"Dear hostess," he whispered in her ear, "this sort of conversation is scarcely respectful to the bishop, even though he be a relative. You can let your young protege expound his marvelous views after dinner."
The d.u.c.h.ess shrugged her ample shoulders.
"I wonder how it is," she declared, a little peevishly, "that directly one sets foot in the country, one seems to come face to face with the true Briton. What hypocrites we all are! We are broad enough to discuss any subject under the sun, in town, but we seem to shrink into something between the Philistine and the agricultural pedagogue, as soon as we sniff the air of the ploughed fields."
She rose a little pettishly, and motioned to Rochester to take her place.
"Five minutes only," she said. "You will find us all over the place.
The cigarettes and cigars are in the hall. You can finish your wine here, and come out."
"Is there anything particular," Rochester asked grimly, "that we are permitted to talk about?"
"With this crowd," she whispered, "if I forbid politics and agriculture, I don"t think you"ll last the five minutes."
CHAPTER XXVII
THE ANSWER TO A RIDDLE
A few of the d.u.c.h.ess"s guests left early--those who had to drive a long distance, and who had not yet discarded their carriage horses for motor-cars. Afterwards the party seemed to draw into a little circle, and it was then that the d.u.c.h.ess, rising to her feet, went over and talked earnestly for a few minutes with Saton.
"Some slight thing!" she begged. "Anything to set these people wondering! Look at that old stick Henry Rochester, for instance. He believes nothing--doesn"t want to believe anything. Give him a shock, do!"
"Can"t you understand, d.u.c.h.ess," Saton said, "how much harm we do to ourselves by any exhibition of the sort you suggest? People are at once inclined to look upon the whole thing as a clever trick, and go about asking one another how it is done."
The d.u.c.h.ess was disappointed, and inclined to be pettish. Saton realized it, and after a moment"s hesitation prepared to temporize.
"If it would amuse you," he said, "and I can find anyone here to help me, I daresay we could manage some thought transference. All London seems to be going to see those two people at the Alhambra--or is it the Empire? You can see the same thing here, if you like."
The d.u.c.h.ess beamed.
"That would be delightful," she said. "Whom would you like to help you?"
"Leave me alone for a minute or two," Saton said. "I will look around and choose somebody."
The d.u.c.h.ess stepped back into the circle of her guests.
"Mr. Saton is going to entertain us in a very wonderful manner," she announced.
Rochester, who had been on his way to the billiard room, came back.
"Let us stay and see the tricks," he remarked to the bishop, who had been his companion.
The d.u.c.h.ess frowned. Saton shot a sudden glance at Rochester. A dull, angry color burned in his cheeks.
"Stay, by all means, Mr. Rochester," he said. "We may possibly be able to interest you."
There was almost a challenge in his words. Rochester, ignoring them save for his slightly uplifted eyebrows, sat down by the side of Pauline.
"The fellow"s cheek is consummate!" he muttered.
"I need," Saton remarked quietly, "what I suppose Mr. Rochester would call a confederate. I can only see one whom I think would be temperamently suitable. Will you help me?" he asked, turning suddenly toward Pauline.
"No!" Rochester answered sternly. "Lady Marrabel will have nothing to do with your performance."
Rochester bit his lip the moment he had spoken. He felt that he had made a mistake. One or two of the guests looked at him curiously. The d.u.c.h.ess was literally open-mouthed. Saton was smiling in a peculiar manner.
"In that case," he remarked quietly, "if Mr. Rochester has spoken with authority, I fear that I can do nothing."
The d.u.c.h.ess was very nearly angry.
"Don"t be such an idiot, Henry!" she said. "Of course Pauline will help. What is it you want her to do, Mr. Saton?"
"Nothing at all," he answered, "except to sit in a corner of the room, as far from me as possible, and answer the questions which I shall ask her, if she be able. You will do that?" turning suddenly towards her.
"Of course she will!" the d.u.c.h.ess declared. "Be quiet, Henry. You are a stupid, prejudiced person, and I won"t have you interfere."
Pauline rose to her feet.
"I am afraid," she said, "that I can scarcely be of much use, but of course I don"t mind trying."
Saton was standing a little away, with his elbow leaning upon the mantelpiece.
"If two of you," he said, helping himself to a cigarette, and deliberately lighting it, "will take Lady Marrabel over--say to that oak chair underneath the banisters--blindfold her, and then leave her.
Really I ought to apologize for what I am going to do. Everything is so very obvious. Still, if it amuses you!"
Pauline sat by herself. The others were all gathered together in the far corner of the great hall. Saton turned to the bishop.
"This is only a repet.i.tion of the sort of thing which you have doubtless seen," he said. "Have you anything in your pocket which you are quite sure that Lady Marrabel knows nothing of?"
Silently the bishop produced a small and worn Greek Testament. Saton opened it at random. Then he turned suddenly toward the figure of the woman sitting alone in the distance. Some change had taken place in his manner and in his bearing. Those who watched him closely were at once aware of it. His teeth seemed to have come together, the lines of his face to have become tense. He leaned a little forward toward Pauline.
"I have something in my hands," he said. "I wonder if you can tell me what it is."
There was no answer. They listened and watched. Pauline never spoke.
Already a smile was parting Rochester"s lips.
"I think, Lady Marrabel," Saton said slowly, "that you can tell me, if you will. I think that you will tell me. I think that you must!"
Something that sounded almost like a half-stifled sob came to them from across the hall--and then Pauline"s voice.
"It is a small book," she said--"a Testament."
"Go on," Saton said.