Mrs. Tranmer was just going up to dress for dinner when in burst her brother. Mr. Roland was, as a rule, one of the least excitable of men. His obvious agitation therefore surprised her the more. Her feelings took a characteristic form of expression-to her, an attentive eye to the proprieties of costume was the whole duty of a Christian.
"Philip! – what have you done to your tie?"
Mr. Roland mechanically put up his hand towards the article referred to; returning question for question.
"Agatha, where's that bag?"
"Bag? My good man, you're making your tie crookeder!"
"Bother the tie!" Mrs. Tranmer started: Philip was so seldom interjectional. "Do you hear me ask where that bag is?"
"My dear brother, before you knock me down, will you permit me to suggest that your tie is still in a shocking condition?"
He gave her one look-such a look! Then he went to the looking-glass and arranged his tie. Then he turned to her.
"Will that do?"
"It is better."
"Now, will you give me that bag-at once?"
"Bag? What bag?"
"You know very well what bag I mean-the one you took from my room."
"The one I took from your room?"
"I told you not to take it. I warned you it wasn't mine. I informed you that I was its involuntary custodian. And yet, in spite of all I could say-of all I could urge, with a woman's lax sense of the difference between meum and tuum, you insisted on removing it from my custody. The sole reparation you can make is to return it at once-upon the instant."
She observed him with growing amazement-as well she might. She subsided into an armchair.
"May I ask you to inform me from what you're suffering now?"
He was a little disposed towards valetudinarianism, and was apt to imagine himself visited by divers diseases. He winced.
"Agatha, the only thing from which I am suffering at this moment is-is-"
"Yes; is what?"
"A feeling of irritation at my own weakness in allowing myself to be persuaded by you to act in opposition to my better judgment."
"Dear me! You must be ill. That you are ill is shown by the fact that your tie is crooked again. Don't consider my feelings, and pray present yourself in my drawing-room in any condition you choose. But perhaps you will be so good as to let me know if there is any sense in the stuff you have been talking about a bag."
"Agatha, you remember that bag you took from my room?"
"That old brown leather thing?"
"It was made of brown leather-a week or two ago?"
"A week or two? Why, it was months ago."
"My dear Agatha, I do assure you-"
"Please don't let us argue. I tell you it was months ago."
"I told you not to take it-"
"You told me not to take it? Why, you pressed it on me. I didn't care to be seen with such a rubbishing old thing; but you took it off your shelf and said it would do very well. So, to avoid argument, as I generally do, I let you have your way."
"I-I don't want to be rude, but a-a more outrageous series of statements I never heard. I told you distinctly that it wasn't mine."
"You did nothing of the sort. Of course I took it for granted that such a disreputable article, which evidently belonged to a woman, was not your property. But as I had no wish to pry into your private affairs I was careful not to inquire how such a curiosity found its way upon your shelves."
"Agatha, your-your insinuations-"
"I insinuate nothing. I only want to know what this fuss is about. As I wish to dress for dinner, perhaps you'll tell me in a couple of words."
"Agatha, where's that bag?"
"How should I know?"
"Haven't you got it?"
"Got it? Do you suppose I have a museum in which I preserve rubbish of the kind?"
"But-what have you done with it?"
"You might as well ask me what I've done with last year's gloves."
"Agatha-think! More hinges upon this than you have any conception. What did you do with that bag?"
"Since you are so insistent-and I must say, Philip, that your conduct is most peculiar-I will think, or I'll try to. I believe I gave the bag to Jane. Or else to Mrs. Pettigrew's little girl. Or to my needle-woman-to carry home some embroidery she was mending for me; I am most particular about embroidery, especially when its good. Or to the curate's wife, for a jumble sale. Or I might have given it to someone else. Or I might have lost it. Or done something else with it."
"Did you look inside?"
"Of course I did. I must have done. Though I don't remember doing anything of the kind."
"Was there anything in it?"
"Do you mean when you gave it me? If there was I never saw it. Am I going to be accused of felony?"
"Agatha, I believe you have ruined me."
"Ruined you! Philip, what nonsense are you talking? I insist upon your telling me what you mean. What has that wretched old bag, which would have certainly been dear at twopence, to do with either you or me?"
"I will endeavour to explain. I believe that I stood towards that bag in what the law regards as a fiduciary relation. I was responsible for its safety. Its loss will fall on me."
"The loss of a twopenny-halfpenny bag?"
"It is not a question of the bag, but of its contents."
"What were its contents?"
"It contained a will."
"A will? – a real will? Do you mean to say that you gave me that bag without breathing a word about there being a will inside?"
"I didn't know myself until to-day."
By degrees the tale was told. Mrs. Tranmer's amazement grew and grew. She seemed to have forgotten all about its being time to dress for dinner.
"And you are a juryman?"
"I am."
"And you actually have the bag on which the whole case turns?"
"I wish I had."
"But was the will inside?"
"I never saw it."
"Nor I. It was quite an ordinary bag, and if it had been we must have seen it. A will isn't written on a scrappy piece of paper which could have been overlooked. Philip, the will wasn't in the bag. That young woman's an impostor."
"I don't believe it for a moment-not for a single instant. I am convinced that she supposes herself to be speaking the absolute truth. Even granting that she is mistaken, in what position do I stand? I cannot go and say, 'I have lost your bag, but it doesn't matter, for the will was not inside.' Would she not be entitled to reply, 'Return me the bag in the condition in which I intrusted it to your keeping, and I will show that you are wrong'? It will not be enough for me to repeat that I have not the bag; my sister threw it into her dust-hole."
"Philip!"
"May she not retort, 'Then, for all the misfortunes which the loss of the bag brings on me, you are responsible'? The letter of the law might acquit me. My conscience never would. Agatha, I fear you have done me a serious injury."
"Don't talk like that! Under the circumstances you had no right to give me the bag at all."
"You are wrong; I did not give it you. On the contrary, I implored you not to take it. But you insisted."
"Philip, how can you say such a wicked thing? I remember exactly what happened. I had been buying some veils. I was saying to you how I hated carrying parcels, even small ones-"
"Agatha, don't let us enter into this matter now. You may be called upon to make your statement in another place. I can only hope that our statements will not clash."
For the first time Mrs. Tranmer showed symptoms of genuine anxiety.
"You don't mean to say that I'm to be dragged into a court of law because of that twopenny-halfpenny bag?"
"I think it possible. What else can you expect?
"I must tell this unfortunate young lady how the matter stands. I apprehend that I shall have to repeat my statement in open court, and that you will be called upon to supplement it. I also take it that no stone will be left unturned to induce you to give a clear and satisfactory account of what became of the bag after it passed into your hands."
"My goodness! And I know no more what became of it than anything."
"I must go to Miss Angel at once."
"Philip!"
"I must. Consider my position. I cannot enter the court as a juryman again without explaining to someone how I am placed. The irregularity would transgress all limits. I must communicate with Miss Angel immediately; she will communicate with her advisers, who will no doubt communicate with you."
"My goodness!" repeated Mrs. Tranmer to herself after he had gone. Still she did not proceed upstairs to dress.
Miss Angel was dressed for dinner. She was in the drawing-room with other guests of the hotel, waiting for the gong to sound, when she was informed that a gentleman wished to see her. On the heels of the information entered the gentleman himself. It seemed that Mr. Roland had only eyes for her. As if oblivious of others he moved rapidly forward. She regarded him askance. He, perceiving her want of recognition, introduce himself in a fashion of his own.
"Miss Angel, I'm the man who travelled with you from Nice to Dijon."
At once her face lighted up. Her eyes became as if they were illumined.
"Of course! To think that we should have met again! At last!"
To judge from certain comments which were made by those around one could not but suspect that Miss Angel's story was a theme of general interest. As a matter of fact, they were being entertained by her account of the day's proceedings at the very moment of Mr. Roland's entry. People in these small "residential" hotels are sometimes so extremely friendly. Altogether unexpectedly Mr. Roland found himself an object of interest to quite a number of total strangers. He was not the sort of man to shine in such a position, particularly as it was only too plain that Miss Angel misunderstood the situation.
"Mr. Roland, you are like a messenger from Heaven. I have prayed for you to come, so you must be one. And at this time of all times-just when you are most wanted! Really your advent must be miraculous."
"Ye-es." The gentleman glanced around. "Might I speak to you for a moment in private?"
She regarded him a little quizzically.
"Everybody here knows my whole strange history; my hopes and fears; all about me. You needn't be afraid to add another chapter to the tale, especially since you have arrived at so opportune a moment."
"Precisely." His tone was expressive of something more than doubt. "Still, if you don't mind, I think I would rather say a few words to you alone."
The bystanders commenced to withdraw with some little show of awkwardness, as if, since the whole business had so far been public, they rather resented the element of secrecy. The gong sounding, Miss Angel was moved to proffer a suggestion.
"Come dine with me. We can talk when we are eating."
He shrank back with what was almost a gesture of horror.
"Excuse me-you are very kind-I really couldn't. If you prefer it, I will wait here until you have dined."
"Do you imagine that I could wait to hear what you have to say till after dinner? You don't know me if you do. The people are going. We shall have the room all to ourselves. My dinner can wait."
The people went. They did have the room to themselves. She began to overwhelm him with her thanks, which, conscience-striken, he endeavoured to parry.
"I cannot tell you how grateful I am to you for coming in this spontaneous fashion-at this moment, too, of my utmost need."
"Just so."
"If you only knew how I have searched for you high and low, and now, after all, you appear in the very nick of time."
"Exactly."
"It would almost seem as if you had chosen the dramatic moment; for this is the time of all times when your presence on the scene was most desired."
"It's very good of you to say so; – but if you will allow me to interrupt you-I am afraid I am not entitled to your thanks. The fact is, I-I haven't the bag."
"You haven't the bag?"
Although he did not dare to look at her he was conscious that the fashion of her countenance had changed. At the knowledge a chill seemed to penetrate to the very marrow in his bones.
"I-I fear I haven't."
"You had it-I left it in your charge!"
"Unfortunately, that is the most unfortunate part of the whole affair."
"What do you mean?"
He explained. For the second time that night he told his tale. It had not rolled easily off his tongue at the first time of telling. He found the repetition a task of exquisite difficulty. In the presence of that young lady it seemed so poor a story. Especially in the mood in which she was. She continually interrupted him with question and comment-always of the most awkward kind. By the time he had made an end of telling he felt as if most of the vitality had gone out of him. She was silent for some seconds-dreadful seconds; Then she drew a long breath, and she said: -
"So I am to understand, am I, that your sister has lost the bag-my bag?"
"I fear that it would seem so, for the present."
"For the present? What do you mean by for the present? Are you suggesting that she will be able to find it during the next few hours? Because after that it will be too late."
"I-I should hardly like to go so far as that, knowing my sister."
"Knowing your sister? I see. Of course I am perfectly aware that I had no right to intrust the bag to your charge even for a single instant: to you, an entire stranger; though I had no notion that you were the kind of stranger you seem to be. Nor had I any right to slip, and fall, and become unconscious and so allow that train to leave me behind. Still-it does seems a little hard. Don't you think it does?"
"I can only hope that the loss was not of such serious importance as you would seem to infer."
"It depends on what you call serious. It probably means the difference between affluence and beggary. That's all."
"On one point you must allow me to make an observation. The will was not in the bag."
"The will was not in the bag!"
There was a quality in the lady's voice which made Mr. Roland quail. He hastened to proceed.
"I have here all which it contained."
He produced a neat packet, in which were discovered four keys, two handkerchiefs, scraps of what might be chocolate, a piece of pencil, a pair of brown shoe-laces. She regarded the various objects with unsympathetic eyes.
"It also contained the will."
"I can only assure you that I saw nothing of it; nor my sister either. Surely a thing of that kind could hardly have escaped our observation."
"In that bag, Mr. Roland, is a secret pocket; intended to hold-secure from observation-banknotes, letters, or private papers. The will was there. Did you or your sister, in the course of your investigations, light upon the secret of that pocket?"
Something of the sort he had feared. He rubbed his hands together, almost as if he were wringing them.
"Miss Angel, I can only hint at my sense of shame; at my consciousness of my own deficiencies; and can only reiterate my sincere hope that the consequences of your loss may still be less serious than you suppose."
"I imagine that nothing worse than my ruin will result."
"I will do my best to guard against that."
"You! – what can you do-now?"
"I am at least a juryman."
"A juryman?"
"I am one of the jury which is trying the case."
"You!" Her eyes opened wider. "Of course! I thought I had seen you somewhere before today! That's where it was! How stupid I am! Is it possible?" Exactly what she meant by her disjointed remarks was not clear. He did not suspect her of an intention to flatter. "And you propose to influence your colleagues to give a decision in my favour?"
"You may smile, but since unanimity is necessary I can, at any rate, make sure that it is not given against you."
"I see. Your idea is original. And perhaps a little daring. But before we repose our trust on such an eventuality I should like to do something. First of all, I should like to interview your sister."
"If you please."
"I do please. I think it possible that when I explain to her how the matter is with me her memory may be moved to the recollection of what she did with my poor bag. Do you think I could see her if I went to her at once?"
"Quite probably."
"Then you and I will go together. If you will wait for me to put a hat on, in two minutes I will return to you here."
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