'All the same, she might exaggerate little into much,' said Lucy, with a
pretty grimace. 'What is your opinion of this hotel, Mr Cargrim?'
The chaplain saw his opportunity and seized it at once. 'My dear Miss
Pendle,' he said, showing all his teeth, 'as The Derby Winner is the
property of Sir Harry Brace I wish I could speak well of it, but candour
compels me to confess that it is a badly-conducted house.'
'Tut! tut!' said the bishop, 'what is this? You don't say so.'
'Harry shall shut it up at once,' cried Lucy, the pretty Puritan.
'It is a resort of bad characters, I fear,' sighed Cargrim, 'and Mrs
Mosk, being an invalid, is not able to keep them away.'
'What about the landlord, Mr Cargrim?'
'Aha!' replied the chaplain, turning towards Mrs Pendle, who had asked
this question, 'he is a man of lax morals. His boon companion is a tramp
called Jentham!'
'Jentham!' repeated Dr Pendle, in so complacent a tone that Cargrim,
with some vexation, saw that he did not associate the name with his
visitor; 'and who is Jentham?'
'I hardly know,' said the chaplain, making another attempt; 'he is a
tramp, as I have reason to believe, and consorts with gipsies. I saw him
myself the other day--a tall, lean man with a scar.'
The bishop rose, and walking over to the tea-table placed his cup
carefully thereon. 'With a scar,' he repeated in low tones. 'A man with
a scar--Jentham--indeed! What do you know of this person, Mr Cargrim?'
'Absolutely nothing,' rejoined the chaplain, with a satisfied glance at
the uneasy face of his questioner. 'He is a gipsy; he stays at The Derby
Winner and pays regularly for his lodgings; and his name is Jentham. I
know no more.'
'I don't suppose there is more to know,' cried Lucy, lightly.
'If there is, the police may find out, Miss Pendle.'
The bishop frowned. 'As the man, so far as we know, has done nothing
against the laws,' said he, quickly, 'I see no reason why the police
should be mentioned in connection with him. Evidently, from what Mr
Cargrim says, he is a rolling stone, and probably will not remain much
longer in Beorminster. Let us hope that he will take himself and his bad
influence away from our city. In the meantime, it is hardly worth our
while to discuss a person of so little importance.'