Foul Play [197]
Arthur wrote it, and they rehearsed it together. As to the dialogue, that was so constructed that it could be varied considerably according to the cues, which could be foreseen to a certain extent; but not precisely, since they were to be given by Helen Rolleston, who was not in the secret.
But while this plot was fermenting, other events happened, with rather a contrary tendency; and these will be more intelligible if we go back to Nancy Rouse's cottage, where indeed we have kept Joseph Wylie in an uncomfortable position a very long time.
Mrs. James, from next door, was at last admitted into Nancy's kitchen, and her first word was, "I suppose you know what I'm come about, ma'am."
"Which it is to return me the sasspan you borrowed, no doubt," was Nancy's ingenuous reply.
"No, ma'am. But I'll send my girl in with it, as soon as she have cleaned it, you may depend."
"Thank ye, I shall be glad to see it again."
"You're not afeard I shall steal it, I hope?"
'"La, bless the woman! don't fly out at a body like that. I can't afford to give away my sasspan."
"Sasspans is not in my head."
"Nor in your hand neither."
"I'm come about my lodger; a most respectable gentleman, which he have met with an accident. He did but go to put something away in the chimbley, which he is a curious gent, and has traveled a good deal, and learned the foreign customs, when his hand was caught in the brick-work, somehows, and there he is hard and fast."
"Do you know anything about this?" said Nancy to the mite, severely.
"No," said the mite, with a countenance of polished granite.
"La bless me" said Nancy. with a sudden start "Why, is she talking about the thief as you and I catched putting his hand through the wall into my room, and made him fast again the policeman comes round?"
"Thief!" cried Mrs. James. "No more a thief than I am. Why, sure you wouldn't ever be so cruel! Oh, dear! Oh, dear! Spite goes a far length. There, take an' kill me, do, and then you'll be easy in your mind. Ah, little my poor father thought as ever I should come down to letting lodgings, and being maltreated this way! I am--"
"Who is a maltreating of ye? Why, you're dreaming. Have a drop o' gin?"
"With them as takes the police to my lodger? It would choke me."
"Well, have a drop, and we'll see about it."
"You're very kind, ma'am, I'm sure. Heaven knows I need it! Here's wishing you a good husband; and toward burying all unkindness."
"Which you means drounding of it."
"Ah, you're never at a loss for a word, ma'am, and always in good spirits. But your troubles is to come. _I'm_ a widdy. You will let me see what is the matter with my lodger, ma'am?"
"Why not? We'll go and have a look at him."
Accordingly, the three women and the mite proceeded to the little room; Nancy turned the gas on, and then they inspected the imprisoned hand. Mrs. James screamed with dismay, and Nancy asked her dryly whether she was to blame for seizing a hand which had committed a manifest trespass.
"You have got the rest of his body," said she, "but this here hand belongs to me."
"Lord, ma'am, what could he take out of your chimbley, without 'twas a handful of soot? Do, pray, let me loose him."
"Not till I have said two words to him."
"But how can you? He isn't here to speak to--only a morsel of him."
"I can go into your house and speak to him."
Mrs. James demurred to that; but Nancy stood firm; Mrs. James yielded. Nancy whispered her myrmidons, and, in a few minutes, was standing by the prisoner, a reverend person in dark spectacles, and a gray beard, that created commiseration, or would have done so, but that this stroke of ill-fortune had apparently fallen upon a great philosopher. He had contrived to get a seat under him, and was smoking a pipe with admirable sang-froid.
At sight of Nancy, however, he made a slight motion, as if he would not object to follow his imprisoned hand through the party-wall. It was only for a moment; the next, he smoked imperturbably.
"Well, sir," said Nancy, "I hopes you are comfortable?"