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It was a woman's face； alone on the white page。
〃Know who it is？ No； of course not。〃
〃I do。〃
〃Who is it？〃
〃It is Mrs。 Herbert。〃
〃Are you sure？〃
〃I am perfectly sure of it。 Poor Meyrick！ He is one more chapter in
her history。〃
〃But what do you think of the designs？〃
〃They are frightful。 Lock the book up again； Austin。 If I were you I
would burn it； it must be a terrible companion even though it be in a
chest。〃
〃Yes； they are singular drawings。 But I wonder what connection
there could be between Meyrick and Mrs。 Herbert； or what link between
her and these designs？〃
〃Ah； who can say？ It is possible that the matter may end here； and
we shall never know； but in my own opinion this Helen Vaughan； or Mrs。
Herbert； is only the beginning。 She will come back to London； Austin；
depend on it； she will come back； and we shall hear more about her then。
I doubt it will be very pleasant news。〃
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VI
THE SUICIDES
Lord Argentine was a great favourite in London Society。 At twenty
he had been a poor man； decked with the surname of an illustrious family；
but forced to earn a livelihood as best he could； and the most speculative
of money…lenders would not have entrusted him with fifty pounds on the
chance of his ever changing his name for a title； and his poverty for a great
fortune。 His father had been near enough to the fountain of good things
to secure one of the family livings； but the son； even if he had taken orders；
would scarcely have obtained so much as this； and moreover felt no
vocation for the ecclesiastical estate。 Thus he fronted the world with no
better armour than the bachelor's gown and the wits of a younger son's
grandson； with which equipment he contrived in some way to make a very
tolerable fight of it。 At twenty…five Mr。 Charles Aubernon saw himself
still a man of struggles and of warfare with the world； but out of the seven
who stood before him and the high places of his family three only
remained。 These three； however； were 〃good lives；〃 but yet not proof
against the Zulu assegais and typhoid fever； and so one morning Aubernon
woke up and found himself Lord Argentine； a man of thirty who had faced
the difficulties of existence； and had conquered。 The situation amused
him immensely； and he resolved that riches should be as pleasant to him as
poverty had always been。 Argentine； after some little consideration；
came to the conclusion that dining； regarded as a fine art； was perhaps the
most amusing pursuit open to fallen humanity； and thus his dinners
became famous in London； and an invitation to his table a thing
covetously desired。 After ten years of lordship and dinners Argentine
still declined to be jaded； still persisted in enjoying life； and by a kind of
infection had become recognized as the cause of joy in others； in short； as
the best of company。 His sudden and tragical death therefore caused a
wide and deep sensation。 People could scarcely believe it； even though the
newspaper was before their eyes； and the cry of 〃Mysterious Death of a
Nobleman〃 came ringing up from the street。 But there stood the brief
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paragraph： 〃Lord Argentine was found dead this morning by his valet
under distressing circumstances。 It is stated that there can be no doubt
that his lordship committed suicide； though no motive can be assigned for
the act。 The deceased nobleman was widely known in society； and much
liked for his genial manner and sumptuous hospitality。 He is succeeded
by；〃 etc。； etc。
By slow degrees the details came to light； but the case still remained a
mystery。 The chief witness at the inquest was the deceased's valet； who
said that the night before his death Lord Argentine had dined with a lady
of good position； whose named was suppressed in the newspaper reports。
At about eleven o'clock Lord Argentine had returned； and informed his
man that he should not require his services till the next morning。 A little
later the valet had occasion to cross the hall and was somewhat astonished
to see his master quietly letting himself out at the front door。 He had
taken off his evening clothes； and was dressed in a Norfolk coat and
knickerbockers； and wore a low brown hat。 The valet had no reason to
suppose that Lord Argentine had seen him； and though his master rarely
kept late hours； thought little of the occurrence till the next morning； when
he knocked at the bedroom door at a quarter to nine as usual。 He
received no answer； and； after knocking two or three times； entered the
room； and saw Lord Argentine's body leaning forward at an angle from the
bottom of the bed。 He found that his master had tied a cord securely to
one of the short bed…posts； and； after making a running noose and slipping
it round his neck； the unfortunate man must have resolutely fallen forward；
to die by slow strangulation。 He was dressed in the light suit in which
the valet had seen him go out； and the doctor who was summoned
pronounced that life had been extinct for more than four hours。 All
papers； letters； and so forth seemed in perfect order； and nothing was
discovered which pointed in the most remote way to any scandal either
great or small。 Here the evidence ended； nothing more could be
discovered。 Several persons had been present at the dinner…party at
which Lord Augustine had assisted； and to all these he seemed in his usual
genial spirits。 The valet； indeed； said he thought his master appeared a
little excited when he came home； but confessed that the alteration in his
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manner was very slight； hardly noticeable； indeed。 It seemed hopeless to
seek for any clue； and the suggestion that Lord Argentine had been
suddenly attacked by acute suicidal mania was generally accepted。
It was otherwise； however； when within three weeks； three more
gentlemen； one of them a nobleman； and the two others men of good
position and ample means； perished miserably in the almost precisely the
same manner。 Lord Swanleigh was found one morning in his dressing…
room； hanging from a peg affixed to the wall； and Mr。 Collier…Stuart and
Mr。 Herries had chosen to die as Lord Argentine。 There was no
explanation in either case； a few bald facts； a living man in the evening；
and a body with a black swollen face in the morning。 The police had
been forced to confess themselves powerless to arrest or to explain the
sordid murders of Whitechapel； but before the horrible suicides of
Piccadilly and Mayfair they were dumbfoundered； for not even the mere
ferocity which did duty as an explanation of the crimes of the East End；
could be of service in the West。 Each of these men who had resolved to die
a tortured shameful death was rich； prosperous； and to all appearances in
love with the world； and not the acutest research should ferret out any
shadow of a lurking motive in either case。 There was a horror in the air；
and men looked at one another's faces when they met； each wondering
whether the other was to be the victim of the fifth nameless tragedy。
Journalists sought in vain for their scrapbooks for materials whereof to
concoct reminiscent articles； and the morning paper was unfolded in many
a house with a feeling of awe； no man knew when or where the next blow
would light。
A short while after the last of these terrible events； Austin ca