Mr. Witt's Widow Part 6

"At the theatre, and he told me Neston had got some maggot in his head----"

"I don't think he ought to say that."

But need we listen longer? And whose fault was it--Neaera's, or George's, or Isabel's, or Tommy's, or Mr. Espion's? That became the question afterwards, when Lord Tottlebury was face to face with the violated compact,--and with next day's issue of the _Bull's-eye_.

CHAPTER V.

THE FIRST PARAGRAPH--AND OTHERS.

Under pressure of circ.u.mstances men very often do what they have declared they cannot possibly do; it happens with private individuals no less than with political parties. George declared he could not possibly go to Peckton before Sat.u.r.day; but he was so disgusted with his position, that he threw all other engagements to the winds, and started early on Thursday morning, determined not to face his friends again without attempting to prove his words. Old Dawkins was dead, but the clerk was, and the policeman might be, alive; and, on his return to town, he could see Jennings, the clerk's son, who had settled down to conveyancing in Lincoln's Inn, and try to refresh his memory with materials gathered on the spot. For George had already seen Mr.

Jennings, and Mr. Jennings remembered nothing about it--it was not his first brief,--but was willing to try to recall the matter if George would get him the details and let him see a picture of the person wanted--a request George did not wish to comply with at the moment.

So he went to Peckton, and found out perhaps as much as he could reasonably expect to find out, as shall in due course appear. And during his absence several things happened. In the first place, the _Bull's-eye_ was published, containing what became known as the "First Paragraph." The "First Paragraph" was headed "Strange Charge against a Lady--Rumoured Proceedings," and indicated the Neston family, Neaera Witt, and George, in such a manner as to enable their friends to identify them. This paragraph was inserted with the object of giving Neaera, or George, or both of them, as the case might be, or anybody else who could be "drawn," an opportunity of contradicting it. The second event was that the Nestons' friends did identify them, and proceeded to open the minds of everybody who did not.

Then Mr. Blodwell read the _Bull's-eye_, as his custom was, and thoughtfully e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed "Peckton!" and Lord Tottlebury, being at the club, was shown the _Bull's-eye_ by a friend, who really could not do less, and went home distracted; and Tommy Myles read it, and, conscience-stricken, fled to Brighton for three days' fresh air; and Isabel read it, and confessed to her mother, and was scolded, and cried; and Gerald read it, and made up his mind to kick everybody concerned, except, of course, Neaera; and, finally, Neaera read it, and was rather frightened and rather excited, and girt on her armour for battle.

Gerald, however, was conscious that the process he had in his mind, satisfying as it would be to his own feelings, would not prove in all respects a solution of the difficulty, and, with the selfishness which a crisis in a man's own affairs engenders, he made no scruple about taking up a full hour of Mr. Blodwell's time, and expounding his views at great length, under the guise of taking counsel. Mr. Blodwell listened to his narrative of facts with interest, but cut short his stream of indignant comment.

"The mischief is that it's got into the papers," he said. "But for that, I don't see that it matters much."

"Not matter much?" gasped Gerald.

"I suppose you don't care whether it's true or not?"

"It's life or death to me," answered Gerald.

"Bos.h.!.+ She won't steal any more shoes now she's a rich woman."

"You speak, sir, as if you thought----"

"Haven't any opinion on the subject, and it wouldn't be of any importance if I had. The question is shortly this: Supposing it to be true, would you marry her?"

Gerald flung himself into a chair, and bit his finger nail.

"Eight years is a long while ago; and poverty's a hard thing; and she's a pretty girl."

"It's an absurd hypothesis," said Gerald. "But a thief's a thief."

"True. So are a good many other people."

"I should have to consider my father and--and the family."

"Should you? I should see the family d.a.m.ned. However, it comes to this--if it were true, you wouldn't marry her."

"How could I?" groaned Gerald. "We should be cut."

Mr. Blodwell smiled.

"Well, my ardent lover," he said, "that being so, you'd better do nothing till you see whether it's true."

"Not at all. I only took the hypothesis; but I haven't the least doubt that it's a lie."

"A mistake--yes. But it's in the _Bull's-eye_, and a mistake in the newspapers needs to be reckoned with."

"What shall I do?"

"Wait till George comes back. Meanwhile, hold your tongue."

"I shall contradict that lie."

"Much better not. Don't write to them, or see them, or let anybody else till George comes back. And, Gerald, if I were you, I shouldn't quarrel with George."

"He shall withdraw it, or prove it."

Mr. Blodwell shrugged his shoulders and became ostentatiously busy with the case of _Pigg_ v. _the Local Board of Slushton-under-Mudd_. "A very queer point this," he remarked. "The drainage system of Slushton is----"

And he stopped with a chuckle at the sight of Gerald's vanis.h.i.+ng back.

He called after him--

"Are you going to Mrs. Witt's this afternoon?"

"No," answered Gerald. "This evening."

Mr. Blodwell sat at work for ten minutes more. Then he rang the bell.

"Mr. Neston gone, Timms?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then get a four-wheeler." And he added to himself, "I should like to see her again, under this new light. I wonder if she'll let me in."

Neaera did let him in. In fact, she seemed very glad to see him, and accepted with meekness her share of his general censure on the "babbling" that had gone on.

"You see," she said, handing him a cup of tea, "it scarcely seemed a serious matter to me. I was angry, of course, but almost more amused than angry."

"Naturally," answered Mr. Blodwell. "But, my dear young lady, everything which is public is serious. And this thing is now public, for no doubt to-morrow's _Bull's-eye_ will give all your names and addresses."

"I don't care," said Neaera.

Mr. Blodwell shook his head. "You must consider Gerald and his people."

"Gerald doesn't doubt me. If he did----" Neaera left her recreant lover's fate to the imagination.

"But Lord Tottlebury and the world at large? The world at large always doubts one."