The Strand Magazine, Vol. 07, Issue 38, February, 1894: An Illustrated MonthlyVarious
General
The Strand Magazine, Vol. 07, Issue 38, February, 1894: An Illustrated Monthly
Various
English literature -- Periodicals; Short stories, English -- Periodicals
"June ten years back," commented the manager. He seemed much impressed
now, and his manner showed me how greatly he was interested.
"I will go downstairs immediately and examine the books," he said.
He returned in about ten minutes with a bewildered face.
"You are right, madam," he exclaimed; "but the good Lord only knows
what it all means. I hunted up the visitors' book of ten years back,
and there were the two names entered in the book as plain as you
please: Edward Mainwaring, Walter Leigh. Mr. Leigh occupied No. 25 and
Mr. Mainwaring the room next to it, No. 26. Now, what does all this
mean?"
"That Mr. Mainwaring has forgotten ten years of his life," I answered,
promptly. "He must be carefully watched during the night. Can you give
Mrs. Mainwaring a bedroom? I shall also sleep at the hotel."
The manager was now only too anxious to attend to our requirements.
Mrs. Mainwaring was conducted to a room on the next floor and I
occupied the bedroom next Mainwaring's, which happened to be empty.
Nothing occurred during the night, which was spent by me in anxious and
wakeful conjecture.
At an early hour the next morning I joined Mrs. Mainwaring. One glance
at her face showed me through what terrible suffering she had been
passing. I told her without preamble what I considered the best and
only thing to do.
"I have thought carefully over your husband's case," I said. "There
is to my mind not the least doubt what has occurred. For some
extraordinary reason Mr. Mainwaring has forgotten ten years of his
life. His memory doubtless carries him accurately up to the date of
his Cambridge degree. He remembers going to Dover, and is now under
the impression that he is waiting for his friend, Mr. Leigh, to join
him at this hotel. Whether he will ever recover the ten years which
he has lost is impossible at the present moment to say. What I should
advise now is this: Let someone whom Mr. Mainwaring knew intimately
ten years ago come and see him, and tell him as simply and as forcibly
as possible what has occurred. He may or may not believe this person's
statement. I am inclined to hope, however, that he will bring his
common-sense to bear on the matter, and will not doubt what he is told;
but of course I may be wrong. Anyhow, this, in my opinion, is the only
thing to try. Has your husband any intimate friend whom he knew well
ten years back?"
"There is his father," she replied at once.
"Good. He could not possibly see a person more likely to influence him.
I think you said that his father was a clergyman--better and better--he
is probably an excellent man, in whose word his son would place
unbounded confidence. Does he live far away?"
"It so happens," she answered, a faint smile filling her eyes, "that my
father-in-law's rectory is not far from here. His parish is close to
Canterbury."
"Give me the address, and I will telegraph immediately," I said.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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