Charles wiped his nose. 'Yes, miss.'
Gentleman leaned against the post of the door, still smoking. 'So, Suky,' he said. 'You know all now.'
'I know you're a filthy swindler,' I said. 'But I knew that, six months ago. I was a fool, that's all, to trust you.'
'Dear girl,' said Mrs Sucksby quickly, with her eyes on Gentleman's face. 'Dear girl, the fools were me and Mr Ibbs, to let you.'
Gentleman had taken his cigarette from his mouth to blow against its tip. Now, hearing Mrs Sucksby and meeting her gaze, he stood quite still for a second with it held before his lips. Then he looked away and laughed— a disbelieving sort of laugh— and shook his head.
'Sweet Christ,' he said quietly.
I thought she had shamed him.
'All right,' she said. 'All right.' She lifted her hands. She stood, like a man on a raft— like she was afraid to make too sharp a move for fear of sinking. 'Now, no more wildness. John, no more sulks. Sue, put that knife down, please, I beg you. No-one is to be harmed. Mr Ibbs. Miss Lilly. Dainty. Charles— Sue's pal, dear boy— sit down.
Gentleman. Gentleman.'
'Mrs Sucksby,' he said.
'No-one to be harmed. All right?'
He glanced at me. 'Tell it to Sue,' he said. 'She is looking at me with murder in her 320
eyes. Under the circumstances, I don't quite care for that.'
'Circumstances?' I said. 'You mean, your having locked me up in a madhouse and left me to die? I should cut your bloody head off!'
He narrowed his eyes, made a face. 'Do you know,' he said, 'you have a very whining tone to your voice at times? Has no-one told you that?'
I made a lunge at him with the knife; but the truth was, I was still bewildered, and sick, and tired, and the lunge was a feeble one. He watched, not flinching, as I stood with the point of the blade before his heart. Then I grew afraid that the knife would shake and he would see it. I put it down. I put it down on the table— at the edge of the table, just beyond the circle of light that the lamp threw there.
'Now, ain't that nicer?' said Mrs Sucksby.
John's tears had dried, but his face was dark— darker on one cheek than on the other, where Mrs Sucksby had hit him. He looked at Gentleman, but nodded to me.
'She went for Miss Lilly just now,' he said. 'Said she'd come to kUl her.'
Gentleman gazed at Maud, who had bound up her bleeding fingers in a handkerchief.
He said, 'I should like to have seen it.'
John nodded. 'She wants a half of your fortune.'
'Does she?' said Gentleman, slowly.
'John, shut up,' said Mrs Sucksby. 'Gentleman, don't mind him.
He is only making trouble. Sue said a half, but that was her passion talking. She ain't in her right mind. She ain't— ' She put a hand to her brow, and looked a little queerly about the room— at me, and at Maud. She pressed her fingers against her eyes. 'If I might only,' she said, 'have a moment, for thinking in!'
'Think away,' said Gentleman easily, sourly. 'I am longing to know what you will come up with.'
'So am I,' said Mr Ibbs. He said it quietly. Gentleman caught his eye, and raised a brow.
'Sticky, wouldn't you say, sir?' 'Too sticky,' said Mr Ibbs. 'You think so?'
Mr Ibbs gave a nod. Gentleman said, 'You think perhaps I should go, make it simpler?'
'Are you mad?' I said. 'Can't you see, he'll still do anything for his money? Don't let him go! He'll send for Dr Christie.' 'Don't let him go,' said Maud, to Mrs Sucksby.
'Don't you think of going anywhere,' said Mrs Sucksby, to Gentleman.
He shrugged, his colour rising. 'You wanted me to leave, two minutes ago!'
'I have changed my mind.' She looked at Mr Ibbs; who looked away.
Gentleman took off his coat. 'Fuck me,' he said, as he did it; and he laughed, not nicely. 'It's too warm for work like this.'
'Fuck you,' I said. 'You fucking villain. You do what Mrs Sucksby says, all right?'
'Like you,' he answered, hanging his coat on a chair. 'Yes.'
He snorted. 'You poor little bitch.'
'Richard,' said Maud. She had got to her feet and was leaning upon the table. She said,
'Listen to me. Think of all the filthy deeds you've ever done. This will be the worst, and will gain you nothing.' 'What will?' said John.
But Gentleman snorted again. 'Tell me,' he said to Maud, 'when you first started learning to be kind. What's it to you, what Sue
321
knows?— Dear me, how you blush! Not that thing, still? And do you look at Mrs Sucksby? Don't say you care what she thinks! Why, you're as bad as Sue. Look how you quake! Be bolder, Maud. Think of your mother.'
She had raised her hand to her hea_rt. Now she jumped as if he had pinched her. He saw it, and laughed again. Then he looked at Mrs Sucksby. She had also given a kind of start at his words; and she stood, with her hand, like Maud's, at her bosom, beneath that diamond brooch. Then she felt him looking, glanced quickly at Maud, and let her hand fall.
Gentleman's laughter died. He stood very still.
'What's this?' he said.
'What's what?'said John.
'Now then,' said Mrs Sucksby, moving. 'Dainty— '
'Oh!' said Gentleman. 'Oh!' He watched her as she stepped about the table. Then he looked from her to Maud, in an excited sort of way, his colour rising higher. He put his hand to his hair and tugged it back from his brow.
'Now I see it,' he said. He laughed; then the laugh broke off. 'Oh, now I see it!'
'You see nothing,' said Maud, taking a step towards him, but glancing at me. 'Richard, you see nothing.'
He shook his head at her. 'What a fool I've been, not to have guessed it sooner! Oh, this is marvellous! How long have you known? No wonder you've kicked and cursed!
No wonder you've sulked! No wonder she's let you! I always marvelled at that. Poor Maud!' He laughed, properly. And, oh, Mrs Sucksby, poor you!'
'That's enough!' said Mrs Sucksby. 'You hear me? I won't have it spoke of!'
She also took a step towards him.
'Poor you,' he said again, still laughing. Then he called: 'Mr Ibbs, sir, did you know of this, too?'
Mr Ibbs did not answer.
'Know what?' asked John, his eyes like two dark points. He looked at me. 'Know what?'
'I don't know,' I said.
'Know nothing,' said Maud. 'Know nothing, nothing!' She was still moving slowly forward, her eyes— that seemed almost black, now, and glittered worse than ever— all the time on Gentleman's face. I saw her put her hand upon the dark edge of the table, as if to guide herself about it. Mrs Sucksby saw it too, I think. Perhaps she also saw something else. For she started, and then spoke quickly.
'Susie,' she said, 'I want you to go. Take your pal and go.' 'I'm not going anywhere,' I said.
'No Susie, you stay,' said Gentleman, in a rich sort of voice. 'Don't mind Mrs Sucksby's wishes. You have minded them too long. What are they to you, after all?'
'Richard,' said Maud, almost pleading.
'Gentleman,' said Mrs Sucksby, her eyes still on Maud. 'Dear boy. Be silent, will you?
I am afraid.'
'Afraid?' he answered. 'You? I should say you never knew fear, in all your life. I should say your hard old leathery heart is beating perfectly quietly now, behind your 322
hard old leathery breast.'
At his words, Mrs Sucksby's face gave a twitch. She raised a hand to the bodice of her dress.
'Feel it!' she said, moving her fingers. 'Feel the motion here, then tell me I ain't afraid!'
'Feel that?' he said, with a glance at her bosom. 'I don't think so.' Then he smiled. 'You may get your daughter to do it, however. She's had practice.'
I cannot say for certain what came next. I know that, hearing his words, I took a step towards him, meaning to strike him or make him be silent. I know that Maud and Mrs Sucksby reached him first. I do not know if Mrs Sucksby, when she darted, darted at him, or only— seeing Maud fly— at her. I know there was the gleam of something bright, the scuffle of shoes, the swish of taffeta and silk, the rushing of someone's breath. I think a chair was scraped or knocked upon the floor. I know Mr Ibbs called out. 'Grace! Grace!' he called: and even in the middle of all the confusion, I thought it a queer thing to call; until I realised it was Mrs Sucksby's first name, that we never heard used.