The Beetle: A Mystery

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