"Why? I am not afraid. Having revealed the plot to her I should disappear. She would come to England, if she were not here already; she would lose not a moment in ascertaining whether I spoke the truth; and then, my very cunning and clever friend, where would you be, I should like to know? Not only would you be brought to the bar of justice, but you would have to make restitution. You would be beggared and irretrievably disgraced; your life of ease and pleasure would be at an end. As I am a living man, I would bring you to this pass; and I have little doubt, when I wrote to Gerald's wife from my chosen place of exile, that she would listen to the tale of pity I should relate, and would reward me for restoring her husband to her arms, and for restoring the good name which you filched from her by the basest of tricks."
"Enough of this," said M. Felix, "I capitulate. Nothing can be done to-night. Come to me to-morrow, and we will make terms. I can say no more."
"Perhaps not," said Dr. Peterssen. "You will be here to-morrow?"
"Attend to me, dear friend. By my blood, by my life, if you deceive me, if you attempt to evade me, if you try once again to escape, I will make the story public through Gerald's wife! Then you may say your prayers--which will be a novel thing for you to do." He raised his hand and swore a frightful oath that he would do as he threatened if he did not find M. Felix at home at the time he had named.
"You will find me at home," said M. Felix, sullenly.
"What noise is that?" asked Dr. Peterssen, as the sound of the shutting of the street-door came to his ears.
"It is the housekeeper going out for liquor. She does so every night."
"She must have a passion for liquor to go out on such a night. An obliging housekeeper, no doubt, dear friend."
"You have a commanding way with you which goes down with the weak. Are there other lodgers in this house?"
"I have. So, we two are alone. Not a soul on the premises but ourselves. One of us might murder the other, and have time to escape before discovery was made."
"It would not pay either of us to proceed to such an extremity."
"It would not. You are not an affectionate brother, Leonard. You have never inquired after Gerald."