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The Beetle A Mystery

Chapter 7 THE GREAT PAUL LESSINGHAM

Word Count: 2952    |    Released on: 06/12/2017

ape him. Paul Lessingham's impenetrability is proverbial. Whether on platforms addressing excited crowds, or in the midst of heated discussion in the House of Commons, all the world knows that hi

ed, his keen blue eyes having in them something suggestive of a bird of prey considering just when, where, and how to pounce, he regarded me for some seconds in perfect silence,-whether outwardly I fli

I am indebted for the p

y answer. When none came, he p

, and on whose invitati

ess than before. And that the-to say the least of it-peculiarity of my appearance, caused him to suspect that he was face to face with an adventure of a peculiar kind. Whether he took me

e revolver, and the papers y

ed itself from between my lips, so that I said, in

BEE

there could be no doubt whatever as to the effect which the words had on Mr Lessingham. When the mist of the blackness-real or supposititious-had passed from before my eyes, I found that he had retreated to the extremest limits of the room, and was crouching, his back against the bookshelves, clutching at them, in the attitude of a man who has received a staggering blow, from which, as ye

In God's name,

zied, choking accents would hardly have

e ask, who are you? In the

stand up straight. So far from exhibiting the impassivity for which he was renowned, all the muscles in his face and all the limbs in his body seemed to be in motion at once; he was like a man a

re? what concern have you with me? is it necessary that you

he saw that I continued silent, they came still faster, ming

am a boy to be bamboozled by every bogey a blunderer may try to conjure up? If so, you're wrong, as whoever sent you might have had sense enough to let you know. If you tell me who you are, and who sent

acking in dignity, and to be ashamed of it. He drew himself straight up. With a pocket-handkerchief which he took from an inner pocket of his coat, he w

nce part of the business of the ro

his bearing more in kee

even one gifted with your eloquence of silence, playing the part of burglar, I think yo

ortunity of recovering, if the thing was possible, his pristine courage. That, for some cause wholly hidden from me, the mysterious utterance

t, in that costume,-or, rather, in that want of costume? It would seem out of place in a

red to either then, or in what immediately followed, I, of course, knew no more than the man in

blue-grey Venetians, and the piano with the F sharp missing? Is there still the piano? with the tinny treble,-indeed, the wh

ike him,-born, perhaps,

that you are not English? What a

ion, I regret that I have never had so much as a ghost of a chance to acquire an even rudimentary knowledge of any language except my own. Recognising, I suppose, from my looks, that he was addressing me in a tongue to which I was a stranger, after a time he stopped, added something with a smile,

silence, or are you dumb,-except upon occasion? Your face is English,-what can be seen of it, and I will take it, therefore, that E

ar, modulated tones there was a ring of something like a

e upon that point, say that nothing will be gained by anyone. That time was one of mirage, of delusion, of disease. I was in a condition, mentally and bodily, in which pranks could have been played upon me by any trickster. Such pranks were played. I know that now quite well. I do not pretend to be

d silent,-an attitude wh

just now. Be advised by me, and do not compel me to resort to measures

gn of comprehension,-to

he lunatic, and play it excellently well, but that you do understand what is said to you is clear.-Come

vince himself as much as me,-and about his last words there

, and there will quickly be an end of it. Pray do not imagine that you can trick me into supposing that you do

gham I was not destined to discover in him any one of those qualities of which the world held him to be the undisputed

ng as you! Do as I tell you, or I myself will make you,

p or two forward,-then, stopping short, began to tremble. The perspiration broke out upon his brow; he made spasmodic little dabs at it with his crumpled-up handkerchief. His eyes wandered hither a

nation.-My nerves are out of order.-I have been

ad the tousled appearance of one who had been unexpectedly roused out of slumber, and unwillingly dragged from bed. Mr Lessingham stared at him as if he had been

to see if there was anything the matter,-I had no idea, sir, that you were here.' His eyes travelled from Mr Lessingh

tion that he himself was not cutting the most dignified of figures. At any rate,

esent you may leave the room-I propose to deal with this fellow myself,-only remain w

had entered it. Mr Lessingham returned to me, his manner distinctly more determined,

undergo a long period of imprisonment. Yet I am still willing to listen to the dictates of mercy.

been a graven image. He misunderstood, or prete

sher than they really are,-do not let us have a scand

step or two, to stumble and stop, and look about him with

What else could it be?-I'm not to be fooled.-I'm ol

he broke

Matthews!-H

Evidently all had slipped into the first articles of clothing they could lay t

ter spurr

thews!-knock him down!-take the letters f

lindly. As he did so I was constrained to shout out,

BEE

I felt that something had come into the room, I knew not whence nor how,-something of horror. And the next action of

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1 Chapter 1 OUTSIDE2 Chapter 2 INSIDE3 Chapter 3 THE MAN IN THE BED4 Chapter 4 A LONELY VIGIL5 Chapter 5 AN INSTRUCTION TO COMMIT BURGLARY6 Chapter 6 A SINGULAR FELONY7 Chapter 7 THE GREAT PAUL LESSINGHAM8 Chapter 8 THE MAN IN THE STREET9 Chapter 9 THE CONTENTS OF THE PACKET10 Chapter 10 REJECTED11 Chapter 11 A MIDNIGHT EPISODE12 Chapter 12 A MORNING VISITOR13 Chapter 13 THE PICTURE14 Chapter 14 THE DUCHESS' BALL15 Chapter 15 MR LESSINGHAM SPEAKS16 Chapter 16 ATHERTON'S MAGIC VAPOUR17 Chapter 17 MAGIC -OR MIRACLE 18 Chapter 18 THE APOTHEOSIS OF THE BEETLE19 Chapter 19 THE LADY RAGES20 Chapter 20 A HEAVY FATHER21 Chapter 21 THE TERROR IN THE NIGHT22 Chapter 22 THE HAUNTED MAN23 Chapter 23 THE WAY HE TOLD HER24 Chapter 24 A WOMAN'S VIEW25 Chapter 25 THE MAN IN THE STREET No.2526 Chapter 26 A FATHER'S NO27 Chapter 27 THE TERROR BY NIGHT28 Chapter 28 THE STRANGE STORY OF THE MAN IN THE STREET29 Chapter 29 THE HOUSE ON THE ROAD FROM THE WORKHOUSE30 Chapter 30 THE SINGULAR BEHAVIOUR OF MR HOLT31 Chapter 31 THE TERROR BY DAY32 Chapter 32 A NEW CLIENT33 Chapter 33 WHAT CAME OF LOOKING THROUGH A LATTICE34 Chapter 34 AFTER TWENTY YEARS35 Chapter 35 A BRINGER OF TIDINGS36 Chapter 36 WHAT THE TIDINGS WERE37 Chapter 37 WHAT WAS HIDDEN UNDER THE FLOOR38 Chapter 38 THE REST OF THE FIND39 Chapter 39 MISS LOUISA COLEMAN40 Chapter 40 WHAT MISS COLEMAN SAW THROUGH THE WINDOW41 Chapter 41 THE CONSTABLE,-HIS CLUE,-AND THE CAB42 Chapter 42 THE QUARRY DOUBLES43 Chapter 43 THE MURDER AT MRS 'ENDERSON'S44 Chapter 44 THE MAN WHO WAS MURDERED45 Chapter 45 ALL THAT MRS 'ENDERSON KNEW46 Chapter 46 THE SUDDEN STOPPING47 Chapter 47 THE CONTENTS OF THE THIRD-CLASS CARRIAGE48 Chapter 48 THE CONCLUSION OF THE MATTER