It was no time to contend with him。 I led the way up the stairs。
Arriving at the upper flight of steps； I was startled by hearing
a sudden cry from the room above。 It was like the cry of a person
in pain； and it was twice repeated before we entered the circular
antechamber。 I was the first to approach the inner room； and to
see the many…sided Miserrimus Dexter in another new aspect of his
character。
The unfortunate Ariel was standing before a table； with a dish of
little cakes placed in front of her。 Round each of her wrists was
tied a string； the free ends of which （at a distance of a few
yards） were held in Miserrimus Dexter's hands。 〃Try again； my
beauty！〃 I heard him say； as I stopped on the threshold of the
door。 〃Take a cake。〃 At the word of command； Ariel submissively
stretched out one arm toward the dish。 Just as she touched a cake
with the tips of her fingers her hand was jerked away by a pull
at the string； so savagely cruel in the nimble and devilish
violence of it that I felt inclined to snatch Benjamin's cane out
of his hand and break it over Miserrimus Dexter's back。 Ariel
suffered the pain this time in Spartan silence。 The position in
which she stood enabled her to be the first to see me at the
door。 She had discovered me。 Her teeth were set； her face was
flushed under the struggle to restrain herself。 Not even a sigh
escaped her in my presence。
〃Drop the string！〃 I called out； indignantly 〃Release her； Mr。
Dexter； or I shall leave the house。〃
At the sound of my voice he burst out with a shrill cry of
welcome。 His eyes fastened on me with a fierce； devouring
delight。
〃Come in！ come in！〃 he cried。 〃See what I am reduced to in the
maddening suspense of waiting for you。 See how I kill the time
when the time parts us。 Come in！ come in！ I am in one of my
malicious humors this morning； caused entirely； Mrs。 Valeria； by
my anxiety to see you。 When I am in my malicious humors I must
tease something。 I am teasing Ariel。 Look at her！ She has had
nothing to eat all day； and she hasn't been quick enough to
snatch a morsel of cake yet。 You needn't pity her。 Ariel has no
nervesI don't hurt her。〃
〃Ariel has no nerves；〃 echoed the poor creature； frowning at me
for interfering between her master and herself。 〃He doesn't hurt
me。〃
I heard Benjamin beginning to swing his cane behind him。
〃Drop the string！〃 I reiterated； more vehemently than ever。 〃Drop
it； or I shall instantly leave you。〃
Miserrimus Dexter's delicate nerves shuddered at my violence。
〃What a glorious voice！〃 he exclaimedand dropped the string。
〃Take the cakes；〃 he added； addressing Ariel in his most imperial
manner。
She passed me； with the strings hanging from her swollen wrists；
and the dish of cakes in her hand。 She nodded her head at me
defiantly。
〃Ariel has got no nerves；〃 she repeated； proudly。 〃He doesn't
hurt me。〃
〃You see；〃 said Miserrimus Dexter； 〃there is no harm doneand I
dropped the strings when you told me。 Don't _begin_ by being hard
on me； Mrs。 Valeria； after your long absence。〃 He paused。
Benjamin； standing silent in the doorway； attracted his attention
for the first time。 〃Who is this？〃 he asked； and wheeled his
chair suspiciously nearer to the door。 〃I know！〃 he cried； before
I could answer。 〃This is the benevolent gentleman who looked like
the refuge of the afflicted when I saw him last。You have
altered for the worse since then； sir。 You have stepped into
quite a new characteryou personify Retributive Justice
now。Your new protector； Mrs。 ValeriaI understand！〃 He bowed
low to Benjamin； with ferocious irony。 〃Your humble servant； Mr。
Retributive Justice！ I have deserved youand I submit to you。
Walk in； sir！ I will take care that your new office shall be a
sinecure。 This lady is the Light of my Life。 Catch me failing in
respect to her if you can！〃 He backed his chair before Benjamin
（who listened to him in contemptuous silence） until he reached
the part of the room in which I was standing。 〃Your hand； Light
of my Life！〃 he murmured in his gentlest tones。 〃Your handonly
to show that you have forgiven me！〃 I gave him my hand。 〃One？〃 he
whispered； entreatingly。 〃Only one？〃 He kissed my hand once；
respectfullyand dropped it with a heavy sigh。 〃Ah； poor
Dexter！〃 he said； pitying himself with the whole sincerity of his
egotism。 〃A warm heartwasted in solitude； mocked by deformity。
Sad！ sad！ Ah； poor Dexter！〃 He looked round again at Benjamin；
with another flash of his ferocious irony。 〃A beauteous day；
sir；〃 he said； with mock…conventional courtesy。 〃Seasonable
weather indeed after the late long…continued rains。 Can I offer
you any refreshment？ Won't you sit down？ Retributive Justice；
when it is no taller than you are； looks best in a chair。〃
〃And a monkey looks best in a cage；〃 rejoined Benjamin； enraged
at the satirical reference to his shortness of stature。 〃I was
waiting； sir； to see you get into your swing。〃
The retort produced no effect on Miserrimus Dexter： it appeared
to have passed by him unheard。 He had changed again； he was
thoughtful； he was subdued； his eyes were fixed on me with a sad
and rapt attention。 I took the nearest arm…chair； first casting a
glance at Benjamin； which he immediately understood。 He placed
himself behind Dexter； at an angle which commanded a view of my
chair。 Ariel； silently devouring her cakes； crouched on a stool
at 〃the Master's〃 feet； and looked up at him like a faithful dog。
There was an interval of quiet and repose。 I was able to observe
Miserrimus Dexter uninterruptedly for the first time since I had
entered the room。
I was not surprisedI was nothing less than alarmed by the
change for the worse in him since we had last met。 Mr。 Playmore's
letter had not prepared me for the serious deterioration in him
which I could now discern。
His features were pinched and worn； the whole face seemed to have
wasted strangely in substance and size since I had last seen it。
The softness in his eyes was gone。 Blood…red veins were
intertwined all over them now： they were set in a piteous and
vacant stare。 His once firm hands looked withered； they trembled
as they lay on the coverlet。 The paleness of his face
（exaggerated； perhaps； by the black velvet jacket that he wore）
had a sodden and sickly lookthe fine outline was gone。 The
multitudinous little wrinkles at the corners of his eyes had
deepened。 His head sank into his shoulders when he leaned forward
in his chair。 Years appeared to have passed over him； instead of
months； while I had been absent from England。 Remembering the
medical report which Mr。 Playmore had given me to readrecalling
the doctor's positively declared opinion that the preservation of
Dexter's sanity depended on the healthy condition of his
nervesI could not but feel that I had done wisely （if I might
still hope for success） in hastening my return from Spain。
Knowing what I knew； fearing what I feared； I believed that his
time was near。 I felt； when our eyes met by accident； that I was
looking at a doomed man。
I pitied him。
Yes； yes！ I know that compassion for him was utterly inconsistent
with the motive which had taken me to his houseutterly
inconsistent with the doubt； still present to my mind； whether
Mr。 Playmore had really wronged him in believing that his was the
guilt which had compassed the first Mrs。 Eustace's death。 I felt
this： I knew him to be cruel； I believed him to be false。 And yet
I pitied him！ Is there a common fund of wickedness in us all？ Is
the suppression or the development of that wickedness a mere
question of training and temptation？ And is there something in
our deeper sympathies which mutely acknowledges this when we feel
for the wicked； when we crowd to a criminal trial； when we shake
hands at parting （if we happen to be present officially） with the
vilest monster that ever swung on a gallows？ It is not for me to
decide。 I can only say that I pitied Miserrimus Dexterand that
he found it out。
〃Thank you；〃 he said； suddenly。 〃You see I am ill； and you feel
for me。 Dear and good Valeria！〃
〃This lady's name； sir； is Mrs。 Eustace Macallan；〃 interposed
Benjamin； speaking sternly behind him。 〃The next time you address
her； remember； if you please； that you have no business with her
Christian name。〃
Benjamin's rebuke passed； like Benjamin's retort； unheeded and
unheard。 To all appearance； Miserrimus Dexter had completely
forgotten that there was such a person in the room。
〃You have delighted me with the sight of you；〃 he went on。 〃Add
to the pleasure by letting me hear your voice。 Talk to me of
yourself。 Tell me what you have been doing since you left
England。〃
It was necessary to my object to set the conversation afloat； and
this was as good a way of doing it as any other。 I told him
plainly how I had been employed during my absence。
〃So you are still fond of Eustace？〃 he said； bitterly。
〃I love him more dearly than ever。〃
He lifted his hands； and hid his face。 After waiting a while； he
went on； speaking in an odd； muffled manner； still under cover of
his hands。
〃And you leave Eustace in Spain；〃 he said； 〃and you return to
England by yourself！ What made you do that？〃
〃What made me first come here and ask you to help me； Mr。
Dexter？〃
He dropped his hands； and looked at me。 I saw in his eyes； not
amazement only； but alarm。
〃Is it possible；〃 he exclaimed； 〃that you won't let that
miserable matter rest even yet？ Are you still determined to
penetrate the mystery at Gleninch？〃
〃I am still determined； Mr。 Dexter； and I still hope that you may
be able to help me。〃
The old distrust that I remembered so well darkened again over
his face the moment I said those words。
〃How can I help you？〃 he asked。 〃Can I alter facts？〃 He stopped。
His face brightened again； as if some sudden sense of relief had
come to him。 〃I did try to help you；〃 he went on。 〃I told you
that Mrs。 Beauly's absence was a device to screen herself from
suspicion； I told you that the poison might have been given by
Mrs。 Beauly's maid。 Has reflection convinced you？ Do you see
something in the idea？〃
This return to Mrs。 Beauly gave me my first chance of leading the
talk to the right topic。
〃I see nothing in the