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composing himself for the interview。
He now determined to make the process of informing her a very long
one： he would spin it out； and so secure many a sweet interview
with her： and； who knows？ he might fascinate her as she had him；
and ripen gratitude into love； as he understood that word。
He called； he sent in his card。 The man went in； and came back
with a sonorous 〃Not at home。〃
〃Not at home？ nonsense。 Why； she is just come in from church。〃
〃Not at home；〃 said the man； evidently strong in his instructions。
Falcon turned white with rage at this second affront。 〃All the
worse for her；〃 said he； and turned on his heel。
He went home； raging with disappointment and wounded vanity； and
since such love as his is seldom very far from hatehe swore she
should never know from him that her husband was alive。 He even
moralized。 〃This comes of being so unselfish；〃 said he。 〃I'll
give that game up forever。〃
By and by； a mere negative revenge was not enough for him； and he
set his wits to work to make her smart。
He wrote to her from his lodgings：
DEAR MADAM；What a pity you are never at home to me。 I had
something to say about your husband； that I thought might interest
you。
Yours truly；
R。 FALCON。
Imagine the effect of this abominable note。 It was like a rock
flung into a placid pool。 It set Rosa trembling all over。 What
could he mean？
She ran with it to her father； and asked him what Mr。 Falcon could
mean。
〃I have no idea；〃 said he。 〃You had better ask him； not me。〃
〃I am afraid it is only to get to see me。 You know he admired me
once。 Ah； how suspicious I am getting。〃
Rosa wrote to Falcon：
DEAR SIR；Since my bereavement I see scarcely anybody。 My servant
did not know you； so I hope you will excuse me。 If it is too much
trouble to call again； would you kindly explain your note to me？
Yours respectfully；
ROSA STAINES。
Falcon chuckled bitterly over this。 〃No； my lady；〃 said he。 〃I'll
serve you out。 You shall run after me like a little dog。 I have
got the bone that will draw you。〃
He wrote back coldly to say that the matter he had wished to
communicate was too delicate and important to put on paper； that he
would try and get down to Gravesend again some day or other； but
was much occupied； and had already put himself to inconvenience。
He added； in a postscript； that he was always at home from four to
five。
Next day he got hold of the servant； and gave her minute
instructions； and a guinea。
Then the wretch got some tools and bored a hole in the partition
wall of his sitting…room。 The paper had large flowers。 He was
artist enough to conceal the trick with water…colors。 In his bed…
room the hole came behind the curtains。
That very afternoon； as he had foreseen； Mrs。 Staines called on
him。 The maid； duly instructed； said Mr。 Falcon was out； but would
soon return； and could she wait his return？ The maid being so very
civil； Mrs。 Staines said she would wait a little while； and was
immediately ushered into Falcon's sitting…room。 There she sat
down； but was evidently ill at ease； restless； flushed。 She could
not sit quiet； and at last began to walk up and down the room；
almost wildly。 Her beautiful eyes glittered； and the whole woman
seemed on fire。 The caitiff； who was watching her； saw and gloated
on all this； and enjoyed to the full her beauty and agitation； and
his revenge for her 〃Not at homes。〃
But after a long time； there was a reaction： she sat down and
uttered some plaintive sounds inarticulate； or nearly； and at last
she began to cry。
Then it cost Falcon an effort not to come in and comfort her； but
he controlled himself and kept quiet。
She rang the bell。 She asked for writing paper； and she wrote her
unseen tormentor a humble note； begging him； for old acquaintance；
to call on her； and tell her what his mysterious words meant that
had filled her with agitation。
This done； she went away； with a deep sigh； and Falcon emerged； and
pounced upon her letter。
He kissed it； he read it a dozen times： he sat down where she had
sat； and his base passion overpowered him。 Her beauty； her
agitation； her fear； her tears； all combined to madden him； and do
the devil's work in his false； selfish heart； so open to violent
passions； so dead to conscience。
For once in his life he was violently agitated； and torn by
conflicting feelings： he walked about the room more wildly than his
victim had； and if it be true that； in certain great temptations；
good and bad angels fight for a man； here you might have seen as
fierce a battle of that kind as ever was。
At last he rushed out into the air； and did not return till ten
o'clock at night。 He came back pale and haggard； and with a look
of crime upon his face。
True Bohemian as he was； he sent for a pint of brandy。
So then the die was cast； and something was to be done that called
for brandy。
He bolted himself in； and drank a wine…glass of it neat； then
another； then another。
Now his pale cheek is flushed； and his eye glitters。 Drink
forever！ great ruin of English souls as well as bodies。
He put the poker in the fire； and heated it red hot。
He brought Staines's letter； and softened the sealing…wax with the
hot poker； then with his pen…knife made a neat incision in the wax；
and opened the letter。 He took out the ring； and put it carefully
away。 Then he lighted a cigar； and read the letter； and studied
it。 Many a man； capable of murder in heat of passion； could not
have resisted the pathos of this letter。 Many a Newgate thief；
after reading it； would have felt such pity for the loving husband
who had suffered to the verge of death； and then to the brink of
madness； and for the poor bereaved wife； that he would have taken
the letter down to Gravesend that very night； though he picked two
fresh pockets to defray the expenses of the road。
But this was an egotist。 Good nature had curbed his egotism a
little while； but now vanity and passion had swept away all
unselfish feelings； and the pure egotist alone remained。
Now； the pure egotist has been defined as a man who will burn down
his NEIGHBOR'S house to cook HIMSELF an egg。 Murder is but egotism
carried out to its natural climax。 What is murder to a pure
egotist； especially a brandied one？
I knew an egotist who met a female acquaintance in Newhaven
village。 She had a one…pound note； and offered to treat him。 She
changed this note to treat him。 Fish she gave him； and much
whiskey。 Cost her four shillings。 He ate and drank with her； at
her expense； and his aorta； or principal blood…vessel； being warmed
with her whiskey； he murdered her for the change； the odd sixteen
shillings。
I had the pleasure of seeing that egotist hung； with these eyes。
It was a slice of luck that； I grieve to say； has not occurred
again to me。
So much for a whiskied egotist。
His less truculent but equally remorseless brother in villany； the
brandied egotist； Falcon； could read that poor husband's letter
without blenching； the love and the anticipations of rapture； these
made him writhe a little with jealousy； but they roused not a grain
of pity。 He was a true egotist； blind； remorseless。
In this； his true character； he studied the letter profoundly； and
mastered all the facts； and digested them well。
All manner of diabolical artifices presented themselves to his
brain； barren of true intellect； yet fertile in fraud； in that； and
all low cunning and subtlety； far more than a match for Solomon or
Bacon。
His sinister studies were pursued far into the night。 Then he went
to bed； and his unbounded egotism gave him the sleep a grander
criminal would have courted in vain on the verge of a monstrous and
deliberate crime。
Next day he went to a fashionable tailor； and ordered a complete
suit of black。 This was made in forty…eight hours； the interval
was spent mainly in concocting lies to be incorporated with the
number of minute facts he had gained from Staines's letter； and in
making close imitations of his handwriting。
Thus armed； and crammed with more lies than the 〃Menteur〃 of
Corneille； but not such innocent ones； he went down to Gravesend；
all in deep mourning； with crape round his hat。
He presented himself at the villa。
The servant was all obsequiousness。 Yes； Mrs。 Staines received few
visitors； but she was at home to HIM。 He even began to falter
excuses。 〃Nonsense；〃 said Falcon； and slipped a sovereign into his
hand； 〃you are a good servant； and obey orders。〃
The servant's respect doubled； and he ushered the visitor into the
drawing…room； as one whose name was a passport。 〃Mr。 Reginald
Falcon； madam。〃
Mrs。 Staines was alone。 She rose to meet him。 Her color came and
went； her full eye fell on him； and took in all at a glancethat
he was all in black； and that he had a beard； and looked pale； and
ill at ease。
Little dreaming that this was the anxiety of a felon about to take
the actual plunge into a novel crime； she was rather prepossessed
by it。 The beard gave him dignity； and hid his mean； cruel mouth。
His black suit seemed to say he； too； had lost some one dear to
him； and that was a ground