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welcome。 Esther took as little notice of him as might be。
'Aha！ Dick！' cried the painter。 'I've been to church； I
have； upon my word。 And I saw you there； though you didn't
see me。 And I saw a devilish pretty woman； by Gad。 If it
were not for this baldness； and a kind of crapulous air I
can't disguise from myself … if it weren't for this and that
and t'other thing … I … I've forgot what I was saying。 Not
that that matters； I've heaps of things to say。 I'm in a
communicative vein to…night。 I'll let out all my cats； even
unto seventy times seven。 I'm in what I call THE stage； and
all I desire is a listener； although he were deaf； to be as
happy as Nebuchadnezzar。'
Of the two hours which followed upon this it is unnecessary
to give more than a sketch。 The Admiral was extremely silly；
now and then amusing； and never really offensive。 It was
plain that he kept in view the presence of his daughter； and
chose subjects and a character of language that should not
offend a lady。 On almost any other occasion Dick would have
enjoyed the scene。 Van Tromp's egotism； flown with drink；
struck a pitch above mere vanity。 He became candid and
explanatory； sought to take his auditors entirely into his
confidence； and tell them his inmost conviction about
himself。 Between his self…knowledge； which was considerable；
and his vanity； which was immense； he had created a strange
hybrid animal； and called it by his own name。 How he would
plume his feathers over virtues which would have gladdened
the heart of Caesar or St。 Paul； and anon； complete his own
portrait with one of those touches of pitiless realism which
the satirist so often seeks in vain。
'Now； there's Dick；' he said； 'he's shrewd； he saw through me
the first time we met； and told me so … told me so to my
face； which I had the virtue to keep。 I bear you no malice
for it； Dick； you were right； I am a humbug。'
You may fancy how Esther quailed at this new feature of the
meeting between her two idols。
And then； again； in a parenthesis：…
'That；' said Van Tromp； 'was when I had to paint those dirty
daubs of mine。'
And a little further on； laughingly said perhaps； but yet
with an air of truth：…
'I never had the slightest hesitation in sponging upon any
human creature。'
Thereupon Dick got up。
'I think perhaps；' he said； 'we had better all be thinking of
going to bed。' And he smiled with a feeble and deprecatory
smile。
'Not at all；' cried the Admiral； 'I know a trick worth two of
that。 Puss here；' indicating his daughter； 'shall go to bed；
and you and I will keep it up till all's blue。'
Thereupon Esther arose in sullen glory。 She had sat and
listened for two mortal hours while her idol defiled himself
and sneered away his godhead。 One by one； her illusions had
departed。 And now he wished to order her to bed in her own
house！ now he called her Puss！ now； even as he uttered the
words； toppling on his chair； he broke the stem of his
tobacco…pipe in three！ Never did the sheep turn upon her
shearer with a more commanding front。 Her voice was calm；
her enunciation a little slow； but perfectly distinct； and
she stood before him as she spoke； in the simplest and most
maidenly attitude。
'No；' she said； 'Mr。 Naseby will have the goodness to go home
at once； and you will go to bed。'
The broken fragments of pipe fell from the Admiral's fingers；
he seemed by his countenance to have lived too long in a
world unworthy of him； but it is an odd circumstance； he
attempted no reply； and sat thunderstruck； with open mouth。
Dick she motioned sharply towards the door； and he could only
obey her。 In the porch； finding she was close behind him； he
ventured to pause and whisper； 'You have done right。'
'I have done as I pleased；' she said。 'Can he paint？'
'Many people like his paintings；' returned Dick； in stifled
tones； 'I never did； I never said I did；' he added； fiercely
defending himself before he was attacked。
'I ask you if he can paint。 I will not be put off。 CAN he
paint？' she repeated。
'No；' said Dick。
'Does he even like it？'
'Not now； I believe。'
'And he is drunk？' … she leaned upon the word with hatred。
'He has been drinking。'
'Go；' she said； and was turning to re…enter the house when
another thought arrested her。 'Meet me to…morrow morning at
the stile；' she said。
'I will；' replied Dick。
And then the door closed behind her； and Dick was alone in
the darkness。 There was still a chink of light above the
sill； a warm； mild glow behind the window； the roof of the
cottage and some of the banks and hazels were defined in
denser darkness against the sky； but all else was formless；
breathless； and noiseless like the pit。 Dick remained as she
had left him； standing squarely upon one foot and resting
only on the toe of the other； and as he stood he listened
with his soul。 The sound of a chair pushed sharply over the
floor startled his heart into his mouth； but the silence
which had thus been disturbed settled back again at once upon
the cottage and its vicinity。 What took place during this
interval is a secret from the world of men； but when it was
over the voice of Esther spoke evenly and without
interruption for perhaps half a minute； and as soon as that
ceased heavy and uncertain footfalls crossed the parlour and
mounted lurching up the stairs。 The girl had tamed her
father； Van Tromp had gone obediently to bed： so much was
obvious to the watcher in the road。 And yet he still waited；
straining his ears； and with terror and sickness at his
heart； for if Esther had followed her father； if she had even
made one movement in this great conspiracy of men and nature
to be still； Dick must have had instant knowledge of it from
his station before the door； and if she had not moved； must
she not have fainted？ or might she not be dead？
He could hear the cottage clock deliberately measure out the
seconds； time stood still with him； an almost superstitious
terror took command of his faculties； at last； he could bear
no more； and； springing through the little garden in two
bounds； he put his face against the window。 The blind； which
had not been drawn fully down； left an open chink about an
inch in height along the bottom of the glass； and the whole
parlour was thus exposed to Dick's investigation。 Esther sat
upright at the table； her head resting on her hand； her eyes
fixed upon the candle。 Her brows were slightly bent； her
mouth slightly open； her whole attitude so still and settled
that Dick could hardly fancy that she breathed。 She had not
stirred at the sound of Dick's arrival。 Soon after； making a
considerable disturbance amid the vast silence of the night；
the clock lifted up its voice； whined for a while like a
partridge； and then eleven times hooted like a cuckoo。 Still
Esther continued immovable and gazed upon the candle。
Midnight followed； and then one of the morning； and still she
had not stirred； nor had Richard Naseby dared to quit the
window。 And then； about half…past one； the candle she had
been thus intently watching flared up into a last blaze of
paper； and she leaped to her feet with an ejaculation； looked
about her once； blew out the light； turned round； and was
heard rapidly mounting the staircase in the dark。
Dick was left once more alone to darkness and to that dulled
and dogged state of mind when a man thinks that Misery must
now have done her worst； and is almost glad to think so。 He
turned and walked slowly towards the stile； she had told him
no hour； and he was determined； whenever she came； that she
should find him waiting。 As he got there the day began to
dawn； and he leaned over a hurdle and beheld the shadows flee
away。 Up went the sun at last out of a bank of clouds that
were already disbanding in the east； a herald wind had
already spru