"He suspects me," he muttered. "He suspects! But he suspects only, and he can do nothing, or he would have done it. Yes; he is powerless. Let him go! let him go!" he repeated; and he paced the room.
Gradually the relief of Hudsley's withdrawal broke upon him, and his step grew lighter.
"Yes, let him go! Now I am free--I am my own master! master of wealth undreamed of! And I'll use it! By Heaven, I'll be happy! Let him go! I meant to get rid of him--he has saved me an unpleasant scene. And now to work, to work!"
He ran rather than walked across the room, and rang the bell.
Slummers opened the door almost instantly and stood motionless and silent.
"Has--has that old idiot gone?" asked Stephen.
"Let the past go with him!" he said. "Slummers, go to my room and bring a roll of papers from my bureau-drawer. You know what they are! Plans and estimates. Do you know what I am going to do?"
"Of course you do!" said Stephen with the same laugh. "I'm going to make a clean sweep here, Slummers. I'm going to pull half this beastly place to the ground. Alterations, Slummers--alterations that will make Hurst a place for a man to live in, not a tomb, as it is at present."
"You are right, sir, it is a tomb," said Slummers, in his low, hollow voice.
"Yes, yes; but I mean to alter that. I'll make it fit to live in, fit to bring a young bride to. Fetch the plans, Slummers; I'll go over them at once, this minute. Yes, I will change the place till the very trees shall not know it. Fetch the plans! I'll pull the whole of it down, every stick and stone! I hate it--hate it! I'll change the name! I can do it. I can do anything now, or what is the use of this money? Fetch the plans! Fetch----" He broke off suddenly and staggered.
Slummers sprang nervously forward and caught him, and putting him into a chair, poured out some neat brandy and gave it to him.
Stephen tugged at his collar and struggled for a moment, then sank back helplessly.
"Stop!" he said, "stay here. Don't go. I--I can hear voices--an old man's voice--what is it?"
"Nothing--nothing," said Slummers. "Be calm, sir."
"Calm--I am calm!" retorted Stephen. "It's this beastly house, it's full of noises! Give me some brandy--and--get the time table. I'll go to London to-morrow, Slummers. Yes, I'll go to London!"