Hubert had seldom been more surprised in his life than when the elegantly-dressed lady who was ushered into his sitting-room proved to be his sister Florence. She had never visited him before. He sprang up from his writing-table, which was piled high with books and manuscripts, flung a half-smoked cigar into the grate, and greeted her with a mixture of doubt and astonishment, which amused if it did not flatter the astute Mrs. Vane.
"This is indeed an unexpected pleasure! I hope you are not the bearer of ill news, Flossy! Is anything wrong at Beechfield?"
"Oh, dear, no! I came up to see my dentist," said Flossy carelessly, "and I thought that I would give you a call _en passant_. So these are your rooms? Not at all bad for a bachelor!"
"That is high praise from you, I suppose," said Hubert, smiling faintly.
"But you do not look at all well, Hubert. What is the matter with you? You look terribly fagged!"
Her remark was justified by his appearance. His face had a drawn look which added ten years to his age; his eyes seemed almost to have sunk into his head. He made an impatient gesture, and looked away.
"I have not been very well," he said; "but there is no need to speak about it. I am very busy, and I want rest--change of scene and air."
He gave a slight but perceptible shudder.
"No," he said briefly, and then stood leaning against his writing-table, and was silent.
"Hubert," said his sister, a little more quickly than usual, "I said that I wanted to see my dentist, but I had another reason for coming to town. Can you tell me where I can find a file of the _Times_ newspaper for the early months of the year 187-?"--she mentioned the year of Sydney Vane's death and the trial of Andrew Westwood.
"You want--the trial?" said her brother, with an evident effort. She bowed her head.
"I have forgotten one or two points in the evidence. I want to recall them to my mind."
"It doesn't matter," she said, feigning indifference, and rising as if to take her leave; "I can see the papers in a public library, no doubt. The General would not have a copy left in the house. I will go elsewhere."
"It is needless," Hubert answered, in a gloomy tone. "I have kept copies myself. Wait a moment, and I will bring them to you."