by H. G. Wells
CHAPTER XXX.
A WITHDRAWAL.
On Tuesday Lewisham returned from Vigours' at five--at half-past sixhe would go on to his science class at Walham Green--and discoveredMrs. Chaffery and Ethel in tears. He was fagged and rather anxious forsome tea, but the news they had for him drove tea out of his headaltogether.
"He's gone," said Ethel.
"Who's gone? What! Not Chaffery?"
Mrs. Chaffery, with a keen eye to Lewisham's behaviour, noddedtearfully over an experienced handkerchief.
Lewisham grasped the essentials of the situation forthwith, andtrembled on the brink of an expletive. Ethel handed him a letter.
For a moment Lewisham held this in his hand asking;questions. Mrs. Chaffery had come upon it in the case of her eight-dayclock when the time to wind it came round. Chaffery, it seemed, hadnot been home since Saturday night. The letter was an open oneaddressed to Lewisham, a long rambling would-be clever letter, oddlyinferior in style to Chaffery's conversation. It had been written somehours before Chaffery's last visit his talk then had been perhaps asort of codicil.
"The inordinate stupidity of that man Lagune is driving me out of thecountry," Lewisham saw. "It has been at last a definite stumblingblock--even a legal stumbling block. I fear. I am off. I skedaddle. Ibreak ties. I shall miss our long refreshing chats--you had found meout and I could open my mind. I am sorry to part from Ethel also, butthank Heaven she has you to look to! And indeed they both have you tolook to, though the 'both' may be a new light to you."
Lewisham growled, went from page 1 to page 3--conscious of their bothlooking to him now--even intensely--and discovered Chaffery in apractical vein.
"There is but little light, and portable property in that house inClapham that has escaped my lamentable improvidence, but there are oneor two things--the iron-bound chest, the bureau with a broken hinge,and the large air pump--distinctly pawnable if only you can contriveto get them to a pawnshop. You have more Will power than I--I nevercould get the confounded things downstairs. That iron-bound box wasoriginally mine, before I married your mother-in-law, so that I am notaltogether regardless of your welfare and the necessity of giving someequivalent. Don't judge me too harshly."
Lewisham turned over sharply without finishing that page.
"My life at Clapham," continued the letter, "has irked me for sometime, and to tell you the truth, the spectacle of your vigorous younghappiness--you are having a very good time, you know, fighting theworld--reminded me of the passing years. To be frank inself-criticism, there is more than a touch of the New Woman about me,and I feel I have still to live my own life. What a beautiful phrasethat is--to live one's own life!--redolent of honest scorn for moralplagiarism. No _Imitatio Christi_ in that ... I long to see more ofmen and cities.... I begin late, I know, to live my own life, bald asI am and grey-whiskered; but better late than never. Why should theeducated girl have the monopoly of the game? And after all, thewhiskers will dye....
"There are things--I touch upon them lightly--that will presentlyastonish Lagune." Lewisham became more attentive. "I marvel at thatman, grubbing hungry for marvels amidst the almost incrediblymarvellous. What can be the nature of a man who gapes afterPoltergeists with the miracle of his own silly existence(inconsequent, reasonless, unfathomably weird) nearer to him thanbreathing and closer than hands and feet. What is _he_ for, that heshould wonder at Poltergeists? I am astonished these by no meansflimsy psychic phenomena do not turn upon their investigators, andthat a Research Society of eminent illusions and hallucinations doesnot pursue Lagune with sceptical! inquiries. Take his house--exposethe alleged man of Chelsea! _A priori_ they might argue that a thingso vain, so unmeaning, so strongly beset by cackle, could only be thediseased imagining of some hysterical phantom. Do _you_ believe thatsuch a thing as Lagune exists? I must own to the gravest doubts. Buthappily his banker is of a more credulous type than I.... Of all thatLagune will tell you soon enough."
Lewisham read no more. "I suppose he thought himself clever when hewrote that rot," said Lewisham bitterly, throwing the sheets forciblyathwart the table. "The simple fact is, he's stolen, or forged, orsomething--and bolted."
There was a pause. "What will become of Mother?" said Ethel.
Lewisham looked at Mother and thought for a moment. Then he glancedat Ethel.
"We're all in the same boat," said Lewisham.
"I don't want to give any trouble to a single human being," saidMrs. Chaffery.
"I think you might get a man his tea, Ethel," said Lewisham, sittingdown suddenly; "anyhow." He drummed on the table with his fingers. "Ihave to get to Walham Green by a quarter to seven."
"We're all in the same boat," he repeated after an interval, andcontinued drumming. He was chiefly occupied by the curious fact thatthey were all in the same boat. What an extraordinary faculty he hadfor acquiring responsibility! He looked up suddenly and caughtMrs. Chaffery's tearful eye directed to Ethel and full of distressfulinterrogation, and his perplexity was suddenly changed to pity. "It'sall right, Mother," he said. "I'm not going to be unreasonable. I'llstand by you."
"Ah!" said Mrs. Chaffery. "As if I didn't know!" and Ethel came andkissed him.
He seemed in imminent danger of universal embraces.
"I wish you'd let me have my tea," he said. And while he had his teahe asked Mrs. Chaffery questions and tried to get the new situationinto focus.
But even at ten o'clock, when he was returning hot and jaded fromWalham Green, he was still trying to get the situation intofocus. There were vague ends and blank walls of interrogation in thematter, that perplexed him.
He knew that his supper would be only the prelude to an interminable"talking over," and indeed he did not get to bed until nearly two. Bythat time a course of action was already agreed upon. Mrs. Chafferywas tied to the house in Clapham by a long lease, and thither theymust go. The ground floor and first floor were let unfurnished, andthe rent of these practically paid the rent of the house. TheChafferys occupied basement and second floor. There was a bedroom onthe second floor, formerly let to the first floor tenants, that he andEthel could occupy, and in this an old toilet table could be put forsuch studies as were to be prosecuted at home. Ethel could have hertypewriter in the subterranean breakfast-room. Mrs. Chaffery and Ethelmust do the catering and the bulk of the housework, and as soon aspossible, since letting lodgings would not square with Lewisham'sprofessional pride, they must get rid of the lease that bound them andtake some smaller and more suburban residence. If they did thatwithout leaving any address it might save their feelings from anyreturn of the prodigal Chaffery.
Mrs. Chaffery's frequent and pathetic acknowledgments of Lewisham'sgoodness only partly relieved his disposition to a philosophicalbitterness. And the practical issues were complicated by excursionsupon the subject of Chaffery, what he might have done, and where hemight have gone, and whether by any chance he might not return.
When at last Mrs. Chaffery, after a violent and tearful kissing andblessing of them both--they were "good dear children," she said--haddeparted, Mr. and Mrs. Lewisham returned into their sitting-room.Mrs. Lewisham's little face was enthusiastic. "You're a Trump," shesaid, extending the willing arms that were his reward. "I know," shesaid, "I know, and all to-night I have been loving you. Dear! Dear!Dear...."
The next day Lewisham was too full of engagements to communicate withLagune, but the following morning he called and found the psychicinvestigator busy with the proofs of _Hesperus_. He welcomed the youngman cordially nevertheless, conceiving him charged with the questionsthat had been promised long ago--it was evident he knew nothing ofLewisham's marriage. Lewisham stated his case with some bluntness.
"He was last here on Saturday," said Lagune. "You have always beeninclined to suspicion about him. Have you any grounds?"
"You'd better read this," said Lewisham, repressing a grim smile, andhe handed Lagune Chaffery's letter.
He glanced at the little man ever and again to see if he had come tothe personal portion, an
d for the rest of the time occupied himselfwith an envious inventory of the writing appointments about him. Nodoubt the boy with the big ears had had the same sort of thing ...
When Lagune came to the question of his real identity he blew out hischeeks in the most astonishing way, but made no other sign.
"Dear, dear!" he said at last. "My bankers!"
He looked at Lewisham with the exaggerated mildness of his spectacledeye. "What do you think it means?" he asked. "Has he gone mad? We havebeen conducting some experiments involving--considerable mentalstrain. He and I and a lady. Hypnotic--"
"I should look at my cheque-book if I were you."
Lagune produced some keys and got out his cheque book. He turned overthe counterfoils. "There's nothing wrong here," he said, and handedthe book to Lewisham.
"Um," said Lewisham. "I suppose this--I say, is _this_ right?"
He handed back the book to Lagune, open at the blank counterfoil of acheque that had been removed. Lagune stared and passed his hand overhis forehead in a confused way. "I can't see this," he said.
Lewisham had never heard of post hypnotic suggestion and he stoodincredulous. "You can't see that?" he said. "What nonsense!"
"I can't see it," repeated Lagune.
For some seconds Lewisham could not get away from stupid repetitionsof his inquiry. Then he hit upon a collateral proof. "But look here!Can you see _this_ counterfoil?"
"Plainly," said Lagune.
"Can you read the number?"
"Five thousand two hundred and seventy-nine."
"Well, and this?"
"Five thousand two hundred and eighty-one."
"Well--where's five thousand two hundred and eighty?"
Lagune began to look uncomfortable. "Surely," he said, "he hasnot--Will you read it out--the cheque, the counterfoil I mean, that Iam unable to see?"
"It's blank," said Lewisham with an irresistible grin.
"Surely," said Lagune, and the discomfort of his expressiondeepened. "Do you mind if I call in a servant to confirm--?"
Lewisham did not mind, and the same girl who had admitted him to the_seance_ appeared. When she had given her evidence she went again. Asshe left the room by the door behind Lagune her eyes met Lewisham's,and she lifted her eyebrows, depressed her mouth, and glanced atLagune with a meaning expression.
"I'm afraid," said Lagune, "that I have been shabbily treated.Mr. Chaffery is a man of indisputable powers--indisputable powers; butI am afraid--I am very much afraid he has abused the conditions of theexperiment. All this--and his insults--touch me rather nearly."
He paused. Lewisham rose. "Do you mind if you come again?" askedLagune with gentle politeness.
Lewisham was surprised to find himself sorry.
"He was a man of extraordinary gifts," said Lagune. "I had come torely upon him.... My cash balance has been rather heavy lately. How hecame to know of that I am unable to say. Without supposing, that is,that he had very remarkable gifts."
When Lewisham saw Lagune again he learnt the particulars of Chaffery'smisdeed and the additional fact that the "lady" had alsodisappeared. "That's a good job," he remarked selfishly. "There's nochance of _his_ coming back." He spent a moment trying to imagine the"lady"; he realised more vividly than he had ever done before thenarrow range of his experience, the bounds of his imagination. Thesepeople also--with grey hair and truncated honour--had their emotions IEven it may be glowing! He came back to facts. Chaffery had inducedLagune when hypnotised to sign a blank cheque as an "autograph." "Thestrange thing is," explained Lagune, "it's doubtful if he's legallyaccountable. The law is so peculiar about hypnotism and I certainlysigned the cheque, you know."
The little man, in spite of his losses, was now almost cheerful againon account of a curious side issue. "You may say it is coincidence,"he said, "you may call it a fluke, but I prefer to look for some otherinterpretation! Consider this. The amount of my balance is a secretbetween me and my bankers. He never had it from _me_, for I did notknow it--I hadn't looked at my passbook for months. But he drew it allin one cheque, within seventeen and sixpence of the total. And thetotal was over five hundred pounds!"
He seemed quite bright again as he culminated.
"Within seventeen and sixpence," he said. "Now how do you account forthat, eh? Give me a materialistic explanation that will explain awayall that. You can't. Neither can I."
"I think I can," said Lewisham.
"Well--what is it?"
Lewisham nodded towards a little drawer of the bureau. "Don't youthink--perhaps"--a little ripple of laughter passed across hismind--"he had a skeleton key?"
Lagune's face lingered amusingly in Lewisham's mind as he returned toClapham. But after a time that amusement passed away. He declined uponthe extraordinary fact that Chaffery was his father-in-law, Mrs.Chaffery his mother-in-law, that these two and Ethel constituted hisfamily, his clan, and that grimy graceless house up the Claphamhillside was to be his home. Home! His connexion with these things asa point of worldly departure was as inexorable now as though he hadbeen born to it. And a year ago, except for a fading reminiscence ofEthel, none of these people had existed for him. The ways of Destiny!The happenings of the last few months, foreshortened in perspective,seemed to have almost a pantomimic rapidity. The thing took himsuddenly as being laughable; and he laughed.
His laugh marked an epoch. Never before had Lewisham laughed at anyfix in which he had found himself! The enormous seriousness ofadolescence was coming to an end; the days of his growing werenumbered. It was a laugh of infinite admissions.