Red Money by Fergus Hume (the little red hen ebook .txt) 📖

Lambert,  Paying Little

Attention To Mrs. Tribb's Somewhat German Speech Of Mouth-Filling Words.

 

The Housekeeper's Black Eyes Twinkled,  And She Opened Her Lips,  Then She

Chapter 12 ( The Conspiracy) Pg 112

Shut Them Again,  And Looking At Lady Agnes In A Questioning Way,  Trotted

Out Of The Room. It Was Plain That Mrs. Tribb Knew Of Chaldea's

Admiration For Her Master,  And Could Not Understand Why He Wished Her To

Enter The House When Lady Agnes Was Present. She Did Not Think It A Wise

Thing To Apply Fire To Gunpowder,  Which,  In Her Opinion,  Was What

Lambert Was Doing.

 

There Ensued Silence For A Few Moments. Then Agnes,  Staring Into The

Fire,  Remarked In A Musing Manner,  "I Wonder Who Did Shoot Hubert. Mr.

Silver Would Not Have Done So,  As It Was To His Interest To Keep Him

Alive. Do You Think That To Hurt Me,  Noel,  Chaldea Might Have--"

 

"No! No! No! It Was To Her Interest Also That Pine Should Live,  Since

She Knew That I Could Not Marry You While He Was Alive."

 

Agnes Nodded,  Understanding Him So Well That She Did Not Need To Ask

For A Detailed Explanation. "It Could Not Have Been Any Of Those Staying

At The Manor," She Said Doubtfully,  "Since Every One Was Indoors And In

Bed. Garvington,  Of Course,  Only Broke Poor Hubert's Arm Under A

Misapprehension. Who Could Have Been The Person In The Shrubbery?"

 

"Silver Hints That I Am The Individual," Said Lambert Grimly.

 

"Yes,  He Does," Assented Lady Agnes Quickly. "I Declared That You Were

In London,  But He Said That You Returned On That Night To This Place."

 

"I Did,  Worse Luck. I Went To Town,  Thinking It Best To Be Away While

Pine Was In The Neighborhood,  And--"

 

"You Knew That Hubert Was A Gypsy And At The Camp?" Interrupted Agnes In

A Nervous Manner,  For The Information Startled Her.

 

"Yes! Chaldea Told Me So,  When She Was Trying To Make Me Fall In Love

With Her. I Did Not Tell You,  As I Thought That You Might Be Vexed,

Although I Dare Say I Should Have Done So Later. However,  I Went To Town

In Order To Prevent Trouble,  And Only Returned For That Single Night. I

Went Back To Town Next Morning Very Early,  And Did Not Hear About The

Murder Until I Saw A Paragraph In The Evening Papers. Afterwards I Came

Down To The Funeral Because Garvington Asked Me To,  And I Thought That

You Would Like It."

 

"Why Did You Come Back On That Particular Night?"

 

"My Dear Agnes,  I Had No Idea That Hubert Would Be Murdered On That

Especial Night,  So Did Not Choose It Particularly. I Returned Because I

Had Left Behind A Parcel Of Your Letters To Me When We Were Engaged. I

Fancied That Chaldea Might Put Hubert Up To Searching The Cottage While

I Was Away,  And If He Had Found Those Letters He Would Have Been More

Jealous Than Ever,  As You Can Easily Understand."

 

"No,  I Can't Understand," Flashed Out Agnes Sharply. "Hubert Knew That

We Loved One Another,  And That I Broke The Engagement To Save The

Family. I Told Him That I Could Not Give Him The Affection He Desired,

Chapter 12 ( The Conspiracy) Pg 113

And He Was Content To Marry Me On Those Terms. The Discovery Of Letters

Written Before I Became His Wife Would Not Have Caused Trouble,  Since I

Was Always Loyal To Him. There Was No Need For You To Return,  And Your

Presence Here On That Night Lends Color To Mr. Silver's Accusation."

 

"But You Don't Believe--"

 

"Certainly I Don't. All The Same It Is Awkward For Both Of Us."

 

"I Think It Was Made Purposely Awkward,  Agnes. Whosoever Murdered Hubert

Must Have Known Of My Return,  And Laid The Trap On That Night,  So That I

Might Be Implicated."

 

"But Who Set The Trap?"

 

"The Person Who Wrote That Letter."

 

"And Who Wrote The Letter?"

 

"That Is What We Have To Find Out From Chaldea!"

 

At That Moment; As If He Had Summoned Her,  The Gypsy Suddenly Flung Open

The Door And Walked In With A Sulky Expression On Her Dark Face. At

First She Had Been Delighted To Hear That Lambert Wanted To See Her,  But

When Informed By Mrs. Tribb That Lady Agnes Was With The Young Man,  She

Had Lost Her Temper. However,  The Chance Of Seeing Lambert Was Too

Tempting To Forego,  So She Marched In Defiantly,  Ready To Fight With Her

Rival If There Was An Opportunity Of Doing So. But The Gentile Lady

Declined The Combat,  And Took No More Notice Of The Jealous Gypsy Than

Was Absolutely Necessary. On Her Side Chaldea Ostentatiously Addressed

Her Conversation To Lambert.

 

"How Are You,  Rye?" She Asked,  Stopping With Effort In The Middle Of The

Room,  For Her Impulse Was To Rush Forward And Gather Him To Her Heaving

Bosom. "Have You Taken Drows,  My Precious Lord?"

 

"What Do You Mean By Drows,  Chaldea?"

 

"Poison,  No Less. You Look Drabbed,  For Sure."

 

"Drabbed?"

 

"Poisoned. But I Waste The Kalo Jib On You,  My Gorgious. God Bless You

For A Sick One,  Say I,  And That's A Bad Dukkerin,  The Which In Gentle

Romany Means Fortune,  My Gentile Swell."

 

"Drop Talking Such Nonsense," Said Lambert Sharply,  And Annoyed To See

How The Girl Ignored The Presence Of Lady Agnes. "I Have A Few Questions

To Ask You About A Certain Letter."

 

"Kushto Bak To The Rye,  Who Showed It To The Lady," Said Chaldea,

Chapter 12 ( The Conspiracy) Pg 114

Tossing Her Head So That The Golden Coins Jingled.

 

"He Did Not Show It To Me,  Girl," Remarked Lady Agnes Coldly.

 

"Hai! It Seems That The Rumy Of Hearne Can Lie."

 

"I Shall Put You Out Of The House If You Speak In That Way," Said

Lambert Sternly. "Silver Went To Lady Agnes And Tried To Blackmail Her."

 

"He's A Boro Pappin,  And That's Romany For A Large Goose,  My Gorgious

Rye,  For I Asked No Gold."

 

"You Told Him To Ask Five Thousand Pounds."

 

"May I Die In A Ditch If I Did!" Cried Chaldea Vehemently. "Touch The

Gold Of The Raclan I Would Not,  Though I Wanted Bread. The Tiny Rye Took

The Letter To Give To The Prastramengro,  And That's A Policeman,  My

Gentleman,  So That There Might Be Trouble. But I Wished No Gold From

Her. Romany Speaking,  I Should Like To Poison Her. I Love You,  And--"

 

"Have Done With This Nonsense,  Chaldea. Talk Like That And Out You Go.

I Can See From What You Admit,  That You Have Been Making Mischief."

 

"That's As True As My Father," Laughed The Gypsy Viciously. "And Glad Am

I To Say The Word,  My Boro Rye. And Why Should The Raclan Go Free-Footed

When She Drew Her Rom To Be Slaughtered Like A Pig?"

 

"I Did Nothing Of The Sort," Cried Agnes,  With An Angry Look.

 

"Duvel,  It Is True." Chaldea Still Addressed Lambert,  And Took No Notice

Of Agnes. "I Swear It On Your Bible-Book. I Found The Letter In My

Brother's Tent,  The Day After He Perished. Hearne,  For Hearne He Was,

And A Gentle Romany Also,  Read The Letter,  Saying That The Raclan,  His

Own Romi,  Was Running Away With You."

 

"Who Wrote The Letter?" Demanded Agnes Indignantly.

 

This Time Chaldea Answered Her Fiercely. "You Did,  My Gorgious Rani,  And

Lie As You May,  It's The Truth I Tell."

 

Ill As He Was,  Lambert Could Not Endure Seeing The Girl Insult Agnes.

With Unexpected Strength He Rose From His Chair And Took Her By The

Shoulders To Turn Her Out Of The Room. Chaldea Laughed Wildly,  But Did

Not Resist. It Was Agnes Who Intervened. "Let Her Stay Until We Learn

The Meaning Of These Things,  Noel," She Said Rapidly In French.

 

"She Insults You," He Replied,  In The Same Tongue,  But Released The

Girl.

 

"Never Mind; Never Mind." Agnes Turned To Chaldea And Reverted To

English. "Girl,  You Are Playing A Dangerous Game. I Wrote No Letter To

The Man You Call Hearne,  And Who Was My Husband--Sir Hubert Pine."

Chapter 12 ( The Conspiracy) Pg 115

 

Chaldea Laughed Contemptuously. "Avali,  That Is True. The Letter Was

Written By You To My Precious Rye Here,  And Hearne's Dukkerin Brought It

His Way."

 

"How Did He Get It?"

 

"Those Who Know,  Know," Retorted Chaldea Indifferently. "Hearne's Breath

Was Out Of Him Before I Could Ask."

 

"Why Do You Say That I Wrote The Letter?"

 

"The Tiny Rye Swore By His God That You Did."

 

"It Is Absolutely False!"

 

"Oh,  My Mother,  There Are Liars About," Jeered The Gypsy Sceptically.

"Catch You Blabbing Your Doings On The Crook,  My Rani,  Chore Mandy--"

 

"Speak English," Interrupted Agnes,  Who Was Quivering With Rage.

 

"You Can't Cheat Me," Translated Chaldea Sulkily. "You Write My Rye,

Here,  The Letter Swearing To Run World-Wide With Him,  And Let It Fall

Into Your Rom's Hands,  So As To Fetch Him To The Big House. Then Did

You,  My Cunning Gentleman," She Whirled Round On The Astounded Lambert

Viciously,  "Hide So Quietly In The Bushes To Shoot. Hai! It Is So,  And I

Love You For The Boldness,  My Gorgious One."

 

"It Is Absolutely False," Cried Lambert,  Echoing Agnes.

 

"True! True! And Twice Times True. May I Go Crazy,  Meg,  If It Isn't. You

Wanted The Raclan As Your Romi,  And So Plotted My Brother's Death. But

Your Sweet One Will Go Before The Poknees,  And With Irons On Her Wrists,

And A Rope Round Her--"

 

"You She-Devil!" Shouted Lambert In A Frenzy Of Rage,  And Forgetting In

His Anger The Presence Of Agnes.

 

"Words Of Honey Under The Moon," Mocked The Girl,  Then Suddenly Became

Tender. "Let Her Go,  Rye,  Let Her Go. My Love Is All For You,  And When

We Pad The Hoof