"We are having some fine moments, my good fellow," he had said, rubbing his hands."This is extremely like the fourth act.I'd like to be sure what comes next.""I'd like to be sure myself," Tembarom answered."It's as if a flash of lightning came sometimes, and then things clouded up.And sometimes when I am trying something out he'll get so excited that I daren't go on until I've talked to the doctor."It was the excitement he was dubious about to-night.It was not possible to be quite certain as to the entire safety of the plan; but there might be a chance - even a big chance - of wakening some cell from its deadened sleep.Sir Ormsby way had talked to him a good deal about brain cells, and he had listened faithfully and learned more than he could put into scientific English.Gradually, during the past months, he had been coming upon strangely exciting hints of curious possibilities.They had been mere hints at first, and had seemed almost absurd in their unbelievableness.But each one had linked itself with another, and led him on to further wondering and exploration.When Miss Alicia and Palliser had seen that he looked absorbed and baffled, it had been because he had frequently found himself, to use his own figures of speech, "mixed up to beat the band." He had not known which way to turn; but he had gone on turning because he could not escape from his own excited interest, and the inevitable emotion roused by being caught in the whirl of a melodrama.
That was what he'd dropped into--a whacking big play.It had begun for him when Palford butted in that night and told him he was a lost heir, with a fortune and an estate in England; and the curtain had been jerking up and down ever since.But there had been thrills in it, queer as it was.Something doing all the time, by gee!
He sat and smoked his pipe and wished Ann were with him because he knew he was not as cool as he had meant to be.He felt a certain tingling of excitement in his body; and this was not the time to be excited.He waited for some minutes before he went up-stairs.It was true that Strangeways had been much better lately.He had seemed to find it easier to follow conversation.During the past few days, Tembarom had talked to him in a matter-of-fact way about the house and its various belongings.He had at last seemed to waken to an interest in the picture-gallery.Evidently he knew something of picture-galleries and portraits, and found himself relieved by his own clearness of thought when he talked of them.
"I feel better," he said, two or three times."Things seem clearer--nearer."
"Good business!" exclaimed Tembarom."I told you it'd be that way.
Let's hold on to pictures.It won't be any time before you'll be remembering where you've seen some."He had been secretly rather strung up; but he had been very gradual in approaching his final suggestion that some night, when everything was quiet, they might go and look at the gallery together.
"What you need is to get out of the way of wanting to stay in one place," he argued."The doctor says you've got to have a change, and even going from one room to another is a fine thing."Strangeways had looked at him anxiously for a few moments, even suspiciously, but his face had cleared after the look.He drew himself up and passed his hand over his forehead.
"I believe - perhaps he is right," he murmured.
"Sure he's right!" said Tembarom."He's the sort of chap who ought to know.He's been made into a baronet for knowing.Sir Ormsby Galloway, by jings! That's no slouch of a name Oh, he knows, you bet your life!"This morning when he had seen him he had spoken of the plan again.The visitors had gone away; the servants could be sent out of sight and hearing; they could go into the library and smoke and he could look at the books.And then they could take a look at the picture-gallery if he wasn't too tired.It would be a change anyhow.
To-night, as he went up the huge staircase, Tembarom's calmness of being had not increased.He was aware of a quickened pulse and of a slight dampness on his forehead.The dead silence of the house added to the unusualness of things.He could not remember ever having been so anxious before, except on the occasion when he had taken his first day's "stuff" to Galton, and had stood watching him as he read it.His forehead had grown damp then.But he showed no outward signs of excitement when he entered the room and found Strangeways standing, perfectly attired in evening dress.
Pearson, setting things in order at the other side of the room, was taking note of him furtively over his shoulder.Quite in the casual manner of the ordinary man, he had expressed his intention of dressing for the evening, and Pearson had thanked his stars for the fact that the necessary garments were at hand.From the first, he had not infrequently asked for articles such as only the resources of a complete masculine wardrobe could supply; and on one occasion he had suddenly wished to dress for dinner, and the lame excuses it had been necessary to make had disturbed him horribly instead of pacifying him.
To explain that his condition precluded the necessity of the usual appurtenances would have been out of the question.He had been angry.