunty air, was Leonard Paget himself. By a powerful
effort she controlled her agitation, and set herself the task of
following him. She had caught a glimpse of his face, and she could not
be mistaken. He looked older and thinner, but his expression was that
of a man who was enjoying the pleasures of the world and making the
most of them. Having thus providentially tracked him down, Emilia
determined not to lose sight of him. Her desire was to ascertain where
he lived, and in the doing so to keep herself from his sight. To
accost him in the open street would be madness. No, she must speak to
him in a place where he could not easily escape from her, where he
could not thrust her off. "If he takes a cab," she thought, "I will
take another and follow him. If he walks all day and night, I will
walk after him. He shall not, he shall not, evade me now." No
detective could have been more determined and wary than she, but her
present task did not occupy her very long. The cold day was no
temptation to the man before her, and it happened fortunately for
Emilia, that his face was homeward turned. He walked to the bottom of
Regent Street, and plunged into the narrow tangle of thoroughfares on
the left. The numbers of people favored her pursuit, and she was not
noticed. True, the man did not know he was being followed, and only
looked back when a pretty girl passed him. Presently he was in Soho,
and in one or two of the streets through which she passed Emilia
feared detection, there being fewer persons in them; but still he had
no suspicion, and walked carelessly, gayly on. At length he stopped
before a house in Gerard Street, took a latch-key from his pocket,
opened the door, entered, and closed it behind him.
Emilia drew a long breath. It was there he lived; but she would make
sure.
A boy with a basket of bread slung across his shoulders had stopped at
the next house to deliver a loaf. Leonard Paget had passed the boy,
who looked at him while he was opening the street door. Then the boy,
having received some money, lounged on to the house which Leonard had
entered, and knocked and rang. The housekeeper, Mrs. Middlemore,
answered the summons, and took in a loaf. When the street door was
closed again Emilia crossed over to the lad, and asked him if he would
like a shilling, to which the boy facetiously replied that he would
like two, but would put up with one if he could not get more.
"I will give you two," said Emilia, "if you answer a few questions."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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