CHAPTER XXXVIII. I ACCEPT A MISSION.
There was a silence which threatened to last for ever.
At length Mr. Ravenor turned his head slightly and looked towards me. Theeagerness which he saw in my face seemed to strike some grim vein ofhumour in him, for his lips parted a dreary, fleeting smile.
"Are you expecting to hear a confession?" he asked, as it passed away.
A confession from him! God forbid! From him who had ever seemed to me sofar above other men, that none other were worthy to be classed with him!All the old fire of my boyish hero-worship blazed up at the very thought.A confession from him! The bare idea was sacrilegious.
He read his answer in the mute, amazed protest of my looks, and did notwait for the words which were trembling upon my lips.
"It would do you little good to tell you all that your story hassuggested to me," he said quietly. "Some day you will know everything;but not yet--not yet."
He paused and walked slowly up and down the room, with his hands behindhim and his eyes fixed upon the floor. Suddenly he stopped and looked up.
"Marx must come back at once," he said, with something of his oldfirmness. "I shall send him a telegram to-morrow to return immediately."
"And if he doesn't come?"
"I must go to him. This matter must be cleared up as far as it can be andat once."
"Your guests," I reminded him. "How can you leave them?"
"I forgot them," he exclaimed impatiently. "Philip, will you go?" heasked suddenly.
"Yes," I answered quietly, although my heart was beating fast. "Yes, Iwill go. Perhaps it would be best."
He let his hand rest for a moment upon my shoulder, and, though he didnot say so, I knew that he was pleased. Then he glanced at the clock.
"Two o'clock!" he exclaimed. "Philip, you must leave me now."
I looked towards his writing-table, at which he was already seatinghimself, and hesitated.
"You are not going to write now?" I ventured to protest.
"Why not?"
I pointed to the clock; but he only smiled.
"I am no slave to regular hours," he said quietly. "An hour or two'ssleep is enough for me at a time."
So I left him.