Two Sides of the Face: Midwinter Tales

, all forms of violent exercise. I bathed, ate, drank, slept, rambled along the sands, or lay on my back and stared at the sky, smoking and inviting my soul. In short, I reproduced all the

post had brought me a letter from Cozens, of the Duke of Cornwall's, begging for (at least) a scenario of the new piece. My play (he said

h for my needs-had bound myself to write this thing within a given time, at the risk of turning out inferior work. For that matter, why should I write a comedy at all if I didn't want to? These were reasonable questions, and yet they

him? I laughed; but I was unhinged. I had been smoking too many cigarettes during these three weeks, and the vampire thought continued to flit obscenely between me and the pure seas

r trophies, it is discovered that B and Mrs. A are old flames, while each finds a mistaken reason to suspect that A and Mrs. B have also met years before, and at least dallied with courtship. Thus while their spouses alternately rage with suspicion and invent devices to conceal

he plaguey thing refused to take shape. I sprang up and paced the sands, dogg

, and the third and final act sketched out? The burden of months broke its straps and fell from me as I pondered. My Tenant was the name of the thing, and I had

enant. The whole of the third and concluding act spread itself instantaneously before me. I knew then and there why the play had been laid aside. It had waited

cover my treasure? It would be the sooner in my possession. I might be reading it again that very night in my own home and testing my discovery. I might return with it on the morrow-that is, if I desired to return. After all, Ambleteuse had failed me. In London, I could shut myself up and work at white heat. In London, I should be near Cozens: a telegram would fetch him out to South Kensington within the ho

e straight to my club, and snatched a supper of cold meats in its half-lit dining-room. Twenty minutes later I was in my hansom agai

k. In one of the porticos to the right half a dozen guests lingered for a moment and laughed together before taking their leave. One of them stood on the topmost steps, lighting a cigarette: he carried his silk-lined Inverness over his arm-so sultry the night was-and the ladies wore but the slightest of wraps over their bright fro

-a place where a man leaves his room only to carry his writing-desk with him and plant it by the sea. London offered the only true recreation. In London a man might turn the key on himself and work for so long as it pleased him. But let

n up in line ahead and close beside the pavement. At intervals the carriages moved forward a few paces and the line closed up

ay, sir?" the cabman a

402," I

de the pavement then," he g

te Number 402 and I'll slip betw

d sourly, and closed the trap, but presently opened it again. His h

t-yes!" I was g

began to turn t

t are yo

take our bloomin' turn," he answered wearil

eaf? What have I to

es. Four-nought-two's where

ing? What

orning, what they put up when they gives a party

Number 402," I insisted.

and began to walk his horse sullenly forward. "'Oo's blind this

s crowd. Overhead, the first-floor windows had been flung wide; the rooms within were aflame with light; and, as I grasped the rail of the splashboard, and, stra

ards the number "402" staring down at me f

my own house

ell, it may be. I

g!" I fumbled in my

urt!" He jerked his whip again towards the awning as a North American Indian in full w

ddenly as he examined the coins in his hand. "Look here, guvnor, if

een a horse's wet nose and the back of a brougham, gained the p

policemen put out

g to the house." It seemed a safer explan

e ices?"

hway, eager to get to

g and extremely elegant

Trewlove?"

eches, both of bright blue. He wore his hair in powder, a

repeated, dwelling fi

Pompadour, followed by an Old English Gentleman with an anachronistic Hebrew nose, swept past me into the hall. He bowed deferentially while he mastered their names, "Mr. and Mrs. Levi-Levy!" he cried, and a second footman ca

en you've had a good look roun

minutes ago I supposed myself to be the owner of this

for him. "I beg pardon, sir-most 'umbly, I do indeed. You will do me the justice, sir-I had n

my telegr

He hesitated, sea

by me at one o'clock this

low Dwarf with a decidedly music-hall manner, who nudged him in th

r." The young man disengaged himself with admirable di

Trewlove, 402,

. "This gentleman is inquiring for a telegram

ing of it in the pantry. The mistress took the name for a telegraphic ad

sent it

eed,

n order to get

Richardson," explaine

o 'arm done, for your room is ready, and I laid out your dress my

d me blankly. Who in the nam

ested William, taking my bag, whi

I, "but I know my

you're on the fourth floor over the street. Mr. 'Erbert's last words were that

was this lady called "the mistress "? Who was Mr. Herbert? How came they here? And-deepest mystery of all-how came they to be expecting