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〃What possible interest can the public take in that？〃
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LOT NO。 249。
Of the dealings of Edward Bellingham with William Monkhouse Lee；
and of the cause of the great terror of Abercrombie Smith； it may be that
no absolute and final judgment will ever be delivered。 It is true that we
have the full and clear narrative of Smith himself； and such corroboration
as he could look for from Thomas Styles the servant； from the Reverend
Plumptree Peterson； Fellow of Old's； and from such other people as
chanced to gain some passing glance at this or that incident in a singular
chain of events。 Yet； in the main； the story must rest upon Smith alone；
and the most will think that it is more likely that one brain； however
outwardly sane； has some subtle warp in its texture； some strange flaw in
its workings； than that the path of Nature has been overstepped in open
day in so famed a centre of learning and light as the University of Oxford。
Yet when we think how narrow and how devious this path of Nature is；
how dimly we can trace it； for all our lamps of science； and how from the
darkness which girds it round great and terrible possibilities loom ever
shadowly upwards； it is a bold and confident man who will put a limit to
the strange by… paths into which the human spirit may wander。
In a certain wing of what we will call Old College in Oxford there is a
corner turret of an exceeding great age。 The heavy arch which spans the
open door has bent downwards in the centre under the weight of its years；
and the grey； lichen…blotched blocks of stone are； bound and knitted
together with withes and strands of ivy； as though the old mother had set
herself to brace them up against wind and weather。 From the door a
stone stair curves upward spirally； passing two landings； and terminating
in a third one； its steps all shapeless and hollowed by the tread of so many
generations of the seekers after knowledge。 Life has flowed like water
down this winding stair； and； waterlike； has left these smooth… worn
grooves behind it。 From the long…gowned； pedantic scholars of
Plantagenet days down to the young bloods of a later age； how full and
strong had been that tide of young English life。 And what was left now
of all those hopes； those strivings； those fiery energies； save here and there
in some old…world churchyard a few scratches upon a stone； and perchance
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a handful of dust in a mouldering coffin？ Yet here were the silent stair
and the grey old wall； with bend and saltire and many another heraldic
device still to be read upon its surface； like grotesque shadows thrown
back from the days that had passed。
In the month of May； in the year 1884； three young men occupied the
sets of rooms which opened on to the separate landings of the old stair。
Each set consisted simply of a sitting…room and of a bedroom； while the
two corresponding rooms upon the ground… floor were used； the one as a
coal…cellar； and the other as the living…room of the servant； or gyp； Thomas
Styles； whose duty it was to wait upon the three men above him。 To right
and to left was a line of lecture…rooms and of offices； so that the dwellers
in the old turret enjoyed a certain seclusion； which made the chambers
popular among the more studious undergraduates。 Such were the three
who occupied them nowAbercrombie Smith above； Edward Bellingham
beneath him； and William Monkhouse Lee upon the lowest storey。
It was ten o'clock on a bright spring night； and Abercrombie Smith lay
back in his arm…chair； his feet upon the fender； and his briar…root pipe
between his lips。 In a similar chair； and equally at his ease； there lounged
on the other side of the fireplace his old school friend Jephro Hastie。
Both men were in flannels； for they had spent their evening upon the river；
but apart from their dress no one could look at their hard…cut； alert faces
without seeing that they were open…air menmen whose minds and tastes
turned naturally to all that was manly and robust。 Hastie； indeed； was
stroke of his college boat； and Smith was an even better oar； but a coming
examination had already cast its shadow over him and held him to his
work； save for the few hours a week which health demanded。 A litter of
medical books upon the table； with scattered bones； models and
anatomical plates； pointed to the extent as well as the nature of his studies；
while a couple of single… sticks and a set of boxing…gloves above the
mantelpiece hinted at the means by which； with Hastie's help； he might
take his exercise in its most compressed and least distant form。 They
knew each other very wellso well that they could sit now in that soothing
silence which is the very highest development of companionship。
〃Have some whisky；〃 said Abercrombie Smith at last between two
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cloudbursts。 〃Scotch in the jug and Irish in the bottle。〃
〃No； thanks。 I'm in for the sculls。 I don't liquor when I'm training。
How about you？〃
〃I'm reading hard。 I think it best to leave it alone。〃
Hastie nodded； and they relapsed into a contented silence。
〃By…the…way； Smith；〃 asked Hastie； presently； have you made the
acquaintance of either of the fellows on your stair yet？〃 〃Just a nod
when we pass。 Nothing more。〃
〃Hum！ I should be inclined to let it stand at that。 I know something
of them both。 Not much； but as much as I want。 I don't think I should
take them to my bosom if I were you。 Not that there's much amiss with
Monkhouse Lee。〃
〃Meaning the thin one？〃
〃Precisely。 He is a gentlemanly little fellow。 I don't think there is
any vice in him。 But then you can't know him without knowing
Bellingham。〃
〃Meaning the fat one？〃
〃Yes； the fat one。 And he's a man whom I； for one； would rather not
know。〃
Abercrombie Smith raised his eyebrows and glanced across at his
companion。
〃What's up； then？〃 he asked。 〃Drink？ Cards？ Cad？ You used
not to be censorious。〃
〃Ah！ you evidently don't know the man； or you wouldn't ask。 There's
something damnable about him something reptilian。 My gorge always
rises at him。 I should put him down as a man with secret vicesan evil
liver。 He's no fool； though。 They say that he is one of the best men in
his line that they have ever had in the college。〃
〃Medicine or classics？〃
〃Eastern languages。 He's a demon at them。 Chillingworth met him
somewhere above the second cataract last long； and he told me that he just
prattled to the Arabs as if he had been born and nursed and weaned among
them。 He talked Coptic to the Copts； and Hebrew to the Jews； and
Arabic to the Bedouins； and they were all ready to kiss the hem of his
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frock…coat。 There are some old hermit Johnnies up in those parts who sit
on rocks and scowl and spit at the casual stranger。 Well； when they saw
this chap Bellingham； before he had said five words they just lay down on
their bellies and wriggled。 Chillingworth said that he never saw anything
like it。 Bellingham seemed to take it as his right； too； and strutted about
among them and talked down to them like a Dutch uncle。 Pretty good for
an undergrad。 of Old's； wasn't it？〃
〃Why do you say you can't know Lee without knowing Bellingham？ 〃
〃Because Bellingham is engaged to his sister Eveline。 Such a bright
little girl； Smith！ I know the whole family well。